Meet The Team

Chair

 

Building on an animal science degree from the University of Guelph, John has been privileged to work with Canada’s livestock, poultry and equine sectors for almost 50 years.  He has provided strategic planning, program delivery, governance and financial management guidance to a wide range of government and non-governmental organizations. This included participation on the Canadian Poultry Research Council and 4-H Canada boards of directors.  He has been actively engaged as a volunteer with the Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa Carleton (TROtt) since 2023.

Chair

 

Cilla joined the TROtt Board of Directors in March 2017, having started with the program as a volunteer in the summer of 2016. It didn’t take long for her to realize that this is the perfect place to combine her life-long passion for horses with her desire to give back to the community. She enjoys every minute!

Chair

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Maria joined TROtt’s Board of Directors in January 2025 as Treasurer. She currently works as Director, Finance at Harris Computer. Maria has 8 years of experience in financial accounting, with 6 years of experience in auditing at EY. She grew up riding horses and values relationships with all animals, especially horses. She is excited to use her financial knowledge to assist with an organization as meaningful as TROtt.

Director

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Pauline joined TROtt in April 2025 bringing extensive administrative experience gained from roles in government, private and public sectors. Since joining, she has resumed riding and developed a strong appreciation for the riders and horses in the equine assisted programs, as a side walker and horse handler. As a Director, Pauline is committed to supporting TROtt’s initiatives and looks forward to contributing to the fundraising team to help advance the organization’s mission and support its amazing riders, staff and volunteers.

Director

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Alison is a former librarian with the Federal Government. She transitioned to family responsibilities with child and elder care and has volunteered throughout this time in a variety of organizations and roles. After serving as Secretary to the TROtt Board, Alison has recently joined the Fundraising arm and looks forward to connecting with the generous members of the local business community.  

Director

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Dr. Fabian Schwarz is a family physician with global medical experience, a background in public health, and teaching experience at  the University of Ottawa. He mentors medical students and internationally trained physicians, supporting initiatives to enhance primary care and community health. With expertise in primary care research, Fabian brings strategic insight to help TROtt strengthen its impact on community well-being. 

Director

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Priyanka Nagasubramanian is a senior healthcare strategy and innovation leader with over eight years of experience driving large-scale transformation across complex health systems, government, and the broader digital health ecosystem.
She joined the Board of the Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton because she believes deeply in the power of community-based care to improve quality of life for individuals with disabilities — and in the importance of strong organizational foundations to sustain that mission. Priyanka contributes strategic governance, organizational development expertise, and fundraising leadership to help TROTT continue its vital work serving the Ottawa community.