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The CIRA board members come from diverse professional and geographical backgrounds. This allows us to broadly consider Canadian perspectives when working to make .CA your domain name of choice and representing the CIRA registry on a global stage.

Jill Kowalchuk

Jill Kowalchuk

Chair, Board of Directors

Jill Kowalchuk has been an ambitious driver and advocate for the advancement of Canada’s technology and innovation sectors. Jill is the Director for the Canadian Shared Security Operations Centre (CanSSOC).

Gwen Beauchemin

Gwen Beauchemin

Vice-Chair, Board of Directors

Gwen Beauchemin worked in the private sector, the not-for-profit sector and the federal public service for over 35 years, in a variety of roles, all in the computer science field, with a focus on cyber security since 2001. 

Liza Aboud

Liza Aboud

Director

Liza Aboud has over 30 years of experience driving strategic communications, marketing, change management, and customer experience initiatives.

Colleen Arnold

Colleen Arnold

Chair, Finance, Audit, Investment and Risk Management Committee

Colleen Arnold, MBA, CPHR, CPA (CMA), has brought a range of professional expertise to nursing regulation since 2000 in the areas of finance, human resources and information technology.  

Don Bowman

Don Bowman

Chair, Services Strategy Committee

Don is a 30 year industry veteran in complex networking and cloud computing.

Graeme Bunton

Graeme Bunton

Director

Graeme Bunton is the Executive Director of the DNS Abuse Institute, an initiative dedicated to developing collaborative and innovative methods of reducing DNS abuse. 

Anne Butler

Anne Butler

Chair, Compensation and Review Committee

Anne Butler is a senior financial services executive with over 20 years experience leading diverse teams, from legal and compliance to communications, human resources and industry relations.

Matthew Gamble

Matthew Gamble

Co-Chair, Community Investment Committee

Matthew M. Gamble is a passionate technologist and innovator, with a focus on disruptive technologies in the telecom and cloud space and a tireless advocate for a free, open, and affordable internet for all. 

Eric Hill

Eric Hill

Chair, Governance Committee

Eric is an entrepreneur, lawyer, and corporate director. His strengths are strategic thinking and unlocking upside opportunities using risk management frameworks.

Samantha Ventresca

Samantha Ventresca

Co-Chair, Community Investment Committee

Samantha Ventresca helps C-level executives and entrepreneurs shape their unique stories and build relationships with stakeholders.

Rob Villeneuve

Rob Villeneuve

Director

Michael Zahra

Michael Zahra

Director

Michael Zahra is a seasoned executive and is an Advisor to the University of Toronto "The Hatchery" start-up incubator.

John Demco

John Demco

Board Advisor

John Demco is affiliated with the CIRA Certified Registrar Webnames.ca Inc. and until 2007 was manager of Computing Facilities in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia.

Byron Holland

Byron Holland

President and CEO; Board Advisor

Byron Holland joined the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) in 2008 as president and chief executive officer.

Monika Surma

Monika Surma

Board Advisor, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Monika Surma is a Government of Canada executive, with two decades of experience in domestic and international policy issues.

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