ABOUT US
IT STARTS ON THE FIELD. IT LAST A LIFETIME
CGB Scholarship Fund
This fully or partially (depending on need) funds the cost of registration for girls who would otherwise be unable to join us.
Free programing for girls in underserved communities
We understand that transportation to fields may be a barrier to participation, so we reach deeper into communities to create opportunities for girls to join us where they already are - in their schools.
Canadian Girls Baseball started with one girl who loved baseball. We changed the game for her, so she wouldn’t quit, and we've since been changing the game for girls across Canada. We're on a mission, building a movement and making space for girls in sport. But we can't do it alone.
At Canadian Girls Baseball, our belief is that ALL girls who want to play with us should be able to. We know that girls face enough barriers to joining sports - especially male-dominated sports like baseball - and we work hard everyday to break down as many barriers to participation as possible.
One of those barriers is sometimes financial in nature, and for this reason, we offer various programs to help girls across the country access our programming. To date, we’ve been able to offer programs like:
Free for Newcomers Program
This provides free league membership to Canadian newcomers, as well as access to fields that may be more accessible for their families.
Free community programming
We regularly hold open field days in communities across the country for girls to join us and try baseball!
MEET THE TEAM
Dana Bookman
Founder & CEO
Lisa Turbitt
Manager of Umpire Development
Deanna Ryan
Programs Manager
Jen Donaldson
Regional Coordinator,
Nova Scotia
Bridie Hamilton
Regional Coordinator
Ottawa, Ontario
Murray Carr
Manager of Player Development
Sarah Erickson
Regional Coordinator,
Como, BC
Jessica Sands
Regional Coordinator
Vancouver, BC
Kylie O'Donnell
Manager of Coach Development
Mackenzie Siddell
Regional Coordinator,
Windsor, BC
CHANGE THE GAME WITH US
If you are looking for a job that can make a difference empowering and inspiring girls to lead, learn, and play, get to know our job opportunities.
PLAYER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Teja
Age 8
Leora
Age 9
Mila
Age 10
Noa Rae
Age 12
Sophia
Age 12
Megyn
Age 13
Lauren
Age 16
ADVISORY BOARD
Ainka Jess
Ainka Jess is a senior communicator and award-winning entrepreneur. She is
passionate about empowering women and diverse communities through sport.
In 2016, she combined her communications background and a purpose to give women
a larger voice in sport, to launch She’s4Sports. The organization is a digital content and
events hub that amplifies the contributions of women, girls and diverse people in sport
and addresses the barriers to participation and representation. The over 5000
She’s4Sports community includes a diverse group of women and men sports fans and
leaders in the industry.
Ashton Sequeira
From Poverty to President, Ashton’s career has spanned over 25 years and has seen him go from living in his car as a teenager and high school-drop out to now running a $400M+ autonomous business unit with full P&L and cross functional department responsibilities.
Today, Ashton is President of Chartwells Canada and Compass Group Quebec. In this role, he oversees hospitality services at over 850 Canadian locations. Prior to this role Ashton led Canada for Centerplate, a Sports and Entertainment hospitality company. In addition to overseeing Canada and parts of the US, he also had leadership roles in major global sporting events including three Superbowls and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Bart Given
Bart is currently the Managing Director of TORQUE Strategies, and has been a senior lead on projects with Hockey Canada, Rugby Canada, Canada Basketball, and the Canadian Olympic Team.
Bart spent twelve years with the Toronto Blue Jays making the career journey from summer-intern to Senior VP Baseball Operations & Assistant General Manager.
Cheri Bradish
Cheri is the Founder and Managing Director of the Future of Sport Lab (FSL) a sport innovation lab and sport tech incubator. She is also the Ted Rogers Director of Sport Business at the School of Management at Ryerson which she joined in 2013 as the Loretta Rogers Research Chair in Sport Marketing. She has consulting and work experience with a number of leading sport organizations, including the Canadian Olympic Committee /Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee, Nike Canada and the Vancouver Grizzlies (NBA) as well as has participated and published in premier sport business conferences and outlets throughout North America and globally.
Danielle Bedasse
Danielle has made her career in the business of sport and its effective use in youth engagement, community development and brand building. Danielle currently serves in a dual role with Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves as the Director of Community Affairs and Executive Director of the Atlanta Braves Foundation, responsible for the community marketing, community outreach, youth baseball and philanthropic endeavours of the Atlanta National League Baseball Club.
Her previous role was with MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays as Executive Director of the Jays Care Foundation. She developed and delivered award-winning programs and outreach initiatives with an impact for tens of thousands of children and communities across Canada.
David Rhode
David founded Pitch In For Baseball and Softball, a US-based non profit, which gives the gift of play and contributes to positive youth development by providing equipment to more than 900,000 children around the world. David studied undergraduate business at Georgetown University. He graduated with Honors with an Masters in Business Administration from The Wharton School.
David is currently an adjunct faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, instructing graduate students in Non Profit Branding and consults with both for profit and non-for-profit companies seeking to scale their operations.
Jennifer Orange
Jennifer is a lawyer, mediator, adjudicator, and human rights expert. She has deep experience in non-profit leadership, and is committed to the rights of women and girls. Most importantly, she loves baseball!
Leanne Campbell
Leanne’s passion is helping organizations realize their potential to create impactful social change. As a fundraising strategist and operational leader, Leanne has focused her career on building and implementing growth strategies within the non-profit, charitable and social impact sectors. As a triathlete, ice hockey player and former softball and basketball player, Leanne understands the value of team sports and the need to remove barriers and encourage girls to participate in sport.
