KidSport Canada welcomes six new Directors at Large to board

Winnipeg, MB – June 19, 2024 – KidSport Canada is proud to welcome the addition of six new Directors at Large to the KidSport Canada board of directors. Sami Nathoo, Kathy Lomas McGee, Terrance Tuan Li, William O’Yeung, Farhan Lalji and Willa Minnes have each joined the KidSport Canada board on a 2-year term. For the first time in its history, KidSport Canada recruited Directors at Large for the KidSport Canada Board of Directors from outside the national organization. The six new Directors at Large bring a range of valuable skills to the board which draw from industries such as Media, Finance and Sport.

“We are excited to add our new Directors at Large to the KidSport Canada board” said KidSport Canada CEO Greg Ingalls. “The diversity of skill sets and new perspectives are just what we need to keep moving our organization forward”

Sami Nathoo joins the board from SportJeunesse (KidSport) Quebec where he holds the role of Treasurer. Sami is currently the Manager, Financial Planning at Raymond James Limited and has close to 10 years experience in the Wealth Management space where he has managed a team of Financial Planners which provide Total Wealth Solutions to high net worth families.

Kathi Lomas McGee is the VP of Experience & Brand at YMCA Canada, a national office of 37 autonomous YMCAs serving over two million Canadians annually. Kathi leads national initiatives to address critical societal challenges, striving for operational excellence and promoting innovation. Kathi has been a community collaborator in innovative partnerships that have expanded services to underserved communities. Her leadership has guided significant organizational transformations, including mergers that expanded a YMCA from a $13 million to a $70 million entity to strengthen its impact and reach in Southwestern Ontario. Kathi is also an advocate whose collaborative efforts have secured multi-million-dollar funding that has supported investments in social infrastructure and the development of initiatives addressing issues facing children, youth, and marginalized groups. A mom of two active boys and a sport and recreation enthusiast.

Terrance Yuan Li is currently the Vice President at Toronto Rush, responsible for developing new sources of revenue and investment as well as increasing brand visibility for the Toronto member franchise of the 24 teams professional league – the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA), formerly the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL). He is also a researcher at the Glendon Campus of York University to work with the Glendon ENtrepreneuriat et Innovation À L’international (GENIAL) to commercialize ideas and to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. Terrance will soon be joining a leading international law firm to start his legal career in Ontario Canada. Terrance used to practice sports and entertainment law in China, advised on media rights deals, licensing agreements, endorsement & sponsorship deals, and IP litigations.

William O’Yeung currently also serves on the Board of Governors and Audit Chair at University of Calgary and is Co-Founder and Director of Escape with STEM, Vice-President/Vice-Chair of the University of Calgary Alumni Association. His background includes being a Chartered Professional Accountant with a Master of Business Administration where he enjoyed a 30 year career at Shell Canada in various Finance, Accounting, Planning, Strategy and Leadership roles.

Farhan Lalji has been a fixture for TSN since 1997 where he mainly covers football as a Sports Broadcaster among other sports. He is a household name in the world of sport media and has covered 5 Olympics Games, 21 Grey Cups and 15 Super Bowls. Lalji was inducted into the 2024 Canadian Football Hall of Fame in May 2024 in the Canadian Football League Media Wing. On top of his incredible media career, Farhan Lalji has served as a KidSport Ambassador for KidSport BC for over 15 years.

Willa Minnes joins the board as the current Founder of the WOWride Cycling Club. She has over 25 plus years of experience in events, marketing, sponsorship and community building and brings a spirit of entrepreneurism and experienced leadership to developing grass root ideas to reality. Developing and implementing strategic plans for the betterment of an organization and designing and activating philanthropic strategies to grow opportunities. Her range of experience that covers professional to amateur sports with a focus on events and sponsorship has allowed her to bring an in-depth perspective of “community” at multiple levels.

About KidSport:
KidSport is a national not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance for registration fees to kids aged 18 and under. Through a confidential application process, KidSport provides grants that enable kids to play a season of sport through assistance with sport registration fees and equipment costs. KidSport believes that the power of sport participation promotes the development of children’s social, mental, and physical wellbeing. Through increasing access to quality sport programs, KidSport strengthens communities across Canada.