Board of Directors

Diana has over 25 years in senior management roles for major technology companies. She spent 19 years with Microsoft where she built and grew pioneering business units. This included founding the national Mid-Market Customer Sales and Marketing group, the Solution Provider Partner Channel, and leading Microsoft Canada’s Anti-Piracy initiatives where she was part of their Global Compliance Division. She was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a national software company for lawyers, and is currently President of Axyum Group where she consults technology companies on growth and governance.

Diana is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds an Executive MBA from Ivey School of Business at Western University. She is passionate about business results and committed to making a positive difference. Diana is also a director on the Lake Joseph North Association

Frances has broad experience in the financial markets beginning as an investment analyst in the 1970s with Pitfield Mackay Ross, then as a pioneer in Investor Relations. Frances founded The Canadian Investor Relations Institute which has grown into a large, multi-chapter organization across Canada. In the late 1980s she served two terms as a Commissioner of the Ontario Securities Commission, the first woman to be appointed. Her career includes executive positions at John Labatt Limited and Manulife Financial. In the 1990s she established Equity Link, a strategic management consulting firm with offices at the Boston Consulting Group. Equity Link subsequently branched into the sourcing and acquisition of private transactions and enterprise developments.

Frances has served as a director of several private companies in the United States and Ireland. She is currently on the Board of the National Ballet School Foundation, of the Minstrel Foundation and Lake Joseph North Association.

Rob has been coming to Muskoka all of his life. His family have been cottaging here since 1884. He retired at the end 2015 from a publicly-traded high tech start-up company based in Markham and Palo Alto where he was CFO. Previous to that he worked for IBM in various senior management financial roles including international experience in Brazil and the Caribbean.

Rob Served for eight years on the board of the Muskoka Lakes Association and currently is a member of the Committee of Adjustment for the Township of Muskoka Lakes. He now spends most of his summer on Tobin Island, Lake Rosseau as well as a number of weeks during the winter enjoying snowmobiling.

Nancy Cohen has been a lifelong volunteer and watersports enthusiast. She was a certified Windsurfing instructor in her university years and is a canoeist and sailor since childhood.

She has a wealth of volunteer leadership experience and has been an active volunteer at the Toronto French School for over 20 years. This includes President of the Parents’ Association, Board member, and a long list of leadership roles in school events, galas and fundraising activities. Currently, she serves as a Director of TFS Foundation Board and President of Lake Joseph North Association.

Nancy has a diverse background of senior leadership roles as a successful entrepreneur, senior executive and industry leader. She spent the first part of her career building a successful public relations firm which she subsequently sold to a mulit-national organization and stayed on to run the Canadian operation. She also founded a television production company which she eventually sold. Most recently Nancy was the CEO of Food and Consumer Products of Canada, Canada’s largest association of food, beverage and consumer packaged goods companies. As CEO she sat on the Board of Directors, oversaw the Association’s operations, and liaised with trading partners and senior government officials.

Nancy is an institute-certified Board Director and has sat on the Boards of public and not for profit organizations. She is currently Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Board for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Founder and Director of the Desmoid Tumour Foundation of Canada and a Board member of Safe Quiet Lakes. She is passionate about keeping Muskoka lakes safe, quiet and maintaining the beauty for generations to come.

As founder and owner of Dalton Communications Inc., Karen Dalton, CAE has 40 years of experience working in journalism, communications and now provides leadership and direction to her clients in the professional association industry. She works with volunteer Boards to establish strategic goals and objectives and develop action plans to achieve member satisfaction and ensure the financial success of the associations under her management. She received her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the Canadian Society of Association Executives in 2013. Karen has extensive association experience providing management services to the Canadian Public Relations Society, the Canadian Carwash Association, the Canadian Decorators’ Association, and the Canadian Business Press. She has an Honours Journalism degree from Western University and began her career in publishing and communications working in editorial positions for Southam Business Publications and Kerrwil Publications and in the corporate office of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada as Director of Corporate Affairs.

Karen has volunteered with the Women’s Press Club of Toronto, the YWCA Toronto’s Women of Distinction, the Communications + Public Relations Foundation and Safe Quiet Lakes Association.

Colleen is a lifelong Muskoka cottager spending her summers as a teen working at Foodland, teaching swimming lessons at Hanna Beach, and working at the MLGCC. When she is not enjoying time in Port Carling she lives in Toronto with her husband and teen girls. She is the Executive Director of the Canadian Club Toronto an over 123-year-old non-profit dedicated to engaging Canadians in what matters most. The Canadian Club hosts dozens of live and virtual events with business leaders, civic leaders, CEO’s, nobel laureates and politicians each year. Her previous career saw Colleen leading sales and marketing teams at Corus Entertainment including YTV, CMT, and W.

Along with boating safety Colleen is passionate about public education and has served on many school parent councils in a variety of roles including Chair and even ran for School Trustee for the TDSB.

Lawton is a Muskoka cottager for over 70 years and made the move to Muskoka full time in 2009.  Lawton owns and operates Osler Business Consultants Ltd Executive Recruiter for Electrical Distributors. Lawton has a wealth of experience working with not-for-profits, he is a Director at Large on the Antique and Classic Boat Society, Former Membership Committee Chair of Muskoka Steamships and Discovery Centre. He has just completed his term as President at the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA). Currently, Lawton serves as Past-President and Chair of Nominations at the MLA and is on several Committees.

As Director of Safe Quiet Lakes Lawton sits on the Decibel Coalition committee, the Wakes and Speed Committee. And he also acts as the chief liaison between Safe Quiet Lakes and the Muskoka Lakes Association.

Patricia has extensive experience in both Corporate Canada and in the Entrepreneurial world through the creation of a very successful Marketing Venture. She has held Executive positions at Maple Leaf Foods, Tambrands, and Mattel with strengths in Strategic Planning, Consumer-goods product marketing, and new product development. In 1995 she created The Women of Influence Luncheon Series, Links For Women Golf Schools, and The Canadian Women Entrepreneur of the Year Awards along with many other successful properties. Here, she combined her marketing skills with extensive experience in specialty-interest group marketing, special event creation, and an ability to create and nurture long-term sponsorship and client relationships.

Patricia is an active volunteer and advocate for Canadian Entrepreneurs and currently serves on the Boards of The Foundation of Canadian Women Entrepreneurs, The Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, The Toronto Ladies Tennis League, The Women’s Golf Association of Ballenisles and The Board of Challenge Cup.

Craig is a graduate of the Ivey Business School, Western University, and a Chartered Accountant. Now retired, he worked in various financial positions during his career, including over 20 years at the corporate head office of The Four Seasons Hotels. He currently serves on the board of a publicly listed company as well as volunteers on the boards of various not for profit organizations.

Greg is a Principal with the Earnscliffe Strategy Group, a national public affairs firm. He has worked in senior corporate communications, marketing, and advocacy roles in both the U.S. and Canada over his 30 year career. As Vice President, Public and Government Affairs for NOVA Chemicals, he was responsible for global communications and government relations. The role included accountability for media relations, crisis communications, and international M&A communications and he was a senior advisor to the CEO and the Board of Directors. Greg has been in communication leadership roles with North American trade associations and served as both Chairman of the Board and President & CEO of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. On behalf of industry groups, Greg has led national public education and communication campaigns in both the U.S. and Canada. Greg is a graduate of Western University, has been a leader in community organizations in Calgary, Pittsburgh, and Toronto and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Toronto Foundation and Safe Quiet Lakes. Greg has led national public education and communication campaigns in both the U.S. and Canada. He is also recognized as a skilled facilitator and executive coach.