Board of Directors

Susan Kilburn has served as a Board Director with Burlington Hydro since 2017. She brings over 30 years of experience across diverse industries, specializing in process optimization, business/IT alignment, and large-scale transformation. In her current role as Chief Operating Officer at LightPoint Financial Technology, Ms. Kilburn focuses on operational efficiency, risk management, and cross-functional collaboration to achieve business objectives. Prior to joining LightPoint, Susan worked as an independent consultant with organizations such as BMO Financial Group and 407 ETR on transformative IT and business initiatives. Other roles that Susan has held include Vice President, Solution Management at Rogers Communications, and Vice President, IT Engagement Services at Symcor.

Ms. Kilburn is an alumna of McMaster University, where she earned her B.Eng.Mgt. in Engineering Physics and Management. She remains connected to McMaster, serving on the Industrial Advisory Committee for the Engineering and Management program.

Susan obtained her Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation from The Directors College in 2021. She lives in Burlington with her husband Mike and their son Damon.

Susan is a member of the Governance and Risk Committee and the Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward was elected for a second term as the 30th mayor of Burlington, Ontario in October of 2022. She is also the second woman to hold that position in Burlington’s history and is now the longest serving female mayor of the city.

Mayor Meed Ward is working collaboratively with Burlington’s city council, leadership team, staff and community partners to bring many initiatives that began during her first term as mayor to fruition and embark on new ones to help the city continue to grow and thrive. She also introduced a Deputy Mayor with portfolio initiative, giving each council member a focus area based on their unique backgrounds and interests. This is a new governance structure harnessing the skills and experience of each council member in service to residents.

Through initiatives such as the Mayor’s Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force, she led the city in partnering with local businesses to identify and remove the challenges to business expansion and attraction. In her commitment to reasonable growth and development, the work completed in Burlington’s new Official Plan will ensure future growth happens in the right places and at the right scale to align with the community’s vision.

On her path to becoming Mayor, she served as a Burlington city councillor for two consecutive terms, from 2010 to 2018. Prior to her career in politics, she worked for 22 years as a journalist for clients including the Toronto Sun, Vision TV, the CBC, CHCH News, Chatelaine, Toronto Metropolitan University and more, committed to keeping people informed about the issues that impact their lives. Mayor Meed Ward lives in Burlington with her husband, three children, and their Wheaten Terrier, Boston.

Mayor Meed Ward is a member of the Governance and Risk Committee.

Curt Benson is the newly appointed Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the City of Burlington. He has more than 20 years of experience in municipal government, with a focus on planning, development, and intergovernmental relations.

Curt joined the City of Burlington in 2024 as Commissioner of Development and Growth Management. In this role, he worked closely with Council and staff to support responsible growth, infrastructure planning, and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining the City, he held senior leadership positions at Halton Region and Niagara Region, where he led high-impact initiatives related to long-term planning, servicing, and climate change.

He is a Registered Professional Planner and holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo.

Curt is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee.

Nicole brings over eighteen years of experience in power generation and business leadership across a range of strategic, operational, and engineering disciplines. Her career spans maintenance, business planning and strategy, asset and project management, and engineering support within Thermal, Hydroelectric, and Nuclear Generating Facilities.

In her current role as Vice President of Operations, Nicole leads a team of 300 professionals that support the safe, reliable and efficient operation of 5 hydroelectric plants that deliver 2,400 MW of clean power to Ontario. Previously, as Vice President of Engineering, she led strategy, compliance, and engineering support for 66 Hydro and 2 Nuclear Generating Stations.

Ms. Fabbro serves as a Board Director for the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) and Nanticoke Solar Limited Partnership. She holds an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University. Outside of her professional commitments, Nicole enjoys spending time with her husband and two children in Burlington.

Nicole is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee.

David Kerr is a senior legal executive who provides strategic counsel to executives and management in diverse business sectors. His broad perspective is gained from progressive experience in professional advisory and governance roles. He is adept at risk identification, negotiation and solution facilitation in collaboration with diverse parties across public and private sectors.

David is Senior Legal Counsel with Hendrix Genetics, a global producer of turkeys, swine, chickens and various seafood. He previously held legal and governance positions at Axiom Law, Meridian Credit Union, Computershare Trust Company of Canada; Manulife Financial Corporation, and as an Associate Lawyer with Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. David has a Chartered Director designation from The Directors College/DeGroote School of Management and is also a member of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association.

David received his B.A. from Marietta College (Ohio), his LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario and was admitted to the Bar in 1996. David lives in Burlington with his wife Melanie and their two sons.

David chairs the Governance and Risk Committee and is a member of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

Todd is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 30 years of experience in diverse industries, including technology, manufacturing, power and utilities, and renewable energy. Todd has a proven track record of developing and financing large-scale capital projects, implementing ERP systems and building finance teams for growing public companies.

Todd is currently Chief Financial Officer of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd., responsible for financial reporting, treasury, tax, and information technology. Prior to joining De Havilland Canada, he served as CFO for Enlighten Innovations Inc, a cleantech battery manufacturer. Todd's previous roles included VP of Finance & Administration at Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., a role that included business development of large-scale power generation projects. Todd holds a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Waterloo.

Todd is married with three grown children and has held numerous volunteer positions over the years focusing on the environment and mentoring youth. In his spare time, Todd enjoys many outdoor and fitness activities including running, golfing and skiing.

Todd is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee.

Sherry Smith is a retired Human Resources executive. She has 30+ years of human resources and management experience that spans the retail, health sciences and telecommunications industries.

Ms. Smith most recently served as Senior Vice President of Total Rewards at Loblaw Companies Limited where she was responsible for Compensation, HR Services and HR Systems. A seasoned Human Resources executive, Sherry has extensive experience in the areas of compensation, benefits and HR operations. Sherry began her career at Nortel Networks where she spent more than 20 years in various leadership roles working in a large and complex global HR organization. Prior to joining Loblaw, she held the position of VP, Global HR Services at MDS Inc.

Sherry obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and her Masters of Business Administration from McMaster University. She obtained the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation from The Directors College in 2021. She resides in Burlington with her husband Bob.

Sherry chairs the Human Resources & Compensation Committee and is a member of the Governance and Risk Committee.