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Our Leadership.

Meet the team. Community leaders and experts who guide our way forward.

Charlie Johnstone

President and Chief Executive Officer

As President and CEO, Charlie leads our mission to give all children living with disabilities in Ontario a chance to achieve their personal bests. He believes in the power of sport to inspire children to dream beyond what they once thought was possible. Once they know what they can achieve, nothing is beyond reach.

A highly experienced and respected leader in sports marketing, Charlie most recently served as President and CEO of two of Canada’s most unique events: The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Honda Indy Toronto. In these roles, he successfully developed strategic and financial initiatives that stabilized the organizations and facilitated their continued long-term growth.

Charlie’s skill set includes securing over $50 million in corporate sponsorship support, more than $25 million in government funding, and generating nearly $10 million for various children’s charities across the Greater Toronto Area.

A graduate of the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, Charlie focused his studies on the intersection of sports marketing, business, health, and recreation.

For more information about Charlie, you can read the full announcement on our website: Welcome Charlie Johnstone.

Senior Leadership

SJ Varaschin

CPA, CA

Vice President, Finance
Archie Allison

Director

Access and Awareness
Allan Grant

Director

Philanthropy and Partnerships
Katie Watkins

Director

Programs & Facilities
Erin Rivet

Director

Brand & Communications
Seema Magoon

Director

Human Resources

Our Board of Directors

As a local, community-driven registered charity our 100% volunteer-based board guides major Variety – the Children’s Charity of Ontario decisions, approves programing and spending, and provides continuous guidance and support.

Jordan Assaraf

Chair, Governance & Marketing Committee

Barrister & Solicitor, Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyers
Jeff Armstrong

Vice-Chair, Fundraising & Events Committee

Retired Senior Financial Services Executive
John Willson

Treasurer, Audit, Finance & Marketing Committee

Former President and CEO (Retired), Variety Village
Dr. Gerard T. Arbour

Fundraising & Events Committee

Clinic Owner & Chiropractor, Bluffs Chiropractic
David Brown

Audit & Finance Committee

Owner at Fearless Meat Inc. President, Meat Consultants International Inc.
Neil Claydon

Governance Committee

Vice President, Ticketing and Music & Live Entertainment
Al D’Addese

Audit, Finance & Marketing Committee

General Manager & Vice-President, Doman Building Materials
Kate Dobrucki

Marketing Committee

Communications & Marketing Executive
Alexandra Hyland

Governance Committee

Global Head of Learning Strategy & Transformation at Kraft Heinz
Elayne Miles

Governance Committee

Senior Vice-President of Business Operations, Rakuten Kobo Inc.
Karin Ots

Governance Committee

SVP of Regulatory and Government Relations at Aviva Canada
Mark Palmer

Fundraising & Events Committee

Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada
David Safer

Fundraising & Events Committee

Senior Director, Strategy Execution Analytics, Technology & Operations, RBC
Graeme Switzer

Marketing Committee

VP, Marketing and Operations, Brand Driven Media Inc.
Mary Jo Vradis

Fundraising & Events Committee

Broker, SAGE Real Estate Limited / The M Realty Group
Michelle Way

Audit & Finance Committee

Vice President, Element Fleet Essentials at Element Fleet Management