Our Board

CI Board of Directors

Canada Board of Directors

Bernice Carnegie is a lifelong advocate and change agent for social justice harmony.  An international speaker, storyteller, and author, she engages a wide range of audiences bringing an awareness to her ancestral history.  She shares how the experiences of her American, Canadian, and Jamaican family circa 1912 have shaped the direction of countless lives.   
 
For seventeen years Bernice’s leadership, as Executive Director, of their family charity and foundation, enhanced safe school’s programs throughout Ontario and beyond. She worked with her father, hockey trailblazer Herb Carnegie, for three decades and currently is co-founder of The Carnegie Initiative for Inclusion and Acceptance in Hockey which continues their earlier work in promoting positive cultural and societal change.
 
The family’s legacy is shared in an autobiography, “A Fly in a Pail of Milk, The Herb Carnegie Story”. Part II written by Bernice reveals how her life was shaped by “lessons passed on from father to daughter.” As a community leader for four decades, Bernice has been the recipient of numerous federal, provincial, and community awards for education, development, communication/speaking, volunteerism, and lifetime achievement. Bernice made history in 2021 by becoming part of the first BIPOC ownership of a women’s professional hockey team – Toronto Six that went on to win The Isobel Cup in 2023. Her contributions to the compelling documentary “Beyond Their Years” continues to amplify and honour the work of her father on and off the ice.
I am a hockey referee, spending the past 4 seasons in the ECHL. I was the first openly gay male in professional hockey and am an advocate for change. Having lived and travelled all over the US and Canada for most of the 20s, I now live in my hometown of Montreal with my boyfriend. Through my experiences both on and off the ice, I value authenticity and love above all. I believe we can educate and change minds by being kind and listening to one another without shame or judgement. That is what real long lasting change looks like – and don’t forget to have a little fun along the way. This is too important to take seriously.

I’m never short a laugh!

Brian Burke’s career in the business of hockey began in 1987 as an NHL player agent and director of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks. He was credited with reviving the franchise as the team won a playoff series and captured a division title. From 2005-2007, Burke was the general manager for the Anaheim Ducks, who, under his leadership won the 2007 Stanley Cup championship. He was also a pro scout and consultant for the team after serving as the president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Burke also worked with the United States Olympic national team as the general manager at Vancouver’s 2010 Winter games, and as the director of player development at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Away from the rink, Burke is well known for his work within the community. He is a vocal activist against homophobia in sports, a strong supporter of first response personnel and military service members, an environmentalist, and a humanitarian. Since his son Patrick founded the “You Can Play Project” in support of his brother Brendan, Burke has been very vocal about the importance of LGBT inclusion in the NHL. Burke also remains heavily involved with the military, visiting bases within Canada, the United States, and Afghanistan. He has worked with the Wounded Warrior Project since 2003.

Burke is also an avid supporter of many other philanthropic organizations in both the US and Canada.

Currently, Burke serves as a member of the Selection Committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame, sits on the Board of Directors for Rugby Canada, and is a television analyst for NHL Network.

Grant Fuhr is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and former goaltending coach for the Arizona Coyotes. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is best remembered for a decade of stellar play for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s. He won a total of five Stanley Cups and was a six time All-Star. In 2017 Fuhr was named one of the ‘100 Greatest NHL Players’ in history. He set a number of firsts for black hockey players in the NHL, including being the first to win the Stanley Cup and being the first inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Angela James grew up in Flemington Park in Toronto Ontario from 1966 – 1981 with her two sisters and Mother. Angela was a member of the Canadian Women’s Hockey team for 10 years, winning a remarkable 4 World Gold medal Championships and 4 International Pacific Rim championships. In addition, she was a member of the 1992 and 1994 Canadian Women’s Roller Hockey Team which won gold at the World Championships. Angela is an honoured member of the Seneca College Hall of Fame and two – time athlete of the year, the Ontario Ball Hockey Hall of Fame and the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Hall of Fame, a Seneca Distinguished Alumni and has had her sweater retired by Seneca College and the Toronto Aeros Hockey Club. In 2005 she was awarded the Hockey Canada Female Hockey Breakthrough Award. In 2012 she was awarded the YWCA Women’s Distinguished Award. In 2015 she received the Sport of Honor award for the City of Toronto. In 3 seasons with the Seneca Scouts, Angela was a 3-time OCAA Scoring Champion, 2-time OCAA All-Star and 3-time team MVP and 2 time Athlete of the Year. Angela is the OCAA’s all-time leading scorer with over 50 goals, amazingly reaching this mark while playing mostly defense. Angela was inducted to the Black Sports Hall of Fame and in 2008 was one of the first females in history to be inducted in the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame (IIHF), the Canada Sports Hall of Fame, the Ontario Sport Hall of Fame, and an arena has been named after her in Flemington Park .


In 2010 Angela along with fellow American Cammi Granato was the first female to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Currently, Angela is a member of the NHL/NHLPA Female Hockey Advisory Committee and in 2010 ‘Angela James The First Superstar of Women’s Hockey’ a biography of her accomplishments and life was published.

Angela has worked with a number of great athletes and championship teams throughout her athletic career. She is currently a skills coach offering clinics for coaches and athletes specifically dealing with the development of programs from the U9 level up to U18 level. She is a dynamic, energetic and knowledgeable individual with extensive coaching and playing experience that is an invaluable resource to minor hockey and sport across the country. Angela currently in 2020 retired from Seneca College after 35 years of service in the department of Athletics and Recreation as Senior Sport Coordinator and has a partner of 24 years and 3 children ages 21 and twins age 15.

MacLean is a Canadian icon and a multiple award-winning sports broadcaster, best known for his roles on Hockey Night in Canada and Rogers Hometown Hockey in addition to his quick wit and encyclopedic knowledge. He is a ten-time Gemini Award winner and two-time George Gross Award recipient, honouring excellence in sports broadcasting, and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2015. Throughout his 20-plus year career with the CBC and Hockey Night In Canada, MacLeans’s role expanded to include hosting CBC’s coverage of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, World Cup Hockey, the Calgary Stampede, and the Queen’s Plate. In 2011,MacLean published his bestselling book, Cornered, coauthored by Kirstie McLellan Day. The book chronicles his journey from childhood to the host of one of Canada’s most celebrated television programs.
Ted Nolan was born into a large family on the Garden River First Nation in northern Ontario in 1958. The 3rd youngest of twelve children, in a house lacking electricity and plumbing, Ted learned resilience from his parents Stan and Rose. From his mother, he received pride in his heritage and that helped him become the strong man that he is today. He also learned to follow his dreams, no matter how big or small. Today, Ted believes that pride, strength, and a willingness to dream are the cornerstones of success.

Ted grew up playing minor hockey in Sault Ste. Marie and left home at the age of 16 to go play junior hockey in Kenora, Ontario. A year after leaving home to play in Kenora, Ted returned to play for his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League from 1976 to 1978. Ted played the game with so much passion, a ton of grit, and it was these attributes that saw him get drafted into the NHL in 1978 by the Detroit Red Wings. After a brief stint in the Red Wings organization, which saw him raise the Calder Cup Championship with their minor league affiliate, Ted was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins appearing in 78 NHL games before having his career cut short by a serious back injury at the age of 26.

After being forced to retire at the age of 26, Ted knew that he wanted to stay involved in hockey, and it was his first coaching job with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL that helped launch his coaching career. Ted began his new career coaching the Greyhounds of the OHL and took his team to 3 straight Memorial Cup appearances, eventually winning the Memorial Cup Championship in 1993. In 1994, Ted moved on to the professional ranks as an assistant coach of the NHL’s Hartford Whalers. In 1995 he was named the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and in just two short years, took his team to 1st place in the Northeast Division and was named NHL Coach of the Year.

Ted would also go on to coach the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and in just one year with the team, led them to the league championship while also being named General Manager of the Year. He returned to the NHL to coach the New York Islanders and in 2013 he made his second appearance coaching the Buffalo Sabres. Ted also has international coaching experience, leading the Latvian Men’s National Ice Hockey Team to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, almost upsetting Team Canada in the quarter finals.

Ted always says, “hockey is what I do, it is not who I am”. Ted is so grateful for the opportunities hockey has created in his life, and most importantly, the opportunity it has created for him to become a positive role model and inspiration for First Nations people all across Canada. Today, Ted is president of the 3Nolans along with Brandon and Jordan. He and his wife, Sandra are grandparents to Hunter, Ryder, Sadie, Quinn and Harper.

Sarah Nurse is a Professional and Olympic hockey player. Born in Hamilton, ON Canada, Sarah started playing hockey at 5 years old and played with local boys teams until she was 12. After gaining attention of national scouts, she captured a gold and bronze medal with Team Ontario at the Canadian U18 National Championships before earning a gold medal with Team Canada at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in 2013.

She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Business where she also played 4 years of Division 1 hockey, earning All-American, All-Conference and All-Rookie honours throughout her career. All while helping her team win 3 straight WCHA Conference Championships and making 4 Frozen Four appearances.

She was selected to be apart of Team Canada’s 2018 Women’s Olympic Hockey that won a silver medal in PyeongChang, South Korea and picked up her first Olympic goal as the game winner in a 2-1 win over the USA in Round Robin play.

A member of the 2019 Women’s World Championship team, she was named in the Top 3 players for Team Canada and helped her team earn a bronze medal. Sarah is currently a member of the NHL Player Inclusion Committee and on the Board of Directors with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). She is also an NHL hockey analyst for Rogers Sportsnet in Canada.

Born and raised in small-town Alberta, Harnarayan Singh has risen through the broadcast ranks as a prominent media personality in the world of hockey, challenging the status quo along the way.

While many said his dreams of working in hockey were unattainable, Harnarayan channeled his love for the game into a broadcasting career and has since called over 700 NHL games for Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi, along with becoming a host for Sportsnet in English on a national level.

A natural storyteller, Harnarayan was a keynote speaker at the World Cup of Hockey Summit at the Hockey Hall of Fame and has been featured in The New York Times, Macleans Magazine, and on HBO, along with writing for The Players’ Tribune.

Harnarayan’s recent memoir, ‘One Game At A Time’ – My Journey From Small-Town Alberta to Hockey’s Biggest Stage, became an instant national bestseller. He speaks to audiences across North America, providing inspiration to countless others through his journey of defying the odds.

His growing list of accomplishments includes being named the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, an award given by the Governor General of Canada for Harnarayan’s contribution to Canadian society. Along with being an ambassador for the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup and a member of the NHL’s Fan Inclusion Committee, Harnarayan is also the winner of the Brian Williams Media Award from the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. He also serves on the board of HEROS, a charity that uses hockey as a mentorship tool for at-risk youth.

Whether it be on the Tabla or Harmonium, Harnarayan has toured as an accomplished musician, performing Kirtan (Sikh music) around North America and India, including at the sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar. Harnarayan lives in Calgary with his wife and two young children.

US Board of Directors

Bryant McBride builds businesses at the intersection of sports, technology and media. Bryant was the first Black executive at the National Hockey League serving as VP, Business Development from 1991 – 2000. Bryant’s entrepreneurial track record over the past 20 years is 5-1-1 netting investors $80 MM on $10MM invested, with one more investment, Burst, still in play. Bryant also produced and finds time to promote the messages in his acclaimed documentary “Willie”, about the first black player in the NHL. He has served on the Boards on the New York Roadrunners, The Armory Track and Field Center in New York City, The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy in Boston, amongst others. He enjoys mentoring smart, relentless business builders, has been a leader on social justice initiatives for decades, is an avid youth hockey coach and administrator, and has started 26 Marathons – and completed them all.
Mrs. Camper is a Manager in the Global Compliance and Ethics Department for Teva Pharmaceuticals. Mrs. Camper holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, a Master in Business Administration from The University of Louisiana, Monroe and is a Certified Fraud Examiner.

In addition to working in a career that she is passionate about, Mrs. Camper is dedicated to ensuring children have a successful experience inside and outside the classroom. Mrs. Camper sits on the leadership committee for the Multicultural Parents Association in Springfield Township Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, which seeks parent, teacher and administrative support to ensure all students of a diverse background have an inclusive experience in the K-12 learning environment. Mrs. Camper has successfully worked to help ensure a more diverse curriculum, worked to provide parents and students with anti-bias training and moderated conversations between residents and Police Officers to address the over-criminalization of minority children.

Further, Mrs. Camper is also a proud hockey mom. She was actively involved as a board member for Revolution Youth Ice Hockey Tier II (Treasurer) and the Co-Fundraising Chair for the organization. In this role, Mrs. Camper helped cultivate change by having a position on diversity and inclusion adopted by the club and displayed publicly on the club website. Additionally, she chaired a committee and helped award the organizations first ever scholarships to deserving student athletes based hockey, academic and civic performance. Lastly, she created an initiative for each of the club’s teams to perform community service projects and also worked to help execute a fundraiser for Hammerheads Hockey, in which the organization raised funds to donate to disabled players; providing players with a rewarding experience to play in games alongside their hockey brothers and sisters on sleds. Mrs. Camper is passionate about creating a fair and equitable experience for all players and shaping well-rounded human beings as they navigate their hockey careers. Mrs. Camper’s interests include reading and crafting. She and her husband have two sons.

Renee Hess is an adjunct professor, community organizer, freelance pop culture writer and the Founder/Executive Director of the Black Girl Hockey Club, an organization that works to build an inclusive space for Black women in hockey. With a Master’s degree in Literature, Renee believes in the power of education and uses hockey to discuss topics like discrimination, the wage gap, sports fandom and the Black community. Black Girl Hockey Club and their anti-racism work in hockey has been featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and most recently, the New York Times.
Willie O’Ree is the National Hockey League’s Director of Youth Development and ambassador for NHL Diversity, a post he has held since January 1998. On January 18, 1958, playing for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens, he became the first black person to play in the NHL — an extraordinary event that paved the way for future players of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.
O’Ree played 45 games with the Bruins from 1958-61. His long professional career spanned 21 seasons, mostly in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Los Angeles Blades and the San Diego Gulls. O’Ree played his entire professional career blind in one eye.
As Director of Youth Development, O’Ree has helped the NHL Diversity program expose more than 40,000 boys and girls of diverse backgrounds to unique hockey experiences. Over the past decade, O’Ree has traveled thousands of miles across North America helping to establish 39 local grassroots hockey programs, all geared towards serving economically disadvantaged youth. While advocating strongly that “Hockey is for Everyone,” O’Ree stresses the importance of essential life skills, education, and the core values of hockey, which are: commitment, perseverance, and teamwork.
O’Ree is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. He was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Breitbard Hall of Fame in the San Diego Hall of Champions in 2008. He received the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States in 2003 and in 2007 became the inaugural recipient of the Bill Walsh Champion of Change Award, which recognizes an individual whose tenaciousness of purpose paved a path of opportunity to everyone. In 2005 he received the Order of New Brunswick, the highest honor of the Province of New Brunswick, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and achievement and who have made outstanding contributions to the social, cultural or economic well-being of the province and its residents. In January 2008 the Fredericton, New Brunswick City Council named their new hockey arena after O’Ree in honor of his accomplishments.
January 18, 2008 marked the 50th anniversary of O’Ree’s NHL debut with the Boston Bruins. This milestone was recognized by the National Hockey League throughout the season at both the local and national levels—including events celebrating the diversity of the game and the Hockey is for Everyone initiative. O’Ree resides in San Diego, California.
Josh Pauls, a native of Green Brook, NJ was born with a condition known as tibial hemimelia which resulted in him having his legs amputated at the knee at ten months old. He was named the youngest member of the 2008-09 US National Sled Hockey Team and has been a part of four world championship teams (2009, 2012, 2015, 2019) and three Paralympic gold medal-winning teams at Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Pyeongchang 2018. Prior to the Games in 2018, Josh was named the youngest captain in team history at 21 and continues to serve in that capacity.
Away from the rink, Josh has found success as a keynote speaker. Speaking on topics such as disability awareness, overcoming adversity, and leadership as well as coaching local hockey teams in St. Louis, he is committed to making an lasting impact on the game of hockey. He currently resides in St. Louis, MO with his fiancée Katie.
For more than 30 years, Frank Supovitz has been at the helm of some of the world’s most prestigious, widely-viewed, and wellattended sports and entertainment events. As the Senior Vice President of Events for the National Football League between 2005 and 2014, he was a major contributor to the meteoric growth of the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft, and American football games in London. Prior to joining the NFL, Frank led the National Hockey League’s event team for 13 years, responsible for the NHL All-Star Weekend, Stanley Cup, and international competition in Europe and Japan. Together with the Edmonton Oilers, he developed the league’s first stadium-based outdoor game in 2003, the forerunner to the highly successful NHL Winter Classic.

Supovitz founded Fast Traffic in 2014, an award-winning event management, production, and consulting firm that has served a wide range of sports and entertainment clients, including the Indy 500, Major League Soccer, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Australia’s National Rugby League, the Canadian Football League, the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament, the NBA’s Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, and the Houston and Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committees, among others. Fast Traffic was an integral member of the development and management team for the Rooftop at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport in New York City, Pollstar Award winner for Best New Concert Venue of 2018.

What to Do When Things Go Wrong, Frank’s newest book, was published by McGraw-Hill in May 2019 and was released as an audiobook in November 2019. He previously authored The Sports Event Management & Marketing Playbook, the definitive text used by sports business professionals and university programs across the globe for more than a decade. Frank received an honorary doctorate in Sports, Event, and Entertainment Management from Johnson & Wales University in 2003, was honored as New York University’s Cal Ramsey Distinguished Lecturer in 2014, and is currently an adjunct professor at Adelphi University. He was a recurring cast member on TruTV’s 2010 series NFL Full Contact, was featured on Showtime’s behind-the-scenes 60 Minutes Sports episode on the Super Bowl Blackout in 2013, and appeared in a cameo role in Ivan Reitman’s 2014 film Draft Day.

Chi-Yin Tse is a Hockey Director with over ten years of experience coaching the sport. The Oakland Ice Center operated by Sharks Ice has been his home since 2015 where he is focused on creating a community center based environment with a culture that values education, growth, inclusion, and giving back to the community. Most recently, Chi-Yin has expanded the programming to include a Girls’ Hockey program and envisions a STEM component that will show kids multiple opportunities for career development within the sport of hockey. He passionately works to grow the game in the community by setting up local street hockey programs and working with the local Chinatown recreation department. In his free time, Chi-Yin likes to practice photography, hike, and is learning to play guitar.
Karina Villegas I began my sled hockey career at 40 years old playing with the Space Coast Blast Sled Hockey Team based in Rockledge, Florida starting in the 2014-2015 Season. After my first season I became a member of the USA Women’s Developmental Program during Summer tryouts in 2015, which after one season I joined the USA Women’s National Para Ice Hockey Team for the 2016-2017 season as a forward.

I became an above knee right leg amputee in 1991 after being hit by a Venezuelan’s government vehicle in my high school zone. In 1998 I became the first disabled athlete to swim long distance open waters marathons in my native Venezuela. In 1999 I graduated from college as a Biomedical Scientist. In 2001 I realized I will never be safe in Venezuela due to my fight against the government to hold them accountable for their negligence, human rights violations, and threats against myself, my family, friends, and anyone involved in my cause.

I was granted political asylum, and became a US citizen in 2010. I have been a member for the USA Women’s National Para Ice Hockey Team since 2016. In 2018 we became world champions after defeating Canada 1-0 at worlds. Traveling to Puerto Rico for a sled clinic on the island awoke my vision of bringing the sport to all Latin America. I am committed to bring Para Ice Hockey to Latin America one country at a time, a very big dream but achievable.