Board of Governors

List of 13 members.

• 

  Mr. Robert Batherson 

  Bio

  Rob has more than 20 years’ experience working as a business owner and communications and public affairs advisor.

  Most recently, as a public relations practice leader and agency partner, Rob spent more than 13 years providing strategic counsel to clients in the energy, transportation, health care, financial services, construction, food service, tourism, entertainment and small business sectors. Before his move into private practice, Rob spent most of the previous decade working in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in Nova Scotia, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and in the Office of the Premier of Nova Scotia, first as Press Secretary, then as Communications Director. Rob is recognized for his community leadership, serving on the board of directors of Halifax Stanfield International Airport and EduNova, a co-operative dedicated to promoting Nova Scotia as an international education destination. He is also a past chair of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and past president of Neptune Theatre Foundation.

  He holds a Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University, with a Certificate of Proficiency in French. Rob lives in Halifax with his wife Cathy MacIsaac and their son Sam (a Sacred Heart student).

   

   
• 

  Mrs. Paula Boyd 

  Bio

  Paula is currently employed with the Department of Finance and Treasury Board with the province of Nova Scotia where she has been Nova Scotia’s Superintendent of Pensions since the fall of 2016. In the summer of 2019 her role was expanded as she was appointed as Nova Scotia’s Superintendent of Insurance and Credit Unions. Paula graduated from Acadia University in 1997 with a double major in Mathematics and Business. She went on to train as an actuary where she obtained her FSA and FCIA designations in 2005. She worked in pension and actuarial consulting for Mercer for 15 years and Morneau Shepell for 5 years before joining the Nova Scotia Government. Paula is also a director of the Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Plan Trustees Inc. She currently resides in Dartmouth with her two daughters, Maya and Riley, both of whom attend Sacred Heart.

   
• 

  Mr. Jeff Britton 

  Bio

  Jeff Britton has been teaching at Sacred Heart School of Halifax for four years. He is one of the Elementary School physical education teachers, and has also had small teaching roles within both Barat Academy and Fountain Academy. In 2018, Jeff started the Employee Wellness Committee, and has led the group as Chair for the past two years, providing guidance and opportunities for SHSH employees with respect to personal wellness. Jeff has a BA from Saint Mary’s University, a BEd from Acadia University, and an MEd in Educational Psychology from Mount Saint Vincent University. Jeff and his wife Jenny live in Cole Harbour with their children Kenna (Grade Primary at SHSH), and Jacob (2 yrs old).    
• 

  Sr. Kathleen Conan RSCJ 

  Bio

  Sister Kathleen Conan, RSCJ, has recently completed a term as Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart, a position that put her in touch with Sacred Heart education around the world.

  
  

  Her background in education includes service as the chairperson of the Network Commission on Goals, headmistress of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT, and a teacher of mathematics and religion in Sacred Heart schools.  She has served as a board member of several Sacred Heart schools and of the Commission on Independent Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.   She has a Master in Administration from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Arts in Theology from Boston College, and a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from Manhattanville College.  She has also served as provincial of the United States province and in positions of initial formation with women becoming members of the congregation. 
• 

  Mr. Gordon Cooper 

  Bio

  Gord Cooper is COO of RTGS.global, a fintech startup in the field of cross-border wholesale payments. Originally from Halifax, Gord spent eighteen years at Visa, working in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. He opened Visa’s office in Ho Chi Minh City, where he served on the Board of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of Vietnam. While at Visa, he also led a number of world firsts in mobile banking and other technologies, and ultimately oversaw the company’s business across Southeast Asia emerging markets. After returning to Halifax in 2015, he served as COO of CFFI- and Intel-backed Kinduct, a leading provider of sports data management software. Gord and his wife Chere have four children at Sacred Heart. In his free time, Gord studies Japanese.
• 

  Peter  Coutts 

  Bio

  Peter Coutts is the Assistant Vice-President of Facilities Management at Dalhousie University. He oversees a staff of more than 500 people responsible for all capital construction, renovation, trades, custodial, security, grounds and project management work for the 150 buildings spread over four campuses.
  
  Peter is a civil engineering graduate from Dalhousie University and TUNS. He has spent over 30 years in the construction and engineering sector with companies including Armour Group, PCL Canada Ltd., the Panigas Group of Companies and Walter Construction.
  
  He is passionate about many charitable organizations but has a special interest in mental health. He is a proud supporter of Laing House and the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. This past spring he appeared on stage with Dalhousie colleagues at ‘A Different Stage of Mind’ in support of mental health. Peter has two grown children and lives in Halifax with his partner Heather.
• 

  Sr. Donna Dolan RSCJ  

  Bio

  Donna Dolan, RSCJ is an alumna of Sacred Heart, Halifax. She is a graduate of The Halifax Infirmary School of Nursing (RN), Barat College (BA English) and National College of Education (MEd). She served for twelve years on the Provincial Council of the Canadian Province and served on the City House Foundation at Sacred Heart School, Montreal. More recent ministry experience includes eighteen years as Director of the Diocesan Renewal Centre in Prince George, British Columbia and two years as Director of Novices in Halifax. At present Sr. Dolan continues her work as a Spiritual Director and gives retreats and programs at the Barat Spirituality Centre.
• 

  Mr. Richard Drake 

  Bio

  Richard Sandy Drake graduated from Fountain Academy in 2012. Following graduation, he attended Saint Mary's University, where he thoroughly enjoyed studying both linguistics (BA) and psychology (BSc). He then completed a master's degree in experimental psychology at Dalhousie University, where he is currently working towards a PhD. His field of research is cognitive psychology, with work focusing on the measurement and training of attention, memory, and multitasking. Outside of academia, Richard can be found eagerly pursuing his passion of stock car racing alongside his wife, Paige.
• 

  Mr. Torquil Duncan 

  Bio

  Torquil Duncan is the President of Capital Management Engineering Limited, a specialized engineering company providing asset management solutions in North America since 2007. After graduating from Dalhousie and TUNS with a mechanical engineering degree Torquil worked on the Confederation Bridge and then spent time working overseas at a trans-shipment facility. Torquil completed his MBA through the Saint Mary’s University Executive Program while working at Jacques Whitford and shortly thereafter established Capital Management Engineering. Beyond his work commitments, Torquil understands the importance of giving back to the community and has sat on the Board of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in addition to volunteering with various committees for over a decade. He has supported local minor hockey through coaching and training efforts for the last five years. His real passion is his family; his wife Lisa works at the IWK and his son Macadam attends Sacred Heart.
• 

  Ms. Lois Dyer Mann 

  Bio

  Lois Dyer Mann Lois Dyer Mann is a proud graduate of the Sacred Heart Convent called “City House” in Montreal, having been a student there since grade one, and then graduated from the Sacred Heart, Halifax in ‘68, after two years in their Junior College Program. Lois has been a partner with Knightsbridge, Robertson Surrette since 2013. She had been Managing Partner of the Halifax office of The Caldwell Partners, from 1999 until 2008. Lois had been Senior Vice-President, Corporate Communications Limited, Halifax, with leadership responsibilities for the Public and Governmental Relations practice, and she led the national business expansion strategy. As Vice President Finance and Administration for ten years at Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, she was a member of the Board and its strategic committees, as well as a member of Senate with operating responsibilities for the non-academic affairs of the University. In addition, she was the first Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Barrister’s Society, was a Director of the Canadian Bar Society in Ottawa, and was the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Law Information Council. She also served as the Executive Secretary for the Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall Jr Prosecution. Lois is active in her community and has contributed her time to numerous boards and committees: She completed a four year commitment as a founding Director of the 2011 Canada Winter Games Host Society, Halifax, where she helped create a community Board of Directors and then chaired the Governance and Human Resources Committee; and recently concluded eight (8) years as Director of Nova Scotia Business Inc., where she Chaired the Governance and Human Resources Committee. She is a Director of the Chester Arts Centre, and was on the Capital campaign Committee of Project Twenty 12, the campaign for Mount Saint Vincent University. She is a former Director, Girl Guides of Canada/Guides du Canada; Past Chair, Halifax Chamber of Commerce; former Trustee of the IWK Health Centre Foundation; former Co-Chair Major Gifts and member of the Capital Campaign Committee, QEII Health Center Foundation; Past Chair and former Director of Trade Center Limited; Chair, Selection Committee of the first LieutenantGovernor’s Leadership Forum for Women. She has been an adjudicator of the Ernst and Young Atlantic Canada and National Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, and a Director and Adjudicator of Junior Achievement Nova Scotia and its Business Hall of Fame Awards. She has also had experience adjudicating disputes for Canada’s Human Rights Commission. Lois is a recipient of Canada’s 125th Anniversary Medal. Lois is a graduate of Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A., 1970), and from the Dalhousie University Law School (LL.B., 1973). A former member of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society, Lois and her husband David, live in Chester, NS.
• 

  Mr. Charles Ford 

  Bio

  Chuck Ford is a lawyer at Valent Legal, where he practises accident, injury and disability law. He has been actively involved in access to justice initiatives since law school. Chuck is a long-serving volunteer with the MS Society of Canada and is currently the immediate past chair of the national board of directors. Chuck is a former part-time faculty member at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law, where he taught civil trial practice to third year law students for five years. He is also an advocate for people with disabilities, and is a long-standing volunteer and current board member with reachAbility. Chuck lives in Bedford with his wife Shelley, and his 3 children, Tom (who attends SHSH), Pete and Claire.
• 

  Ms. Monique Gogan 

  Bio

  Monique is currently employed with the Wealth Management – Private Banking division of Scotiabank. For the past 30 years, she has built her career in the Operations side of Scotiabank, holding various positions in Operations and Human Resources. For the past 18 years, Monique has worked exclusively in the Wealth Management division and most recently assumed the position of Sr. Manager, Regional Operations & Service for Eastern Canada, involving responsibilities throughout locations in Ottawa, Montreal, and Atlantic Canada.
  
  Monique holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree, major in Marketing, from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS. She is actively involved in the support of her community and has been a long-time volunteer and fund raiser for many local charitable organizations. She was also a former Treasurer of the Sacred Heart Parent Guild.
  
  Monique was born in New Glasgow but has made Halifax her home for the past 30 years. Her two daughters, Hannah and Olivia, have both attended Sacred Heart since Primary.     

   
• 

  Dr. Arunika Gunawardena 

  Bio

  Dr. Arunika Gunawardena is a professor of Biology at Dalhousie University where she studies plant development. In 2006, she won a prestigious NSERC (National Sciences and Engineering Research Council) University Faculty Award. She has nearly 25 years of experience working in academia at four different universities in three different countries (Sri Lanka, England and Canada). She is currently working on Programmed Cell Death (PCD) in plants. Dr. Gunawardena is passionate about her research   on PCD and enjoys teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. She has been actively involved in outreach activities in the province and she is the current president of the Atlantic Science Links Association (http://atlanticsciencelinks.dal.ca). 
  
  

  Arunika lives in Halifax with her husband Rajesh Rajaselvam, who is also a faculty member at the Biology Department of Dalhousie, and her daughter Anisha Rajaselvam, who is a high school student at Sacred Heart.