Board of Directors

2023 – 2024 Board of Directors

The Board’s mandate includes the overall responsibility and authority for the strategic direction of the credit union including leadership, stewardship, corporate governance and monitoring performance.

In other words, the Board is in charge of making sure we’re headed in the best direction for our Owners, that we have a solid plan for getting there, adherence to the rules and a positive outlook. The Board meets five times each year. Directors also serve on board committees and act as liaison to Regional Councils.

To find more information about nominations and elections please visit Governance – Nominations and Elections | Libro CU.

Jacquie Davison HBA, LLM, CPA CA, ICD.D Board Chair

A member of the Libro Board since 2011, Jacquie has served as a member of the Audit Committee and Governance Committee and was Vice Chair.

Jacquie has enjoyed a career in the public sector where she provided leadership to the functional areas of Human Resources, Information Technology, Communications, and Security Services. She has served as Deputy City Manager for the City of London and Vice President of Finance and CFO for London Health Sciences Centre.

Jacquie earned an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University. She received a Chartered Accountant designation in 1992, earned the Supervisory Officer’s Qualification and completed the Credit Union Institute of Canada Credit Union Director Achievement (CUDA) program. She is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors Program from Rotman School of Business and completed her Master’s in business law at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2020.

Marycatharine Kusch CPA, CA, LPA, ICD.D Board Vice Chair

Marycatharine has been involved in the Libro Board for over 15 years, serving as a member of the Audit & Risk, Governance, Human Resources, and Loans Committees.

Marycatharine is the managing partner of a public accounting firm in London that serves small to medium sized family run businesses throughout southwestern Ontario. Marycatharine understand the importance of having a strong working relationship with your financial institution.

Subsequent to obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western University and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Windsor, Marycatharine received her Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 1989. She has completed the Canadian Credit Union Association Credit Union Director Achievement (CUDA) Program.

Bryan Aitken Director

A Libro Owner for more than 20 years, Bryan has been a Director since 2012 and, before that, was an Owner Representatives on the Watford Branch Council for seven years.

Bryan retired from the role of Dean of Technology at Lambton College in Sarnia, Ontario, where he also served as Program Coordinator of Chemical Production Engineering Technology.

Over the years, he has had leadership and supporting roles with a variety of organizations, including Rotary Club, Junior Farmers, Optimist Club of Watford, school council and his local church. Bryan has also volunteered extensively in his community, providing music at local events and seniors’ residences, as well as coaching soccer and serving as a hockey trainer.

Jodi Simpson Director

Jodi joined the Libro Board in 2020 after serving for more than seven years as an Owner Representative with London West and later with the London Elgin Oxford South Regional Council.

Jodi is the owner of CityMatch Inc. a relocation and settlement service for companies recruiting and moving talent to London. She’s also a licensed realtor with a successful local real estate team. She has previously held leadership positions with a large full-service law firm and regional technology association. She serves on the Capital Campaign Cabinet with Brescia University.

She graduated from Western University with a Master’s degree in Anthropology. In 2016 Jodi received her CERC Relocation Specialist™ designation with the Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) and in 2019 she earned her Real Estate License from the Real Estate Council of Ontario. In 2021, Jodi also completed the Canadian Credit Union Association Credit Union Director Achievement (CUDA) Program.

Alan DeVillaer Director

A Libro Director since 2017, Alan is a retired administrator from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, where he served more than 25 years in the emergency services area. Alan worked closely with the Emergency Medical Services area and the Community Emergency Management area, retiring as an Assistant Chief with the Fire and Emergency Services Department.

He has a Master of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario and a Master of Public Administration degree from Western University in London, Ontario. He has also achieved professional designations in project management, risk management and insurance claims.

Stephanie Soulis Director

Stephanie was elected as a director in 2021, previously having served six years as an Owner Representative in Waterloo. She and her husband Harold and their three children live in Kitchener.

Stephanie is the founder and CEO of Little Mushroom Catering & Dining Lounge in Cambridge. She has held leadership positions as Chair of the Kitchener Public Library, Chair of Foodlink Waterloo Region, and the Chair of the Hospitality Program Advisory Committee for Conestoga College. Stephanie has served on the Waterloo Region Tourism Board, the Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce Board, the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable, and the Culinary PAC at Conestoga.

In 2016, Stephanie was the inaugural recipient of the Libro Growing Prosperity Award for Owner Representatives. In 2015, she was awarded the Young Entrepreneur Award in Cambridge, and was inducted into the Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame as the first ever Junior Achievement Alumni of Distinction. Her business has won numerous awards for its sustainable practices, service excellence, and business acumen.

Christopher Mendes Director

A director since 2009, Chris has served as a member of the Human Resources Committee, Governance Committee, Recruitment Committee, Member and Community Relations Committee, and Governance Task Force. He is the co-founder of the Windsor Express professional basketball team. He has also been involved with initiating and developing sales projects in new market territories of Mexico.

Chris served as the Food and Beverage Chair of the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life South Shore and is a member of the Windsor Chamber of Commerce’s Agricultural Committee. He has been an Asia Pacific Global Export Forum Participant and volunteered as a judge in the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition.

Chris earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and has a diploma in International Business and Marketing. He has completed the Canadian Credit Union Association Credit Union Director Achievement (CUDA) Program.

Ronda Stewart Director

Having served as director from 2017-2020, Ronda returned to the Libro Board in 2022. She has also served as Owner Representative with the London Elgin Oxford South Regional Council.

Ronda is the Economic Development Director of the Rural Oxford Economic Development Corporation. Over the past 10 years, she has managed and collaborated on many community development initiatives, primarily supporting people, businesses and communities across Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties.

She holds her Ec. D. designation as a Certified Economic Developer and has a PR & Communications Certificate from Western University.

Garrett Vanderwyst Director

Elected to the Board of Directors in 2020, Garrett became involved with Libro after graduating from the Libro Social Enterprise Incubator Program. Before joining the board, he held positions on Libro’s Governance Working Group, as well as the Candidate Recruitment and Prosperity Fund committees.

Garrett is a social entrepreneur and passionate agriculture advocate. His ventures focus on energizing growth and empowering agricultural business in a sustainable way. He also serves as a Director for the Elgin Federation of Agriculture. He received an Honours Bachelor of Commerce Agriculture from the University of Guelph in 2016.

Garrett lives and works between Elgin County and London, Ontario. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, making music, cooking and volunteering with impactful initiatives.

Jeff Brown Director

Jeff Brown joined Libro’s board of directors in 2023. He brings experience from a wide variety of boards and committees, having been chairman for 18 Asset Management, London International Airport Authority, VanRx Pharma Systems, and Highstreet Business Conduct Review. Jeff has also been a director for Chicago Quantitative Alliance, the Ivey Community Small Business Investment Fund, Highstreet Asset Management, and YEARS Financial Trust.

Jeff has founded two London based wealth management firms, Highstreet Asset Management where he was Chief Investment Officer, as well as 18 Asset Management where he was CEO and President until he retired in 2022. Both firms collaborated with Libro, sharing the values of growing prosperity in southwestern Ontario. Prior to Jeff’s entrepreneurial ventures he worked as a Portfolio Manager, Investment Analyst, and Computer Programmer for London Life

Jeff earned his Honours Business Administration degree from the Ivey School of Business in 1985. He is also a Charted Financial Analysts and has completed the Charted Directors course at McMaster and the Indigenous Canada Course Certificate at the University of Alberta.