On March 29th, all members of the Roulant – volunteers, clients, donors and staff active within the last year – are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and cast your ballots.
The assembly will elect new members to the Board of Directors of Santropol Roulant, for a 2-year mandate. Electing Board members is a significant event for the Roulant! There are four positions to fill on the Board this election. We hope that this article will help you better understand the roles and responsibilities of our Board and provide you with helpful information as you vote.
In this article, you’ll get to know:
- 2 outgoing board members who have completed their term and who wish to run for election.
- 6 new candidates who wish to run for election.
To learn more about what a Board does, the key features of a strong Roulant Board, each of the candidates listed below, and the Board members who are not up for re-election, download the complete Candidate Booklet (PDF):
For re-election
Caitlin Jenkins
Municipal court prosecutor
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
I joined the Santropol Roulant Board of Directors in September of 2016 and have acted as the Corporate secretary ever since. I believe that the strongest skill that I bring to the Board is my legal background. I have a bachelor’s in law from the University of Montreal and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 2012. That being said, I also believe that I am uniquely qualified to contribute to the Roulant’s upcoming strategic plan, not only because of all that I have learned as a current Board member but also through the many years being a member of the Roulant community. Since May 2016, I am also a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Bar of Montreal.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
The Roulant has been a part of my life for over 20 years, I know both Keith and Chris, its founders. You could even say the Roulant and I grew up together. I volunteered delivering meals weekly all through primary school and also regularly throughout high school. My first summer job was here, as the intergen project assistant, as it existed then, and I have helped organize many events since. Needless to say I love the Roulant as you all do. My initial desire to join the Board was to reconnect with the Roulant on a new level and use my law degree to help further the organization. Being on the Board of Directors has been an amazing experience and I have learned so much. I believe that the best way for me to serve the Roulant is to continue the work that I have started with the Board.
Marco Gartenhaus
Founder and CFO of a startup
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
First of all, I have the chance to sit on the Santropol Board since last November as Treasurer and it’s truly an amazing experience. My level of understanding of governance principles is improving rapidly and I am grateful to the entire team for trusting me. I am particularly interested in the financial aspects and the strategy of organizations, and the strategic planning process would be a challenge that I would particularly like to be involved in. I’ve had the chance to work in mature organizations with well-established strategic processes, and today I’m doing the same thing at CANO, the reusable food container startup I’m developing. Developing a long-term and sustainable vision of an organization is a complex but very inspiring process. In addition, social enterprise financing and financial planning would be processes that I am very familiar with, and I would like to get involved on the ground within a committee that supports management in its efforts. Fundraising is also a great individual and group responsibility for a board in order to support Santropol’s network of contributors.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
Same here as a volunteer, I like to attend all the special events like the holiday brunch that I absolutely loved. It is an incredible opportunity to connect with the colorful and diverse members of the Santropol community. The workshops and activities are also a great way for me to contribute to the Roulant as a volunteer. I would also like to volunteer with the MfW and see if I can get involved in future social entrepreneurship projects more regularly. I have a great experience in creating new projects and evaluate their social and environmental impacts. A role on the Board makes it possible to truly understand and improve the impact of these activities on the community during high level discussions at the Board. Collaborating in a diverse and multidisciplinary team is a great opportunity for me to apply my knowledge and experience in finance and help forge a lasting organization that has a daily impact on the lives of the members of the Roulant community.
New Candidates
Amélie Desrochers
Director of strategic development
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
I’ve been Treasurer and Financial Controller in an IT firm for more than a decade. I just wrapped up a mandate with ExpoEntrepreneurs, an NGO based in Montreal. As a Director of Business Development, I was in charge of corporate partnerships and sales. I also worked for the Global Affairs in Ottawa and for the British Consulate in Montreal. We closely collaborated with the Government of Quebec and top stakeholders in Quebec. I understand how to leverage the political world and how to get things moving.
I also had the opportunity to collaborate with CSI – Center for Social Innovation in Toronto and Apathy is Boring. 2 great models when it comes to growing a solid community and securing private funding. I’m currently Director of Strategic Development for Yulism, a fast growing young startup. My role is to keep growing the project and bring it on the international scene. I see a lot of potential synergy between my ecosystem and Le Roulant’s.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
I have considered volunteering for Le Roulant many times. But after several lively conversations with members of your organization, we came to the conclusion that the best way for me to contribute was actually to share my professional experience, especially around corporate funding and overall strategy. I have been following your activities for many years and I believe our values are quite aligned.
David Canizares
Consulting
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
My contributions to the board would be in Strategic planning, Human Resources, and the areas of Marketing and Operations and Logistics.
I have participated in Strategic Planning of different types of companies at several times. In a Social and Solidarity Economy cooperative in Ecuador called “El Salinerito”, as well as in a family business (SME), and at the level of a multinational company at AB-InBev where I was Operations and Logistics Manager, and later on Trade-Marketing Manager.
In addition, my expertise in Human Resources could be useful to the Board. I worked with the HR department in the development of career and succession plans, training and performance evaluations of operations and logistics teams.
Furthermore, I have acquired skills in Marketing and Operations and Logistics, in multinational companies such as L’Oréal and AB-InBev, which are recognized as leaders in their sector of activity.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
I would like to contribute with my skills in business administration (MBA HEC Montréal), and my 10 years of professional experience at the service of the Roulant.
Throughout 2017, I was very involved in various positions such as: cooking, delivery, driver, urban and Senneville farms, Santropol market and intergenerational activities. Thanks to all these experiences, I gained a very good knowledge of its projects in the field, as well as a holistic vision.
In addition, I am very motivated to be part of the Board of the Roulant. I have a sense of belonging to its mission that is in harmony with my personal values. I want to support the social economy since it is one of the ways to restore social justice.
In my opinion, with my experience at the Roulant, my professional skills, and my motivation, I could contribute well and add value to its governance.
Jane Morrison
PhD student – Agroecology
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
As an agroecologist, I focus on optimizing agricultural organisms in order to encourage biodiversity and sustainability. One could say that the role of Santropol Roulant’s board members is the same: to encourage community diversity as well as project and environmental sustainability. During my PhD in Agroecology and previous academic degrees (MSc and BEng), I developed strong problem solving, organizational, analytical and team-work skills. I’ve completed two multi-year agri-environmental projects from start to finish, which involved developing objectives and methodologies, and continuously revising protocols to optimize project functioning. My technical experience analyzing and graphically presenting large datasets could be an asset to the board. I have sat on the board for two different community-run food cooperatives: Les Horteres, in Barcelona (2013-2016) and Ahimsa Cooperative, in Montreal (2011-2013). I also sat on the board of the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Society, at McGill University, while acting as president (2007/2008) and committee member (2006/2007).
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
Santropol Roulant is a one-of-a-kind organization in that it both creates community and gives back to the community. I am in awe of the organism that Santropol Roulant has become and how it has evolved from its conception, expanding its mission and becoming more enterprising. I would be proud to be a more involved member of this impressive organization and play a role in its future positive impacts.
I believe my experiences position me to help the organization continue to grow and improve, while I also learn and gain new experiences. My interests align with all of the branches of Santropol Roulant and I see in myself inherent qualities and learnt skills which I believe would be an asset to the board. It would give me a great deal of satisfaction to invest my time and capabilities in a project that brings me joy and that I believe in.
Jean-Baptiste Parpant
Human centered therapist
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
I have 10 years of relevant experience in project management from conception to development phase : including 5 years helping and coaching innovative companies in their business strategy and 2 years in a software startup for which I developed and implemented marketing, sales and finance strategy. Today, I want to make these skills available for a company operating in social innovation. As a unifying leader and also a human centered therapist, I aim at the developing constructive working dynamics and optimising ROI on processes, marketing, HR and finance.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
I’m interested in a role on the Board of Directors because I want to participate in the adventure of the Santropol Roulant in another way. I’m already a volunteer in the kitchen, I love it and I want to keep on doing it. I like the atmosphere, working methods and the goal of my actions which are to serve the community. However, I also love strategy and management. I like to develop new initiatives and transform them into projects, which would enable me this role as an administrator. In a team all the more. Which is very important for me since I like relationships and sharing.
Sophie Augurusa
Environmentalist
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
I have a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and bring knowledge of sustainable agriculture, food systems, ecology and environmental management. I’m very organized, resourceful, and passionate about increasing food access and availability in cities and am looking to work with others who share a similar vision and passion. I’ve worked in variety of positions in the environmental industry and would be able to contribute in the area of strategic planning. I would be really interested in learning more about the financial planning and legal framework needed for the continued operation of the Roulant. I believe that I would be well suited to taking a more active role in the development of the Roulant and look forward to working with fellow board members.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
Taking on a role at the Board of Directors would provide me an opportunity to engage in the planning and decision-making of social and educational services offered at the Roulant. As I’ve never worked for a non-for-profit, I am looking to gain further insight on how an organization like the Roulant works as well as be a part of the social engagement, education and environmental services offered. Last fall I volunteered at the Roulant from October to December 2017, and was really impressed with the management, friendly team members, number of workshops, and diverse volunteer opportunities. From this I knew I wanted to take on a greater role and responsibility at the Roulant.
Victor Oudet
Ecology and Social Economy Advisor
Describe the experience or skill set you bring to the Board.
It has been a year and a half that I am assisting non lucrative organism in their development and strategic and financial planning. Some of them have been running for years others are project under development and they were all in various areas such as zero waste, reducing food waste, social innovation or urban ecology. I am always into developing new projects for myself and the community in order to create a positive impact on our urban ways of life and to offer means to bring more well being. My curiosity is currently driving me into trainings of naturopathy and yoga teacher. I am also treasurer for the youth house of the plateau district.
Describe why you are interested in a role on the Board of Directors.
Taking part in a board of directors is for me a good way to be disponible for the working team of the organism, to assist them in their regular tasks and to push them into the dream and creation of new activities. A board of directors is a beautiful space of réflexion and creation where a lot of knowledge and skills are shared to realise new projects with a positive impact on the community. I identify easily to the values and projects of Santropol Roulant such as diversity, food security, urban agriculture, and it would make very proud to represent such an organism.