Mark Reesor – President
Mark is a Sergeant with the Peterborough Police Services. He spent seven years as a Detective Constable in the Criminal Investigations Unit, spending time in the Sex Offences Unit, the Major Crime Unit and as the Elder Abuse Investigator. Prior to his policing career, Mark worked as a Pharmaceutical Representative. Mark’s values align closely with those of Alternatives and he has wide-ranging experience working with vulnerable citizens through his various roles with the Peterborough Police Services. Mark joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Spring of 2018.
Email Address: BoardPresident@AlternativesPtbo.ca
Ray Walt – Past President
In his roles as the former Head of Special Education at St. Peter’s Secondary School and as the former Volunteer Chair of the Program Advisory Committee of the Community Integration through Co-operative Education ( CICE) program at Fleming College, Ray has had extensive experience working with students with developmental and intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and brain injury. He is recently retired after 4 years as the Employment Liaison at Fleming College, with the CICE Program. With a B.A. from Trent University and a B.Ed. from Queens’s, he possesses over 31 years of teaching experience. He has been actively involved with Peterborough Special Olympics for 35 years and also sits on the Board of Tri County. Ray joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Winter of 2011.
Yvette Peplinskie – Treasurer
Yvette has worked in accounting for over 20 years as an auditor for various types of organizations, including not-for-profits, and in the finance departments for the municipal government. She has volunteer experience as the Treasurer on the boards of the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, Green Communities Foundation, Peterborough Family Resource Centre and Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. Yvette joined the Alternatives Board of Directors in the Fall of 2023.
Pat Peeling- Director
Pat has lived in the Peterborough area for most of her life, working in retail for Eaton’s and Sears. Pat recently retired from Community Futures Peterborough after 18 years of service. Although she held many positions, the last eight years she was the Administrator of the Eastern Ontario Development Program. Pat was one of the recipients to receive the Peterborough-Kawartha Women’s Leadership Award in 2018. Pat started volunteering for Alternatives Fundraising Committee in 2018 and joined the Alternatives Board of Directors in the Fall of 2019.
Carrie Wakeford – Director
Carrie Wakeford has worked as a project manager, counsellor, trainer and researcher in a career spanning over 30 years. Her experience has included leadership roles where she managed a team of counsellors, facilitators and case managers. Carrie has managed her own consulting business, as well as non-profit and government funded career and training centres and a private computer training organization. Carrie has held various roles on boards and committees, including Director of Communications, Project Manager and Business Mentor with the Women’s Business Network. Carrie joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Fall of 2020.
Anne Driscoll – Director
Anne brings over 40 years of experience in the not for profit sector supporting families and caregivers, fundraising and community outreach with organizations in the communities of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and Northumberland. Anne is an active member of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Peterborough’s Women’s Business Network, Peterborough Area Fundraisers Network and Ennismore Horticultural Society. Volunteer experience includes Coordinator of Ennismore Community Food Hamper, Victim Crisis and Referral Service, Special Olympics, Canadian Cancer Society – Relay for Life and Peer to Peer Support, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Easter Seals Festival of Trees, Victim Services Board of Directors Peterborough and Northumberland. Anne joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Fall of 2020.
Todd Shearer – Director
Todd has 30 years of experience in the areas of marketing, finance, communications and public relations. Todd runs his family business of 40 year, National Sanitation. Through his business it has given him the opportunity to meet many community/business members that are liked minded and want to provide opportunities to give back and support community initiatives. Todd has volunteer experience working with the City of Peterborough basketball division as a coach, which then lead him to volunteer with the Peterborough Special Olympics basketball, track and field, softball and golf. In 2018 Todd became the chair of Special Olympics basketball. Todd joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Spring of 2022.
Denise Stone – Director
Denise worked at Community Services in Peterborough as an Adult Protective Services worker providing advocacy for 10 years. She was the Executive Director for St. Catherine’s YWCA and Fort Erie Brain Injury, from there Denise went on to be the Reginal Director at the Canadian Red Cross Niagara Branch for 10 years. Denise final 10 years of her career were spent as an Emergency Management and Business Continuity Specialist with St. Catherine’s Fire Services and Niagara Region. Denise joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Spring of 2021.
Audrey Gwiza- Director
Audrey, hailing from Rwanda, embarked on a transformative journey to Canada to pursue her studies and carve out a career in the corporate world. With a solid foundation in banking, nurtured at Kawartha Credit Union, Audrey has honed her skills in financial systems and strategic decision-making. In 2023, Audrey took on a vital role as a member of the Alternatives Board of Directors, where she contributes her expertise to drive strategic initiatives and steer the organization towards its mission. Audrey joined Alternatives Board of Directors in the Fall of 2023.
