Governance

Appointed October, 2017 

George McLellan was born and educated in Sydney, Nova Scotia and holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Business Administration.

He began his career in Nova Scotia with the provincial government. He later joined the Royal Bank and served in senior management positions in Canada and the U.S. In order to remain in Nova Scotia, he joined the Municipality of the County of Halifax shortly before amalgamation, ultimately leading to his position as Chief Administrative Officer with the Halifax Regional Municipality.  In 2005, he became President and CEO of EMC Inc., a Medavie Blue Cross subsidiary providing ambulance services throughout Nova Scotia.

Responding to the growth of the business into other markets, Mr. McLellan established the Medavie EMS Group of Companies.  MEMS grew to operate provincial ambulance services in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, as well as regional services in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. In 2012 the company expanded into Massachusetts.  In addition, Medavie EMS became involved in other innovative aspects of clinical training through its subsidiary, Medavie HealthEd and its communications and dispatch operation, Medacom Atlantic.

After retiring from Medavie EMS in March of 2014, Mr. McLellan continued to work as a consultant in both the private and public sector.  In July of 2014, as part of its transition to a consolidated health care system, the Nova Scotia government dissolved nine volunteer boards and appointed Mr. McLellan as the administrator to oversee the nine district health authorities. Premier Stephen MacNeil then appointed Mr. McLellan Deputy Minister of Finance in February of 2015 to help the Province reach a balanced budget.  Achieving that objective in the spring of 2016, Mr. McLellan retired to Baddeck.

Mr. McLellan has been active in fund raising efforts over the years, including the United Way, the initial Capital Campaign for the QEII Hospital, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.  He was a past Chair of the Halifax VON, former Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University, a member of the Board of Governors of Saint Mary’s University, and the Greater Halifax Partnership. He most recently served on the national boards of Accreditation Canada and the Canadian Foundation for Health Care Improvement.

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 currently Chairman of the Board for the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Greg is an avid fly-fisher and sports enthusiast who enjoys golf, hockey and outdoor pursuits.

Appointed October, 2012 

Following graduation from St. Francis Xavier University, John achieved his CA designation (1989) while working at Peat Marwick (now KPMG LLP) in Halifax. He then attended Queen's University receiving his MBA and joined the Bank of Nova Scotia (Corporate Banking) in Toronto. John  currently holds the position of Associate Professor Accounting at Cape Breton University.  He is the former Dean of the Shannon School of Business at CBU (2006-2013).  In 2006, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia honoured him with the FCA designation. He received the FCPA designation in 2016.

John has extensive professional and community involvement and was the recipient of the Ross Towler CA of the Year Award in 2000. Past Board roles include serving as President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia; Chairman of the Atlantic School of Chartered Accountancy; Board Member, Atlantic Innovation Fund; and Vice Chairman and Treasurer of the Sydney airport Authority.  John was appointed to the NSLC Board effective June 30, 2012. John is currently Chair of the NSLC Audit and Risk Committee.

Appointed June, 2015 

Cathie has 20 years of progressive leadership experience in public sector finance and administration in and has held a number of senior executive roles including Director of Finance and Customer Service/Chief Financial Officer for the Halifax Regional Water Commission, and Chief Financial Officer of the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Cathie has served on various Boards and Committees in a volunteer capacity including the Audit Committee of the Halifax Regional School Board, the Property Valuation Services Corporation Board and has Chaired the Ethics and Discipline Committee of the Certified General Accountants Association. In 2011 she received the Dr. Ray Carroll Award (CGA of the Year), nominated by her peers in the category of Ethics.

Cathie holds an undergraduate degree from Dalhousie University, a designation as a CPA, and a Masters in Business Administration from Laurentian University. Her areas of experience include strategic planning, finance, reporting, budgeting, accounting, policy development, internal control, procurement, customer service, leading regulatory proceedings and legislative compliance with various Acts, and acting as Administrator for a public sector defined benefit pension plan.

Appointed December, 2015 

Keith has been employed with noted international corporations such as Proctor and Gamble and Phillip Morris in Sales, Sales Management, and Management positions. He has founded several local companies, including Dexter’s Automotive Group and Atlantic Signature Mortgage & Loan.

Keith is currently Chairman of Helmco Capital, President & CEO of Gateway Insurance Group and President of MHG - a National Insurance Company. He is a Partner in W5 Business Group and Chair of SDC Real Estate Ltd. His business interests include Insurance, Real Estate, M&A, Financial Services, as well as a Private Capital Company.

Keith has earned numerous national industry leadership awards, he has serves as a Director of national and local boards, and has been involved in the leadership of many community organizations.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Keith is a graduate of Dalhousie University. He resides in Seabright, NS.

Appointed December, 2017  

David Pace is Vice-President of The Pace Group Limited, a diversified family-owned company with operations in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.  David's strengths are applied daily in operations, strategic planning, regulatory issues, development and construction.

For the past 10 years, David has been President of Pace Construction Services, a general contracting firm that completes building construction and leasehold improvement projects throughout the Maritimes.

David’s educational background includes a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Saint Mary’s University, which followed his graduation in Construction Management Technology (CMT) at NSCC. 

Residing in Glen Margaret, NS, David is an avid outdoorsmen and conservationist. When not in the woods or a field, he can be found on the water racing sailboats with his friends.  

Appointed October, 2018

Rick has been a leading marketing communications and research expert for over 30 years, and is senior counsel at the M5 Group where his principal responsibilities lie in corporate development, business development and strategy development. He founded Bristol Communications Group, Omnifacts Research Inc. and Boomersplus.com.  He is well known for his specialty research work in the area of political, public opinion and public policy where he has consulted to well over 50 public sector and not-for-profit organizations.

Rick holds a degree in Economic and Political Science and has completed Masters studies in Marketing.

Rick is CEO of Boomersplus.com and currently serves as Senior Counsel to the M5 Group. He is Executive Chair of the Board of the Discovery Centre International, and is a recent director of the Greater Halifax Partnership.  He also serves on the Advisory Board to the MacPhee Centre an organization serving ‘at risk’ youth. During his career he has managed over 500 research assignments in consumer products, travel & tourism and telecommunications and public policy.

Rick has led multiple projects in the areas of sponsorship Marketing strategy and fundraising. Specifically, he managed sponsorship strategy and stewardship for the new Neptune Theatre; Tall Ships 2000; Discovery Centre; World Junior Hockey and World Women’s Hockey Championships and a number of other private and NFP organizations.

He currently Chairs the NS Nature Trust and is involved in developing a new fundraising and sponsorship program for that organization.  He also currently sits on the Board of the Advertising Standards Council of Canada.

Appointed October, 2018 

Holly Bond has more than twenty years of experience in franchising, entrepreneurship, sales management, marketing and business start-ups. In 2005, Holly founded the Bulldog Interactive Fitness Inc® franchise system where she combined interactive video games with exercise to make fitness fun for kids.

Bulldog Interactive received international attention, with franchise applications coming in from countries around the world, including Dubai, Portugal, Singapore, Columbia and Australia. Franchises were sold across Canada and Florida. In 2008, Bulldog was successfully acquired by DHX Media.

In 2009 she helped launch Bullfrog Power, a green energy provider, in the Atlantic Provinces and was the Vice President of Sales until 2018 when she joined the Investment Attraction, Innovation team at the Halifax Partnership.

Holly has been featured on CTV National News, CBC Venture, Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Canadian Business, Today’s Parent, Prevention Magazine®, Franchise Business and Canadian Marketing Magazine to name just a few. She was chosen as one of Atlantic Canada’s five most interesting business people, and one of the top seven to watch in 2007. Holly is past recipient of the Nova Scotia Export Achievement Award, the Women of Excellence Award, and Innovative Business of the Year. She was also a finalist for the Manning Award.

Holly has served on various Boards and Committees and as a volunteer with several organizations including the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development, Entrepreneurs with Disabilities as well as the Campaign Committee of the Dartmouth General Hospital and Nova Scotia Mental Health.

Byron Rafuse was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance and Treasury Board on June 6, 2016. Prior to that Mr. Rafuse held the position of Associate Deputy Minister of Finance since March, 2010. He had originally joined the department as Controller in September 2004. Byron has extensive government experience, with 32 years spent working for the Province of Nova Scotia.

Prior to joining the Department of Finance and Treasury Board, Byron spent several years in various senior financial and program positions at the Department of Solicitor General, the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance and Treasury Board. He was also the chief financial officer with the Department of Health. He currently serves on the boards of Canada Games Centre, Teachers Pension Plan, and Superannuation Pension Plan.

Byron holds a bachelor of commerce degree from St. Mary's University, as well has a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.

Originally from New Ross, Nova Scotia, Byron lives in Halifax and is the proud father of daughter, Lucy.

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).

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 currently Chairman of the Board for the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Greg is an avid fly-fisher and sports enthusiast who enjoys golf, hockey and outdoor pursuits.

Caroline was appointed Senior Vice-President, Finance in August 2019 and has been a member of the Executive Team since 2015. She oversees Risk Management, Strategy, and all financial aspects of the organization, as well as being a member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. 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.

A native of PEI but with deep roots in Nova Scotia, Dave returned to the NSLC to assume the role of Senior Vice-President, Corporate Services after having spent two years in Montreal as VP Finance for Frank And Oak. In his current role, he leads Information Technology, Procurement & Facilities, Internal Audit & Corporate Security, Corporate Affairs & Communications, E-Commerce, and Network Development & Revenue Management.

Prior to that, Dave accumulated a wealth of retail experience through his previous role as VP Finance and IT at the NSLC, as well as through various senior roles at Sobeys and Holt Renfrew in Nova Scotia and Ontario. His experience includes financial planning and reporting, business financing, as well as business transformation.

Dave holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mount Allison University and is a CPA, CA.      

Paul started his career with the NSLC when he was 20 years old and has been part of our transformation to a modern, customer focused organization. Paul is an operations expert who has held many positions including Store Manager, Regional Manager and Vice President Customer Experience.

In his current role as Senior Vice-President Customer Operations, Paul is responsible for the team that is instrumental in driving an exceptional customer experience. He is passionate about his team, and his wealth of retail expertise and leadership abilities bring strategic direction to every customer-facing touchpoint in our stores.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University and his exceptional management skills and collaborative approach are an asset to his team.

In his spare time, Paul is busy with his wife and three children and enjoys sailing, dirt biking with his son, and taking part in outdoor pursuits.

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 is currently working on obtaining her 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.