Treasurer

Eric has several years experience working with a variety of organizations in the not-for-profit space during his time as an accounting and audit specialist at BDO Canada LLP. Eric has advised not-for-profits of all sizes from nationally recognized organizations to niche grassroots movements. Eric is excited to apply that financial knowledge to Keep Your Head Up. Eric is passionate about seeing ideas being brought to fruition and making a positive lasting impact in communities.

Currently, Eric works at Smile.io a start up in Kitchener, Ontario as a Finance Manager. Eric is also a former board member of the Grand River Hospital Volunteer Association.

Eric attended University of Waterloo where he completed his undergraduate degree in Accounting and Financial Management and a Master of Accounting and has obtained his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA,CA) designation.

Board Chair

During her varsity soccer career at Wilfrid Laurier University Women’s Soccer team Tristin endured two concussions that ultimately ended her competitive sports careers. She transitioned to a coaching position while completing her Master’s at the University of Waterloo to be able to stay apart of sport. While in the middle of her studies, Tristin suffered another concussion that forced her into a lengthy recovery.

As she took some time off from school, she was able to turn her loss into a positive and use her free time to explore her passion for inclusion and diversity in sport. As a member of the LGBTQI2S community, she felt it was her responsibility to ensure future generations feel included and safe participating in the sports they love. This led her to become one of the founding members of the Canadian LGBTQI2S Sport Inclusion Task Force and onto the Canada East Board of the You Can Play Project.

Although Tristin still suffers from post-concussion symptoms today, she credits much of her success to her support and recovery teams. She is excited to join the board for KYHU to bridge her passion for community organizing with community-based concussion recovery.

Director

Tom Hunter is a partner in Gowling WLG's Waterloo Region office and practises in the areas of corporate, commercial and technology law. He is the former co-chair of the firm's national Technology Law Group and a past department head of the Waterloo Region Business Law Group.

Tom has been recognized as a leading practitioner in his field by Best Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. In the 2021 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada, Tom was named “Lawyer of the Year” for corporate law.

His particular areas of focus include assisting entrepreneurs and owner operators with startup and growth-oriented companies, mergers and acquisitions, financing, and all aspects of technology commercialization. Tom has acted on over $1.5 billion of successful founder monetization and exit transactions. Tom serves as a director on the boards of numerous technology companies headquartered in the Waterloo Region technology cluster.

Tom is a member of the Board of Directors of Parents for Community Living, and the past chair of the Board of Governors of St. Mary's General Hospital, the Waterloo Region Catholic Schools Foundation and the Resurrection Catholic Secondary School Parent Council. Tom is a member of the Advisory Council for the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship & Business at the University of Waterloo.

Tom's community service also includes board, volunteer and pro bono activity with many other local organizations, including St. Paul's United College at the University of Waterloo, the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship at Wilfrid Laurier University, K-W Counselling Inc., K-W Oktoberfest, United Way, University of Guelph, Numus Inc., Waterloo Minor Hockey and Soccer, Kidslink, K-W Symphony, Waterloo Community Arts Centre, Waterloo Recreation Complex and the John M. Harper District Library.