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HOSTED BY
MAYORS' & REGIONAL CHAIR'S PANEL
Hear from the leaders of all of the Lakeshore municipalities about what their biggest wins, concerns and hopes are for the future.
FEATURED INDUSTRY EXPERTS
SPEAKER
Mayor Kevin Ashe
City of Pickering
Mayor Kevin Ashe has been a resident of Pickering for over 55 years and comes from a family deeply rooted in local politics and community service. His late father, George Ashe, served as the first Mayor of the then Town of Pickering, in 1973, paving the way for Mayor Ashe’s own civic engagement.
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Mayor Ashe was first elected as Ward 1 City Councillor in 2003 and was re-elected by Ward 1 residents in 2010 and 2014. In November 2015, he was appointed as Regional Councillor for Ward 1, re-elected in 2018, and remained in that role until he was elected as
Mayor in 2022.
SPEAKER
Mayor Elizabeth Roy
Town of Whitby
Elizabeth Roy has been a member of Whitby Council for 19 years and is serving her first term as mayor. She served as west ward councillor from 2006 to 2014, and was then elected as a regional councillor in 2014 and 2018.
Prior to her election to Council, Elizabeth served as a Durham District School Board trustee from 1997 to 2006, including as board chair from 1999 to 2004. She is the mother of three grown children and a grandmother of two.
SPEAKER
Mayor Adrian Foster
Municipality of Clarington
Adrian Foster is serving his fourth term as Mayor of Clarington. He is a past President of the Clarington Board of Trade, a former charter member of the Rotary Club of Courtice and is involved with the Lion’s Club of Courtice.
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Adrian has represented the Municipality on a variety of boards and committees. Amongst other commitments, he sits as Chair of Durham Region Finance, sits as Chair of the Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities, and is a Board Member of Elexicon Corp.
SPEAKER
Deputy Mayor Sterling Lee
Town of Ajax
A resident of Ajax with his wife and son, Sterling Lee is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University where he majored in English Literature and Political Science.  
After 12 years within the technology sector; working with the likes of Rogers Communications and Microsoft,  Sterling served as the Senior Advisor and Stakeholder Relations Manager for the Honourable Mark Holland; where he was able to connect with Ajax residents and understand the needs of the community.
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Throughout his terms on Council, Sterling has had the pleasure of sitting on the Ajax Library Board, the Business Advisory Council of Durham and the Anti Racism Taskforces of Durham and Ajax.  On June 2021, Sterling became the Town of Ajax’s first racialized Deputy Mayor. 
SPEAKER
Regional Chair John Henry
Durham Region
Born and raised in Oshawa, John Henry was first elected as Regional Chair and CEO in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. A dedicated husband, father and grandfather, John cares deeply about the future development, prosperity and quality of life for all Durham residents. 
SPEAKER
Deputy Mayor Bob Chapman
City of Oshawa
Councillor Chapman retired as a Superintendent in 2010 after serving over 30 years with the Durham Regional Police Service. Continuing his community service he is now in his fourth term as the Oshawa Regional and City Councillor representing Ward 3 and is currently Oshawa’s Deputy Mayor. He also served over 37 years in the Canadian Army retiring from the Reserve component in 2007 as a Colonel.
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In addition to completing numerous police & military executive, leadership and management courses, Bob is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management Police Leadership Program, the Queen’s University School of Business Public Executive Program, Durham College Business Management Skills Program, and the Land Forces Command and Staff College Army Reserve Command and Staff Course. He was certified as a Municipal Manager Level III (CMM III) Executive by the Ontario Municipal Management Institute in 2007.
SPEAKER
Theresa Gamble
Brookfield Residential
Theresa Gamble is a Development Manager at Brookfield Residential. With over 15 years of progressive leadership in land use planning, development, and the legal industry, including 6 years in municipal government, Theresa brings a strong track record of leading cross-sector negotiations, advancing development projects, and streamlining complex planning processes. She possess in-depth knowledge of key planning legislation, complemented by a proven ability to foster collaborative relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including elected officials and senior leadership. She has led numerous projects through the Secondary Plan and Draft plan approval process including site servicing. Her portfolio continues to grow to include the development of complex residential communities within the MTSA within the Durham Region. She is the past president and member of the Rotary Club of Courtice. She has also built and launched the first girls’ rep softball team in Clarington.
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