Calgary, Alta. (November 19, 2020) – Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Deborah Orida and Sarah Evans to the Board of Directors.  Deborah and Sarah join the board during the 100thanniversary of ski racing excellence in Canada. 

“Both Deborah and Sarah are wonderful additions to our board,” said Therese Brisson, President & Chief Executive Officer of ACA. “They bring diverse experience and the commitment needed to help us achieve podium success and inspire the next generation of ski racers and fans.  I am very excited about the future we are building for ski racing in Canada together with our Provincial & Territorial Sport Organizations”.

Deborah is currently the Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Active Equities at the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Board.  Deborah also serves on the Board of Directors of IHS Markit, an S&P 500 company. She was previously a member of the Board of Directors of HKBN, Nord Anglia Education, and the Bridgepoint Health Foundation. Deborah was appointed to the board this fall at the Annual General Meeting. 

“I’m excited to join this important organization and hope to support access, inclusion, and achievement of this great Canadian sport,” said Deborah. “Across family, friends, and business associates, skiing has been a source of shared experiences, excitement, and inspiration." 

Sarah Evans, who was appointed to the board in the spring, is the founder and chair of Westside School, a small school model for excluded young people. She also founded The Oxford Youth Lab, which enables stakeholders and academics to better understand issues facing youth at grassroots levels. Sarah brings a diverse background in finance at JP Morgan, management consulting at Bain & Co., and education. Sarah sits on many boards including the Canadian Advisory Boards of the MaRS Solution Lab, the Ivey Sustainability Centre, and the Ivey Business School.

“It is a privilege to work with such a talented and dedicated CEO and board, who believe in the importance of skiing to the Canadian identity, and also understand the hard work behind winning, especially as the current pandemic adds further challenges,” Sarah said. 

Deborah and Sarah will be much valued additions to the Board of Directors.  Their love of skiing and interest in growing the inclusivity and diversity of the sport are an incredible asset, which comes at an important time for the sport and the organization. 

“Having such distinguished people as Deborah and Sarah join our board is a tremendous asset to Alpine Canada” said Tim Dattels, Chair of the Board of Directors. “They both have extensive and diverse backgrounds with a wide range of international business and board experience as well as community engagement, which will greatly benefit Alpine Canada’s work to become a world-class ski racing nation.”

With the addition of Deborah and Sarah, the Alpine Canada Board now includes 14 of a possible 15 directors including:     

Tim Dattels, Managing Partner, TPG Capital Asia (Chair)
Anne-Marie Boucher, Attorney, M. Fisc., Philanthropist
Bruce Chapple, Partner, McMillan
Paul Desmarais III, Senior Vice-President, Power Corporation and Power Financial
Erik Guay, former ACA athlete, and World Champion 
Blake Hutcheson, President, and Chief Pension Officer, OMERS
Don R. Lindsay, CEO, Teck Resources
Barry McInerney, President, and CEO, Mackenzie Investments
Tracey Pearce, President, Distribution and Pay, Bell Media
Darryl White, CEO, Bank of Montreal
Mark D. Wiseman, Chair, Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) 
Kaori Zage, Entrepreneur, Property Developer, and Sports Advocate
Sarah Evans, Founder, Youth Lab/Westside School 
Deborah Orida, Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Active Equities CPP Investment Board

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For more information or media inquiries please contact:
Whitney Hunter I Manager of Communications 
whunter@alpinecanada.org I 403-471-6032

About Alpine Canada 
Alpine Canada is the governing body for alpine, para-alpine, and ski cross racing in Canada, as well as for Canadian ski coaches, providing education, certification, insurance, and compliance with the coaching code of conduct. With the support of valued corporate partners and donors, along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Coaching Association of Canada, Alpine Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic, World Championship, and World Cup athletes to stimulate visibility, inspiration, and growth in the ski community. In 2020, Alpine Canada celebrates 100 years of rich tradition in competitive skiing in Canada.