ABOUT GOLF CANADA

With a sports management career spanning 30 years in Canada, Europe and the United States, Laurence Applebaum proudly returned home when he was named Chief Executive Officer of Golf Canada, the National Sport Federation and governing body for golf in Canada in July of 2017.

In his role as CEO, Applebaum oversees the executive management and strategic direction of Golf Canada’s multi-faceted business which includes Membership & Sport; Commercial Operations overseeing all revenue and marketing activities; fostering key relationships at the provincial, national, and international level; and conducting Championships including the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open. Applebaum also represents Golf Canada on numerous committees and advisory councils including the Golf Canada Foundation, National Golf Foundation, the International Golf & Health Initiative, the PGA TOUR’s President’s Cup, the Canadian Olympic Committee and We Are Golf comprising the leadership of the Canadian golf industry.

The Toronto native previously served five years as Executive Vice President of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he oversaw a variety of strategic and operational initiatives. During his tenure, Applebaum was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the women’s professional tennis circuit including tournament operations; on-site competition; player relations and development; sports science and medicine; broadcast operations and new business development.

Prior to joining the WTA, Applebaum served as the Toronto-based Vice President of Salomon Canada from 2006-2011. Previously, he held a variety of progressively senior roles at Wilson Sports and the brands of its parent company—Amer Sports—including Atomic, Suunto and Precor based in Europe. After starting his career at Wilson Sports Equipment Canada, Applebaum also served as Sales & Marketing Manager at Nike Golf Canada from 1997-1999.

Married with three children, Applebaum is a 1994 graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University where he received an Honours in Business Administration (HBA) degree.

Garrett Ball joined Golf Canada in 2012 and was previously the organization’s Chief Financial Officer until transitioning to the newly created Chief Operating Officer role in 2020.

The longest tenured member of the Executive team, Garrett has oversight of the organization’s financial statements and investment portfolio; administration; business services and IT; professional championships, legal and compliance; government relations; and real estate & facilities, including the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Garrett is also leading Golf Canada’s new Home for Canadian Golf Project. Garrett has been the staff representative on Golf Canada’s Investment Committee and Audit & Risk Management Committee since 2013.

Garrett graduated from Brock University (BAcc – 2006) and then acquired his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) designation in 2009. While at Brock University, Garrett was a five (5) time national champion on the lacrosse team. Before joining Golf Canada, Garrett spent nearly a decade working in audit and assurance with PwC LLP in the Hamilton office with short-term secondments in their offices in Dallas and Houston, Texas.

Garrett has been an active volunteer contributor or mentor to various programs, including the City of Hamilton’s Starter Company Program, the Tewaaraton Lacrosse League, and Lawn Summer Nights (Brantford) in support of Cystic Fibrosis. In 2020, Garrett was nominated for Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Awards.

Married with two children, Garrett and his family are members of Rattlesnake Point Golf Club (Milton) and Cedar Springs Racquet Club (Burlington). Garett is an active coach in the Burlington Minor Lacrosse Association and Burlington Lions Optimist Minor Hockey Association.

Tim McLaughlin joined Golf Canada in 2022 as Senior Director of Marketing and Strategy and assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer in March of 2023. As CMO, Tim is responsible for leading all marketing, brand, digital and communications activities for the organization. Working closely with the commercial and mission led functions of Golf Canada, Tim has established a performance-oriented culture that leverages a market and consumer led approach. Tim also has significant oversight of strategic initiatives and was instrumental in the development of Golf Canada’s new five-year strategic plan “An Inclusive Future for Golf.”

Tim joined Golf Canada after 17 years at Steam Whistle Brewing, a leader in the highly competitive brewing industry where he held progressive roles most recently as Vice President of Marketing. Under his leadership Steam Whistle grew to become Canada’s largest and most profitable craft beer brand. Known as a leader in sustainability, Steam Whistle was recognized consistently as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and named one of Canada’s 50 most iconic brands by Interbrand.

Tim is a graduate of Western University where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Management and Organizational Studies with a specialization in Finance. Tim holds several certifications from the Canadian Marketing Association and is a former member of the Board of Directors of The Beer Store, Canada’s largest beer retailer.

A native of Toronto, Tim lives in Etobicoke with his wife and two children. Tim has volunteered on the committees for the Achilles Run and the committee for Mayfair in support of the Rosedale Moore Park Association. Tim is also a 7-time participant in the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Niki da Silva joined as Chief People Officer at Golf Canada in 2023 and brings 20 years of experience across talent and leadership development roles in the education and development sectors to the role.  As CPO, Niki collaborates with the Executive Team, Board of Directors, staff, and national volunteer network to lead all people strategy and people functions for Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation and First Tee Canada. Niki works closely with Golf Canada’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Safe Sport to advance the organization-wide commitment to DEI and Safe Sport.

Niki joined Golf Canada after five years as Global Chief People Officer for Right To Play, an international NGO with global operations across 22 countries, where she led the scaling and transformation of the People and Culture function aligning talent and strategy. Niki spent the first 15 years of her career in Graduate Management Education holding senior leadership positions at two of Canada’s most renowned business schools – the Ivey Business School, Western University, and the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, where she was recognized as leading one of the “Top 10 Biggest B-School innovations of the Decade” by Poets & Quants media.

Niki earned her MBA degree at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and Honours Business Administration degree (HBA) from the Richard Ivey School of Business. She is also a Certified Leadership Coach through the Third Factor 3×4 Program and has achieved her Certified Human Resource Executive (CHRE) designation with the Human Resource Professional Association.

Married with two children, Niki has been an active volunteer supporting several community and youth sports groups including the Islington Rangers Soccer Club, Brampton Minor Lacrosse Association, and Toronto Ski Club in addition to past Board positions with Sunnylea Childcare Centre and the YWCA.

Mark Palmer joined Golf Canada as Chief Commercial Officer in September 2024, overseeing all aspects of revenue generation for the organization. His responsibilities include partnerships, sponsorships, and the revenue-related functions of key events and programs such as the RBC Canadian Open, CPKC Women’s Open, Amateur Championships, BDO National Golf League, She Plays Golf, and First Tee – Canada. Additionally, Mark is instrumental in developing new business opportunities and identifying incremental revenue streams, including new events and facilities for Golf Canada’s headquarters at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

With over two decades of experience, Mark has a proven track record of driving substantial top-line growth. Before joining Golf Canada, he spent more than 20 years with the Toronto Blue Jays in various commercial roles. In his most recent role as Director of Partnership Development, he was instrumental in securing key partnerships with top Canadian and International brands and supported the monetization of a comprehensive two-year stadium renovation.

Mark holds a BA in Communication Studies from the University of Windsor, a postgraduate diploma in Sports & Event Marketing from George Brown College, and additional certifications in Business Strategy and Negotiation from the University of Toronto. He also maintains a Chartered Marketer designation through the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA).

A dedicated community advocate, Mark serves on the boards of Variety-The Children’s Charity of Ontario, Variety Village and the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada. He co-founded the Sponsorship Council with the Canadian Marketing Association, where he is a Past-Chair and a current council member.

Mark resides in Toronto with his partner Kathryn and their blended family of five children.

Adam has been a member Golf Canada’s Board of Directors since 2018, and currently serves as Vice President and Chair of the Compensation Committee. He has been an active committee volunteer since 2013, serving as a member of Governors Council and as a member of various committees including the Investment Committee (past chair), Human Resources, the Volunteer Services Working Group and Heritage Services.

Adam is a Senior Managing Director at Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm. Previously, he was co-founder and Managing Partner of the public affairs firm HATLEY Strategy Advisors. HATLEY was acquired by Teneo in 2020. Previously, Adam practiced law at the Montréal office of Norton Rose Fulbright (then Ogilvy Renault), sat on the editorial board of the National Post, and was Washington correspondent of The New York Sun. He is co-author of two books on Canadian politics.

In addition to his responsibilities at Teneo, Adam is a director of the University of Montréal Hospital (CHUM) Foundation and a member of the Management Committee of the Mount Royal Club. He is a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Montréal Economic Institute.

Originally from Peterborough, Ontario, Adam lives in Westmount, Québec with his wife Marie-Eve and two young sons. He is a former competitive junior golfer and is a member at Mount Bruno Country Club.

Adam is a law graduate from Université Laval and is a member of the Québec Bar. He has a BA (honours) in history and political studies from Queen’s University and was a Sauvé Scholar at McGill University.

Kelly Roberts joined Golf Canada’s Board in February 2023.  Kelly has served on Governors Council for several years and is now Chairman.

Kelly originally became involved with Golf Canada when asked to be on the original Player Development Committee in the late 1990’s and is proud of the evolution of that committee and success it has had in helping develop Canadian golf talent.  Since then, he has served on several committees including Investment, Tournament and Sport Development.  Kelly also is Past Golf Canada Chair of the Canadian Women’s Open, the Canadian Mid-Am and an Ontario Future Links event.  Kelly is a past board member of Golf Ontario, London Health Sciences Foundation, London Goodwill, Thames Valley Children’s Centre and Past President of the Canadian Seniors Golf Association and The London Club.

Kelly is a Senior Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities and is a partner on the Roberts Brydon Devison MacKinlay Wealth Management Group in London.  He has served his clients well for over 4 decades and continues to evolve to the changing wealth management climate.

As a competitive golfer, he won the Ontario Bantam, the Ontario Junior, the Ontario Amateur twice and the Ontario Mid-Am and the Canadian Junior.  He was also a two time All-American while attending Indiana University and is an Inductee in the Ontario Golf Hall Fame.  He has represented the Canadian Senior Golf Association on 9 International teams.

Kelly lives in London with his wife Marcia, and they have 5 grown daughters Dana, Natasha, Samantha, Joey and Robyn and 5 grandchildren. They are proud members of The London Hunt and Country Club. Kelly has a Business degree from Indiana University.

Louise Patry is a member of Golf Canada’s Board of Directors. She joined the Board in 2024 after previously serving as a member of Golf Canada’s Provincial Council, the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, the Governance Committee and the Human Resources Committee over the last four years. Louise currently serves as chair of the Provincial Council.

Louise has over 17 years of experience in the Canadian golf industry. She is the former president as well as former vice president and former secretary of the Board of the Fédération de Golf du Québec and the former president, former secretary and former chair of the house committee of the Beaconsfield Golf Club.

Louise is a senior partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, where she practises Labour and Employment Law. She is a frequent speaker on labour and employment issues, including at the Practising Law Institute’s annual Cross-Border Employment Law conference, and is a member of the Human Resources Committee within World Law Group. When she is able, Louise volunteers her time on pro bono matters for various charities and non-profit organizations. In addition to her aforementioned board work with golf clubs, Louise is a former member of the Board and member of the Governance and Nominating Committee for the National Arts Centre Foundation, a former member of the Board of the Women’s Y Foundation of Montréal and a former member of the Board and former president of YWCA Montréal.

Louise lives in Montréal with her husband Peter. They, along with their son Phillipe, are avid golfers. Louise is a proud member of Beaconsfield Golf Club in Pointe-Claire, Québec and Cypress Lake Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida. Louise is a graduate of Université de Montréal, (Labour Law Dipl., 1988) and Université de Sherbrooke (BCL, 1980).

Michelle Collens, of North Vancouver, BC, is in her second year as a member of Golf Canada’s Board of Directors. She is serving as Director at Large and is also a member of the Human Resources Committee.

Michelle is a self-described late entry golfer, who previously played the activity of golf for the benefits of business, but is now actively learning the game. In 2013, Michelle joined the Board of Directors with the BC Golf Association having never held a golf club in her hand before and brought a perspective of how to encourage more women to see the sport for its social benefits. A committed volunteer to the Board, Michelle was appointed President of BC Golf in 2020 and served a two-year term as the provincial association’s second female President in it’s 100 year history.

Prior to her new found passion for golf, Michelle was actively involved in high performance sport playing varsity volleyball for the UBC Thunderbirds. Sport has played an incredible influence in her life both personally and professionally. Michelle has held positions with UBC Athletics, Sport Kelowna, 2010 Legacies Now and BC Pavco. Michelle is currently the Director of Sport Hosting Vancouver, a collaborative community partnership working closely with all levels of government, tourism and non-profit organizations to identify, bid and host major sports events that support the visitor economy. Her recent bid accomplishments have produced an impressive portfolio of events for Vancouver, including the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, 2023 Laver Cup, 2023 CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, 2024 Grey Cup, 2025 Invictus Games and the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Michelle lives in North Vancouver, with her husband and 9-year-old daughter, and is a regular public playing member at Northlands Golf Course. When not on the golf course, Michelle also commits her time volunteering in leadership roles with Sport Tourism Canada, the UBC Thunderbird Women’s Leadership Council and the 2025 Invictus Games Organizing Committee.

Lori Dithurbide of Halifax, NS joins Golf Canada’s Board of Directors in March 2024. Lori has served on the Sport Committee and National Team Selection Committee since 2022.

Lori began golfing as a junior in her hometown of Cheticamp, Nova Scotia at Le Portage Golf Club. When returning to Nova Scotia following graduate school, she began working in mental performance with Nova Scotia’s junior provincial teams. Lori was invited to be a committee member on Golf Nova Scotia’s Player Development Committee (now Sport Development Committee) in 2018 and Golf Nova Scotia’s Board of Directors in 2023. She was invited to join Golf Canada’s Sport Committee and National Team Selection Committee in 2022. Lori played in her first Golf Canada National Amateur Championship in 2023 at Ashburn Golf Club, her home course.

Lori is an Associate Professor in Kinesiology at Dalhousie University where she conducts research and teaches in sport psychology. She has published research, including research in how the use of technology in golf impacts coaching and performance, in multiple peer-reviewed research journals. Lori is also a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and a Professional Member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association. She has worked with multiple national teams and athletes from various sports, including gymnastics, golf, hockey, canoe/kayak and sailing. She is currently a Mental Performance Consultant and Research and Innovation Lead with the Canadian Sport Institute Atlantic and the Lead Mental Performance Consultant for the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics National Team.

Lori lives in Halifax and is a member of Ashburn Golf Club. When she is not on the golf course, you can find her spending her time curling, traveling to new locations, or spending time in her hometown in northern Cape Breton. She is a graduate of Saint Mary’s University (B.A. Honours), Brock University (M.A.) and Michigan State University (Ph.D.) and holds a certificate in Mental Health in Elite Sport from the International Olympic Committee.

Nafeez Hirji, residing in Calgary, Alberta, contributes to Golf Canada’s Golf Industry Advisory Council as its chair. He has been involved with the Council since 2021 and is committed to the advancement of golf in Canada.

Nafeez’s approach to golf in Canada is defined by his passion for the sport and a strong belief in the importance of strengthening community engagement. In his role as President of Eaglequest Golf Centers Inc., he oversees golf courses in British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia, ensuring that each location meets the unique needs of its diverse and growing golf community. Nafeez brings significant experience in meeting the evolving needs of the industry, from an owner / operator, professional and patron perspective. He serves on the British Columbia chapter board for the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), where he supports the development of the golf industry in the region.

Beyond golf, Nafeez is a Director at Primevest Realty Corp., supporting a variety of real estate projects in the hotel, multifamily, condo and commercial space across Canada. In this role, he leverages his legal background in both commercial and Real Estate law from Canada and the UK.

A graduate of Dalhousie University (B. Comm) and King’s College London (LL. B), Nafeez balances his professional life with a range of interests. When not on the golf course, he enjoys skiing and cycling, and has an appreciation for performing arts.

Patrick Kelly, Victoria, BC, is a member of the Leq’a:mel First Nation, has been on the board for four years including service on the Governance, Amateur Competitions, Human Resources, and Compensation committees.

He is the Tournament Chair, 2023 CPKC Women’s Open, also of the 2022 Canadian Men’s Amateur, and the 2021 US Open Qualifier. In 2022, in partnership with the Governor General’s office, was the Chair of the Reconciliation golf event at the Royal Ottawa Golf and Country Club. He was a Director, President, and Past President on the board of British Columbia Golf (2015-18.) In 2007 he is founded the BC Aboriginal Golf Association and was its President. He started playing the game of golf in 2001. In 2023 Sport BC presented Patrick with the President’s Award for the game of golf.

Patrick operates a private consulting business (1998 to the present), was the Board Chair and CEO of the Coastal First Nations (2000-18); Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of BC (2007-12); Advisor to the BC Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (2010-13); Vice President, Canadian Executive Service Organization (2010-12); Director, Strategic Planning and Communications, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (2001-07); and various other management and executive roles. He trained as a teacher (1974-77) and taught for nine years in the Fraser Valley, BC.

He has five children, three grandchildren and lives with his wife in Victoria, BC. He is a member of the Gorge Vale golf club. He serves as a member of the BC Provincial Court Judicial Council, and on the board of the BC Energy Regulator. In 2009 he received a BC Community Achievement Award. He is a Life Bencher of the Law Society of BC.

Susan MacKinnon was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018 and currently Chairs the Audit & Risk Management Committee, serves on the Compensation Committee and as Secretary of Golf Canada.

Susan is a past member and Chair of the Provincial Council, a past Chair of the Governance Committee, and has also served on the Golf Industry Advisory Council of Golf Canada.  Susan served on the Board of Alberta Golf from 2009 – 2017, with two years as President and in various roles on its Human Resources and Compensation Committee, Governance Committee, Nominating Committee and Finance and Risk Management Committee. Susan is a past Director and Secretary of the Alberta Golf Association Foundation. In addition to acting as a non-playing Team Captain for Alberta Golf and chairing Alberta Golf and Golf Canada tournaments, she has volunteered at her home club and in her community.

After a successful career at Associated Grocers Ltd. as Vice President responsible for the areas of Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology, she co-owned a small business for over 20 years. She is a past member of the Canadian Credit Institute and has completed the Executive Program at Queens University and is a graduate of McGill University (BSc).

Susan is a long-time member of Willow Park Golf & CC and resides in Calgary with her husband and they have two adult children – all avid golfers.

Katie Mahon joins the Board of Directors in 2024, having served as a member of the Governors’ Council since 2023 and Audit & Risk Management Committee since 2019.

Katie received her Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) certification in 2009. Since then, she has worked with numerous charities and not-for-profit organizations in her capacity as a business partner and as a Board member to further their strategic priorities.

Katie is currently an audit partner at KPMG LLP with over 15 years of experience in public accounting with a focus on not-for-profit clients. Katie’s clientele includes both audit and accounting engagements for a variety of municipal, healthcare and non-profit organizations across Ontario. In addition to her audit and accounting experience, Katie has taken a keen interest in operational efficiency, having been involved in a variety of service delivery and lean transformation projects, specifically in the not-for-profit sector.

Katie currently resides in Kingston, Ontario with her husband, Chris, and two small children, Chloe (7) and Cameron (3). She recently became a member of the Cataraqui Golf & Country Club.

Brittany Marchand, currently located in Mooresville, NC, serves her first year on the Golf Canada Board of Directors in 2024. Additionally, she holds a position on the Sport Committee and is Golf Canada’s COC Athlete Representative.

Brittany’s journey with golf began at a young age, leading to a notable involvement with Golf Canada. She was a part of Golf Canada’s high-performance teams for a total of 9 years, moving through the Development, Amateur and Young Pro programs. In her last year as an amateur, she competed for Canada in the 2015 World Amateur, assisting Canada to a 2nd place finish. Brittany also played in the NCAA for NC State University, earning three individual wins, multiple All ACC team selections, and an All-American honorable mention. After college, she turned professional and competed on the Symetra and LPGA tours for a total of 6 years before retiring. She secured a win on the Symetra Tour and achieved a top 10 finish on the LPGA Tour. Shortly following her golf career, she joined the Sport Committee to continue her involvement with Golf Canada.

Brittany graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from NC State University. During her golf career, she advocated for women and girls in STEM and was the ambassador for Golf Canada’s Golf in Schools program. After her golf career, she briefly ventured into business development for a legal technology company before assuming the role of a business analyst with Next League in December 2022. At Next League, she contributes to solving technology challenges for sports organizations, particularly in golf, leveraging her expertise and passion for the sport.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Brittany resides in Mooresville, NC, with her husband, Jorge Joya. Despite living in the US now, she remains closely connected to her family and friends in the Greater Toronto Area, visiting as much as she can. Additionally, she maintains an honorary membership at Brampton Golf Club, where she grew up learning and playing the game.

Jean-Sébastien Monty joined Golf Canada’s board as a director at large in 2021 after having served on the Golf Canada Foundation board of directors since 2014 – on which he continues to serve to this day. Jean-Sébastien has served on the investment committee since 2018 and now serves as chair of that very same committee since 2023.

Jean-Sébastien has been helping the Golf Canada Foundation extend its reach and fundraising capabilities/initiatives since he joined the Foundation’s board in 2014. He has been particularly involved in the establishment of First Tee in Canada.

Jean-Sébastien started his marketing career at Cossette in the mid to late 1990s. Seasoned by more than twenty-five years of experience devoted to managing marketing and communications operations and client relationships, he has made it a point of honor to successfully meet challenges in the most diverse of fields. He is now Senior Partner and Co-Founder of the Humanise Collective, an organization made up independent agencies and consultancies in the business consulting, advertising & media, immersive experiences and marketing fields.

Over and above his professional duties and Golf Canada, he also sits on the board and executive committee of the Fondation Jeunes en Tête, an organization that helps youth with mental health issues in Quebec. He has served on other non-profit organization boards and committees such as Alpine Canada, Fondation Marie-Vincent and others.

Jean-Sébastien lives Montreal and spends a lot of his spare time in Magog with his wife Karine Labonté-Monty and they have 3 children, Chloé, Léa and Jean-Alexandre. He plays most of his golf at the Memphrémagog Golf Club, where he is a member, as well as Wentworth Golf Club in England. He graduated from McGill University and has completed his Canadian Corporate Directors certification from the ICD.