Orchestra London is deeply honoured to have many of London’s most outstanding business professionals, musicians and music lovers serving on our Board of Directors. Our 2005/06 Board Executive Committee is comprised of the following tremendously dedicated members of our Board:

Michelle Quintyn, President
Michelle Quintyn has an extensive background in not-for-profit management, planning, government relations, marketing, strategic communications, community development, fundraising and administration.  She is currently the Executive Director of the Goodwill Industries, and past Executive Director for Foundation for Rural Living, and is responsible for stimulating community participation in the form of philanthropy, citizenship and collaboration to advance and sustain the rural nonprofit and voluntary sector.  From 1998 to 2001 she was the General Manager and Chief Executive for the Covent Garden Market Corporation and was responsible for the redevelopment and launch of London Ontario's new public market.

As the founding Executive Director of University Hospital Foundation and Vice President Development, University Hospital she was one of the driving forces behind the creation of one of the first hospital foundations in the country and facilitated volunteers and programs to raise more than $60 million.  She has also held the position of Coordinator and Faculty member, University of Western Ontario, Northern Outreach Program which developed health services in remote and rural northern Ontario.  Michelle received her Bachelor of Science, Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto, as well as a Registered Nursing Diploma from Ryerson University.  Michelle is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is a Certified Professional Fundraising Executive.

Brent Kelman, Vice President Finance
Brent Kelman has extensive management and executive experience in Financial Services, with a specialty in Information Technology. After retiring from Canada Trust, he founded J.B Kelman and Associates, a consulting organization specializing in Clearance and Settlement systems and Regulatory issues. He has performed work assignments in Canada as well as internationally, specifically in the areas of access to payment systems, systemic risk assessment, and various technical aspects of payment systems.

Brent is a member of the Board of Directors of London Health Sciences Foundation, where he currently serves as Vice-Chair, and Lawson Health Research Institute.

Brent fancies himself a musician, but he does not practice enough.

Ailene Wittstein, Vice President
Ailene is Executive Director of Merrymount Children�s Centre and has held that position since 1994. Merrymount is a not for profit Accredited Children�s Mental Health Centre, Family Support and Crisis Center offering a range of family services and programs designed to strengthen and support family life and the well being of children. 

She has also been a high school teacher and has been a member of and the chair of many child care advocacy groups.

She is married to Rabbi Joel Wittstein, and has four sons, four daughter-in- laws, four grandsons and one granddaughter. She and her husband are avid Orchestra London patrons.

 

John Kennedy, Past President
John Kennedy was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1977.  He received his education at the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario (H.B.A., Dean's Honour List) and the University of Toronto (Juris Doctor).  A founding partner in 1983 of the legal firm of Berg Kennedy Cleaver Broad, he has had extensive experience in business law and has been involved in numerous owner-managed companies in transactions, financings and restructurings. The Berg Kennedy firm merged with the Siskinds law firm in July 2002, to form the largest business law group in South-Western Ontario. 

John is currently a member of the Board  of Directors of Orchestras Canada, the national service organization for orchestras in Canada.  He is also currently on the Boards of the London Ski Club and the London Performing Arts Centre, a past member of the Business Law Section Executive of the Ontario Bar Association, and has been active in politics as a Riding President and Chairman of the South Western Ontario Council of Riding Residents for the federal PC Party. He is a past member and Chairman of the Board of Information London.

John has been an instructor in Business Law with the Canadian Institute of Management, the Bar Admission Program of the Law Society of Upper Canada, as well as a lecturer on risk management programs with the National Association of Underwater Instructors.

Board of Directors