Helen Chimirri-Russell
Chair
Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Heritage Trust
Helen has worked in the Arts and Culture sector for the past 25 years, with experience in heritage, museums, arts and cultural tourism. Helen has lived and worked in other countries and provinces, and has called Waterloo Region home since 2017. In her current role as CEO of the Ontario Heritage Trust, Helen is exploring how local heritage assets create a sense of place and local character.
Tracy Van Kalsbeek
Immediate Past Chair
Executive Director, Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest
Tracy has spent most of her career in leadership positions within the charitable and non profit sector – with a visit to the corporate world.
She is currently the Executive Director of Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. Tracy is an avid volunteer within the community and sits on many boards and committees.
David Brenneman
Vice Chair
CAO, Township of Woolwich
David is the CAO for the Township of Woolwich and a graduate of the University of Waterloo. He joined the Township of Woolwich in 2007 – in time to be a founding Board member for Explore Waterloo Region. David is actively involved in the KW Community Foundation.
Tim Anderson
Treasurer
CAO, City of Waterloo
Tim is the CAO for the City of Waterloo and a graduate of the University of Guelph. Tim joined the City of Waterloo in 1990 and became CAO in 2010 and the Board of Explore Waterloo Region in the same year.
Joanna Loebach
Secretary
General Manager, St. Jacobs Market District
Joanna is currently the General Manager of the St. Jacobs Market District – that largest tourist attraction in the region. She has over 15 years of experience in operations management working for a large global consumer goods manufacturer and at the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Laurier University running an accelerator program for small businesses.
Roly Webster
Board Member
Director of Athletics & Recreation, University of Waterloo
Roly has spent his the past 30 years working in higher education. He is currently the Director of Athletics & Recreation at the University of Waterloo. Roly is also an experienced leader and has volunteered with the KW Community Foundation, the United Way, KidSport, and is also on the Advisory Committee of the EWR Sport Hosting Office.
Brad MacLellan
Board Member
General Manager, The Walper Hotel
Brad is the General Manager of The Walper Hotel – an iconic landmark of the City of Kitchener since 1893, and which sits on a site that has been a social hub for the city ever since 1802.
Brad began his career in hospitality 25 years ago and has since traversed every branch of the profession. With a focus in operations, Brad has experience in travel and tourism, restaurants, and hotels, and brings with him a passion for community and experiences. An avid believer in learning and growing through travel, Brad has previously held board of directors positions with two other tourism associations: Destination Stratford and Discover Miramichi.
Chris Wood
Board Member
General Manager, Region of Waterloo International Airport
Chris Wood landed at the Region of Waterloo International Airport in September of 2009 taking on the role of Airport General Manager. Chris was previously employed by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) for 12 years.
Chris’s aviation career began more than 25 years ago at the Region of Waterloo International Airport where he spent a summer working at the Waterloo-Wellington Flying Club as a ramp attendant. He currently lives with his wife and two teenage children in Ayr, Ontario.
Bob Harris
Board Member
General Manager, Chicopee Tube Park
For close to 20 years, Bob was on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Ski Resorts Association [OSRA], where he was Chair for three years. A past member of EWR’s Board of Directors, Bob has also been on the RTO4 board since its start in 2011 and through Covid. Bob was instrumental in creating the Ski Resort Operations program at Georgian College in 2000.
Currently Bob is the General Manager for Chicopee Tube Park, one the very few standalone Tube Parks that operates year round offering winter tubing and summer zip lining.
Dan Chapman
Board Member
CAO, City of Kitchener
Dan was appointed CAO of the City of Kitchener in September 2017. He joined the city in 2005 as director of financial planning, and was most recently deputy chief administrative officer responsible for finance and corporate services.
Yogesh Shah
Board Member
Interim City Manager, City of Cambridge
Yogesh joined the City of Cambridge in 2006 as Manager of Asset Management and held progressively senior roles including Director of Engineering Infrastructure, Director of Project Management, and Director of Asset Management.
Prior to joining the City of Cambridge, Yogesh contributed to the City of Kitchener and the private sector, totaling 33 years of experience. He also led the advancement of the Cambridge Recreation Complex and Preston Auditorium projects.
Mathieu Goetzke
Board Member
Acting CAO/Commissioner for Transportation Services, Region of Waterloo
For over 20 years, Mathieu Goetzke has worked in urban planning and design, and transportation, on both sides of the Atlantic. In his native country of France, Mathieu worked with the City of Lille on urban regeneration projects. After immigrating to Canada, Mathieu worked as vice-president of planning at Metrolinx. Mathieu then brought his experience to the Region of Waterloo as Transportation Commissioner to help create a more accessible, healthier and safer transportation network and support a growing and dynamic region.
At present, he is acting CAO for the Region.
Jeff Willmer
Board Member
Chief Administrative Officer, Township of Wilmot
Jeff Willmer began his municipal career with the Township of Woolwich and joined the City of Kitchener as an urban planner in 1989. He was appointed Director of Planning in 2002 and later served as Chief Administrative Officer until his retirement in 2017.
In 2019, he returned to municipal service as Interim City Manager for the City of Cambridge. Jeff is also a co-founder of A Better Tent City, a community-based initiative supporting people transitioning from homelessness. He currently serves as Chief Administrative Officer for the Township of Wilmot.
Pejman Salehi
Board Member
Executive Dean, Conestoga College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Pejman Salehi is the Executive Dean of the School of Applied Computer Science & IT and the School of Creative Industries at Conestoga College. Pejman brings his experience as an academic leader as well as his background in the tech industry. He believes that developing talent in the innovation and creativity sectors will help drive Waterloo Region to a more prosperous and vibrant future.