Mentors
Pillars of the Network
Boys Club Network mentors represent a vast range of Canadians – from entrepreneurs to professionals, sport figures to politicians, tradesmen to artists and educators, reformed criminals to sitting judges. Mentors range in age from 18 to 80, and in income level, from break-even to billionaire. The vast majority of mentors are men, but a meaningful percentage are women.
Male mentors have one thing in common. They are good men. Good men who have on at least one occasion – and most often in spite of appearances or common knowledge – overcome considerable adversity, challenge or disappointment – to become stronger, more successful, more grateful, and more generous.
“What is said in the room, stays in the room”
These men, behind closed doors and in the guaranteed anonymity of the Boys Club Network sanctum, share their stories and their insight with member boys. Following a prescribed format, mentors share not only their wisdom and stories of personal struggle, development and success, their ideas and definition of what defines good men, but also and perhaps most important, they validate the boys’ experiences as young males. Mentorships are mentor-driven – ranging from a single two-hour visit, to annual return visits, to mentor-initiated sponsored work placements, to field trips, to scholarships. While not always immediately apparent, life-changing, transformative connections are always made, each and every visit.
Positive male mentorship is a fundamental pillar of the Boys Club Network philosophy of Hope, Opportunity, Positive Mentors, and Education. Mentorship helps establish the sense of connection with the Network, each other, and the greater community, that boys need to develop empathy, gain confidence, and ultimately fulfill their human potential.
Female mentors, through sharing their experiences as women, bring unique insight to boys about how they perceive men and women as peers, co-workers, spouses, parents, siblings, friends, even adversaries, and share their perspective on a changing world. Like their male counterparts, female mentors share stories of personal struggle, development and success, and confirm the boy’s unique experiences as males. The inclusion of women in the mentorship program is important to the success of the Network, and is supported by United Nations Women (Global Champion for Gender Equality) and many other organizations.
The Boys Club Network is eternally grateful to each and every one of our mentors for their commitment, and for generously sharing their time and wisdom.
Founding Patron – Frank Giustra
Core Patrons | Mentors – Frank Giustra, Jeff McCord, Kirmac Collision, Matt Wood, Morgan Rielly, Amar Doman, Ryan Beedie, Sheila and Moe Kermani
Special Projects – Delta Group, Herrendorf Family Foundation, TD Canada
Mentors (list incomplete, updates weekly)
- Frank Anderson – Entrepreneur
- Chris Atkinson – Assistant Superintendent North Vancouver School District
- Sandy Avelar – BCN Director; Sarjeant Vancouver Police Dept; Her Time Co-Founder
- Paolo Arreaga – RCMP Officer
- Brad Baker – District Principal NVSD44, Associate Superintendent Indigenous Education
- Cameron Bancroft – Film and Television Actor, Educator
- Mark Banecevic – Owner Cara Electric
- Robert Bartley – Executive Chef Canucks Sports & Entertainment
- Ryan Beedie – President Beedie Construction, Philanthropist
- Mike Bernier – BC MLA Peace River South
- Trevor Bird – Internal Family Systems Coach; Top Chef Canada Finalist 2x
- Gino Bondi – CEO, BC School Superintendents Association
- Mary-Ann Booth – Lawyer, Former Mayor West Vancouver
- Daniel Boulud – Chef/Owner Dinex Restaurant Group
- Dr. Jim Bovard – Sports Medicine; Whitecaps FC Team Physician, Canadian Snowboard Team
- Linda Buchanan, Mayor City of North Vancouver
- Jordan Buna – Clinical Counsellor; Substance Abuse Liaison Surrey School District
- Pavel Bure – NHL Vancouver Canuck 1991-1998
- Marc Burrows – Partner, Progressive Vancouver Real Estate
- Dr. Kevin Bush – Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon; Clinical Professor UBC Faculty of Medicine
- Lucas Cahill – Principal, Cascade Capital UK; Financial Analyst, former VP Development Lithium X
- Josh Cameron – Boxer; Author and Poet; Entrepreneur
- Chief Ian Campbell – Hereditary Chief, Squamish First Nation
- Theresa Campbell – Founder, Safer Schools Together
- Chantel Chapman – Youth Financial Literacy Instructor
- Jules Chatelle – Professional Butler
- Simrit Cheema – Community School Program Director, Surrey
- Jim Chu – former Chief Constable Vancouver Police Department
- Eric Christiansen – Principal, Bellevue Realty Group
- Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf – CEO Herrendorf Family Foundation
- John Colebourn (RIP) – Journalist, Province Newspaper
- Tom Cooper – Pastor; President & Founder, City in Focus
- John Curleigh – Managing Partner, Pursuit 3 Group
- Neil Cusati – Business Consultant
- Zale Darnell – Vice Principal Trail Lake Middle School, Courtenay
- Lara Dauphinee – Managing Director, Fiore Group
- Victor de Bonis – COO NHL Seattle Kraken
- AJ DeAndrea – Deputy Chief Arvada Colorado Police Department
- Gregory Delbigio, Q.C. Barrister & Solicitor
- Willie Desjardins – Former NHL Vancouver Canucks Head Coach; WHL Coach
- Bal Dhillon – Community School Coordinator, Byrne Creek Secondary
- Tyler Dodds – Sarjeant, Vancouver Police Dept Gang Crime Unit
- Amar Doman – Owner Futura Corp, CFL BC Lions, Canwel
- Pat Delesalle – Entrepreneur, co-owner Burnaby Express Junior A Hockey
- Mike Dopud – Film and Television Actor
- Solomon Elimimian – BC Lions Football, Linebacker
- Mike Enns – Teacher WJ Mouat Secondary, Abbotsford
- Rich Fagan – Technical Director, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
- Gaetano Fasciano (RIP) – International Fashion Photographer
- Ciaran Feenan – Delta Police Sarjeant
- Rob Feenan – District School Laison Officer, VPD
- Rob Feenie – Executive Chef, Cactus Club Restaurants
- Michael Fera – Stage Play Director
- Danny Ferraro – Co-owner Ferraro Foods Group
- James Ferraro – Co-owner Ferraro Foods Group
- Jonathan Field – the ‘Horse Whisperer’
- Mike Finch – Principal Sentinel Secondary School, West Vancouver
- Rob Fleming – BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
- Rikko Flintroy – BCN Alumni; Entrepreneur
- Gary Fort – Child, Youth, Family Counsellor, John Howard Society North Island
- Gene Gallant – Dean of Educational Outreach, Native Education College
- Tim Gamble – President & CEO, Thunderbird Entertainment
- Richard Genovese (RIP) – Venture Capitalist, President Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
- Dino Geremia – Game Ready Fitness/Life Ready
- Joel Gibson – Youth Counsellor
- Brent Gilchrist – President, JDS Resources; Former NHL Grey Cup Champion
- Frank Giustra – CEO Fiore Group of Companies, founder Giustra Foundation
- Nick Giustra – Film School Student
- Tanner Glass – NHL New York Rangers; former Vancouver Canuck
- Pam Goldsmith-Jones – Former MP West Vancouver Sea to Sky
- Yasmin Gordon – Co-founder Gordon Group at Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management
- Ian Grantham – Station Leader, Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue, Station 01, West Vancouver
- Peter Grasso – Playwright, Dramatist, Actor
- Aaron Graystone – Prefessional Skills Coach to Elite Athletes
- Kevin Hacket – Retired RCMP Assistant Commissioner
- Dan Hamhuis – former NHL Vancouver Canuck
- Charlotte Harris – Amateur Boxing Champion; Owner Westfit Boxing & Fitness
- Doneil Henry – Canadian National Men’s Soccer
- Scott Hewson – Hockey Coach; owner of Canine Capabilities Training Centre
- Chris Higgins – former NHL Vancouver Canuck
- Mark Holden – Entrepreneur; Author
- Dolores Holmes, Honourable (RIP) – Former Provincial Court Judge
- Mike Hood – General, Royal Canadian Air Force
- Barclay Hope – Film and Television Actor
- Lee Howarth – TD Wealth Manager
- Mike Hudson – Former NHL New York Islander; Stanley Cup Champion
- Matt Hughes – UFC Hall of Fame 2010, Top Welterweight and nine title fights
- Tommy Humpheys – Founder CEO.ca
- Richard Jaffray – CEO Cactus Club Cafe
- Amir Javid – Anti-Gang Programs Facilitator
- Tewanee Joseph – CEO Four Host Nations Vancouver 2010 Olympics, CEO Tewanee Consulting Group
- Peter Joudaki – Partner, Progressive Vancouver Real Estate
- Evander Kane – NHL Edmonton Oilers
- Zack Kassian – Former NHL Hockey Player
- Marc Keith – CATS (Constructive Alternatives to Teen Suspension)
- Jermaine Kemp – Youth and Family Clinical Counsellor
- Moe and Sheila Kermani – Vanedge
- Jeffrey Wolfgang Klassen – Film and Television Actor
- Mike Kopsa (RIP)
- Heidi Kubin – Vice Principal – École KLO Middle School, Kelowna
- Rick Langer – BCN Director; VP & Senior Investment Advisor Canaccord
- Bruce Langereis – President Delta Land Development Ltd
- Ernie Larochelle (RIP) – Hereditary Chief of the Dene First Nation
- J.R. Larose – former CFL Player, Game Ready Fitness
- Peter Leitch – President North Shore Studios and Mammoth Studios
- Bobby Lenarduzzi – President MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- John Lewis – Educational Consultant; Former CEO & Superintendent of Schools North Vancouver
- Trevor Linden – Former Player | President Hockey Operations Vancouver Canucks; Entrepreneur
- Will Loftus – Two-time CFL Grey Cup Champion, Game Ready Fitness
- Jacquie Lovelock – TD Wealth Family Office
- David Lowy – President Renshaw Travel
- Paul Luck – Principal Trafalgar Middle School, Nelson
- Alexander Ludwig – Actor (Hunger Games [Cato], Vikings, The Seeker)
- Patrick Ma – Retinal Surgeon
- Krev Mack – Music Producer
- John Mackay – President Strand Corporation; Mackay Family Foundation
- Chris Mackay – Strand Corporation; Mackay Family Foundation
- Dale MacKay – BCN Director; Top Chef Canada, Owner of Ayden Kitchen & Bar
- Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini – WBA World Champion Boxer (1982-1984)
- John McCall MacBain – Philanthropist; founder McCall MacBain Foundation
- Jennifer Twiner McCarron – CEO Thunderbird Entertainment
- Kirk McLean – former NHL Vancouver Canuck; Team Ambassador
- Jeff McCord – Asset Management
- Ian McIntosh – Founder Kirmac Collision & Auto Glass
- Ken McIntosh – Founder Kirmac Collision & Auto Glass
- Sean McIntosh – Director of Business Development, Kirmac Collision & Auto Glass
- Mark McIntosh – Director of Operations, Kirmac Collision & Auto Glass
- Elisa McIntosh – Director of IT, Kirmac Collision & Auto Glass
- Dr. Jason Marr – Naturopathic Doctor, Performance and Productivity Coach
- Dr. Steve Mathias – Psychiatrist & Medical Manager Inner City Youth Program
- Jesse Miller – Founder, Mediated Reality, Social Media Consulting Services
- Mark Miller – Filmmaker, Co-founder Great Pacific Media, a Thunderbird Company
- TJ Mitchell – BCN Alumni
- Hamid Moradi -BCN alumni
- Wayne Moriarty – Moriarty Media & Consulting; Former Editor-in-Chief, The Province
- Jonathan Mubanda – Youth Worker, Actor; BCN Summer Camp Leader
- Dr. Sukhi Muker – CTO Allysian Group
- Christian Mustapich – UBC Medical Student
- Shawn Myers – Teacher Windsor Secondary School
- Dzinh Nguyen – BCN Alumni – Entrepreneur
- Dr. Shelly Niemi – Director of Instruction, Aboriginal Education Victoria
- Laird O’Connor – Owner Broadway Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Co
- Gino Odjick (RIP) – NHL Vancouver Canuck 1991-1998
- Kevin O’Leary – CBC Dragon’s Den; Shark Tank; Lang & O’Leary X; Entrepreneur
- Dr. Santa Ono – President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia
- Wallace Oppal, Q.C. – Former Attorney General of British Columbia; Chancellor
- Joseph Ostopowich – Custodial Pastor
- Brian Paes-Braga – Managing Partner SAF Group; Founder CEO Lithium X; Author
- Andrew Pawlikowski – Teacher & Coach, St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary
- Ali Pejman – Managing Partner, Fort Capital
- Geoffrey Peretz – CEO Schaffer Residences Inc, Past Commodore RVYC
- Mark Pearmain – Superintendent of Schools, North Vancouver School District
- Ryk Piche – Aboriginal Education, Aldergrove Community Secondary
- Dylan Playfair – Actor (Letterkenny) and Producer (Media Button)
- Jim Playfair – Assistant Coach NHL Edmonton Oilers
- Vito Poletto – Financial Advisor
- Jay Prepchuck – Quarterback Coach UBC T-birds; former SFU quarterback; Prepchuck QB Academy
- Robert Prescott – Teacher Trail Lake Middle School, Courtenay
- Ian Prince – Producer and Songwriter Westsonic Music Inc
- Kim and Roy Radons – Developers; Cattle farmers
- Rob Rai – Manager Safe Schools Dept Surrey
- Marcus Rambold – Entrepreneur
- Michael Karl Richards – Actor (Stargate, Farewell Atlantis, Smallville)
- Morgan Rielly – NHL Toronto Maple Leafs, Defenceman #44
- Gregor Robertson – Former Mayor Vancouver City
- Natasha Romero – Owner Anchor Eatery
- Geoffroy Roulleau – Private Chef; Entrepreneur
- James Rout – Associate Vice-President, Education Support and Innovation BCIT
- Harjit Sajjan – Minister of Emergency Preparedness, President King’s Privy Council for Canada
- Mike Sanchez – Sergeant RCMP
- Brayden Sander – Property Manager
- Vincent Santacroce – Grossman & Stanley Business Lawyer
- Brian Scudamore – CEO 1-800-GOT-JUNK
- Gregg Sedun – Global Vision Capital Corp
- Hamed Shahbazi – Founder & CEO, Well Health Technologies
- Brittany Shull – Cycling Coach
- Par Sihota – RCMP Officer
- Michael Sikich – President The Agency Real Estate Marketing
- Danny Sitnam – President & CEO Helijet International
- Tanya Slingsby – Philanthropy Consultant
- Cameron Smith – Youth Counsellor
- Manny Sobral – Olympic Boxer (1988) & IBO World Champion; North Bby Boxing
- Wedlidi Speck – Chief Gixsam Clan Kwagu, Dir Aboriginal Org Dev, Gov BC
- David St. Pierre, Honourable – Provincial Court Judge
- Neil Stevenson-Moore – Princeton University hockey alumni
- Marc Strongman – CEO Strongman Group
- Jamie Taras – Former BC Lion; Director of Community Relations BC Lions
- Domenic Taylor – Cirque du Soleil Soloist Performer
- Ian Telfer – Former Chairman Goldcorp Inc; Mining Executive
- Curtis Thomas – Councillor, Tsleil-Waututh Nation
- Jane Thornthwaite – Former MLA North Vancouver Seymour
- Peter Toigo – VP Operations, Vancouver Giants Hockey; White Spot Restaurants
- Kevin Torvik – Vancouver Police Department
- Hitam Treadwell – Squamish Nation Youth Services Worker
- Carl Valentine – Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club
- Anthony Vecchio, Q.C. – Founding Partner Slater Vecchio LLP
- Nick Vecchio – Production Coordinator, Lions Gate Films
- Duane Vinneau – President BC Lions Football
- Scott Walker – The Walker Group
- Anna Wallner – President, Domenica Fiore; Co-Owner/President Savoury Chef
- Tim Webb – Entrpreneur
- Faye Wightman – Former President & CEO Vancouver Foundation
- Wilson Williams – General Councillor, Squamish Nation
- Matt Wood – Asset Management
- Don Wright – Former President British Columbia Institute of Technology
- Tim Young – Mineral Claims Analyst
- Tony Zanatta – Inspector, Vancouver Police Dept
- Anthony Zerr (RIP) – BCN Alumni; Entrepreneur
- Loris Zuccato – Inspector, Critical Incident Commander, Vancouver Police Dept
"I used to think that the worst thing in life was to be alone, it's not. The worst thing is to be with people who make you feel all alone "
– Robin Williams