Ed Smith is the founder and president of ICA. A career military officer, he retired in 2011 with 25 years of service and a diversity of training including working with the United Nations in South Sudan where he continued to lead development initiatives until 2014. He is a recipient of the Order of Military Merit, a Paul Harris Fellowship, an Honorary PhD. from Nipissing University and other awards for his work in the development field. A graduate of the Humber College International Development Management Studies, he is dedicated to the issues of social justice, international development and environmental stewardship. He has led ICA projects in Cameroon for more than 30 years. He now devotes much of his time immersing himself in development issues and continuing to support ICA with their successful operations.
Check him out on Twitter @EdSmithICA
Dr. Lorraine Frost has been a teacher for 44 years. Currently, she is a professor in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, having also taught at other universities in Canada. She started her teaching career in Norway House, Manitoba, which was an indigenous community accessible only by air. She taught in rural Manitoba and inner city Toronto before commencing her PhD studies in Special Education at the University of Toronto. She started her university career in 1988 and has taught and supervised at the undergraduate and graduate levels since that time. She and her husband are the proud parents of two daughters and one grandson.
Deanna is a native of the Niagara Peninsula with a lifelong love of the outdoors and innate awareness of social justice issues. Deanna holds an Honours Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from York University and a Post Graduate Certificate in Ecosystem Restoration from Niagara College where she currently teaches part time. Deanna chose a career in the environmental field based on her experience working in Haiti in the 1990’s. The realization that the land could not support the people due to the degradation of natural resources made a deep and lasting impact. In her 20 plus year career, Deanna has held positions with local and provincial governments managing hundreds of stewardship projects and leading environmental education and outreach initiatives. Deanna joined ICA in 2015 and has travelled to Cameroon twice to assist with monitoring and evaluation of ICA projects. She is continually renewed by the deep dedication of ICA volunteers.
Meghan Lowery has been involved with ICA for 7 years having traveled to Cameroon with the organization in 2017. She has a financial management background having worked in senior positions in international business for over 20 years. She is a certified information systems auditor and is currently pursuing an MBA at Carleton University. Meghan was the Executive Director of ICA in 2022 and 2023 and now sits on the board of directors. Meghan lives in North Bay and is a busy mom of adorable and energetic twin boys.
Dennis Edell is a communications/marketing/branding expert with a focus on social marketing and behavioural economics. He is a global not for profit organizational leader serving on the boards of many environmental and global health organizations, and a successful entrepreneur. Dennis has made 2 trips to Cameroon and joined the ICA board in 2024.
Vicki-Lynn Smith has been a volunteer with ICA Canada from the beginning. She has supported fundraising efforts and visited Cameroon several times. Vicki joined the ICA board in 2024 after retiring from more than 35 years with the Canada Revenue Agency where she was very active in union business. Vicki lives in Ontario with her daughter and volunteers for many social justice organizations.