For over three decades, Sarah Thatcher has worked with children and youth in a variety of roles, all focused on improving their social, physical and emotional wellness.
As a former franchise business owner, athletic coach, multilingual teacher, and community advocate she has spent her time inspiring and empowering the next generation to search for their purpose and find meaning in their lives. Her commitment to helping youth resulted in her nomination in 2005 for a Women of Distinction Award and in 2009 for Top 40 Under 40 in 2009 with the City of Guelph.
Sarah has worked in education for over a decade and for the past five years has been teaching French in the Muskoka region. Since moving to Muskoka she has been raising awareness about issues that impact children and youth in the community. Recognizing that there are many children in Muskoka who go without food on the weekends, led her to begin searching for a way to help solve issues with food security.
She is happy to partner with Food4Kids Ontario to launch the chapter in Muskoka!
Marketing & Communications Manager
Kristie is a natural-born enthusiast for building community which has led her to build three successful online businesses, encompassing solution-based products and services for individuals and businesses globally.
With over 20 years of experience with sales, Kristie’s integrity is always at the forefront of her mind so that she can serve the needs of her clients and the community first, specifically engaging with various initiatives focused on providing children with the necessary tools, guidance and opportunities to unlock their full potential.
Residing locally, Kristie and her builder-husband Morgan made a spur of the moment decision to make Huntsville their home in 2018.
Board Chair
Michelle is a long time resident of Muskoka and can’t imagine raising her family anywhere else. Muskoka is truly home to Michelle and she couldn’t imagine raising her family or living anywhere else. Michelle is a full time Realtor with Coldwell Banker Thompson Real Estate, her focus is specializing in residential buying and selling with an emphasis on marketing properties.
In her previous life Michelle organized and detailed high-end luxury weddings and events, with this background she brings to the table next level organization skills, attention to detail, compassion, and the importance of connecting with her clients.
Michelle prides herself on her connection to the community from volunteering for various charitable events, at her kids school or sports teams. In her spare time you will find her at the soccer field being a 5 Star Soccer Mom, entertaining with her friends and family, taking road trips & exploring, relaxing at home, or spending time at the lake with her family.
Secretary/Treasurer
Michael has 40+ years of experience working with children, youth and community groups, including housing and food security, sustainable community development and government and private sector fundraising to assist in funding the many needs of the community. Michael also has over 4o+ years of experience as an educator and community development practitioner at the K-12 and university levels, and he brings experience in policy development and research; grant writing and administration of millions of dollars for school and community-based organizations, including on-the-ground community volunteer work in food banks, literacy groups, municipal government committees, and volunteer boards.
Michael is excited to join the board of Food4Kids Muskoka so that he might continue working to ensure that every child in the Muskoka region can get the nutritious food they need to live happy and healthy lives.
Executive Committee
Michelle Peterson - Board Chair
John Mesec & Rahim Premji – Co-Vice Chairs
Michael Fox - Treasurer
Sophie Goutos - Secretary
Directors
Stella Kaey
Martin Vuksinic
Shawn Donaldson
Director
Rahim is a Senior Banking Executive with 20+ years of diverse industry experience and a proven track record of setting winning business strategies, building collaborative relationships, and effectively leading change to accelerate enterprise performance.
Away from the office, Rahim is married with three kids, with all of them having interest in sports and outdoor activity. He resides in Markham Ontario, but spend considerable time in Muskoka area, and wants to spend even more time giving back to the community and raising awareness in areas of Financial Literacy (Personal and Small Business), Global Poverty, and Mental Health. Rahim is also a Board Member at the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce
His passion for Food4Kids comes from a desire to provide children the chance to equitably learn and that proper nutrition can support this. He was inspired by his visit to the Hamilton chapter and the impact it has on the community. Making an impact with Food4Kids aligns with his other endeavours to help children and underprivileged to have the opportunity to be their best selves and prosper.
Director
Stella loves her community and is passionate about advocating for local kids who need the energy to explore our gorgeous surroundings. As a Huntsville High School graduate, she recognizes the demand for Food4Kids in Muskoka. She is thrilled to continue working with her fellow board members and volunteers to implement the “Weekends Without Hunger” program. The mission of Food4Kids Muskoka aligns with her vision that all children in Muskoka have equal opportunities to flourish in their education, athletics and relationships due to having adequate nutrition to fuel their lives.
As an entrepreneur, finance student and outdoor activity enthusiast, Stella appreciates the importance of nutrition to lead an energetic lifestyle.
B.A., L.L.B.
Director
John is the managing lawyer of local law firm, Thoms & Currie Professional Corporation. John brings a wealth of experience to Food4Kids Muskoka that he has gained working in the public sector prior to becoming a lawyer and in his practice, where John is routinely engaged by not-for-profit organizations to counsel on a variety of issues including corporate governance, financing and acquisitions. Aside from his professional experience, John has been a member of several volunteer boards and charitable organizations over the years.
As a father of three young children, John is passionate about social, economic and political issues that children and young people are faced with overcoming. He recognizes that food insecurity is one of the most challenging social ills of our time and he is keenly aware of the benefits that come with a complete and consistent diet for kids. John is a dedicated member of our team who is honoured to offer his personal and professional skills to advance the goals of an organization that is focused on alleviating food insecurity for one of the most vulnerable demographics in our community.
In his off time, John enjoys exploring the wonderous natural beauty of Muskoka with his wife, Ashley, kids and their two Vizslas.
Director
Martin Vuksinic is a building science professional with 30 years of experience, specializing in building envelope analysis and performance contracting. For the past 25 years, he has focused on large-scale retrofit projects across Canada and the United States, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, and from Nunavut to Texas. Martin has called Muskoka home for the last 12 years, recently relocating from Honey Harbour to Huntsville. He has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and nature. He is also passionate about giving to his community. As a member of the board of directors for Food4Kids, Martin will bring his professionalism, experience and dedication to supporting the organization’s mission and making a positive impact in the region.
Director
Sophie has called Huntsville home her whole life and is passionate about her community. Advocating for her community began in high school and continued to grow from there. Sophie studied International Development and the University of Guelph and focused her studies on food systems. Soon after, she worked with students and youth to inspire them to take on the challenge of supporting our communities both locally and globally.
Following her passion for good food, Sophie has been a practicing Holistic Nutritionist for over five years and specializes in fertility and perinatal support. She is passionate about the power of good nutrition and the healing power of our bodies.
As a business owner, outdoor enthusiast and blossoming homesteader, Sophie loves learning about the environment, how to make foods from scratch and new places to explore outside with her husband.
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