Christa is extremely excited to have re-joined the ALACD as the Executive Director. Christa’s association with the organization goes back more than thirty years, from working in partnership with ALACD and its team of professionals, to serving on the Coordinating Committee for six years, followed by working as the Director of Partnerships from 2018 to 2022.
Christa has expertise in the area of physical activity and health promotion built on thirty years of employed and volunteer experience and an academic foundation in health care, physical education and applied health science. Christa spent 18-years with ParticipACTION (the original and re-established organizations) in a variety of roles including National Project Coordinator, Director of Health Communications, and Relationship Manager. Christa also spent five years at Hamilton Public Health Services as a Physical Activity Specialist. She has taught at York University and Sheridan College and helped establish Sheridan’s Exercise Science and Health Promotion degree program. Since 2015, Christa has operated her consulting business, working with a variety of government and non-government organizations in the physical activity, recreation and sport sector.
In a volunteer capacity, Christa serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (Chair), KidSport Ontario (Chair), and the Canadian Sport Film Festival (secretary).
Christa is a Registered Nurse, has a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Physical Education and two certificates (Fitness Assessment & Exercise Counseling, and Sport Administration) from York University, and a Master of Arts in Applied Health Science (Health and Physical Education) from Brock University.
Christa has two human daughters (Alexis and Zoya) and two feline daughters (Amazing and Grace). She loves them almost as much as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors!
Christa is honoured to serve as ALACD’s, only second ever, Executive Director. “I have extremely big shoes to fill, and I can only say that I hope Jane [Arkell] would be happy to pass along the denim-wearing Executive director uniform and role to me to carry on her legacy (until my not-too-distant retirement date).”