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RGC Staff Directory
Meet The Responsible Gambling Council staff who work across multiple departments, including RG Check, RG Plus Research and Advisory Services and more.
Under the management of the CEO, RGC is organized into four departments:
- Research and Advisory Services, including RG Plus
- Standards and Accreditation, including RG Check
- PlaySmart Centre
- Operations, including Awareness Program Delivery, Finance and Administration
Sarah McCarthy
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah McCarthy joined the Responsible Gambling Council as CEO in January 2025. Sarah has 20 years of experience in leading teams to build and deliver social impact through the development of innovative solutions to complex challenges.
In her previous role as Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF), she led strategic and operational planning, program implementation, and business development. Sarah’s leadership was instrumental in launching the RHF Accessibility Certification, which rated nearly 2,000 buildings and trained over 2,600 professionals, promoting inclusivity across various sectors. She also expanded the RHF School Program, reaching over 270,000 children since 2016, educating young people about diversity and accessibility.
Before joining the Rick Hansen Foundation, Sarah worked for an association management firm and served as Executive Director for various medical organizations, including the International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care, influencing policy development and setting global standards. Sarah has an MBA in Strategic Management and an MSc in Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Arlene Youkanna
Executive Assistant to the CEO and Liaison to the Board
RGCBoard@rgco.org
RG Check (RG ✓): Standards and Accreditation, RG Plus (RG+) Research and Advisory Services
Tracy Parker
Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights
Tracy Parker is a corporate social responsibility professional specializing in the design, implementation, communication and evaluation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs including strategic development, stakeholder engagement and reporting and communications. Her career has focused on how businesses take responsibility and manages the social and environmental impacts they create.
Tracy’s most recent role was as Senior Manager, Policy & Social Responsibility at Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG), where she developed and executed strategy related to culture building, player education and responsible gambling policy.
- Staff
RG Check (RG ✓): Standards and Accreditation
Bob Michniak
Associate Director, Accreditation
Amy Yu
Manager, Operations
Cameron Penny
Manager, Team Development
Allie Cantelo
Senior Program Analyst
Ashley Ledin
Senior Program Analyst
John Walsh
Senior Program Analyst
Tenzin Yehshopa
Program Analyst
Arani Thavarasa
Program Analyst
Jack Williams
Program Analyst
Syed Mahboob
Program Analyst
Jasmine Anthony
Program Analyst
Benjamin Lehner
Program Analyst
RG Plus (RG+) Research and Advisory Services
Sherene Fernando, M.Sc.
Associate Director, Advisory Services
Jeannine Haynes-Singh
Manager, Instructional Design and Learning Innovation
Erin Near
Advisory Services Specialist
Phillip Nguyen
Operations Coordinator
Marketing and Communications/Prevention Programs
Elaine McDougall
Senior Vice President, Strategy and Programs
Elaine McDougall joined RGC in November 2017 and is responsible for all of RGC’s marketing and communications activities.
Elaine is a marketing and advertising professional with twenty years of experience working in both advertising and non-profit sectors. With a focus and passion for delivering results, Elaine has spent the last 15 years of her career specializing in the gambling industry.
- Staff
Marketing & Communications
Krista Roussel
Associate Director, Marketing and Communications
Shahzad Qureshi
Manager, Marketing
Prevention Programs
Melissa Toney-Williams
Associate Director, Community Engagement and Partnerships
Lisa Couperus
Associate Director, Education and Programs
Dani Ayee
Coordinator, Education and Program
Emi Hosotsuji
Community Outreach Manager
PlaySmart Centres
Lorelle Muller Lumsden
Vice President, PlaySmart Centres
Lorelle has been a member of the RGC team since 2005. She has a B.Ed. in Adult Education from Brock University and a M.A. from Central Michigan University. Starting as a Service Coordinator at Fallsview Casino Resort, Lorelle has brought her expertise and passion for helping others to her role as Director, PlaySmart Centres. In that role, Lorelle develops and implements a suite of training modules to enhance PlaySmart Centre employee knowledge and expertise, as well as augmented player education content.
- Staff
Karen Williams
Associate Director, PlaySmart CentreTrevor Meraw
Program Manager, PlaySmart CentreShassha Austin
Training and Development Manager, PlaySmart CentreNnamdi Azikiwe
Program Logistics Coordinator, PlaySmart CentreSrisesha Varikheti
Learning and Development SpecialistPlaySmart Centre South West Region
Rheem McLennan
PlaySmart Centre Regional Manager
All Star Gaming, Windsor; Breakaway Gaming Centre, Windsor; Caesars Windsor; Cascades Casino Chatham; Starlight Casino Point Edward; Chances Gaming Lounge, Leamington; Gateway Casinos Sarnia; Jackpot City Gaming Entertainment, Sarnia; Jackpot City Gaming Entertainment, St Thomas; Paradise Gaming Centre, Windsor; Power Play Bingo, Tecumseh; Riverview Gaming Centre, Chatham; Gateway Casinos London
PlaySmart Centre East Region
Consuelo Kuettner-Sandoval
PlaySmart Centre Regional Manager
Bingoland Gaming, Nepean; Delta Bingo & Gaming, Hawkesbury; Delta Bingo & Gaming, Pembroke; Community Spirit Gaming Centre, Kingston; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Peterborough; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Pickering; Great Blue Heron Casino; Capital Gaming & Entertainment Centre (Overbrook Bingo), Ottawa; Rideau Carleton Casino (Hard Rock); Shorelines Casino Belleville; Shorelines Casino Peterborough; Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands; Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs; PLAY! Gaming & Entertainment, Kingston
PlaySmart Centre South East Region
Joanna Stubbs
PlaySmart Centre Regional Manager
Casino Niagara; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Niagara Falls; Delta Bingo and Gaming, St. Catharines; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Fort Erie; Fallsview Casino Resort; Elements Casino Flamboro; Golden Nugget Gaming Centre, Fort Erie; Main Street Gaming Centre, Welland; Gateway Casinos Woodstock; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Oakville
PlaySmart Centre Central North Region
Interim Karen Williams
PlaySmart Centre Regional Manager
Delta Bingo & Gaming, Penetanguishene; Delta Bingo & Gaming, Sudbury; Delta Bingo & Gaming, Val Caron ; Casino Rama ; Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay; Delta Boardwalk Bingo and Gaming, Barrie; Gateway Casinos Innisfil; Gateway Casinos Sudbury; Superior Shores Gaming Centre, Thunder Bay; Timmins Gaming Centre; Gateway Casinos Sault Ste Marie
PlaySmart Centre Central Region
Daryl Barnett
PlaySmart Centre Regional Manager
Bingo World, Newmarket; Bingo World, Richmond; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Brampton; Delta Bingo & Gaming, Downsview; Delta Bingo and Gaming, St. Clair, Toronto; Dolphin Bingo, Toronto; Elements Casino Grand River; Elements Casino Mohawk; Rama Gaming House, Scarborough; Great Canadian Casino Toronto; Casino Ajax; Delta Bingo and Gaming, Pickering; Pickering Casino
PlaySmart Centre West Region
Julie Taylor
PlaySmart Centre Regional Manager
Gateway Casinos Clinton; Cambridge Bingo Centre; Elements Casino Brantford; Gateway Casinos Hanover; Elements Casino Grand River; Elements Casino Mohawk; Rama Gaming House, Mississauga
Finance and Administration
Les Horenfeldt, BCOMM, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Les Horenfeldt is a focused and goal-driven executive with over 20 years of experience in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Throughout his career, Les has been actively involved in financial, sales, production, distribution and operational initiatives within Canada and abroad. Les has managed corporate expansions and restructurings, implemented numerous change management protocols, project managed digital transformations and worked with many forms of corporate governance.
Most recently he held the role of Chief Financial Officer & Senior Vice-President at UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. During his 12-year tenure, he was involved in the implementation of numerous software platforms, managed extensive budgets, executed short-term and long-term financial initiatives, established cross-departmental synergies and strengthened internal controls extensively.
- Staff
Finance
Rohini Gunaratnam
Controller
Sarah Gardiner
Payroll Manager, Accounts Payable Specialist
Alex Young
Accounting Coordinator
Administration
Robin Wilner, CHRP, CHRL
Director, People and Culture
Jessica Franzini, CHRP
HR Specialist, People & Culture
Peter Panasiuk
System Administrator/Webmaster
Evaluation
Alyona Koulanova
Associate Director, Evaluation
Join the RGC Team
Enjoy a dynamic and rewarding work environment with professionals dedicated to promoting responsible gambling.