Board of Directors
Marlene DeRose, Chair
Chris George, Vice Chair
Shafee Bacchus, Secretary
Shawn Michaud, Treasurer
Frank Parkhouse, Immediate Past Chair
Doug French
Glenn Parker
Cathy Buis
Ron Brooks
Tammy Morden
Marlene DeRose, Chair (Chair, Fundraising Committee)
Marlene retired from the role of Administrator of Special Education, District School Board of Niagara. She applies her boundless energy and enthusiasm as Chair of CACN's Board and also works as Educational Consultant for Family and Children's Services Niagara.
Marlene was pivotal in achieving the Centre's Capital Campaign goal of $750,000, allowing for the purchase, renovation and opening of Child Advocacy Centre Niagara in September 2008. She received the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary in 2010, recognizing her many community volunteer contributions.
Chris George, Vice Chair (Chair, Program Committee; Public Relations & Governance)
Chris is the President of CG&A Communications, a public relations firm specializing in advocacy campaigns, issue management, and wordsmith services. Chris' focus includes strategic communications counsel and campaign management, corporate positioning, and media and government relations.
Chris lends his skills and experience with Board of Directors and not-for-profit organizations to assist with the Centre’s public and government relations as well as Board Governance.
Shafee Bacchus, Secretary
Shafee is retired from the Regional Municipality of Niagara as Commissioner of Corporate Services. His 28-year Regional career also included positions as Director of Finance and Senior Economist. Shafee holds a Doctorate in Law from Howard University, Washington DC.
Shafee's expertise in governance, government relations and strategic planning benefits the Centre's long-term development and growth. Shafee is a member of the Rotary Club of St. Catharines-Sunrise, and he serves on the Board of Directors for Grimsby Hydro.
Shawn Michaud, Treasurer
Shawn Michaud is a St. Catharines resident, currently working as a Commercial Account Manager with Meridian Credit Union.
Shawn has been with Meridian Credit Union at their Virgil location for the past two years accountable for a commercial banking portfolio of Members in the SME (Small Medium Enterprise and Midmarket) in the Niagara Region.
Before joining Meridian Credit Union, Shawn spent over 12 years with the Bank of Montreal where he held several positions ranging from Sales Associate, Investment Lending Specialist, Branch Manager and Commercial Account Manager in locations from Burlington to Port Colborne.
Shawn started his financial career as a Financial Planner with the Investors Group in the late 1990’s.
Shawn is a member of the St. Catharines/Thorold Chamber of Commerce and takes pride in his community. His previous community involvement includes 4 years as a Board Director for Nelephant Montessori School, Coordinator for the Juvenile Diabetes Walk in Niagara and a member of the United Way Investment panel.
Frank Parkhouse, Immediate Past Chair
Frank Parkhouse is one of the founding members of Child Advocacy Centre Niagara. His career with Niagara Regional Police Services spans 39 years. He retired from the role of Deputy Chief of Police in 1996. Other career responsibilities included Criminal Investigations, Criminal Intelligence, Internal Complaints, Uniform Patrol, Personnel and Administration.
Frank's volunteer commitments to Niagara include Past President and current member of the Family and Children's Services Niagara Board; current Chair of the Board of Directors, Luther Manor Home for Senior Citizens, St. Catharines; past Board Member Advisor to the Law and Security/Police Foundations Course at Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology; Past President of the New York State/Eastern Canada Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates; and Past President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.
Doug French (Property/Building Management)
Doug has a diverse business background that includes manufacturing and sales for St. Catharines Armature, Bell Canada, WS Tyler, CVL Products and Vegu Canada.
A founding member of CACN, Doug oversaw all aspects of the building renovations. Today, he oversees property and building maintenance and security.
Doug and his wife, Donna, fundraise for the Centre and for the Kristen French Bursary Fund to support deserving high school students throughout Niagara.
Glenn Parker (Barrister & Solicitor)
Glenn is a partner in the law firm of Chown Cairns LLP, specializing in real estate development and corporate/commercial law. He is a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada and The Canadian Bar Association. Glenn's legal expertise in real estate, corporate and commercial law was a great help during the Centre's formative years, when the building was being purchased, renovated and occupied. Glenn is also a Director of the Board of Ina Grafton Gage Foundation.
Cathy Buis
Cathy Buis is a part-time instructor for the Practical Nursing program at Niagara College. Until 2010, she was the Clinical Manager for the Maternal/Child and Pediatrics departments in the Niagara Health System at the Greater Niagara General Site.
Cathy has experience in a wide range of health care areas, including Neonatal ICU at the Hopital for Sick Children, Adult ICU at the McKellar General Hospital in Thunder Bay, Emergency Medicine at Lester B. Pearson International Airport, and long term care at Sunny Brook Medical Centre.
Cathy has held Nursing Leadership positions since 1989 in the areas of Maternal and Child Services, as well as the Medical Coordinator for a residential Acquired Brain Injury Program, all while completing her undergraduate Health Care Management certificate and working towards the completion of her Masters in Nursing Management.
Ron Brooks
Ron Brooks practiced law in St. Catharines from 1971 to 1986, engaging in a general practice as well as prosecutions for both Federal and Provincial governments. In 1986, he became a full-time Assistant Crown Attorney for Niagara South within the Ministry of the Attorney General for the province of Ontario. In 2002 he became the Senior Crown Attorney for Niagara South and continued in that role until his retirement in 2008.
As a prosecutor, Ron worked with the Niagara Regional Police Service, Family and Children's Services Niagara, Victims Witness Assistance Program, and other agencies in the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases. He attended specialized courses and training for those prosecutions.
Ron's volunteerism has been directed towards youth, particularly coaching. He has coached baseball and ice hockey for boys and girls of all ages for over 35 years. He is also a board member of Youth Resources Niagara and is striving to establish an athletic program and library at the David S. Horne facility in Fonthill.
Tammy Morden
Tammy Morden is a police officer with the Niagara Regional Police Service. In her 20 years of service, she has held positions in Uniform Patrol, Fraud, Planning & Audits, Training, and Traffic. She is also on the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) Diversity Network Steering Committee.
Tammy has served as a board member for Family and Children's Services Niagara, was President of the Rotary Club of St. Catharines A. M. (now Sunrise), volunteered for World Vision at an orphanage in Zimbabwe and for Habitat for Humanity, and is a church council member at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Welland. Tammy is an active blood donor and in 2010 was a kidney donor.
