Meet the Board

Chief Jason Gauthier – Missanabie Cree First Nation

Ex-Officio Member

Jason Gauthier was elected to Council of Missanabie Cree First Nation in August of 2010 and held the whole earth portfolio (Lands and Resources) and went on to be elected as the Chief of Missanabie Cree First Nation in 2013 and Re-elected in 2016. Chief Gauthier graduated from the Sociology Program at Algoma University in 2009 with Honours. Chief Gauthier has continued to create many new partnerships and relationships in his terms as Chief. Chief Gauthier’s vision of a balance between economic sustainability and community wellbeing is shared by communities across Canada. On the cutting edge of such projects as Resource Revenue Sharing and First Nation led Passenger Rail service, Chief Gauthier believes that the First Nation communities have to reach out and grasp opportunities to better the lives of our people.

David MacLachlan

Chair

David is the current Executive Director for Destination Northern Ontario, the provincially funded regional tourism organization operating in Region 13 with a mandate to increase tourism receipts through product development, marketing, workforce development and investment attraction.

David grew up in the tourism industry and is third generation to work in the family tourism business started over sixty years ago by his grandfather. David is also a past chair of the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association, OTMPC Northern Tourism Marketing Committee and sat on the Board of Directors for OTMPC.

Two years ago, Destination Northern Ontario was named Tourism Innovator of the Year for the Tourism Excellence North program at the Ontario Tourism Summit in Windsor. More recently along with Indigenous Tourism Ontario, Destination Northern Ontario was awarded the Ontario Culinary Leadership Award.

Dorothy Macnaughton

Vice-Chair

Dorothy is a former elementary school teacher. As someone with vision loss, she understands the importance of full accessibility for people with disabilities in society, particularly when it comes to all aspects of transportation.

Over the past 30+ years, she has volunteered on many Boards and Committees, including:

·       The Sault/Algoma CNIB Board

·       The CNIB Northern Regional Board (several years as Chair)

·       The CNIB Ontario Board (former Chair)

·       The CNIB Library Board (a national Board)

·       The Accessibility Advisory Committee of the AMCTO (Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks, and Treasurers of Ontario)

·       Election Ontario’s Accessibility Advisory Committee

·       Sault Ste. Marie’s Accessibility Advisory Committee

Currently, Dorothy is Co-Chair of the Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains (CAPT), a Board member of Citizens with Disabilities – Ontario and is President of the Sault Ste. Marie Chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind. 

Linda Savory-Gordon

Secretary

Linda Savory-Gordon is professor emerita and volunteer research associate, NORDIK, Algoma University. She focuses on community-based research/development on rail issues. With the Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains she advocates for reinstatement of passenger rail on existing rail beds in Northeastern Ontario for economic, social, and environmental benefits to First Nations (through whose territories rail lines pass) and settler communities.

Len Piccolo

Treasure

Len was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario. He graduated from Cambrian College (now Sault College) as a Mechanical Technologist and joined the Algoma Steel Corporation where he retired after more than thirty years of service. In the 1960’s he began traveling the ACR by passenger train to Eton with his buddies to fish and help the senior residents with various projects. In 1974 he acquired a land lease from the ACR to build a camp on Deer Lake in Greenwood township. By the fall of 1975 the camp was built and is still under the same ownership. Len is president of the Agawa Region Cottagers Association that was formed to address issues with previous owners of our townships. He is also head of the Mask-wa Residents Association representing all the resident property owners along the former ACR rail line.

Patricia Ann Owl

Member

Ojibway kwe n daw and am a First Nation member of Sagamok First Nation, my credentials are from Algoma University with the Bachelors of Community Economic and Social Development, further a diploma in Lands Management from Cambrian College.

 I have been nurtured on the Great lakes, as Robinson Huron Treaty Ojibway. My bundle of gifts are filled with a wealth of networks from experience working with business, government and local First Nation my experience in administrative assignments was through the Mamaweswen, the North Shore Tribal Council, as the economic development manager providing advisory supports to the local Economic Development Officers of seven local First Nations. Mainly worked on the best practices in Lands Management, Economic Development and Community Planning as a goal in my personal growth and development, I live for community development in many ways by creating community economic opportunities for first nations. I enjoy spending my time on the land, in the water, enjoying the Anishinaabe life in my first nation community. I look forward to working with MCFN. Miigwetch

Nadine Robinson

Member

Dr. Nadine Robinson is an international award-winning freelance writer, a columnist, and non-fiction author. She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, an International MBA, and a Bachelor of Commerce. Nadine has taught a variety of business courses at colleges and universities for the last 12 years, has trained business leaders, is a marketing consultant, a keynote speaker (on topics such as positive self-talk and effective communication), and in her "spare time" is raising two children. Originally from Ottawa, Nadine is passionate about life and believes that money should be spent on things that can't be taken away from you (such as travel, education/life-long learning, and life experiences). She believes in connecting, not collecting, as well as expecting nothing and appreciating everything. She has travelled to 62 countries, tandem BASE jumped in Utah, received a massage certification in Thailand, trekked in the Himalayas, learned to surf in Costa Rica, went scuba diving with hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos, rides a motorcycle, and searches for adventure in the everyday. She is a member of the Canadian Freelance Guild and the Travel Media Association of Canada. She lives in Sault Ste. Marie.

William Wilcox

Member

Born and raised in the Soo. Started my working career at Algoma Central Railway (traffic dep't) for 8 years then moved on to industry (Ford Motor Co.) and from there to the Federal and Provincial governments. Over 40 years of transportation (all modes) and logistics.



In later years, was Northern Transportation Co-ordinator for Ministry of Transportation business and industry with their transportation needs and finally, Senior Transportation Economist administering funding for roads and remote airports.

Some accomplishments with respect to rail include advocating and assisting in the establishment of a rail spur to Algoma Steel's 'Export Dock' and a new spur to the Arauco 'MDF' plant in the Soo, also a railway line into the Agrium 'Phosphate Mill' south of Kapuskasing. Sat on several railway abandonment cases throughout the Province.

I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation North America having satisfied their examination requirements. I studied Transportation and Logistics at Fanshawe College, London.

Previously, I was a member, chair, and co-chair of CAPTrains and currently co-chair of the Northeastern Ontario Rail Network (NEORN) who have advocated successfully for the resumption of Ontario Northland's 'Northlander' passenger train. We continue to press the provincial government for better passenger train service in the northwest and Algoma regions of Northern Ontario.

Lindsey Ackland

Member

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