The Board of Directors for KidSport Ontario has had some changes recently with the addition of new members and some terms coming to an end.
Gursimar Singh Sachar, who joined the Board in 2024, has taken on the position of Treasurer from long-time Director Ken Lusk at the end of his term. Gursimar is a dedicated volunteer and community advocate who believes every child deserves the chance to play. As a Senior Tax Analyst at Manulife and a CPA, he brings strong financial acumen to the KidSport Ontario Board, but it’s his passion for giving back that truly stands out. He has been actively involved in mentorship, youth programs, and mental health advocacy throughout his academic and professional journey. Now, he’s proud to support KidSport Ontario’s mission of removing financial barriers so all kids can experience the power of sport.
The addition of three new faces to the Board of Directors aims to widen the expertise and bring new energy to KidSport Ontario’s mission.
Andy Potter is a Partner in Deloitte’s Public Sector Technology & Transformation practice. Starting in the UK firm, he has worked for Deloitte for over 30 years and is a Chartered Accountant by profession. Over his career he has supported clients across all levels of government across a variety of disciplines. He is currently focused on the municipal sector and leads Deloitte’s services to the City of Toronto and other large GTHA municipalities. Andy has previous experience working on several not-for-profit boards, including the Oakville Soccer Club, and has played leadership roles on all Finance Committees. Andy is a passionate sports enthusiast. Long since retired from competitive sports (his children would say he is always injured to which he admits there is some truth!) he enjoys fitness, road biking and armchair viewing, especially one of the loves of his life which is Liverpool Football Club! Andy is excited to join the Board of Kidsport Ontario because he has seen firsthand the positive impact of sports programing as his own children grew up, so is committed to supporting accessibility for others.
Vanessa Matta is a lawyer and engineer based in Ottawa. She holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Ottawa. Before entering the legal profession, she worked on a diverse portfolio of structural projects spanning residential, commercial, and infrastructure sectors across Canada. Vanessa has spent over a decade engaged in community service. She has served for over three years on the board of a not-for-profit organization and mentors students interested in STEM and law. Growing up playing soccer and basketball, Vanessa experienced firsthand how sport can build confidence, resilience, and community—values that continue to shape her today and drive her commitment to KidSport’s mission.
Leigh Sandison is an avid field hockey player, playing for Ontario through her young sport days. She then played for UBC, Canada, Guyana and played internationally in Spain, Germany and England. She has coached at club and provincial levels, has sat on the board for Field Hockey Ontario, and knows sport has had a profound impact on her life and her communities. She started her professional career in fundraising in the UK – first in corporate partnerships, then product development and innovation in mass market fundraising. She then moved agency side with a focus on strategy and insight-led experience design for Fortune 500 companies. Drawing on experiences from both the non-profit and for-profit worlds, Leigh is a founding partner of Real Path – the experience design consultancy focused on helping non-profits maximize the lifetime value of their donors through donor journey mapping and actionable experience design. Leigh is joining KidSport to help ensure more kids in Ontario get access to the joy, learning and community building that is created by sport.
“KidSport Ontario is making incredible progress in addressing and removing financial barriers to the vast community sport sector in the province. Andy, Leigh, and Vanessa will bring individually unique experiences and knowledge to support our momentum. We are extremely fortunate to have them join our team,” says Tommy Wharton, Chair of the Board.
A big thank you also goes out to Patrick Sweeney and Jennifer Smith whose terms have come to an end, for their years of commitment to the Board and continued support of the work KidSport is doing across Ontario.