Meet the Board

New board members were elected at our September 2024 Annual General Meeting. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Board, please write us at [email protected].

Here are the current board members:

Josée Thibault, President

A Franco-Ontarian from Northern Ontario, I moved to Ottawa in 1999 to attend university.  I have lived in the Convent Glen – Orléans Wood area since 2004. I have two children and a dog with whom I am often out and about walking, biking, or cross-country skiing. I joined the CGOWCA Board of Directors to get more involved in this wonderful community and support local initiatives.

Matthieu Gagnon, Vice President

I was born and raised in Orléans. In my 20s, I moved around a bit while working as an exploration geologist in the gold industry. I moved back to Orléans around 2010 and moved to Convent Glen in 2018. I am a dad of two girls and I want them to grow up in a thriving community where they will have freedom and independence. On my free time, you will often see me in the parks around Voyageurs or running errands on my cargo bike. I also enjoy board games and run a weekly Dungeons and Dragon campaign.

Daniel Lamothe, Treasurer

I have been a resident of Orléans since 1979 and seen it grow and develop incredibly in the past decades. My spouse and I moved to Convent Glen in 1997 and have lived here since, enrolling our three children at École des Voyageurs and exploring the many parks and green spaces. I was an active member of school councils for 19 years, and I am an avid cyclist and music festival volunteer. I am very curious about the impact of the stage 2 Light Rail Transit expansion on our community; I joined the CGOWCA Board of Directors to learn more about this impact and to represent my neighbours and friends.

Rob Attrell, Secretary

I moved to Ottawa for university in 2006 after growing up in Calgary and moved to Convent Glen in 2019. It has been an absolute pleasure to get to know this community and start to raise a family here. I am a rarity in North American suburbs in that I’m personally not a huge fan of driving, in fact I didn’t get my full license until well into my 20s.

My whole life, I’ve only ever commuted to work on foot, by bike, with public transit, on rollerblades for a couple of years, and on skates a couple of times when I lived near the canal going to uOttawa. I’m an advocate for making our communities more accessible and safer to modes of transportation other than cars. I’d also like to grow and strengthen our sense of community locally by helping people get to know their neighbours better.

Bruce Kelly

Proud Franco-Ontarian, avid cyclist, and huge fan of the Ottawa Redblacks and Senators, it is with great pleasure that my wife and I decided in spring 2024 to move to Convent Glen to raise our little family. For me, it is also a return home, since I grew up in the neighbourhood in the 80s and 90s. I truly believe that all positive change must derive from grassroots initiatives, and it is with great dedication that I plan on working with my peers to help our community flourish.

Lorna Lyttle

Bio to come

Gillian Cantello

A long time resident of the community, I moved to Orleans Wood in 1989 and then to Convent Glen North in 1992. My husband and I raised two children in this neighbourhood and now we are busy grandparents. We have a deep affection for Orleans and all that it has to offer. We are especially fond of the Ottawa River and beautiful Petrie Island, where we walk or canoe as often as we can. I am very passionate about environmental issues and enjoy making an impact at the local level. I organized a Repair Cafe at the Orleans United Church and helped out with other events organized by the Environment Committee.

Being part of the Environment Committee has been a very fulfilling experience. Other members of the committee have taught me so much about gardening with native plants, including how to grow them from seed, outside, over the winter. I am also a volunteer with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, where I help new Canadians at the High School Level learn English and other subjects. As a retired public servant it is very rewarding to now have the time to give back to the community I love.

Arnold van den Hoeven

I moved to Convent Glen in 1994 when I was posted here as a member of the RCAF. We have raised our kids here, through Ecole Des Voyageurs and St Matthew High School. We’ve enjoyed the many great things that our neighbourhood has to offer; access to the river, greenbelt, cycling paths, parks and the fantastic neighbours that we’ve met over the years. In joining the board, I hope to contribute to a thriving and connected community that takes care of each other and our environment.