The Team

To contact any of our staff below, please use our contact form and allow 2-3 business days for a response.

• All
• Board and Committees
• CEO
• Coordinators
• Directors
• Managers

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Ram Nayyar

Board Chair

Ram is the founder of Fearlessness Consulting Inc., a company dealing in personal and corporate performance strategies. Clients from all walks of life have worked with Ram’s approach to achieve real performance improvements across multiple domains in their lives and businesses.  Currently, he is the head coach for the Vancouver Lawn Tennis and Badminton club with previous experience as  High-Performance Director, National Head Coach, National Para Badminton Head Coach. He has worked in every area possible within his chosen sport, most notably coaching Canada to it’s best ever Olympic Games finish in 2012.  Ram has traveled to over 90 countries globally and has coached at every major sporting event in the world. Best-selling author of The Sport of Life and a Level 5 Chartered Professional Coach, Ram has received multiple awards in the field of coaching and believes that sport is a metaphor for life.

Elise Marcotte

Board Member

Elise Marcotte is a two-time Olympian in the sport of Artistic Swimming, a three-time Pan Am Games medalist (2 Gold, 1 Silver), a two-time Bronze medalist from the World Aquatics Championships, and has won over 20 titles at the Canadian National Championship. She brings her love for high performance, dedicated work ethic, and the energy required to be a successful Olympic athlete into her current endeavors.

Elise leads the Talent Intelligence function for Indeed Canada, where she is responsible for consulting with Enterprise businesses across Canada, offering best practices, thought leadership, and insightful data analysis. Originally from Québec and now living on a farm in Alberta, she is fluently bilingual in English and French, a mother of two, and a certified artistic swimming coach for multiple female athletes who have qualified for the Canadian national team and won national titles. She also runs a small real estate business in Calgary with her husband and serves as an ambassador working to keep young women engaged in sports and to assist Olympic and Paralympic Athletes in successfully transitioning from sports into the world of work.

Gord Plottel

Board Member

Gord Plottel has a diverse perspective on the Sport for Life movement, coming from his roles as a former national team athlete, coach, parent of athletes, sport governance volunteer, and now as a masters athlete over many decades. Gord is a lawyer who retired after thirty-three years of private practice at a national law firm. He brings extensive corporate governance experience gained both through his professional practice and volunteer work.

A lifelong passion for sport and its values is evident in Gord’s participation and volunteerism with multiple organizations, including Sport BC, Commonwealth Sport Canada, 2010 Olympics Legacies Now, KidSport Canada and KidSport BC, Field Hockey Canada, Swimming Canada, SDRCC, and local and national Field Hockey.

Gord remains active, playing for the Over 60 Masters National Team, and enjoys golf, skiing, running, and cycling.

Jacquelyn Novak

Board Member

Jacquelyn is one of our newest additions to the Board of Directors, bringing expertise in strategy, program management and strategic talent. Jacquelyn has straddled the world of high performance sport as an athlete and coach in the sport of softball, while managing a fast-paced career with Deloitte as a management consultant specializing in Public Sector, Sport and Tourism.  Jacquelyn left Deloitte to pursue a Masters Degree in Sport Management from AISTS in the heart of the Olympic Movement – Lausanne, Switzerland.

Focusing on program development, commercial strategy in sport and sport for development (with programs led by the United Nations), Jacquelyn worked in Switzerland for organizations like European Athletics and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). She returned to Canada with Rowing Canada Aviron, focused on coach development and education. 

Jacquelyn presently wears a number of hats in not-for-profit and sport. She is the Managing Director with Toa Consulting, a boutique consulting firm focused on the sport, tourism and not-for-profit industries. She’s an instructor in the Sport Management program at Camosun College focusing on sport technology and innovation. And on the athlete and coach development side, she acts as a coach developer for Softball BC. She most recently has taken on the important role of Director, Sport for I∙SPARC (Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council) supporting Indigenous sport programming and competition for communities across B.C.

Meghan Burrows

Board Member

Meghan Burrows is a dynamic professional with a background in Recreation Therapy and holds a Masters of Public Health. With a decade of experience as a Personal Trainer, she has collaborated with SportMedBC as a run coach and worked with the University of British Columbia on innovative projects, such as developing guidelines for using physical activity as a primary treatment for depression.

In the BC public healthcare sector, Meghan has excelled in roles including project manager and physician engagement specialist, and she currently serves as a Negotiator at Doctors of BC. Her governance expertise shines through her contributions to medical staff associations and non-profit boards, facilitating strategic planning, recruitment efforts, and the development of memorandums of understanding.

An avid trail runner and backcountry skier, Meghan’s favorite local ski destination is the Brian Waddington Hut in the Birken Range. She has competed in powerlifting with the BCPA and continues to coach a strength class weekly, maintaining her CECs and fueling her passion for promoting physical activity.

Nathan Wong

Board Member

Nathan Wong joins our Board as a not-for-profit and public sector finance executive and former competitive athlete (archery); he specializes in strategic financial management, process improvements, and risk management. Nathan has over a decade of finance leadership experience in high-performance sport at Canadian Sport Institute Pacific. He then joined PLEA Community Services, where he led the vision and strategic direction for the agency in finance operations, budgeting and reporting, and information technology. Currently, Nathan oversees the financial operations and financial planning for the Surrey Police Service.

Along with his not-for-profit and the public sector career, Nathan also held academic roles such as guest lecturing at the University of British Columbia and helped co-author the course, “Business of High-Performance Sport in Canada.” He is also a former learning facilitator for the CPA Western School of Business. Along with being on the Sport for Life board of directors, Nathan is also part of the CPA Education Foundation board of governors.

Nathan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from UBC, a Master of Business Administration degree from Laurentian University, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Sylvie Béliveau

Board Member

Sylvie Béliveau is an important female figure in soccer at the Canadian and International levels and in the sport world in general. She has coached teams at all levels including the Canadian Senior Women’s National Soccer Team. For several years, Sylvie has given her technical expertise and time to many different sport organizations, including the Quebec Soccer Federation, Canada Soccer, FIFA, CAAWS and others. 

Sylvie’s knowledge of developmental principles especially LTD (Long Term Development), coach development and training, and sport administration, has contributed towards her in-depth knowledge of the Canadian Sport System.

Sylvie has played a significant role as a Board Member of CAAWS. She is also a founding member and presently Vice President of Egale Action, an organization that promotes the participation, retention and advancement of women in sport in the province of Quebec.  Sylvie is now the Senior Advisor, Varsity Program, at McGill University for The Women in Sport Initiative.

Aneesha Narang

Finance & Audit Committee Member

Aneesha Narang is a dedicated non-profit leader who has worked with organizations, including BC Athletics and the Cascade Journalism Society. In her career, she has also created a financial literacy program called the “Big Brain Literacy Program” to help international and high school students improve their financial literacy. She has a background in both accounting and finance. Aneesha is an avid runner; in her spare time, she coaches running to maintain her physical fitness aspirations.

Rosemary Redgrift

Governance Committee Member

Rosemary Redgrift brings over 30 years of experience as a coach and volunteer in physical education and sports. She earned her degree in Kinesiology/Physical Education from the University of Ottawa in 1986 and became a dedicated coach in diving and gymnastics during her university years. To this day, Rosemary continues her involvement in gymnastics, serving on the board of directors for Gymnastics Ontario with a focus on Risk Management. She also works as a coach developer at the foundations and competition level 1 and serves as a judge in two gymnastics disciplines at the provincial level: Men’s Artistic and Acrobatic.

Rosemary has been a committed volunteer at gymnastics events worldwide, including participation in three Canada Games and Gymnaestrada non-competitive events in four European countries, as well as the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. She also played a key role as the equipment team leader for gymnastics at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In her personal life, Rosemary has always been passionate about physical activity and sports. Despite limited opportunities in the small Northern Ontario town where she grew up, she engaged in every sports activity available and continues to challenge herself physically and mentally today.

Waseem Nazir

Finance & Audit Committee Member

Waseem Nazir has over 14 years of global experience in finance, accounting, controlling, and legal affairs within engineering, procurement, and construction organizations for commercial, industrial, and utilities projects. Waseem is an expert in project accounting, cost centre accounting, and financial reporting, able to control high-value, long-term turnkey projects. He served as Manager of Finance for Sport for Life in 2021. Currently, Waseem is working as a Finance Project Manager with Alstom Transport Canada.

Waseem has a background as an Olympic-style weightlifting athlete (1999 – 2005). His best results were a 125KG Clean & Jerk and 100KG Snatch in the 62KG bodyweight category.

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Richard Way

Chief Executive Officer

Richard is the CEO of the Sport for Life Society and an architect of the Long-Term Development Framework. Richard has facilitated the use of Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity for over 60 sports in more than 100 countries, and co-authored the book, Long-Term Development, with Istvan Balyi and Dr. Colin Higgs. Throughout his career, Richard has been an innovative leader, a catalyst for advancing quality sport and developing physical literacy; throughout the course of his career, he has contributed to more than 100 resources on sport and physical literacy development. Under Richard’s leadership, the Sport for Life team was awarded the Canadian Medical Association’s national Award for Excellence in Health Promotion, and more recently, the team was a finalist in the Global Design Challenge to find solutions to the challenges faced in sport and physical activity due to COVID-19. Richard is a founding member of the International Physical Literacy Association. Additionally, he has served as the Director of Sport for Vancouver’s successful 2010 Winter Olympic Games Bid Corporation, a commission member of the International Luge Federation, and a Board member of the Canadian Luge Association. Richard is the founder of the Calgary Luge Club and the B.C. Luge Association; he represented Canada in nine natural Luge World Championships and was an All-Canadian West in soccer for the University of Calgary. He is a proud father to three sporty young adults.

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Drew Mitchell

Senior Director of Physical Literacy

Drew is the Senior Director of Physical Literacy for the Sport for Life Society and works as a consultant focused on the development of physical literacy at the community level and promoting the Canadian Sport for Life Movement. He is a graduate of Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Drew has worked extensively in the sport system as an educator and developer of programs for the past 19 years. He managed Sport Technical and Performance Services for viaSport BC and was the Manager of Science & Medicine programs for SportMedBC where he worked with over 50 different sports at the local, provincial and national level. He is also a past member of the Canadian National Canoeing Team and the former Health & Lifestyle Coordinator at the Downtown Vancouver YMCA. Drew has been involved in sport and fitness for over 40 years as an athlete, coach, administrator, volunteer, developer and manager.

Kabir Hosein

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Kabir Hosein is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Sport for Life. A father of four very active kids and from the Caribbean, Kabir was a leader in the Athletics Association and Olympic movement in Trinidad and Tobago. Since joining Sport for Life, he has been an integral part of the organization’s management, bringing his experiences in sport and physical activity as a Newcomer to Canada into his work. Kabir takes time to build relationships and co-create initiatives that reflect his values of “physical activity and sport for everyone can create a sense of belonging.”

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Tom Jones

Director of International Engagement

Tom is the Director of International Engagement for the Sport for Life Society. Tom has served as the CEO of Commonwealth Games Canada and Athletes CAN in Ottawa, as well as Manager of Sport, Excellence and Wellness at the Richmond Olympic Oval, and Manager of Athlete Development of the Province of BC. He worked in the Australian sport system as Executive Director of a state sporting organization (Melbourne) and was the Technical Operations Manager for the volleyball competition at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Tom was Event Director for the 2016 Americas Masters Games in Vancouver. He has been on many non-profit Boards including Volleyball Canada and served several terms as President of Volleyball BC. A graduate of UBC, Tom holds an MBA from the University of Calgary and was a lecturer in the Sport Management department of Algonquin College in Ottawa. He is currently Principal of Jones & Associates Sport and Management Consulting in Vancouver BC. Tom competed internationally for Canada in the sport of volleyball, and was a PanAm Games bronze medalist, World Student Games silver medalist and a semi-finalist in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. He spent seven years in Europe as a professional athlete and continues to compete at World Masters Games.

Alex Wilson (on Maternity/Parental Leave)

Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives

Alex is the Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives for the Sport for Life Society. Alex monitors the progress of projects and builds educational connections for the Sport for Life movement.  She earned a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education and Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University and a Master’s Degree in Exercise and Health Psychology from the University of British Columbia.  Alex has been involved with a variety of projects supporting and encouraging physical literacy and a healthy lifestyle including Action Schools! BC, BC Wheelchair Sports Association and research projects in both education and health settings.  Alex enjoys being an active part of her community and volunteers regularly with the Take a Hike Foundation and Alpine Club of Canada.  She is an outdoor enthusiast who can frequently be found biking, hiking, paddling, and skiing to maximize her time in nature.

Annie Lau

Manager of Information Technology

Annie Lau is the Manager of Information Technology for the Sport for Life Society, and a member of Sport for Life’s EDIA committee in the role for people with diverse abilities.

Annie graduated from George Brown College in Toronto with a diploma of Business Administration with Co-op, and completed courses in the Fitness & Lifestyle Management Program. While at school, she played varsity women’s volleyball for four years and managed the varsity men’s team in her final year. Annie has been on the Team Canada Women’s Deaf Volleyball Team since 2010, competing in six international competitions to date, and is a Board member for the BC Deaf Sports Federation (BCDSF).

She enjoys mountain biking and golfing. At Sport for Life, she looks forward to working, giving back and developing in a growing organization.

Hardeep Buttar

Senior Manager of Finance

Hardeep is the Senior Manager of Finance for the Sport for Life Society. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in BC and brings over 10 years’ experience in accounting, financial reporting, and treasury management in public practice, government, and non-profit sectors. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, running, and spending time exploring our beautiful BC and the world.

Joe D’Eramo

Manager of Quality Sport Development

As the Manager of Quality Sport at Sport for Life, Joe strives to leverage his diverse background in business, human rights, and international development to provide comprehensive support to all stakeholders within Canada’s sport ecosystem. He aims to facilitate the realization of quality sport experiences for everyone involved while simultaneously fostering personal and social development through sport and physical activity. Joe’s professional journey spans international development, sport for development, project management, monitoring and evaluation, and business management. These experiences and his passion for sport for development also led him to work with local sport groups in Tanzania. His educational foundation includes studies in business and a Master’s in European Union Studies and Human Rights, reinforcing his multifaceted expertise.

Kim Samson

Manager of PL4C and Francophone Engagement

As the Manager of PL4C and Francophone Engagement, Kim leads a variety of initiatives aimed at expanding the reach of Sport for Life’s national and international physical literacy projects — with a particular focus on francophone partners and communities. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Sherbrooke and is currently completing a project management program with the Rochester Institute of Technology. She formerly spent over five years as the Senior Coordinator of Bilingual Communications and Francophone Engagement, and is currently the representative for the LGBTQ+ community on the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) Committee. In her off-hours she volunteers for a LGBTQ+ social group that she founded, as well as the organizations Power to Be and The Mustard Seed. Avid about the outdoors, Kim is passionate about cycling, hiking, skiing and kayaking.

Liz Herbert

Manager of National PLAY Assessments and Physical Literacy for Communities, Prairie Engagement

Liz is the Manager of National PLAY Assessments and Physical Literacy for Communities, Prairie Engagement with Sport for Life. In her role, Liz plans and delivers physical literacy assessment products and acts as Sport for Life’s PL4C lead in the Prairie region. She is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Physical Education and a Masters in Business Administration.

Having worked in the non-profit/charitable sector for many years with organizations like KidSport and Free Play for Kids, Liz is passionate about providing physical activity opportunities to those who don’t have access. She has made it a professional and personal goal to learn to be a colleague and ally to people from different cultures. Currently, Liz is a volunteer board member for an organization in Alberta that focuses on supporting Indigenous business students.

Liz is a former member of the Canadian National Women’s Soccer Team and has extensive experience in sports at a recreational level as a coach and participant. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her family and friends, participating in a range of physical activities, reading and enjoying the outdoors with her labrador retriever.

Mataya Jim

Manager of Indigenous Initiatives

Mataya Jim is the Manager of Indigenous Initiatives at Sport for Life and sits on Sport for Life’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee. She is a W̱SÁNEĆ woman from the W,SIKEM community with ties to Penálaxeth’ & Wwaayaa. Mataya has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Victoria studying Sociology and Indigenous Studies. The majority of her previous work has been within Indigenous communities. Mataya feels privileged to have worked within First Nation communities planning and coordinating community engagement, summer recreation programs, and events. Additionally, Mataya has worked and volunteered with children and youth through girls’ groups and soccer teams. During her time at university she was on the Native Student Union Council and volunteered in student mentorship positions. She enjoys engaging in projects that bring people together and celebrate successes. Outside of work Mataya is a very family-oriented person. She enjoys family time at the beaches of Vancouver Island, supporting community soccer, and cozying up with a good book.

Renée Lozeau

Manager of Design Services

Renée, our seasoned Manager of Design Services, blends two decades of versatile graphic design experience with a passion for guiding creative teams and shaping brand strategies. She excels in crafting visual solutions from inception to completion, drawing upon her expertise in web, social media, advertising, printing, signage, vehicle graphic designs, and video editing. Renée’s educational journey, marked by top honours in her classes, encompasses diplomas in Digital Art and Design, as well as Bookkeeping with Computer Applications. Continuously striving for growth, she actively pursues opportunities to remain at the forefront of industry trends and broaden her skill set.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Renée is a compassionate advocate, whether volunteering her time to support victims of child abuse and empower women, or championing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in her work. Away from her desk, Renée is an adventurer, embracing new experiences with enthusiasm. Whether she’s exploring uncharted territory or sharing her love of music, dance and creativity as a performer and teacher, Renée approaches life with zest and curiosity.

Saren Blézy

Senior Project Manager of School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Project

Saren is the Senior Project Manager of School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Project for the Sport for Life Society and an Associate Mentor for the Physical Literacy for Communities B.C. project. She holds a Masters Degree from Brussels School of International Studies in theories of development, analysis and collaboration and a certificate in Project Management from the Inter-American Development Bank. Saren is interested in health and well-being, particularly in creating healthy and sustainable communities. She has worked with many community development organizations and social impact businesses throughout Latin America, Canada, and Switzerland helping them to achieve their goals by implementing project and organizational planning and management processes. Saren is also an outdoor enthusiast and can regularly be found climbing, hiking, cross country skiing and snowboarding.

Shelley Roddie

Manager of Knowledge Scaling

Shelley Roddie is the Manager of Knowledge Scaling for Sport for Life. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Health Education (Co-op) from the University of Victoria. Shelley has worked in various positions related to health and wellness, both youth and sport focused including a co-op term with Sport for Life! Shelley is thrilled to be back with the organization so she can continue delivering her passion towards creating positive sport and recreation opportunities, and supporting the development of leaders in sport and long-term development.

Shelley has always had sport and recreation in her life and loves to be active! You can find her outdoors walking, hiking or at the beach. She also loves swimming and the water, as well as travelling.

Tanya Labrecque

Senior Manager of People and Operations

Tanya Labrecque is the Senior Manager of People and Operations with Sport for Life. She resides in Calgary and has a varied background, primarily in the fitness and recreation industry.

Starting as a Recreation Manager in Fairmont Hot Springs, Tanya became a personal trainer and Fitness Director at the Calgary Winter Club and transitioned into Senior Management with multi-complex sports facilities such as Vivo for Healthier Generations and the YMCA in Calgary.

Her passion for being active, healthy and outdoors has led to many physical pursuits over the years. Currently, she is an avid downhill skier and plays squash. You can find her hiking, mountain biking, wake surfing and hanging out by the water in the summer.

Thalia Moore

Senior Manager of Knowledge Scaling

Coming soon!

Tyler Laing

Senior Manager of Quality Sport Development

Coming soon!

Deen Pawlik

Senior Coordinator of PLAYBuilder

Deen is the Senior Coordinator of PLAYBuilder. A graduate of Brock University’s Sport Management program, Deen knew his passion for sport could make a difference and help develop Long Term Development. Deen has worked with past companies such as: Cosmos Sports & Entertainment, Toronto Blue Jays, and eBridge Connections.

An avid sports fan, you can find him watching the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors, and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Outside of Sport for Life, Deen loves to hangout with his friends or play Baseball, Volleyball, and Hockey to stay active. Deen also has a beagle named Masha that he cherishes.

Khalil Ur Rehman

Senior Coordinator of Finance

Khalil Ur Rehman is the Senior Coordinator of Finance at Sport for Life. He is responsible for operational accounting, particularly accounts payable and accounts receivable. He also helps with organizational administration.

Khalil holds a Master in Business Administration with a major in finance from the University of Lincolnshire (United Kingdom). Before working at Sport for Life, he has worked with various companies, including TD Waterhouse, Tiles from the Nile and Small Business Accountants Calgary.

Khalil likes to travel, explore new natural places and watch cricket matches or boxing.