DLG Donna Kelso

Joined Seaway Kiwanis in Sarnia, Ontario twenty years ago. During that time, Donna served as club secretary and produced the club bulletin for many years. In 2016 she was elected club president for a two-year term. This led to her appointment as LG also for a two-year term. As LG, she was responsible for opening a new club in Division 3 during COVID lockdown. What a rewarding experience! In the spring of 2023, it was an honour to be asked to become one of the ten members on the Board of Directors for the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada. There is so much to learn and so much to share. Find out in this forum how the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada can help your club to serve your community and to support students succeed in their educational journey.

Angelo Ciardella
District Administrator

is the Immediate Past President and Membership Chair of the Kiwanis Club of Windsor, Advisor to University of Windsor CKI, and serves as District Administrator for Eastern Canada CKI. He has served on the Kiwanis International Amplify Committee and is a Kiwanis Amplify Mentor. Lieutenant Governor Elect for Div. 3 St. Clair Bluewater, Angelo is very honored to serve in the 2024-2025 class of LGs.

Beverly Thompson

Beverley, a Kiwanian for over 33 years is a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of New Kingston Division 23 East and shares dual membership with the Kiwanis Club of Barbican Division 23 Central. She is a club coach, a Certified Leadership Education Trainer, and the Youth Protection Manager for the E.C.C. District. As a true Servant Leader her motto is “If it is to be, it is up to Me”

Deborah P. Manning

Deborah Manning is a trained Social Worker who holds both a Bachelors and a Master Degree in Social Work Practice from the University of the West Indies Mona. She has a passion for human rights advocacy and working with vulnerable populations. Mrs. Manning spent 7 years in the field of HIV/AIDS where she worked with a team to implement interventions for children affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS and formalized training components for their caregivers and parents. Deborah has been employed to the Jamaican Association on Intellectual Disabilities since September 2008, where she works with the multidisciplinary team of professionals to provide interventions aimed at improving the quality of lives of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their families.

Cynthia Blackman
Vice Governor

Cynthia Blackman has been a Kiwanian for twenty-four (24) years and is an active member of three (3) Kiwanis clubs: The Kiwanis Club Pride of Barbados, Barbados Benevolence, and the Eye of the Tiger E-Kiwanis Club. In 2020-2021, Cynthia served as the Lieutenant Governor of Division 27 Caribbean, despite the challenge of the pandemic, five (5) new Kiwanis clubs were organized, and the Division finished the year with a net growth of 150 members: the second highest in the district. It was also the first time that all twelve (12) eligible clubs in the Division earned the distinguished status. As a result of Cynthia's outstanding leadership of the Division, she was recognized with the Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of Excellence award; the only person in Barbados and the Division to receive this award to date. Cynthia is presently a Certified Club Leadership Education Trainer, Certified Club Opener and Coach and a Kiwanis International Club Coach Trainer for New Clubs. Cynthia is married to Distinguished President Michael and is the mother of a sixteen-year-old son, Mihaley. She is currently employed as the Customer Experience Manager at a leading Insurance Company in Barbados. She is guided by the quote, "We can choose to be affected by the world or we can choose to affect the world.” ~Heidi Wills

Eileen Hooper-Donaldson Member since 1994

Kiwanis: Lieutenant Governor (2016-17) Division 23East. Currently serving as the Eastern Canada and Caribbean (EC&C) Leadership Development Coordinator, as lead trainer for the District Club Leadership Education Train the Trainers. At the 2018 District Convention a Co-Presenter on Membership Growth & Engagement. Presenter at the 2022 District Convention on Tips and Tricks to Leadership. 2007 Co-Chaired Communication District Convention Jamaica. Attended 13 District conventions and 6 International conventions. DLG Eileen Service to Kiwanis “Play it Forward.” Believes in giving back and a big supporter to children in need to make the impossible – possible. Position Work: Senior Recruitment & Enrolment Advisor at The University of The Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC). Kingston, Jamaica.

Lloyd Distant Jr.

DLG Lloyd Distant had the privilege of being exposed to Kiwanis at an early age when his father became a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Downtown Kingston. Lloyd first became a full member of the K family when he became a Charter member of the Key Club of Campion College. He would later transition into Circle K where he was eventually elected Lt. Governor for the Caribbean Division in 1984, and was subsequently elected to the post of Governor, Circle K District of E. C. & C. for the 1985-1986 administrative year. He joined the Kiwanis Club of Downtown Kingston in the mid-90’s and was elected President for the 2003-2004 Administrative year. In 2014-2015, the year Kiwanis celebrated its 100th Anniversary, Lloyd had the fortune to serve Division 23 East as its Lt. Governor. Lloyd was elected by his fellow Lt. Governors as their Class President, and at the end of the year he was amongst the 5 Lt. Governors recognized as “Distinguished”. Following his year as Lt. Governor he was recruited as Vice Chair for the EC&C Districts Formula team and was subsequently appointed the District Chair by Kiwanis International. Shortly thereafter, he also had the honor of being appointed the EC&C District Chair for the I-Plan. An entrepreneur at heart, DLG Lloyd is a Director of several businesses, is a Past President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, and a Justice of the Peace for the parish of St. Andrew. This father of 2 daughters is an avid sports enthusiast. His personal motto - The greatest gift one can bestow on another is the gift of a good example - is derived from the underlying theme in the second objective of Kiwanis International.

Melford Clarke
Distinguished Governor

Melford Clarke (Mel) has served the Kiwanis Club of Cable Beach for thirty-five years and was appointed president in 1995-1996. He served his Club, Division and District in all of the major positions. In 2004-2005, he earned the status of Distinguished Lieutenant Governor. During the period 2007 -2016 he served as the District Administrator for the Kiwanis family of Service Leadership Programs clubs in the Bahamas. In 2016 he became EC&C Vice Governor and served as Governor Elect and later District Governor in 2018-2019. His term ended with the District attaining distinguished status. His service to his local community was highlight with him receiving a Distinguished Service Medal from The Commonwealth of The Bahamas Government during the 2022 National Heroes ceremony. Mel is an Anglican and have three children. Mel currently serves as the Kiwanis Children’s Fund District chairperson, where his objective is the encouragement of clubs to enhance the Kiwanis Children’s Fund global initiatives.

Merdina Callum

Merdina Callum has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of New Kingston for 18 years and has served in various positions at club, division and district level. She has been the chairman of the Signature Project since 2021.

Mary Elen Trimble

Member of Scarborough (2023) and East York Kiwanis Club (1989) DP Lieutenant Governor of Division 9 (2019-2023) Chartered Uxbridge Kiwanis Club (2021) Chartered Scarborough (2023) Member District Membership and Club Open Committee (2022-2023) Member of District Strategic Planning Committee (2023-2024) Director and Chair of three not-for-profits Co-chair of the District Convention 2026 in Toronto Trustee elect Region B (2024-2027) Retired bank executive Resides in Toronto (East York)

Karen Tomlinson

Karen has served at the Club, Division and District Levels in Kiwanis, including roles as Bulletin Editor, Public Relations, Vice-Chairman for the Marketing & Public Relations Host Planning Committee for the EC&C District Convention held in May 2018 in Montego Bay, and as the ADA, PR & Kiwanis Family Relations for CKI, Caribbean District, receiving several awards over the years. She has a BSc. in Management Studies, an MBA, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. She was trained to be a Sales Trainer by Canadian banks Scotiabank and RBC Royal Bank and received certification from the Maxwell Leadership Team in 2020 as a Speaker, Trainer, and Coach. She also completed the Kiwanis Amplify Leadership Programme in 2023. Karen has over 30 years of experience in Banking and specifically, in the areas of Leadership & Growth of People, Sales Training & Support, and Program & Product Development, through her various roles which have included Branch Manager, Sales Manager, Director of Retail Banking, and Vice-President for Sales & Service Support. She now has her own company KT Training Solutions through which she offers Leadership and Sales Training and considers adding value to others through training to be her passion and purpose.

Naketa S. West

Naketa West is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) holding a Master of Science Degree in Psychology and Criminology from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, along with a postgraduate diploma in Business Administration from the Mona School of Business Management. With a wealth of experience exceeding 15 years in human and social development, Naketa has established a robust track record collaborating with local and international organizations across both private and public sectors. Her focus has been on developing and implementing impactful programs and interventions that empower youth, teachers, and professionals in Jamaica, as well as the broader Caribbean and Latin American region. Her career journey has encompassed pivotal roles at the Trust for the Americas, UNESCO Office of the Caribbean, German Development Agency, Victoria Mutual Foundation, Ministry of Education and Youth, and the National Youth Service. Notably, she served as the youngest Executive Director for the National Youth Service. Naketa's leadership extends beyond the boardroom, as she has successfully led team-building and empowerment sessions with notable entities such as Pricesmart, Jamaica National Bank, Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), and various clubs within the local Kiwanis movement.

Steve Henry

is the Founder and and CEO of ScalePoynt Solutions, focused on scaling startups for private equity exits. He is a former startup CEO, and former executive in consulting and banking, and participated in over 12 Merger & Acquisition (M&A) transactions. Steve is currently a Member of the Board of the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Foundation and serves as the Board Treasurer. Link to Linkedin: Profile and company website: https://www.scalepoynt.io/

Jim Kennedy


has been in the financial services industry for over 45 years. In that time he has held several sales and corporate executive roles. Currently, Jim runs his own practice focusing on estate and retirement planning for individuals and small businesses. Jim is a member of the Board of Directors of the Kiwanis Club of Toronto and he is also very active in multiple charitable and industry organizations as either a Committee or Board member. In his spare time, Jim enjoys spending quality time with his 4 grandchildren Link to Linkedin: Profile

Emma Boghossian

is a B2B marketing executive with 17 years of diverse experience in sectors such as Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC), energy, technology, life sciences, and real estate. Her expertise, deeply rooted in both startup environments and large public organizations, has been honed through navigating complex market landscapes. Emma is the founder of Metrix Marketing Ltd., an agency renowned for its expertise in marketing strategy, branding, and creative content strategy development. Currently serving as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer, Emma provides top-tier marketing support to a variety of clients, showcasing her versatility and depth of knowledge. Leveraging her understanding of market trends, consumer behaviour, and branding psychology, Emma crafts strategies that not only elevate brand visibility but also forge strong emotional connections with customers Emma is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Toronto and is the Committee Chair of the Marketing and Strategy Committee. Link for Linkedin: Profile and company website: https://www.metrixmktg.com/

Alena Sviderskaia


is a leadership coach, speaker, and facilitator. She holds a degree in psychology from McGill University and is an ICF-certified coach. She is the creator of the successful "Empowered to Lead" program and co-creator of a W2 - Work and Wellness amplified program. Alena draws from her 10+ years of a corporate career to help organizations become better places to work by turning managers into leaders and tapping into innate employee strengths to create a culture of passion and full engagement. Alena is a member of the Board of Directors of the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Foundation and the Committee Chair of Kiwanis Cares. Link to Linkedin: Profile and company website https://alenasviderskaia.com/