Our stewards
The people who care and keep us focused
I Can for Kids is guided by a dedicated, working Board of Directors. Each member is a vital contributor to our success.
Board of Directors
Byron Tse
INTERIM BOARD CHAIR & LEGAL ADVISOR
Byron is a corporate lawyer and currently general counsel for Passion Dental Group Inc. Prior to this role, he was an associate with Bennett Jones LLP, with a practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions and corporate reorganizations. Byron holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta and a Juris Doctor degree from Western University. Byron previously served on the Organizing Committee of SkiFest, the largest single fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House in Ottawa. Byron has been a board member of I Can for Kids since 2020.
Susan Cuerrier
TREASURER
Susan’s extensive finance and business experience is a perfect fit for I Can for Kids. She is a seasoned professional with an MBA and CPA designation and has an impressive history in the fundraising industry, previously holding the position of Chief Financial Officer with the Calgary Health Trust.
Jessica Dirom
DIRECTOR
Jessica Dirom is the Director, Regional Fundraising with STARS. She holds an MBA with a marketing specialization and a professional Certified Fund Raising Executive designation. In 2018, Jessica was honoured with the Green Sparrow Women in Leadership award, 2019 she was awarded with an International Peace Award for her fundraising efforts and in 2021 she earned a Women of Inspiration award. Jessica has a passion for excellence in health care. With more than 17 years of non-profit leadership experience, she has successfully raised more than $50 million for health care projects and programs in the Prairies region.
Leanne Zee
DIRECTOR
Leanne has worked in a multitude of roles at TC Energy over the past 15 years. Up until recently she managed the company’s Social Impact portfolio across Canada, the US and Mexico, and is now turning her attention to Operational Excellence, helping their workforce evolve and adapt to change. She holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University, a certificate in Change Management from Queen’s University and has experience in communications, employee engagement, strategy and leadership. Leanne has volunteered on the Board of the Canadian Public Relations Society, for CARE Canada, and overseas with Engineers Without Borders on a municipal governance venture in Ghana.
Trina Aburto
DIRECTOR
Born and raised in Calgary, Trina Aburto is the Manager for Community Relations and Investment at Nutrien. Trina’s current role is in developing community engagement and investment strategy for Nutrien communities across North America and Trinidad. Trina has 20+ years of experience working with charitable and non-profit organizations in Canada and internationally. Trina holds a BA in International Development from the University of Calgary and an MA in International Development Management from the University of Manchester. To the I Can for Kids Board, Trina brings a skill set that includes strategic planning and implementation, community development, impact measurement and facilitation of strategic connections to maximize impact. Trina has been honoured to be a Director for I Can for Kids since 2021.
Dylan Johnson
DIRECTOR
Dylan Johnson is currently a Managing Director at Macquarie Energy Canada. Prior to Macquarie, he held positions at Trafigura and Nexen. Dylan’s career has been focused on commodity trading, logistics management and creating financial solutions for a wide range of projects. A born and raised Calgarian, he earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary. After over 20 years of professional experience in Calgary, Dylan values and maintains a vast network of relationships and experiences. Dylan has been actively involved with Macquarie’s charity events which has raised 10 million+ dollars in support of local Calgary charities. In his free time, Dylan enjoys an active lifestyle with his wife and three kids.
Ben Makar
DIRECTOR
Ben is a senior leader in the energy business and has focused his career on leading and building collaborative multi-disciplinary teams seeking innovative, agile and efficient growth. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering and has extensive experience with project management, acquisitions and divestitures, and providing vision for value creation. Ben currently coaches hockey within the Glenlake Hockey Association and is an advocate for child well-being and development.
Susan Gongal
DIRECTOR
Susan is currently the Managing Director at Surge Advisory Inc., providing internal process design expertise to organizations across Alberta. Prior to that, she spent over 19 years at WestJet Airlines in project and product manager, strategy analyst, and senior advisory roles. Susan holds a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge and an MBA from Royal Roads University, specializing in Innovation Management.
Ken Youngberg
DIRECTOR
Ken is the Chief Creative Strategist for LPi Group, driving the research, insight-creation and strategic output for offices in Calgary and Toronto. Drawing on both agency and client-side experience over a 25-year marketing career, he provides marketing counsel and impactful solutions for many of the world’s most trusted consumer brands. Previously a board member for youth basketball in Calgary, Ken is an active speaker and mentor, invested in developing the next generation of marketers.
Bobbi Turko
CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Together with her daughter Sutton, Bobbi founded I Can for Kids in 2015. She has enjoyed a successful career in the non-profit sector for over 23 years, holding a variety of roles including fundraising, marketing and communications, and administration and management. She is a passionate advocate for the welfare of vulnerable children and youth, and is keen to challenge the status-quo to drive change and improve efficiency and results.
Sutton Garner
Co-founder
Nursing student, Sutton Garner, co-founded I Can for Kids in 2015 when she was just 11 years old after learning thousands of kids in Calgary were going hungry over the summer months. With the help of a dedicated team, I Can for Kids continues her vision by pioneering new approaches to tackle the growing issue of food insecurity year-round.
Communications Committee
Byron Tse
Chair & Board Legal Advisor
Leanne Zee
Vice-Chair & Board Director
Bobbi Turko
Executive Director
Ken Youngberg
LPI Group
Community Advisor
Donald Barker
Registered Dietitian
Community Advisor
Trina Aburto
Nutrien
Board Director
Vince Tripathy
Sarala Business Solutions
Community Advisor