Board of Directors

Robert J. Falconi- Chair of the Board of Directors

RJ Falconi joined TSSA's Board in January 2019. He was appointed as Chair in May 2019. He is currently Managing Director of RayleeValleyGroup, which provides guidance and advice in various areas of law, public policy, government and stakeholder relations, corporate governance and compliance.

Mr. Falconi was formerly Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Government Affairs Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at CSA Group (Canadian Standards Association) for 17 years.  There he was responsible for corporate governance, policy and administration of CSA’s Board of Directors; oversight for CSA’s government relations activities on international trade; and lobbying and compliance matters.  He also interacted with governmental regulatory authorities and domestic and international law enforcement agencies to resolve regulatory, compliance and intellectual property infringement issues.

Previously, Mr. Falconi was Vice‐President, General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary for Parsons Corporation, a global multi‐disciplinary engineering firm, and was Legal Counsel for the Consumer Banking Division of Citibank Canada. He has also served as Secretary General to the Certification Industry Against Counterfeiting (CIAC), an INTERPOL-coordinated network committed to stopping the worldwide proliferation of counterfeit products that may endanger public health and safety.

Mr. Falconi has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, holds a Bachelor of Laws (Juris Doctor) from Osgoode Hall Law School, and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1985. In October 2012, he was certified by the Institute of Corporate Directors at Rotman School of Business as an Institute‐Certified Director (ICD.D). 

Mr. Falconi is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Canadian, American and International Bar Associations, the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), and the US‐based National Association of Corporate Directors. He serves on the national board for Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Inc., and in February 2019, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Tarion Warranty Corporation.  In January 2020, he was also appointed a Commissioner to the Board of Commissioners of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) via an Order-in-Council (which is a government legal order recommended by the Executive Council (the Premier and Cabinet Ministers) signed by the Lieutenant Governor).  

Brian Chu - Vice Chair of the Board of Directors

Brian Chu joined TSSA's Board in October 2015. He was appointed as Vice Chair in May 2019 and is the Chair of its Governance and Human Resources Committee.

A founding partner of Toronto law firm Bogart Robertson& Chu LLP, Mr. Chu's practice includes acting for a number of large institutional insurance and bank lenders, as well as, lenders in the financial services industry such as mortgage funds and investment advisors. He also has extensive experience in the acquisition, disposition and financing of all commercial real estate asset classes, including retirement and nursing homes and cellular/broadcast towers.

Mr. Chu has extensive board experience in the energy, financial services, post-secondary education, arts and culture sectors. He is currently a director on the boards of MCAN Mortgage Corporation (TSX: MKP), CAA Club Group of Companies, CAA Insurance, Echelon Insurance and Orion Travel Insurance. He was formerly Vice Chair of the Toronto Hydro Corporation and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ontario Science Centre. Other former board roles included President (Chair of the Board) of Laidlaw Foundation, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Ontario College of Arts and Design (OCAD), Vice-Chair of Centennial College and a director and Vice-Chairman of The Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.

Mr. Chu has chaired and been on numerous committees of these boards including those relating to audit, finance, governance, human resources, safety and conduct review. His roles on these boards included dealing with strategic planning, governance, risk management, capital market financings, business unit dispositions, corporate reorganization, code of conduct/whistle-blower situations and CEO recruitment.

Mr. Chu is included in The Best Lawyers in Canada for real estate law, the global publication Who’s Who Legal for real estate law and is profiled in Canadian Who’s Who. Believing in paying it forward, Mr. Chu has in the past been a panelist for the Maytree Foundation and Canadian Board Diversity Council educational programs.

Andrew Bedeau joined TSSA’s Board of Directors in October 2021 and is a member of the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee. He is currently the Senior Manager of Cash Management and Payment Services at TD Bank, where he has served in several leadership roles prior to assuming his present position.

Andrew has more than 15 years of experience overseeing treasury departments, strategic planning, and cash and risk management for banks, large pension funds, RESPs, insurance, and not-for-profit organizations. A graduate of the University of Toronto Economics Program (Hon. BA), he holds numerous finance, investment and risk management certifications.

Prior to joining the TSSA Board, Andrew was an Executive Member of the Ontario Science Centre Board of Directors from 2016 to 2020, and served as Chair of the Finance and Operations Committee. He has also served on the boards of the Laidlaw Foundation from 2009 to 2018, Management Advisory Service of Ontario from 2010 to 2012, and CultureLink from 2005 to 2006. An avid volunteer, he has devoted his time, experience and passion to further the missions of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and Habitat for Humanity Toronto.

Cathy M. Bailey

Cathy Bailey joined the TSSA Board in October 2020 and is a member of the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee. Cathy has spent most of her career in senior finance, human resources and operational roles in public sector healthcare. In January she will be joining St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener as their new VP Corporate Services & Chief Financial Officer.  In this role, Cathy will oversee Financial Services, Decision Support, Risk Management, Capital Planning, Health Records, Procurement and Materials Management.

Through her experience, Cathy has developed expertise in managing large and complex public sector budgets, oversight of facilities and infrastructure, human resources, change management, project management and business process redesign.

Cathy is a life-long learner and actively supports growth opportunities for her team. She earned a post-graduate designation as a Certified Management Accountant in 1992, a Certified Financial Planner designation in 1998 and a Chartered Director designation in 2008. She was awarded a fellowship by the Society of Management Accountants in 2004 in recognition of her service to the Society, the profession and the community.  From 2009 to 2015, she was also a Moderator for the two-year CMA Strategic Leadership program.

Marni Dicker 

Marni Dicker joined TSSA’s Board in October 2020 and is a member of the Governance and Human Resources Committee. Marni is currently Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Live Work Learn Play Inc. Marni leads LWLP’s corporate and organizational growth, major infrastructure projects and anchor deal making on large scale real estate projects across Ontario and North America.

Marni was formerly Chief Commercial Officer and General Counsel at Infrastructure Ontario, responsible for leading the Legal Services, Procurement, Transaction Finance, Commercial Projects, Business Strategy & Communications, Records Management, Insurance, Policy and Freedom of Information teams. Prior to IO, Marni was Senior Vice President, Business & Government Affairs and Corporate Counsel for SNC-Lavalin Inc. and prior that, Marni was a commercial litigation lawyer with two well known Bay street law firms.

Marni is currently a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Ryerson University and is also on the steering committee for The Ryerson Law Practice Program (LPP). Additionally, Marni is a member of the Board of Directors at Habitat for Humanity GTA, CreateTO, Tarion Corporation. Marni is also a member of the Sinai Health Systems Operational Effectiveness Committee of the Board. 

 Connie L. Graham

Connie L. Graham, B.Sc. (Biochemistry) joined TSSA’s board in October 2020 and is a member of the Governance and Human Resources Committee. She is a professional corporate director, certified as such by the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors in 2012 (ICD.d). Having served over 20 years in corporate, crown and not-for-profit boardrooms, her core competencies include governance, bylaw and policy infrastructure, human resources, compensation, performance management and strategy. Her well-honed, collaborative leadership skills have made her an invaluable change agent for organizations working through transitions, transformations or turnarounds.

She has most recently been appointed to the Board of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, where she will serve on the Governance and Human Resources Committee.  Other current appointments include the Board of Governors of Fanshawe College and the Board of London Hydro, Inc. where she is Vice-Chair and Chair of the Governance and Risk Committee.  She recently concluded a six-year appointment as Chair of the Federal Bridge Corporation, Ltd. reporting directly to the Federal Minister of Transport.

In addition to the ICD.D certification, Ms. Graham was named a Diversity50 Director by the Canadian Board Diversity Council in 2013, was granted an Honourary Degree from Fanshawe College in 2017 and was a proud recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.  

 Jim Keech

Jim Keech joined TSSA’s Board of Directors in October 2021 and is a member of the Safety and Regulatory Affairs Committee. With more than 40 years of experience in the utility industry, he has been the President and CEO of Utilities Kingston since 2000. In addition to this, he was the Commissioner of Transportation and Infrastructure at the City of Kingston (the City) from 2007 to 2019. He also served two years as General Manager of the City’s Utilities Division and 16 years as Chief Engineer and Operations Manager of the City’s Public Utilities Commission.

Jim has applied his knowledge and expertise as a member of several boards, including Utilities Kingston, Kingston Hydro Corporation, Ontario Municipal Water Association, and PlugN Drive. His previous board experience includes serving as a member of the Utilities Standards Forum, MEARIE, and Electricity Distributors Association, where he was also Past Chair.

Jim’s industry accolades include receiving the Community Leadership Award in Renewable Energy from Switch Kingston and being named Municipal Employee of the Year by the Kingston Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of the Queens University Electrical Engineering Program (BSc), he also completed the Directors Education Program from the Institute of Corporate Directors and University of Toronto's Rotman School of Business. 

Michael Lees

Mike Lees joined TSSA's Board in September 2013 and is a member of the Safety and Regulatory Affairs Committee and the Governance and Human Resource Committee.

Mr. Lees retired in 2013 as the President of Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Energy, Inc. (B&W NE), and Babcock & Wilcox Canada Ltd. (B&W). He joined B&W Canada as a Stress Analyst in the Nuclear Equipment department in 1980 and went on to hold a variety of leadership positions in Nuclear Engineering, Project Management and Sales Management prior to being appointed President of the Canadian operation in 2007.

In 2012, Mr. Lees assumed the additional role of President for the parent company (B&W NE), leading Canadian and Global commercial nuclear business for Babcock and Wilcox. A graduate of the University of Waterloo (B.Sc., Honours Applied Physics), Mr. Lees also holds an Executive MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, and a Chartered Director (ICD.D) designation from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. He has held various board positions at companies affiliated with Babcock & Wilcox.

In addition, Mr. Lees has served on several not-for-profit organizations, including the Canadian Nuclear Association and the Cambridge Memorial Hospital. In 2007, Mr. Lees was awarded the Ian McRae Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Canadian Nuclear Industry, and the following year, named the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Science Outstanding Alumni.

Peter Marcucci 

Peter Marcucci was appointed to the TSSA’s Board of Directors in October 2019 and is a member of the Audit Finance and Risk Committee.

Peter is the former Vice President & Chief Public Safety Officer for the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). He also held the roles of Chief Engineer and Vice President Human Resources where he was responsible for electrical safety leadership, safety strategy development, government relations, engineering and safety risk management functions within the Electrical Safety Authority.

Before joining Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), Mr. Marcucci held the roles of Director of Payroll Services, Director of Health and Safety Services, Employee Services and Director of Workplace Services and Corporate Services at Ontario Hydro and Ontario Power Generation. He is a Registered Professional Engineer and holds a master’s in engineering from the University of Toronto.

Glen Padassery 

Prior to that, he was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Consumer Protection Ontario (CPO) in the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services where he was responsible for leading overall provincial policy and execution for approximately 50 regulatory statutes spanning Consumer Protection, Public Safety and Business Law.  In addition, he had oversight of 12 Delegated Administrative Authorities that administer Consumer Protection and Public Safety legislation on behalf of government in areas such as real estate, funeral services, electrical safety, new home warranties, travel industry, motor vehicle sales, Ontario wine appelation and Condos.

His previous board experience includes serving as a member on the Board of Directors for Tarion Warranty Corporation and the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP).

Glen has over 20 years in the public sector, with extensive policy, program design, consumer protection expertise and experience.  

Elaine Pitcher 

Elaine Pitcher joined TSSA's Board in May 2015 and is the Chair of its Safety and Regulatory Affairs Committee.

Ms. Pitcher has practiced law specializing in corporate and commercial matters, and advanced estate planning and administration for the past thirty years. Active in her community, Ms. Pitcher has served as the Chair of the Northeast Local Health Integration Network, following ten years as a Board member of the Sault Area Hospital, five of those in the capacity of Board Chair. Prior to that, she has held the position of Vice Chair of the Ontario Council of Regents, and Chair of Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology and has served on numerous other boards and agencies.

A proponent of strong governance, Ms. Pitcher has been a panel participant at the Ontario Hospital Association Health Achieve Conference and provides both advice and facilitation on governance best practices and strategic planning to non-profit organizations. She has been the recipient of many awards including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Ontario Leading Women Building Communities award, The Harry Hamilton Award given by the Algoma District Law Association and the Dr. William Hutchinson award for community service in the health sector.

Ms. Pitcher is a graduate of Queen’s University where she received both an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in finance, followed by her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B).

Susannah K. Robinson

Ms. Robinson was appointed to the TSSA in October of 2020 and is a member of the Governance and Human Resources Committee.  Ms. Robinson is an energy executive with over 30 years of experience.

She is currently Vice President for EPCOR Ontario Utilities Inc. and the CEO of EPCOR Ontario Distribution Ontario Inc.  Prior to joining EPCOR, Ms. Robinson held senior roles at regulated and non-regulated energy companies in areas of strategic planning, regulatory, risk management, customer experience and operational leadership.  

She has served on several industry, profit and non for-profit boards.  She currently serves on the Board of the Electricity Distributors Association and is a Trustee of the Utility of the Future Fund.  A strong believer in community involvement, she also serves on the Board of the Toronto Public Library Foundation where she Chairs the Human Resources Committee and sits on the Governance and Nomination Committee.

Ms. Robinson has a Bachelor of Political Science from McGill University.  In 2017, she was certified by the Institute of Corporate Directors at Rotman School of Business.

Tracee Smith

Tracee Smith joined the TSSA Board in October 2021 and is a member of the Governance and Human Resources Committee. A member of the Missanabie Cree First Nation in Northern Ontario, she is the Founder and CEO of Outside Looking In, a national charity that implements various arts, education and employment programs for Indigenous youth. She has worked at TD Bank Financial Group and TD Securities in successive managerial roles and has spearheaded Indigenous wealth and investment strategies for BMO Financial Group and TE WEALTH. She has also advised numerous organizations, including Nestle Waters Canada and Imperial Oil, on Indigenous projects and communications strategies.

An advocate for continuous learning, Tracee is the first Indigenous woman to hold a Masters of Finance from Queen’s University, a Masters in Business Administration from Cape Breton University with a specialization in Indigenous Economic Development, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in Dance. She was named one of Canada’s top 50 artists by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Currently, she serves on the boards of Smilezone Foundation as Chair of Finance Committee and The Shoebox Project as Chair of Finance Committee and a member of the Governance Committee. She is a past board member of Ontario Nature, where she sat on the Finance Committee and the National Arts Centre where she served as Chair of the Audit Committee.