Board of Directors

The school is operated by a not-for-profit corporation and registered charity known as the Joan of Arc Academic Society of Ottawa. The Society is governed by a Board of Directors composed of talented, committed volunteers. The Board is made of both parents/guardians and external members, and at least one-third is voted in annually.

Jason Rabin

I am a native Montrealer who moved to Toronto for many years before settling in Ottawa for work. I have
a wonderful wife, Elinore, who works as a coordinator for a charity matching special needs children with
friends.

I work as a civil litigator and have taught part-time as a law professor at University of Ottawa. I am the
proud father of two children, a ten-month old boy, Aaron, and a seven-year old girl, Lily, who has been a
JOA student since Kindergarten and is presently in Grade 2.

On my off time I love to cook and bake for my family. I am also an avid year-round cycle commuter.

I am supportive of keeping our school’s curriculum focused squarely on strong academics, with an
emphasis on French and STEM. I believe traditional forms of instruction and values are still worthwhile
and can be married successfully with more modern pedagogy.
As a new board member, I know I have a lot to learn about how JOA is governed. But I will do everything
in my power to support the values that have made JOA such a fine school for our girls.

Russell Gibson

Board Member Head Shot — **Rishika Aggarwal**
Secretary

Rishika Aggarwal

Rishika Aggarwal currently works as a Consultant with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Toronto. She advises clients in the consumer and non-profit sectors on strategic planning, organizational design, and cost structure reviews. Prior to joining BCG, Rishika worked for Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets, specifically within Mergers and Acquisitions.

Rishika holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at Western University where she studied medical sciences before pursuing business. She is also a proud alumnus of Joan of Arc Academy where she studied for five years and served as Head Girl in her final year.

Outside of work, Rishika has previous volunteer experience with the St. Michael’s Hospital Young Leaders Board, where she supported community fundraising initiatives. She is also a Mentor at Pathways to Education, providing academic and career support to students.

In her free time, Rishika enjoys dance, fitness, movies, and spending time with loved ones.

Andrew Bailes

Andrew Bailes is the owner of Hertford Advisors, providing fractional CFO and bookkeeping services to a
number of companies in the Ottawa area. He is originally from the UK, but has lived in Canada since
2007. He was CFO for GoFor, the fastest growing company in Ottawa in 2020. He has extensive
experience in IT, Telecoms and other sectors, managing not only Finance, but also Legal, HR and
Operational functions. Andrew has degrees from Cambridge University, Queens, Cornell and is a
qualified CPA. He has been a Joan of Arc parent for five years.

Patricia Chafe
Past Chair

Patricia Chafe

Patricia Chafe is an internal member of the Joan of Arc Academy board of directors, serving as chair of the strategic planning committee. Her daughter has attended the academy since junior kindergarten and is a member of the Class of 2024. Patricia brings more than 20 years of management experience and leadership to the board. She is director of winter sport at Own the Podium and leads a Canadian winter sport technical guidance and leadership team. Patricia holds a PhD in mathematics and worked previously as a university mathematics professor.

Craig Burkett

Shravan Chopra

Gadson Githae

I am Gadson Githae and am in my second academic year as a parent at Joan of Arc Academy. I hold an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch Business School in Capetown, South Africa, and a Bachelor of Science from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture And Technology in Kenya. I have recently completed a Construction Management Certificate program at Algonquin College I am served in various roles requiring expertise in financial management, strategic planning, and project management. My most recent role was project management of a 38 apartments construction project in Kenya. Through the course of my work life, I have been in leadership, management, and in support owned a business venture.

Dustin Kenall

Dustin Kenall is an internal director on the board of directors of Joan of Arc Academy. He is a dual US-Canadian citizen, working at the Department of Justice Canada. He is the lucky husband of Allison Knight (Cornwall native) and the very proud father of JOA students Serena and Maya. He earned his undergraduate (economics) and law degrees at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Allison and Dustin moved to Ottawa in 2010 to be close to family and for the great all-season outdoor activities. He loves reading, playing squash, skiing, golfing, and playing (mostly losing) board games with his family.

Jane Labreche

Jane brings over 20 years of experience in the Canadian sport sector as a leader, advisor and sport scientist. She holds a PhD in exercise physiology from UBC and has worked as a sessional instructor and research technician in the Department of Kinesiology. Currently a Sport Science and Medicine advisor at Own the Podium, Jane provides guidance on programming while supporting the educational needs of practitioners in the system. With a young son in French elementary school, Jane volunteers as team manager for his sport clubs at the grassroots level.

Catherine Munier

Catherine is a new parent at Joan of Arc, with a daughter in grade 4. She has worked both in the private sector as well as for both provincial and federal government. Catherine currently works in Communications for the federal government and focuses professionally on public opinion research, strategic communications and data analysis and interpretation.

Joseph Odhiambo

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Joseph Odhiambo is a father of three children, and his youngest daughter has just started junior kindergarten at Joan of Arc Academy. Professionally, Joseph has held senior roles in the federal government since 1998. He is currently a Principal Advisor in the Investments, Partnerships, and Innovation Division at Infrastructure Canada, where he manages a team of analysts specializing in Alternative Finance Policy. Joseph has also served in various roles on volunteer boards over the past 26 years, including President and Treasurer, for the following organizations: the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, the Canadian International Council, and Connecting Environmental Professionals. Mr. Odhiambo is a member of the 1993 Saint Francis Xavier University National Championship Basketball Team, which was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2008. He is also a volunteer for the Ottawa Shooting Stars Basketball Programme, where he coaches boys and girls ranging in age from four to ten.

Melanie R.

Melanie is an accomplished professional with a rich history of providing strategic leadership and fostering meaningful relationships across a variety of organizations. With extensive experience in senior-level advisory roles, coupled with over 25 years experience mainly in communications-related work, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Board of Directors.

Melanie's bilingual skills have enabled her to lead diverse teams and manage complex situations with grace. Her commitment to fostering a positive school culture and collaborative engagement, underpin her outlook in all facets of her life. Her career is marked by her ability to provide strategic advice, reinforced with well-researched recommendations that have had tangible outcomes. Her insights and recommendations have played a crucial role in shaping policies and initiatives across the public sector.

A unique blend of experience, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to shared Joan of Arc Academy values, Melanie feels fortunate to be part of the school community.

Alicia Ross

Alicia Ross is an internal director on the Joan of Arc Academy board of directors.

Alicia holds a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from Acadia University and has over 20 years of professional experience in Information Technology. She is currently a member of the IT management team at Statistics Canada, where she is responsible for the evolution, operations and maintenance of data registers and metadata products along with all corporate systems.

Alicia has one daughter who joined Joan of Arc in 2020. A competitive athlete for most of her life, she now has to listen to the aches and pains of her body so in her spare time she enjoys cycling, skiing, running and reading.

Society Documents

Joan of Arc Academic Society By-laws

Board Documents

Interested in
joining our
team?

We are always seeking strong external candidates with skills in business management, education, marketing, sales, technology, accounting, or human resources. Not-for-profit governance experience is a plus. If you have something to offer, please email info@joanofarcacademy.com