NATIONAL BOARD MEMBERS

The board of directors is made up of a president, vice-president, secretary/treasurer and regional representatives, each of whom is elected by the general membership. Regional representatives are first appointed by their region through regional elections. To be a member of CANSI’s national board of directors, an individual must be an active member in good standing with the association.

Denys Lawrence
Denys Lawrence
National President
Pacific Region
CANSI member since 2000
  • XC instructor Level IV
  • XC course conductor Level III
  • Telemark instructor Level III
  • Other ski industry certifications: CSIA, NCCP
  • Instructor at SilverStar Mountain Resort and Sovereign Lake, B.C.
  • Interski demonstration team member 2019, 2023
Henry Madsen
Henry Madsen
National Vice President
Mountain Region
CANSI member since 1989
  • XC Level IV
  • XC Course Conductor Level IV
  • Telemark Instructor Level I
Ken Halcro
Ken Halcro
National Treasurer
Pacific Region
CANSI member since 2000
  • Telemark Instructor Level I
  • CANSI Pacific Treasurer
  • CSIA Level I
Garry-Almond
Garry Almond
National Office Manager, Advisor to the National Board, Former President;
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 2004
  • Former president and secretary/treasurer of CANSI
  • Telemark instructor Level II
  • Other ski industry certifications:
  • CSIA Level 1
  • Telemark instructor with Ski Telemark Inc.
Elizabeth Nicholson
Elizabeth Nicholson
Technical Committee Chair
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 2013
  • Telemark Level II
  • Telemark Course Conductor Level I
  • CSIA Level III and Course Conductor Level I
  • ACA Entry Level, Trained
Marie Lefebvre
Marie Lefebvre
National Office Coordinator
CANSI member since 2018
  • Snowshoe and winter enthusiast
  • More than 30 years’ experience in adult education and office administration for non-profit organizations
Alison-Hart
Alison Hart
Representative
Pacific Region
CANSI member since the 80’s
  • XC instructor Level III
  • Nordiq Canada coach Level CCI-L2T
  • Instructor at Cypress Mountain
  • Coach with Nordic Racers Ski Club
John-Heemmera
John Heemmera
Representative
Mountain Region
CANSI member since 1987
  • XC instructor Level III
  • Telemark instructor Level I
John Kim
John Kim
Representative
Central Region
CANSI member since 2088
  • XC instructor Level III
Jan Vopalensky
Jan Vopalensky
Representative
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 1994
  • XC instructor Level II
  • Ontario board member since 2002
Jean-François Dubois
Jean-François Dubois
Representative
Quebec Region
CANSI member since 2015
  • Telemark Instructor Level III
  • Telemark Course Conductor Level II
  • CSIA instructor Level II
  • 2023 Interski demonstration team member
Keith Payne
Keith Payne
Representative
Atlantic Region
CANSI member since 1994
  • XC Instructor Level III
  • XC Course Conductor Level I
 

NATIONAL OFFICE

They hold down the fort while you're out skiing and teaching. They answer your questions and bring you good news . . . always with a smile!

Garry-Almond
Garry Almond
National Office Manager, Advisor to the National Board, Former President;
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 2004
  • Former president and secretary/treasurer of CANSI
  • Telemark instructor Level II
  • Other ski industry certifications:
  • CSIA Level 1
  • Telemark instructor with Ski Telemark Inc.
Marie Lefebvre
Marie Lefebvre
National Office Coordinator
CANSI member since 2018
  • Snowshoe and winter enthusiast
  • More than 30 years’ experience in adult education and office administration for non-profit organizations
Ann Sullivan
Ann Sullivan
National Communications Coordinator
CANSI member since 2013
  • XC Instructor Level I
  • Other ski industry certifications: NCCP
  • Club coach with XC Bragg Creek, Alberta
Mireille Pilotto
Mireille Pilotto
Certified Translator
CANSI member since 2017
  • XC Instructor Level II
  • Loves to teach XC to adults and children
  • Volunteer Translator at CANSI
Jeannie MacDonald
Jeannie MacDonald
Accounting Clerk
CANSI member since 2018
  • XC Instructor Level I
  • Cross Country Official Level 3 (Divisional Technical Delegate)
  • Instructor at Kimberly Nordic Club

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

CANSI’s technical committee brings together members who are passionate about the evolution of cross country and telemark skiing. TC members analyze the latest ski information and make sure our instructors are teaching and demonstrating current skills. Reporting to the national board of directors, the TC is made up of members from each of CANSI’s six regions.

Rob Henderson
Rob Henderson
Advisor
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 1978
  • XC instructor Level IV
  • XC course conductor Level II
  • Telemark instructor Level II
  • Telemark course conductor Level II
  • Interski demonstration team member
  • 1987, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2011
  • Interski head coach in 1998
Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas
Technical Representative
Pacific Region
CANSI member since 1999
  • XC instructor Level IV
  • XC course conductor Level III
  • Telemark instructor Level II
  • CSIA Level II
  • Director of the Nordic Ski School Cypress Mountain
  • Nordic Trails Operations Manager Cypress Mountain
Henry Madsen
Henry Madsen
Technical Representative
Mountain Region
CANSI member since 1989
  • XC instructor Level IV
  • XC course conductor Level IV
  • Telemark instructor Level I
  • Involved in racing, skiing and teaching for decades
Ken Schykulski
Ken Schykulski
Technical Representative
Central Region
CANSI member since the early 1980s
  • Technical committee member since 2006
  • XC instructor Level III
  • XC course conductor Level I
  • Other ski industry certifications: CCC Level 1 official and Jackrabbit leader
Chris Clarke
Chris Clarke
XC Technical Representative
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 2012
  • XC Instructor Level III
  • XC Course Conductor Level II
Elizabeth Nicholson
Elizabeth Nicholson
Technical Committee Chair
Telemark Technical Representative
Ontario Region
CANSI member since 2013
  • Telemark Level II
  • Telemark Course Conductor Level I
  • CSIA Level III and Course Conductor Level I
  • ACA Entry Level, Trained
René-Luc Morin
René-Luc Morin
Telemark Technical Representative
Quebec Region
CANSI member since 2001
  • Telemark instructor Level III
  • Telemark course conductor Level I
  • Telemark coach
  • Other ski industry certifications
  • CSIA Level 2
  • Interski demonstration team member 2019
  • Member of Telemark Ski Canada Télémark since 2005
  • More than 30 starts in World Cup telemark races between 2005 and 2020
André Lizotte
André Lizotte
XC Technical Representative
Quebec Region
CANSI member since 2021
  • XC instructor Level II
  • 2022-2023 Technical and XC Courses Representative
Keith Payne
Keith Payne
Technical Representative
Atlantic Region
CANSI member since 1994
  • XC Instructor Level III
  • XC Course Conductor Level I
FaLang translation system by Faboba
CANADA
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada
Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada
MEC
CANADA
An agency of the Government of Ontario
Un organisme du gouvernement de l'Ontario