Governance

Tara Miller holds degrees in arts and law and is currently a partner at MDW Injury and Insurance Law. In addition to over 20 years of experience in law and 8 years of experience in a senior leadership role, Tara has over 20 years of board experience including serving two terms as Chair of the Board for Special Olympics Nova Scotia.

Appointed October, 2023

Kirk MacRae is currently the President of RKM Investment Limited and has 40 years of experience in management and senior leadership roles. Mr. MacRae also has over 30 years of board experience including being Chair of the Board of Governors for the Gaelic College of St. Ann’s, as well as a Board Member and Chair of the Governance and Nomination Committee for the Royal Canadian Mint. Mr. MacRae holds a degree in business administration and calls Ben Eoin, Cape Breton home. 

Greg is an executive and entrepreneur with a progressive career in financial management, business operations, leadership, and client relations spanning more than two decades. He has demonstrated success in building high performance teams and motivating employees to reach personal and corporate goals. Greg has earned a reputation for resolving complex issues by navigating highly regulated industries and collaborating with leaders and diverse stakeholders.

Prior to joining the NSLC, Greg was the General Manager of Operations, Atlantic Canada for CIBC and most recently President & CEO of CleanEarth Technologies in Enfield, a world leader of complex soil and water remediation solutions.

Greg is a native Nova Scotian and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary‘s University. He is community minded and is the former Chairman and current Director of the Board of Make-A-Wish Canada.

Greg is an avid fly-fisher and sports enthusiast who enjoys golf, hockey and outdoor pursuits.

Appointed January, 2021

Colleen Keyes is a partner at the Halifax office of the law firm Stewart McKelvey, representing private companies, reporting issuers and publicly-traded companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange as well as underwriters on a wide variety of matters. With extensive experience in policy and regulatory matters in the Canadian gaming industry, she also advises clients on regulatory compliance and corporate governance best practices.

Colleen holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from Dalhousie University and an Osgoode Certificate in Mining Law from the Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. Colleen is the past Chair of the Board of Governors at Mount Saint Vincent University, and is in the final year of a 10-year term as a Governor, having served on each of the subcommittees of the Board. She is the co-Chair of the Phoenix Annual Holiday Luncheon Committee and has been an active volunteer with the Halifax-Dunbrack Soccer Club.

Appointed January 2021

Kiki graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and obtained her Chartered Account (CA) designation and her Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation while working for Deloitte & Touche in Sydney. Together with a partner, she purchased the assets and accounts of the Deloitte & Touche office, where she continues to practice in the areas of assurance and taxation. She is now President and Managing Partner with the firm, which has been rebranded as hk CPA.

Kiki has extensive experience in community initiatives, including being Chair of the Audit Committees for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation (2018 – present) and the Nova Scotia Mental Health Foundation (2010 – 2017).

Kelliann’s career spans 34 years in public and private sector leadership, strategic planning, business development, communications, board governance and business financing. She has successfully managed complex stakeholder relationships with a visionary leadership style characterized by a passion for building strong teams and partnerships to achieve results.

As the longest serving Deputy Minister in Nova Scotia, she has provided strategic advice to Premiers and Ministers since 2004.

Kelliann currently serves as Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, a post she has held since 2016. In 2021, she was also appointed Deputy Minister of the Nova Scotia Department of Finance and Treasury Board.

She has previously served as Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs from 2016 to 2019 as well as Chair of the Municipal Finance Corporation. From 2013 to 2016, she was Deputy Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage as well as Chair of the Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries and Casino Corporation and, Chair of the Nova Scotia Museum Board of Governors. She was appointed Public Service Commissioner from 2010 to 2013, and Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage from 2004 to 2010 during which time she served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Tourism Commission. Before returning to Nova Scotia in 2001 as Vice President, Nova Scotia Business Inc., she held various positions at the Business Development Bank of Canada, in Montreal and Halifax.

Kelliann received the CIBC Executive Leaders Award in 2020 which recognizes women leaders who not only exemplify what it means to be a great leader in their organizations and communities, but also leadership which builds confidence, champions equality and breaks down barriers for the next generation of leaders to come.

Kelliann holds a Master of Business Administration degree from St. Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University.

Susan is the CEO of The Windsor Elms Village, Falmouth, a licensed Long Term Care home. With leadership experience in both acute and continuing care, in public and private settings in Canada and the United States, Susan has a deep understanding of complex operations, effective, transformative leadership and sound, fiscal accountability. Additionally, Susan spent part of her career in the financial services sector in Nova Scotia and Ontario.

Governance is a passion for Susan, having obtained her ICD.D designation in December 2021. Her education also includes a Masters of Science in Business from Husson University, a Bachelor of Recreation Management from Acadia University, a Diploma in Nursing from the VG School of Nursing and a Certificate in Executive Management from Dalhousie University. Currently, she serves on the Board of Governors for Acadia University and is the President of The Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she serves as Past President of the Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association and is on the Board of Directors for Pier Labs.

Born and raised in the Annapolis Valley, Susan and her family live in the beautiful Annapolis Valley.

Jenn holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University and a Chartered Professional Accounting designation (CPA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia. She is currently the Vice President, Corporate Services at Credit Union Atlantic (CUA) and is responsible for leading the finance, information technology, and risk management functions including cyber security. Jennifer has more than 10 years of board experience as the Treasurer of the Better Business Bureau for the Atlantic Provinces (2011 – 2019) where she chaired the Finance and Risk Committee, and currently serves as the Treasurer, Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Amanda Dean is currently the Vice President of the Insurance Bureau of Canada and has been approved to serve a 2-year term. Amanda has 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors as well as 15 years of experience in a senior leadership role. Also, Amanda brings over 20 years of board experience including being Chair of the Board of Governors for Mount Saint Vincent University.

Steve Streatch has over 35 years of experience in the private sector, spanning several industries and businesses. Steve served five terms as councillor on the Halifax City Council from 1999 to 2020. In addition to having served as Deputy Mayor, Steve has over 20 years of board experience.

Frank MacFarlane holds degrees in arts, and urban and rural planning, and is currently the Business Development Officer for the Town of New Glasgow. Frank brings over 20 years of experience in the public sector to his new role on our Board.

Greg is an executive and entrepreneur with a progressive career in financial management, business operations, leadership, and client relations spanning more than two decades. He has demonstrated success in building high performance teams and motivating employees to reach personal and corporate goals. Greg has earned a reputation for resolving complex issues by navigating highly regulated industries and collaborating with leaders and diverse stakeholders.

Prior to joining the NSLC, Greg was the General Manager of Operations, Atlantic Canada for CIBC and most recently President & CEO of CleanEarth Technologies in Enfield, a world leader of complex soil and water remediation solutions.

Greg is a native Nova Scotian and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary‘s University. He is community minded and is the former Chairman and current Director of the Board of Make-A-Wish Canada.

Greg is an avid fly-fisher and sports enthusiast who enjoys golf, hockey and outdoor pursuits.

Caroline was appointed Senior Vice President, Finance and Risk in August 2019 and has been a member of the Executive Team since 2015. Her team leads all financial aspects of the organization including business planning, budgeting and financial reporting, She is also responsible for portfolios such as data governance, reporting as well as risk management. Caroline has contributed to the success of the business and its people since 2006 when she was hired as a Business Analyst on the SAP implementation project.

Leveraging her strengths in systems and processes, Caroline built her accounting experience working for construction, engineering, and information technology consulting firms. A native of Montreal, she moved to Nova Scotia in 2003 and was hired by Fujitsu Consulting – Business Services as part of their start-up team.

Caroline holds a Bachelor of Management from HEC Montreal (University of Montreal Business School), an MBA degree from Saint Mary’s University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA,CMA). To give back to the community, she joined the Board of Le Petit Voilier, an early childhood centre, in 2010. Her work as President of the Board for this non-profit, allows her to support her education and French language values as well as her professional growth.

 

Caroline lives in Dartmouth with her husband Chris and son Matis.

Ryan Embrett-Baboushkin has developed her career as a human resources professional by working in both the private and public sectors of Nova Scotia. Ryan joined the NSLC after more than 13 years with the IWK Health Centre where she specialized in labour relations, compensation and benefits, talent recruitment and development and HR business intelligence. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from St. Mary’s University and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Dalhousie University.

Ryan is proud to be from Cape Breton Island and enjoys running, biking, hiking with her dog, and cooking in her free time. 

Chrissy joined the Executive team in April of 2025 as the Vice President, Corporate Services, most recently serving as Director of Insights & Strategy since 2022. The Corporate Services team is responsible for supporting NSLC teams with Data & Insights and leading Corporate Affairs, Communications and Strategic Planning for the organization.

Chrissy joined NSLC in 2017, bringing 10 years of consumer-packaged goods industry leadership experience in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Beginning her NSLC career in Category Management, she later transitioned to developing and leading the Local Engagement approach in 2021.

Most recently, in her role as Director, Insights & Strategy, Chrissy and team worked to support the continued evolution, and use, of data and shopper insights and the development and implementation of the NSLC’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.

Growing up in the Annapolis Valley, Chrissy now resides in Halifax with her family.

Heather joined the NSLC Executive Team in November 2021 as the Vice President of Information Technology. Her teams lead all aspects of IT Service Delivery & Project Delivery, including Cybersecurity and the Enterprise Technology Roadmap. Ensuring that technology can support our business initiatives while keeping our systems safe.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University, Heather's career began in hotel management in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. She later returned to school and earned a Masters in Applied Information Technology.

She worked for several years consulting Fortune 500 companies before joining the NSLC as a Business Systems Analyst on the SAP implementation project in 2006. She has progressively taken on more responsibility, eventually becoming the director responsible for the technology project portfolio that supports business initiatives. She was also a key leader in the NSLC's implementation of cannabis.

Heather has served on various volunteer boards related to her children's school and sports activities and regularly volunteers at a local warming center in her community. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her dog, paddleboarding, and indoor rock climbing.

John joined the NSLC in October 2020 and was chosen to lead and support the Shopper Engagement team at the NSLC. The team is focused on providing access and opportunity for products Nova Scotians love, connecting and providing value through intentional shopper and reputation marketing, and improving the physical/virtual places and ways we connect with shoppers and partners.

Before joining the NSLC, John had a 21-year progressive career in marketing, sales, sponsorship, communications and guest services in financial services, winter sports, FMCG, hospitality, and entertainment.

John is originally from Ontario and moved to Halifax to attend Saint Mary’s University, where he graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. John and his family have moved across the country, having spent time in Ontario and Alberta before returning to Nova Scotia to join the team at the NSLC.

John is proud to call Halifax home, and when he is not at work, he can be found spending time with his family and their two dogs.