Board of Trustees

Ayesha (they/them) is Linden School alumna, now working as a journalist and entrepreneur. Ayesha is a co-founder and co-publisher of Peterborough Currents, a local news project publishing in-depth journalism that connects readers to the community. Ayesha brings their experience in communication and media, and their passion for equitable and accessible education to the Linden board of trustees.

David is a Linden parent with daughters in the graduating classes of 2020 and 2023. His career background is in financial management, communications and governance, and he was the chief financial officer of a Canadian public company prior to his retirement. David is Linden's Treasurer and serves on the Finance and Advancement Committees.

Diane co-founded The Linden School in 1993 because she knew there were no other schools responding to cutting-edge research about girls and their learning. In 2007, York University presented her and Eleanor Moore with an honorary doctorate, recognizing their work and the school’s mission to place girls at the centre and give them the voice and skills needed to make a difference. Diane serves on the Finance and Human Resources Committees.

Eleanor is a co-founder of The Linden School, and is deeply proud of the achievements made by the school in its first twenty years as a leader in an education tailored specifically to the ways girls learn best. She is proud that the school honours the key element of voice within the operations of the school and within the Board of Trustees. Eleanor serves on the Governance Committee.

Gillian graduated from Linden in 2004. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University and a Master’s of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. A Professional Engineer since 2014, Gillian’s work at a Canadian public mining company focuses on operations strategy and business optimization. Gillian serves on the Strategic Planning Committee.  

John initially served on the founding Board of Linden. He is a retired CPA with a career spent in finance, real estate, design and construction in Canada and the USA. John is the Chair of the Real Estate and Property Committee.

Lucy attended Linden for eight years and graduated in 2007. She completed a liberal arts degree at Mount Allison University followed by a Master's of Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmith College, University of London. She has spent her career working in the not-for-profit sector, helping to launch a centre for young adult mental health, and now as a fundraiser in the arts. Lucy is a member of the HR Committee.

Kimberley's two Linden daughters graduated in 2007 and 2011. After two decades as an investigative financial reporter and national business correspondent for major Canadian publications, she joined the Media Studies faculty of a Toronto university. She is working on an MA thesis and collaborating on a new blog about public space. She coordinates the Archives Committee.

Odette Hutchings graduated from Linden in 2007. Odette is the Director of Professional Programs and Partners at WCM, a not for profit dedicated to increasing diversity in the capital markets industry. She works with stakeholders to foster talent and drive equity in the industry. Prior to joining WCM, Odette served as the Executive Director of Sustainival, the World's First Green Carnival. Previously, Odette served as Senior Manager at Global Citizen, where her work contributed to victories in advocacy and public engagement with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Odette is a co-founder of HOOPLA, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating women's achievements, both big and small.

Rogue Witterick (they/them) is a parent, youth and family advocate, writer and violence prevention activist, with decades of experience in a variety of sectors with learning systems and certification program design, curriculum development, self directed learning initiatives and direct facilitation. They’ve done local, provincial and national work, fostering learning, growing and thriving in individuals and communities, in particular within and for equity denied but deserving populations. Rogue wrote training for HIGH FIVE at Parks and Recreation Ontario, Disability Sport organizations and YMCA Canada to name a few. Their past work has been for non-profit organizations including The 519, the YMCA of Greater Toronto and the International Red Cross. Rogue currently works at SafeGuards Training as the Knowledge Exchange Manager. For published works, check out GUTS and Chasing Rainbows: Exploring Gender Fluid Parenting Practices.

Zenab holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Employment Relations and a Master's in Industrial Relations and Human Resources, both from the University of Toronto. She brings nearly two decades of experience working in the university sector, having served in a variety of roles related to the recruitment, retention and employee/labour relations of staff and faculty. Zenab is the Chair of the Board of Trustees at The Linden School.

The Linden School Board of Trustees is entrusted with planning for the future development of the school. The Board advises and oversees the principal of the school, engages in a range of development activities, and guides the school in actively pursuing our mission and vision. Daily operations and staffing decisions, among other matters, are the responsibility of the school’s principal.

The Board consists of approximately 12 people at any given time, each of whom is serving a 3-year term. Members include current and former parents, alumnae, former school administrators, and those in the community with needed expertise; the principal of the school is an ex-officio member of the Board. Individuals on the Board are selected to serve as the Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Board also maintains two Open Chairs, through which it invites experts on a topic under discussion or presenters of relevant proposals.

The Linden School is incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in the province of Ontario and has charitable status from the federal government. These two designations mean that Board members take the broadest view of the best interests of all stakeholders. Board members have certain responsibilities and duties, including: acting in the best interests of the corporation and not in favour of any one group of constituents; avoiding conflicts of interest; and acting honestly and in good faith.

We meet approximately once a month at the school for two hours. In keeping with the mission, the Board functions using a consensus model. Rather than using a majority-rules voting system, we strive to achieve consensus on every decision we make, both in committee and at the Board level. At the end of each meeting, the Chair ensures that we all feel our voices have been heard, and asks whether our meeting has adequately served Linden’s mission.

All Board members are expected to make an annual donation to the organization to contribute to the bursary fund. In addition, they are expected to attend fundraising events, and participate in annual and special campaigns. All members are expected to play a role in any future capital campaigns.

The Board currently includes the following committees:

• The Advancement Committee builds philanthropic and other resources for Linden, and works to enhance parent engagement and student enrolment and retention.
• The Archives Committee records and preserves The Linden School’s story. This ranges from maintaining, organizing, storing, and making available documentary and other records, so that they can be used for scholarship and other approved purposes, in keeping with the school’s privacy policies.
• The Finance Committee is responsible for securing sound fiscal planning and management for our school, and monitors the legal financial requirements necessary to maintain our charitable status. This committee assesses both opportunities and risks and helps inform Board decisions.
• The Governance Committee develops, maintains, and documents the Board’s policies and procedures, meeting structure and agenda format, and minutes and reports from Board committees and the administration of the school. It engages in the recruitment and orientation process for the Board and maintains Board membership and renewal.
• The Human Resources Committee supports, guides, and mentors the principal. This committee is responsible for an annual performance review of the principal and may, as requested, act as a resource for Linden employee relations. The hiring, management, and evaluation of Linden staff are the responsibility of the principal.

The Board of Trustees is committed to seeking contributions from the community and drawing on a wide range of expertise. Committee members do not have to be Board members, and we are frequently seeking new members for our committees. If you have relevant expertise and are interested in volunteering, contact [email protected] and tell us about yourself!

The Board is always looking for new voices and ideas. When a current trustee decides to retire from the Board, we will form an ad hoc selection committee to recruit a new member to fill the vacancy. The selection committee asks Board members for names of potential candidates, and seeks to match candidates to Board needs. The selection committee will then invite a candidate to meet with two board members to discuss what the candidate can offer and how the Board functions. If it seems to be a good fit for both parties, the candidate is invited to sit in the Open Chair at the next Board meeting. Following that meeting, the Board will determine if consensus exists on the appointment of that individual and the candidate will decide if she/he wishes to join the Board.

Contact [email protected] and tell us about yourself!

The Board strives to be an arms-length organization that is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the school. Before bringing an issue to the Board, please be sure that you have discussed the issue with the school administration. If the issue requires further input, please contact the Board for more information.

The Board of Trustees maintains two Open Chairs at every meeting. The Board will invite members of the community to sit in these Chairs when they require specific expertise, or when they wish to hear a proposal that is within its purview. Please contact the Board for more information.

To contact the Board please email [email protected].

Please take a look at our biographies above to find out more about who currently serves on the Board. We regularly attend Linden events, so please stop by and introduce yourself!