Board of Directors

The Caribbean Scholarship Foundation is governed by a number of high-profile and influential leaders from the Caribbean Diaspora.

Nicole Aikman-Smith, Chair

Nicole Aikman Smith brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations, sponsorship activation, grassroots marketing in her role as Diaspora marketing manager for Western Union and Grace Kennedy Remittance Services (GKRS).

Nicole’s primary focus was to formulate and implement strategies to maximize growth and brand awareness of the Western Union products and services across Canada among the Caribbean Diaspora including Jamaica and Haiti. An adept researcher, she also keeps abreast of industry trends and challenges and provides business intelligence to the company.

Nicole positioned Western Union as the market leader in remittances, grossing over one million from Canada to the Caribbean. Her career includes a track record of maximizing marketing dollars and achieving record ROI in sponsorship activations.

Roodney Clarke, Vice Chair

Roodney Clarke is a Business Agent of the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters, Local 46. After being elected President, Clarke became the first Black President of the plumbers union, before becoming the first Black Business Agent in the union’s one hundred aHe has served on numerous committees within the local, is a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and is a mentor to apprentices with the Hammer Heads program supported by Local 46 and the Building Trades. On top of this, Clarke is highly active in the community, volunteering his time to many causes. Always hard at work and keeping a close eye on his Local’s well-being, he is known for his agile thinking, always preparing for future challenges.

Mr. Alan J.F. Ballak, Secretary

Mr. Ballak currently holds a number of titles, namely: President of TNC (Trade Network Canada) Ontario # company cob as an international marketing and management consulting company. As well, Alan is a VP and senior consultant for Jatro Greentech Inc an Integrated Sustainable Alternative Energy Company.

Mr. Ballak has over 25 years experience in both the private and public sectors

before leaving his post as Trade Commissioner for Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, (where he spent 12 plus years)

In Canada, Mr. Ballak has had 5 years of private sector corporate experience in forestry with major forest companies, principally Canadian International Paper and Staniforth Goodman. With CIP he was the forestry engineer in charge of the regional roads network and improving productivity in the machine and heavy equipment Entrepot and Shop Facilities.

As well, overseas with more than 7 years of private sector experience in resource management, research, project engineering, and consulting in Asia and Africa (CUSO, CIDA Arbex, Sanft and Associates, Tropical Timber).

With the Government of Canada he has spent most of his time as Trade Commissioner for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

He also has worked for Industry Canada assisting companies as a financial analyst/consultant (government banker, preparing income statements, cash flow, Balance sheets) to assist companies syndicate loans with government, private sector Canadian and international banks for regional development and international corporate expansion. Also worked in this financial assistance/consulting function with various regional business incubator agencies.

He started his government work with Environment Canada (Forest Service) managing Environment 2000 projects in Northern Ontario and doing research in vegetative propagation, herbicide and root periodicity of coniferous species. He has published several papers on this area of research.

Mr. Ballak has a Diploma in Environmental and Forestry Technology and Applied Science with Honours Bachelor of Forestry, from Lakehead University and MBA from Lake State University Michigan. As well, he has completed various post grad business and management courses with certificates as part of on-going education career development.

Petronilla Marchan, Director

Petronilla is an award winning event planner and owner of Paloseco Innovations. She is responsible for the implementation and management of client programs and initiatives, as well as management responsibilities of logistics and event coordination. She ensures that client programs remain on track and are expertly managed to meet all budget and performance objectives. Her goal is to strengthen relationships between brands and the consumer, and generate significant client ROI. She has over 25 years of direct sales experience and 20 years as a Sales Manager. Her skills in operations management, budget control, relationship building, sales and activation have been an asset to numerous organizations. Petronilla is the Chair of Caribbean Scholarship Foundation (CSF) Fundraising committee and an active member of the Caribbean Community participating in a number of community events and non-profit organizations, including Sheena’s place which raises close to $200,000 at its annual Breakfast.

Andre Newell, Treasurer

Andre Newell is a multi-hyphenate who works across various industries from Arts to Non- Profit, with one guiding principle; to leave things better than he found them.

As the Co-founder and Executive Producer of Monologue Slam Canada, Andre has taken a youth drama program, and grown it into the world’s largest acting showcase. The event, which started at a church in Mississauga, now takes place across Canada and in Kingston, Jamaica. Now in its 12th year, the event continues to attract up and coming talent, as well as the industry’s top casting directors, agents, producers and directors.

Featured in the Toronto Star, Blog TO, Metro Daily, Snap Toronto, Postcity.com, the Torontoist and CHRY, the Monologue Slam is the premiere networking event for Canada’s Film, Television and Theatre Industry. Since 2011, the Monologue Slam has transformed the landscape for Canadian actors, and has been instrumental in creating a more inclusive, diverse and competitive industry, while sparking the careers of some of Canada’s biggest and brightest stars.

The event has attracted the industry’s most influential casting directors, producers, directors, and internationally acclaimed actors, such as Joseph Marcell (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), while showcasing over 10,000 actors across Canada. At the start of the global pandemic, when local theatre venues and art institutions shut down, the Monologue Slam went virtual and created a much needed space for thousands of actors worldwide.

In 2013 Andre produced the critically acclaimed play “The Dreamer Examines His Pillow” by 1988 Academy Award winner John Patrick Shanley, in theatres across Toronto and Ottawa, with a special presentation in New York for Shanley himself.

In June 2015 Andre Executive Produced his first short film “Linger,” written and directed by Aisha Porter-Christie, who went on to write for the hit series “Orphan Black.” Since then he has produced over 40 Short Films, which he wrote, directed, shot and edited. His innovative and groundbreaking approach to indie filmmaking has made him one of the most sought after filmmakers in Toronto. In 2016 Magic Johnson’s Aspire Network USA acquired his directorial debut “War on Love.”

In January 2016 Andre engaged in a partnership with ACTRA Toronto to develop a program, which helps actors develop their skills as producers. Currently YEAA Creates has helped ACTRA members develop their own content and successfully submit them to film festivals around the world including Reel World. Andre is also a regular panelist at the ACTRA Conference and hosts a variety of sessions. YEAA Creates led to an explosion of actors creating their own projects and becoming better rounded in their craft.

Mrs. Nicole. Woods, PhD, Director

Mrs. Woods is Director of The Centre for Ambulatory Care Education (CACE), Faculty of Medicine, and University of Toronto at Women’s College Hospital. Dr. Woods joined the University of Toronto in 2006 and leads a successful program of research in health professions education. A cognitive psychologist by training, her work focuses on the role of biomedical knowledge in clinical reasoning and the value of basic science training in the development of medical expertise. Dr. Woods is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and an Education Scientist at the Wilson Centre, Faculty of Medicine, and University of Toronto at University Health Network.