SAVE THE DATE!
2nd Annual Golf Tournament
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
Board of Directors
Our dedicated team working together to achieve our mission!
Robert Stewart McLeese
Founder and CEO
Mr. McLeese is the Founder and President of Access Capital Corp. (“Access”), a Toronto based Development Advisory firm specializing in developing and financing companies and projects in the independent power industry. Through Access, Mr. McLeese provides advice to buyers and sellers of alternative energy projects (and companies) and has provided project reviews and rating services for lenders, owners and utilities
The McLeese Debate was founded in 2002 by the late Mr. Wills S. McLeese with the aim of fostering in all types of schools across Canada to participate effectively in the democratic process and to make a significant contribution to the quality of public life.
Mr. Robert S. McLeese Director of McLeese Family Speech and Debate Canada, inherited the program and has worked diligently to ensure that debate in schools flourish for many years to come. The Canadian Student Debating Federation is the umbrella organization for high school debate in Canada.
In 2017, with the guidance of the McLeese Debate Advisory Council Mr. Robert McLeese started the Speech & Debate Canada Foundation dedicated to working with the Canadian Student Debating Federation to ensure that this dream remains a reality.
James Garner
Treasurer
Corporate Director and Independent Consultant, Jim Garner was a founding member of the board of Speech and Debate Canada.
Recently retired, Jim is an experienced senior executive with broad experience in finance, healthcare/life sciences and the education sector. He has extensive board experience as a director and executive with public company, broader public sector, not-for-profit and organizations.
Jim is a CPA/CA and a Chartered Business Valuator and earned his ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is a graduate from IMD (MBA) and Queen’s University (B. Comm.)
Lisa McLeese
Director
Lisa is a former Elementary School Teacher and taught grades 1 through 8 FI with the DCDSB. She resigned a couple of years ago, so she could stay home with her young family. She is a graduate of University of Toronto (Bachelor of Education) and Brock University (B. of Physical Education).
Lisa was first introduced to the world of debate through various conversations with Willis McLeese. She attended CSDF National Seminar in Victoria, B.C. in 2015 and understood firsthand Willis’ passion for debate. After the seminar, Lisa introduced debate to her grade 7/8 classroom and noticed an increase in student engagement and self-efficacy in students. She developed a Debate Club at St. Patrick C.S. in Ajax through Speech and Debate, and it ran for three years. Lisa is excited to be part of S&DC as she believes all students should have access to this program to further their education and unlock their true potential.
Nikhil Gowd
Director
Nikhil joined the Speech and Debate Canada Foundation in 2017 as our first instructor having competed at nationals and representing Canada at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship. He was instrumental in charting the direction of our programs.
Currently, he works as a public policy analyst and researcher, focusing on systems change, climate policy, and democracy. Nikhil holds a master's degree in international development from the University of Oxford where he held multiple fellowships and awards for his research. He brings previous experience in nonprofit work and social finance along with an HBA from the Ivey Business School.
Chris George
Director - CSDF Liaison
Chris George is the current Canadian Student Debating Federation (CSDF) President and a schoolteacher at Lower Canada College (LCC) in Montreal. Former board member of OSDU and QSDA. He has been the convenor, or involved in hosting many National Championships, and other debate events over the past 30 years.
Chris is no stranger to debate programs and has worked as a coach, and an organizer of competitive debate in Canada for a very long time.
Scott Stirrett
Director
Scott is the Founder and CEO of Venture for Canada (VFC), a national charity that fosters entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in young Canadians. VFC’s programs recruit, train, and support young Canadians to work at Canadian startups and small businesses. Through these programs, young people gain the skills, networks, and experiences to be more entrepreneurial and impactful.
In 2022, VFC had an annual operating budget of approximately $15 million and 35 full-time employees. Likewise, over 3,600 young people and 1,000 Canadian SMEs participated in VFC's programs. VFC's supporters include Employment and Social Development Canada, The RBC Foundation, TD Bank, The Hunter Family Foundation, and many individuals. Originally from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Scott is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Immediately after graduating from Georgetown, Scott worked at Goldman Sachs Inc. in New York City.
Scott has been recognized as the 2018 Telus LGBTQ Innovator of The Year by The Inspire Awards, a 2019 Young Impact Leader by Future of Good, a 2022 Changemaker by The Globe and Mail, a 2022-2023 Action Canada Fellow by The Public Policy Forum, and a 2023 Emerging Leader by The Peak. Scott has been featured in The Washington Post, The National Post, Forbes, Future of Good, The Chronicle Herald, and The Georgia Straight. He has also appeared as a commentator on CBC News Network and BNN Bloomberg and has written over a dozen op-eds for The Globe and Mail.
Vinayak Mishra
Director
Vinayak is a lawyer at TAP Law, a Toronto boutique litigation firm that acts for individuals, businesses and not-for profits in civil and commercial litigation matters. He has broad legal experience in corporate and commercial litigation, shareholder disputes, and public law matters. Vinayak has a B.Sc. from Dalhousie University and a J.D. from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law.
Vinayak was first exposed to debate through an afterschool debate club in Junior High School, and he has been hooked ever since. Over the years, Vinayak has been actively involved in high school debate as a participant, judge, volunteer, and/or coach.
