A 14 member Board of Directors is elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. The Board meets monthly to address ongoing and new issues, successes and concerns related to activities in and around Sydenham District.
Chair - DAN CORBETT - Traffic
I have lived in Kingston for 30 years and been a resident of Livingston Avenue for most of this time. I value the quality of life in my neighbourhood and in the larger community. In my career I had extensive leadership experience working collaboratively with stakeholders on strategic change strategies to advance organizational excellence. I have served as President & CEO in the public sector (St. Lawrence College) and the not-for-profit sector (National Quality Institute). My previous experience was in the private sector where I served in senior executive roles in Canada, the UK and the USA. Prior to my retirement, I was a strategic management consultant where I led executive team development workshops,facilitated strategic planning sessions for Boards and a speaker at conferences and seminars in Canada and internationally.
Vice Chair - (Unfilled)
Treasurer - ROGER HEALEY
I came to Kingston 50 years ago as an undergrad at Queen’s in 1971. This, of course, makes me a relative newcomer to Kingston.
I graduated in 1975 (Biology) and continued to work as a Research Assistant with Queen’s at the Snow Goose project in Churchill, Manitoba. I completed a Master’s (Biology) part time in 1985 while working at Queen’s full time in Computing Services. I started work full-time at Queen’s in 1980 and retired in 2014. In all but about 5 years, Anna and I have made our home in Sydenham Ward.
We married in 1984, our first house was on Earl St between Victoria and Collingwood, but then moved to Beverley St in 1987 where we have lived ever since. We raised three children here and our oldest two boys, Nick and Graeme, still live close-by in Kingston. Our youngest daughter Martha lives and works in BC. All three kids went to Winston and KCVI.
For the last 12 years I have been involved with promoting Active Transportation in Kingston with KCAT. This has allowed me to see the City in a new way and made me appreciate the joys of living within a 15 minute walk of most things a family needs day-to-day. I also serve on Kingston Environmental Advisory Forum (KEAF) and I'm Treasurer for the Land Conservancy for KFL&A and for Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour. I am pretty busy but I have always been interested in City issues and what goes on in Sydenham Ward.
Secretary - TARA SHARKEY
Tara moved to Kingston in 2006. With her spouse and two school age daughters, she has lived on Wellington, Earl and Hill Streets in the district. She is a former English teacher who is excited to contribute to the local association by working on the SDA Newsletter, The Village Pump. One of her favourite parts of Sydenham District is Johnson Street: when walking westward up Johnson, it is like walking through architectural time.
EDLIRA BALLAJ - Alma Mater Society (AMS) of Queen's University, Commissioner of External Affairs
The current AMS CEA is an ex-officio member of our Board.
PORTIA LEGGATT - Heritage Liaison
DIJANA OLIVER - Heritage Liaison
ANNIE PALONE - Membership Secretary & Planning Liaison
Annie Palone is a creative design professional with expertise in multimedia visual communication, landscape and graphic design, filmmaking, and writing. With dual citizenship and advanced degrees in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, she merges diverse skills honed through experience in graphic and web design, sustainable food systems, strategic design consulting, and project management. Guided by her passion for sustainability, storytelling, and social justice, Annie’s work centers on creating experiences, places, and publications reflecting the ethos of sustainable design and social responsibility.
GENA PILIOTIS - AMS & SGPS Relations & Outreach Portfolio
I am a recent member of the SDA, and also a recent resident of Kingston having moved here from Toronto in 2022 with my husband. I moved here to take on the role of Associate Dean of Queen's MD Program and I also practice as a Hematologist at Kingston General Hospital. It has been a privilege to join the Queen's Faculty and be able to work, live and play in the Sydenham District.
DORIANNE SAGER - Communications & Media: Village Pump Newsletter Editor; Traffic
DAWOOD TULLAH - President of the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS)
Dawood Tullah is serving as the President of the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS) at Queen’s University. In this position, he serves as the primary spokesperson and liaison between the graduate and professional student body, and the university administration. His responsibilities include academic advocacy, strategic planning, and representing the SGPS in various university governance bodies such as the Senate and committees within it.
KEVIN WOOD - Communications & Media: Social Media