Nancy Smithers – Chair

Nancy Smithers is an entrepreneur and community service volunteer with more than 25 years of business experience in financial management, accounting, personnel management, marketing, strategic planning and international trade development. She is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Naturally Nova Scotia Health Products Limited, a certified organic, Health Canada Site Licensed manufacturing facility and herb farm which supplies organic herb products and nutraceuticals to retailers across Canada and Japan and to consumers around the world via her ecommerce site. In 2004, she earned a Premier’s Commendation recognizing leadership in Quality Management Practice, and in 2007, she won a Nova Scotia Women of Excellence Award. She is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Coalition for Health, Freedom and Citizens for Choice in Health Care, Dartmouth General Hospital Charitable Foundation, a member of the Natural Health Products Directorate’s Management Advisory Committee on Natural Health Products. She is a member of the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association advisory board, a director of the Dalhousie University Art Gallery, and sits on the Dalhousie University Faculty of Management advisory board. She has studied natural health through Alberta’s Wild Rose College since 1995. She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Laws from St. Mary’s University which recognizes the value Nancy Smithers provides as a role model for entrepreneurial students and her ongoing support for academic research. She is a member of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award World Fellowship and the International Women’s Forum of Canada. In 2009 Nancy received the Canadian Health Food Association Lifetime Organic Achievement Award for organic excellence.

David Graham – Vice Chair

David Graham is the President of Atlantic Developments Inc. Atlantic Developments Inc. is a real estate company with a portfolio of projects in and around Halifax Regional Municipality, which include: Theatre Lofts, Rockcliffe Village, and Narrows Basin. In addition to developing the award-winning Queen/Richmond Centre in Toronto, David has 25 years of industry experience as a senior vice president at a National real estate company, and as a consultant to two New York City real estate companies. David is a Trustee of Crombie REIT, a past member of the Coady International Institute Capital Campaign, graduated from St. Francis Xavier University, and has a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University.

Jeff Alexander – Board Member

Jeff is the practice leader for CIBC Mellon in the Atlantic Region. He is responsible for both sales and service for CIBC Mellon, and is based in Halifax.
With over 18 years’ experience in the financial industry, Jeff has built a highly successful career both in Vancouver as well as Halifax. Educated in Vancouver, Jeff has lived and worked in Halifax for the last 11 years. Working on both coasts has given Jeff a broad knowledge and experience base from which to draw from. Jeff serves as president of a large non-profit organization, and is an active board member of several non-profit organizations within his community. Jeff is a well known member of the business community in the Atlantic Region. He and his wife Jessica live in Sackville with their 4 children.
“When I visited the Manchester Bidwell Centre in Pittsburgh, I was struck by the beauty of the surroundings and the focus of the students, both children and adult. After hearing Bill Strickland speak passionately about unlocking the potential in everyone, I felt inspired to see a similar Centre set up in Halifax. Bridge Centre for Arts and Technology will change lives in our region, and that ripple effect will continue into families and neighbourhoods.”

Donald MacLean – Board Member

Superintendent MacLean began his policing career after graduating from the Halifax Police Department Visible Minority Cadet Class in 1993. He has spent the majority of his career in the Patrol and General Investigation Sections. Superintendent MacLean was promoted to Staff Sergeant in December 2005 and assigned as Divisional Commander of East Division in January 2007. Superintendent MacLean has been heavily involved in efforts to create a diverse police force in HRM. He was Team Leader for the recruitment team from 2003-2007, and was appointed the first Halifax Regional Police Equity Diversity Officer in April 2004. In these roles, Superintendent MacLean has developed and delivered extensive training in diversity related matters in the policing environment on a local, national and international basis. Superintendent MacLean is currently the officer-in-charge of East Division, which encompasses the former city of Dartmouth, and the Public Safety Unit.

Karn Nichols – Board Member

“To find your mission in life is to discover the intersection between your heart’s deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger” – Frederick Beekner

After almost 20 years, Karn Nichols left a very successful and secure senior position at Maritime Travel in order to pursue a lifelong dream of earning her MBA.  After her first week back in the classroom she was feeling anxious, stressed and generally  conflicted about her decision to go back to school.  That is, until she had the privilege of hearing Bill Strickland speak.  He helped her realize that sometimes you need to do things simply because they are the right thing to do – just as Bill has done.  Karn currently resides in Hubley where she lives with her husband and two children.  She is VP External of the Saint Mary’s University  MBA Society as well as President of Families with Children from China Nova Scotia (FCCNS).  Karn is committed to helping Bridge CAT become a reality in our community simply because… it is the right thing to do.

Chris Poole – Board Member

“Engaging Today to Empower Tomorrow” – Chris Poole

Having a child was enough to start Chris Poole on his journey.  He returned to school to become the first in his family to receive a college diploma.  After receiving his Certified Water Resources Technologist Diploma from Nova Scotia Community College, Chris gained confidence in himself and moved from retail management to a position in office administration.  In his spare time he taught himself how to build desktop computers and began a small business in computer assembly and troubleshooting in 2002.  After many years of saying “I can’t do sales” he joined Spot Check Services in 2004 and began an international sales career.  Chris was responsible for taking a small local company to international within 2 years.  In addition, he maintained the company’s client and shopper database, and assisted the quality control division.  Though without any experience, the president recognized Chris’ ability and asked him to create a website from scratch.  Again self taught, he now has many websites under his belt in a variety of platforms.  With his second child starting school, Chris wanted to make a difference in Education and felt he could contribute best as a Board Member for the Halifax Regional School Board.  Chris is currently the HRSB Member for District 4.  Still looking for ways to help others he was trained as a Certified Ergonomics Coordinator from the University of Fredericton.  Chris and his wife realized their combined technical, business, renovation and design skills complimented each other and ArtWORKable Interiors was born.  Chris believes all you need to do is care about a child and amazing things can happen, so engage today to empower tomorrow!

Kendrick Douglas – Board Member

Kendrick Douglas, originally from Sydney, Nova Scotia, is a lawyer based in Halifax and Co-Founder of the Bridge Centre for Arts and Technology. The interest for the Centre began after Mr. Douglas and Mr. Graham (Vice Chair) heard Mr. Strickland speak at a conference. They visited Mr. Strickland in Pittsburgh, USA, and after numerous conversations and meetings, the two concentrated their efforts on replicating a Centre.
This former hockey standout has sat on numerous boards which generally focused on youth, education and equality. Raised with the belief that success means improving the lot of the downtrodden he continues to help those in need.

Nikki Robar - Board Member

Nikki is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator with the Atlantic Canada Consulting & Deals Group of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, working in the area of business valuations, financial analysis and transaction support.  As a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University, Nikki remains involved with the Halifax Alumni Chapter as Treasurer of the Chapter and the annual fundraising dinner.  After spending fifteen years in various public practices, as well as two years with a Caribbean communications company, Nikki has developed strong financial and advisory skill-set to bring to the BridgeCAT Board.  In her after-hours, Nikki enjoys her most important role as a mother of two.

Pat Ryan - Board Member

Pat is the CEO of the Nova Scotia Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation (CUDIC). An experienced executive whose career has spanned  Commercial Banking and Venture Capital to International  Trade and  Business Development. A committed community volunteer he currently serves on the Boards of the YMCA of Greater Halifax and the Black Business Initiative. He is  a past Director of  Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia, The Saint Mary’s University Business Development Centre and the Associated Alumni of Acadia University. Pat is a graduate of the Acadia University, a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and the Venture Capital Institute of the National Venture Capital Association in the U.S.

Matthew Brunt - Board Member

Matt is a partner at J.W. Bird and Co. Ltd. (Bird-Stairs).  he is responsible for the Construction Products Division and manages the Dartmouth office.  Born and raised in Halifax, NS.  Mat has been with Bird Stairs since 1995 and has worked in many positions from the warehouse to his current.

He has served on many industry related boards from local to international, including Construction Specifications Canada, Nova Scotia Road Builders Association, Tilt-up Concrete Association, Design and Construction Institute of Nova Scotia and is currently an Executive Director of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia.

Matt lives in Halifax with his wife Angela and son Samuel.