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Our Team
ELIJAH M. J. NIKIFORUK
FOUNDER & NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Elijah is a young leader who is passionate about the potential of Canada. In 2019 he served as a Student Ambassador to the Deputy Premier & Minister of Health of Ontario & was also a Student Guest of the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Washington D.C. Additionally, Elijah has enjoyed engaging in deep, thought-provoking conversations with various leaders such as Canada’s Ambassador to the United States, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Canada, as well as the Senior Economic Advisor to the President of the United States.
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Elijah graduated high school as Chairman of the Student Council, Valedictorian of the Class of 2021 & received the designation of Ontario Scholar. After receiving Scholarships & Letters of Acceptance from Western University, Queen's and the University of Ottawa, Elijah decided to study at Trinity Western University in British Columbia where he is the recipient of both the Provost's Scholarship & the Founders' Scholarship.
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Elijah believes in the power of community, as well as the necessity of individuality.
BELLA JACKSON
NATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT
Bella Jackson is a graduate of McGill University, where she gained a major in Political Science and double-minored in Anthropology and Economics. She has spent time in Israel, where she studied International Political Economy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. There, she focused on the impacts of government reforms on economic development, innovation and investment. Bella's academic writing has also been published by the Fraser Institute, Canada's leading public-policy think-tank. She has well-rounded academic, volunteering, and work-related experiences and currently resides in Washington D.C.
Additionally, Bella is fluent in both French and English.
MATTHEW PENNER
CHIEF OF STAFF
Matthew Penner is a graduate of Western Governors University where he gained a Bachelor of Science in Network Operations and Security, completing a 3+ year program in just 14 months. Matthew also holds a CASP (CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner) Certificate in cybersecurity engineering and has acquired numerous other technology-related licenses / certifications from distinguished institutions. Having previously worked as a Platform Operations Analyst at First West Credit Union, a Technology Consultant at GLC Solutions, Matthew is presently the Founder of VOS Solutions - the world's first turnkey software solution for running programs end-to-end, from individual athletic careers to entire national development systems. In his spare time he is striving towards a Masters Degree in Leadership from Trinity Western University.
OUR
Strategic
Advisors
Experienced & Accomplished...
General (ret.) Rick Hillier
Former Chief of Defence Staff
General (ret.) Rick Hillier served as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces from 2005 - 2008. He has extensive experience working in complicated environments across the globe.
More recently, General (ret.) Rick Hillier was appointed Chair of the Ukrainian World Congress's Strategic Advisory Council where he offers support and advocacy for Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Force.
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His patriotism and leadership have captured the hearts and minds of Canadians, making him one of Canada's most celebrated leaders.
Joanna Baron
Canadian Constitution Foundation
Joanna Baron serves as the Executive Director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a national legal charity dedicated to defending fundamental freedoms in courts of law and public opinion.
Previously, in 2016 she founded the Runnymede Society: a non-partisan organization dedicated to fostering discussion and debate on pressing legal issues, particularly around the principles of constitutionalism, the rule of law, and individual liberty. The Society continues to bring together law students, academics, legal professionals, and members of the public to engage in thoughtful dialogue on pressing legal and constitutional matters. Its goal is to encourage a deeper understanding of the law and to promote civil debate on issues that shape Canada's legal and political landscape.
Joanna studied classical liberal arts at St. John’s College and earned civil and common law degrees at McGill University.
She clerked at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and was called to the bar in Ontario in 2013.
Following her clerkship, Joanna worked in barrister’s chambers in London, UK as a Harold G. Fox Scholar.
Following her return to Canada in 2014, Joanna practiced criminal law with the late Edward L. Greenspan, appearing at all levels of court in Ontario, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
She is co-author of Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to Covid-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever, which was a bestseller on the Globe and Mail's bestseller list and nominated for the Donner Prize for best book on Canadian public policy.
Frank Apa
President & Gen. Manager, Lexus of Oakville
Frank Apa started out as an Assistant to the Sales Manager at an auto dealership in 1974, eventually purchasing the Oakville Toyota dealership in 1991 along with his partner. Based on his success with Oakville Toyota, Frank was granted the first standalone Lexus dealership in Ontario (the second in Canada) and Lexus of Oakville opened in November 2001. Lexus of Oakville has won numerous awards, including: Pursuit of Excellence; Consumer Choice Award for Business Excellence as the best Lexus Dealer in the GTA; Oakville Beaver’s Readers’ Choice Award Diamond Winner; etc.
After Frank’s dog Patch passed away in 2002, Oakville Toyota and now Lexus of Oakville partnered with the Oakville Milton Humane Society, creating the PATCH Program to teach youth about animals, fostering a community of care, compassion, and kindness. Each year, Frank and Lexus of Oakville also support the Make A Wish Foundation and Lions Foundation of Canada’s Dog Guides, as well as many other local team sponsorships and community events. Frank is also the recipient of the Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow Award. Frank’s mission in life and business is to conduct himself with honesty, integrity and care for others.
David Brown
Partner, WeirFoulds LLP
David Brown has been repeatedly named by Best Lawyers® as one of the best lawyers in Canada in the practice area of Corporate Law, having developed an active international practice representing finance firms in New York, Chicago, Frankfurt and London.
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David has also served on the Board of Directors of the Empire Club of Canada, adding to the extensive list of not-for-profit organizations for which David either serves or has served on the Board, including The Pinball Clemons Foundation, The Private Capital Markets Association of Canada, The Toronto Venture Group/Toronto Angel Group (now Maple Leaf Angels) and Make-A-Wish Toronto & Central Ontario.
Sam VanderVeer
Director, Scotiabank
Sam VanderVeer began his Financial Services career with Scotiabank in 2014. He has worked in the Office of the President & CEO, Investment Banking and National Accounts Commercial Lending.
Prior to Scotiabank Sam served as Director of Budget Planning for the Federal Minister of Finance and assistant to the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff in Ottawa, Canada.
Sam has a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity Western University.
William Chang
Associate, WeirFoulds LLP
William Chang has experience in complex private mergers, acquisitions and dispositions and works with clients to draft and negotiate shareholders’ agreements, partnership agreements, non-disclosure agreements and assorted corporate-commercial contracts.
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Prior to joining WeirFoulds William practiced at a full-service law firm where he developed a broad solicitor’s practice with a focus on corporate-commercial transactional files. He routinely assists clients in completing a variety of corporate / commercial transactions.
Nola Kianza
Canadian Council on Africa
Nola Kianza is the Founder, President & CEO of the Canadian Council on Africa (CCAfrica) - a Pan-Canadian, national organization dedicated to fostering economic development between Canada and the Continent of Africa.
Founded in 2002, CCAfrica Members represent all sectors of the Canadian economy, including: large, medium and small enterprises; institutions; Provincial and Federal governments. Nola Kianza is an entrepreneur and businessman with over 30 years of experience working in international business relations.
Kerry Colborne
Force 10 Capital Management
Kerry Colborne is the owner and Principal Broker of Force 10 Capital Management which specializes in private financing for residential, commercial and other real estate projects including construction. Prior to that she spent twenty years in senior international corporate roles in Fortune 100 companies including Global Marketing Director based in France and the US, Managing Director (CEO) in New Zealand and Head of Marketing in Canada.
She has volunteered tirelessly in the Town of Oakville including serving 11 years on the Board of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, including 2 terms as Chair of the Board, 15 years as the Chair of the Judging Panel of the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence, 9 years as a Member of the Heritage Advisory Committee for the Town of Oakville, 5 years as a Director and Treasurer for the Oakville Arts Council and most recently started a soccer league for women 50 and over.