Our Team
Leading the Way to a Better Future
Meet the team of dedicated professionals and passionate volunteers leading MAS as we help not-for-profit organizations across the GTA.
President
Scott Russell
president
Scott Russell is a social entrepreneur and not-for-profit change leader with more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, mental health, and housing. As an executive leader, Scott focuses on building organizational capacity to increase the impact possible in the community. He delivers consistently through innovation, partnership, and operational excellence. As a fundraiser, he has raised millions of dollars and demonstrated an ability to be effective in a variety of environments: small teams that are working at the grassroots locally, and in large federated organizations addressing large scale issues nationally. As a consultant and trainer, Scott drives value for clients by working alongside them, applying his unique perspective and skills to solve the biggest and most urgent problems they face. Scott is a certified risk manager, certified professional facilitator, and certified in ToP methodologies.
Board of Directors
Mercedes Blackwood (Findlay)
BOARD MEMBER
Mercedes specializes in unearthing stories. She’s had an over 12-year career in media with Bell Media (CTV) and Rogers Television, with her experience spanning Communications, Partnerships, Marketing and Community Investment. Mercedes founded Black Coffee Communications Inc., where she and a roster of writers, strategists, and creatives help clients develop meaningful connections with their audiences through communications strategy and written content. Mercedes is also a Volunteer Consultant with MAS and joined the board in 2021.
Keddone Dias
BOARD MEMBER
Keddone’s commitment to building healthy communities has fuelled her passion to work in the not-for-profit sector for over 20 years. In her current role as Executive Director at LAMP Community Health Centre, Keddone leads a multi-disciplinary team in the delivery of primary health care services and health promotion programs that address the needs of the whole person. With special emphasis on areas including health equity, youth development and education, Keddone has worked to improve access to the resources needed to help communities grow and thrive.
Keddone volunteers as Chair of the Board of Visions of Science Network for Learning, an organization that engages children and youth from under-represented communities in education focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (S.T.E.M). She joined the MAS board in 2021.
Dev Ramcharan
BOARD MEMBER
Dev has worked in, built and managed Project Management Offices for over 20 years, in Banking, Telecommunications, Municipal Government and in Health Care. Dev is an experienced organizational development consultant, focused on individual and organizational change. His services include Emotional Intelligence program development and Culture Change. He currently works with the City of Toronto as a Management Consultant in the Technology Services Division. Dev is also a Volunteer Consultant with MAS and he joined the board in 2021.
Paula Brar
BOARD MEMBER
Paula has been an advocate for learning, growth and service in the retail sector for over 20 years. In her current role as Vice President HR Field at Wal-Mart Canada, Paula leads a team of HR business partners across 124 locations in the delivery of Walmart’s mission of saving Canadian’s money so they can live better. Paula is passionate about building and serving healthy, diverse and inclusive communities.
Paula volunteers on the Board for the Air Cadet League of Canada, Georgetown Squadron. Air Cadets is a Canadian National youth program engaging youth in activities such as flying, fundraising and leadership skills. Paula joined the MAS board in 2021.
Laraine Naft
BOARD MEMBER
As a professional social worker, Laraine has worked as a front-line staff, manager, director and executive director, primarily in the community not-for-profit sector, providing her with an intimate understanding of this environment. She has extensive experience in organizational structure, leading change, performance management and accountability measures.
More recently, Laraine has been educating herself about Canada’s history with Indigenous peoples and its impact. As a participant and co-facilitator in Circles for Reconciliation, she developed personal connections with Indigenous people with whom she can consult. She has begun to offer some support to not-for-profits around what to consider in their work with this population. Laraine joined MAS in 2013 as a VC and as a Board member in 2015.
Howard Kaufmann
BOARD MEMBER
A knowledgeable expert in corporate and commercial law, Howard Kaufman is currently Counsel for Fasken Martineau, a large global law firm. Previously, Howard was Vice-President, Legal & External Affairs and Secretary at Xerox Canada Inc. and was part of another national Canadian law firm. With his legal background as well as his expertise in Ethics-related matters, he brings a strong skill set to his role as Director of MAS since 2011.
Sue Simington
BOARD MEMBER
For over 20 years, Sue has worked as a designer and facilitator of strategic organizational and leadership change projects. She had led multiple types of large-scale organizational transition initiatives (i.e. culture change, executive and leadership development, organizational learning). Sue has held a series of senior corporate roles leading complex change initiatives and has consulted with senior executives in North America and Europe. Sue has been with MAS since 2012, working in strategic planning, leadership coaching and leadership facilitation.
Steve Gittins
Treasurer
Steve is long retired as a senior IT executive at a major financial institution. He has been associated with MAS since 2002. He has been Treasurer since 2009 and was a co-ED from 2010 to 2022.
Management Team
Paddy Bowen
Executive Director
Paddy Bowen is a highly experienced charity Executive Director having led the national organizations of Home Support Canada and Volunteer Canada, as well as the Toronto charity for the homeless, St. Felix Centre. Paddy has also worked as a consultant and interim leader in a wide range of organizations including St. John the Compassionate, All Saints Community Centre, the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa, Mission Services of Hamilton, Mount Sinai Hospital and many others. She is an accomplished writer and public speaker and is deeply committed to enabling volunteer action and civic engagement as pillars of a just and civil society.
Nina Rahenbrock
Client Services Manager
Nina is the part time Client Services Manager at MAS. She brings more than 10 years of experience in Human Resources Management, including recruitment, project management and administration. Nina has worked in the corporate world and most recently at a not-for-profit Fundraising agency. Nina holds a Master’s Degree in Science of Business Management from the University of Muenster (Germany), and lives in Leslieville with her family. Nina is often the first point of contact for clients and she is responsible for administration of the office. Nina joined MAS in 2020.
WEBINARS
Come together to share, network and learn.
Many organizations can learn a great deal from others in similar roles, even if they are from different areas of expertise. MAS believes in bringing people together to share information, network, and learn from its own and other experts. Click the link below to view some of our free previous recorded webinars.
contact us
Inquire about our Consulting Services
If you are generally clear what help you would like from MAS you can fill out the Request for Assistance form. You will have the opportunity to talk with a volunteer consultant prior to finalizing the details of the project.
