David Foster, Founder and Chairman

David Foster is a 16-time Grammy Award winner with an unprecedented 46 nominations, a recipient of seven Juno Awards, an Emmy Award in 2004 and a three-time Oscar nominee over the course of a career that spans more than three decades. David has worked with the biggest names in the music industry, including Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Madonna, N'Sync and Natalie Cole.David established the David Foster Foundation in l986 and has raised millions of dollars to assist hundreds of families of children in need of organ transplants in Canada. He has also lent his musical skills to well over 300 charitable events and organizations over the past decade. For more information on David, go to www.davidfoster.com

Mike Ravenhill, Chief Executive Officer

With over 25 years of management experience in the tourism and hospitality and real estate development fields, Mike has extensive experience developing new business ideas, expanding and restructuring existing businesses with a strong emphasis on strategic planning, finance, customer service, sales and marketing. In addition to his business acumen, Mike is known for his commitment to giving back to a wide variety of charitable organizations both locally and nationally.

Mike started as a volunteer for the David Foster Foundation where he served as a director and the President on the board During his time as a volunteer, he took the foundation from a provincial charity to a national foundation assisting families throughout Canada. In January 2009, Mike was appointed Chief Executive Officer. Mike and his wife Cassandra and their two daughters divide their time between Phoenix, Arizona and Victoria, British Columbia.

Board of Directors

Derek Sturko, Vice Chairman, Director, Policy, Governance & Inter-Governmental Relations

An Assistant Deputy Minister for the Government of British Columbia, Derek has been in the public service for more than 25 years, with experience in the areas of strategic planning, innovation, accountability, finance and management. Derek first joined the foundation board in 1996. His role on the board is focused on improving the board’s relationships and partnerships with government and its agencies; strategic policy and accountability; and also developing projects to improve awareness about the importance of becoming an organ donor.

Derek has a BSc from the University of Brandon and an MA from the University of Victoria. He has a wife and four children and lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Allison Jones, Secretary to the board, Director, Business & Stakeholder Relations

Currently an account executive with Dell, Allison's background includes over 15 years with Fortune 500 companies, in various roles including sales business development and product management.

Allison’s role on the board is to strengthen the board’s strategic corporate partnerships and improve community and business relations. David’s oldest daughter, Allison has an MBA from McMaster University and lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and two children.

Dr. Anne Dipchand, Director, Medical Relations / Transplant

Anne is a paediatric cardiologist and the head of the heart transplant program at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids). Her clinical practice focuses on heart failure and transplantation and echocardiography. She also maintains a busy general paediatric cardiology practice at Sick Kids.

Anne is also extensively involved in the paediatric cardiology and transplantation communities locally, provincially and nationally. Anne received her MD from the University of Toronto, where she is now also an Associate Professor. Anne lives in Toronto with her husband and three children.

Walter J. (Jim) Treliving, Director, Business Development & Corporate Relations

A renowned entrepreneur and businessman, Jim started his first Boston Pizza restaurant more than 40 years ago. Today, he and his partner George Melville share responsibility as co-owners and co-chairman of Canada's number one casual dining chain and have more than 350 restaurants across North America. Jim has invested in dozens of other businesses including Boston Pizza International, Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund, Boston's The Gourmet Pizza, Boston Pizza Foundation, Kitchen Partners Ltd., Mr. Lube, Global Entertainment Corp., S&T Holdings Inc., White Rock Commercial, The Naramata Benchlands, brand.LIVE and Dermal Laser Centre.  Jim also stars as one of the five dragons in CBC TV's reality series The Dragon's Den. In the series, aspiring entrepreneurs try to secure a financial investment from one or more of the dragons to start their own business. Jim manages the operation of the US head office for Boston's The Gourmet Pizza in Dallas, Texas. He lives in Dallas with his wife Sandi and two step children.

Lorenzo Oss-Cech, Director, Legal Counsel

Originally from Italy, Lorenzo now lives in Victoria, British Columbia and is a founding partner of the law firm Hutchison, Oss-Cech & Marlatt, Barristers and Solicitors.
Lorenzo specializes in civil litigation and has experience as a brain injury attorney, with a focus on catastrophic injury claims, medical malpractice, banking, employment and corporate securities litigation.

Dr. Dave Hepburn, Director, Medical Relations / General Practice

In addition to running a busy medical practice in Victoria, British Columbia, Dave is an award winning syndicated columnist in more than 100 newspapers across Canada and the US. He is also a published author and the co-host of the popular national radio program Wisequacks.
Dave has also been a Canadian naval surgeon and served as doctor for the west coast naval fleet for three years. He has also been a doctor to the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games, as well as team doctor to national rugby and hockey teams. In addition to coaching hockey, Dave is an avid outdoorsman and whitewater enthusiast. Dave lives in Victoria, British Columbia with his wife and four children.

Mel Cooper, Honorary Director, Special Advisor/Fundraising Initiatives

Mel Cooper, best known for his long career in broadcasting, has helped thousands of non-profit organizations over the years through his radio stations and his own philanthropic endeavors.  Many British Columbians will remember Mel as the vice-president of Expo ’86. In that role, he developed a hugely successful corporate sales plan that raised a record $174 million.  Mel is currently chair of the TELUS Victoria Community Board. Mel received the Order of British Columbia in 1992 and became a Member of the Order of Canada in 1989. He was also the chair of the board of governors of the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games and the chair of the 2008 United Way campaign in Victoria.  

Jeffrey Latimer, Director, Business Development and Stakeholder Relations

Jeffrey Latimer has produced and managed live theatre, musical productions, artists, events and sponsorships in North America for the past 18 years. His company, JLE, is based in Toronto and currently has various project in production.

Jeffrey’s shows include Forever Plaid, Stomp, Forever Tango, Forever Swing (with Michael Buble), Grease, Cookin At The Cookery (with the legendary Bea Arthur), Defending the Caveman, The Second City, and the Just For Laughs comedy festival.

Jeffrey’s charity work is vast; including - Chairing The ONEXONE Foundation gala headed by Matt Damon and the Community Outreach Board of the Sick Kids Foundation. Currently on the Board of The Jays Care Foundation, Chair of Free the Children’s WE Day Toronto (3rd year), Chair of Ron White’s “White Knight Foundation” (3rd Year) and in 2010 Jeffrey chaired the David Foster Foundation event with special guests Warren Buffet, Muhammed Ali and others, raising over three million dollars in one evening. Jeffrey is currently producing and managing Evil Dead The Musical, The Canadian Tenors, Neverest, Queen For A Day: The Musical as well as many other projects.