Tennis Alberta is pleased to roster 9 Board of Directors from across Alberta as well as 2 full-time staff and 2 contract staff (as of Sept 2023).
You can contact the Tennis Alberta Board directly, by emailing board@tennisalberta.com. Any communication sent to this address is directed to the Association’s Secretary for proper dissemination to the rest of the Board.
Mike Bennett | President – Since 2023
Calgary Winter Club
Elected 2021
1st Term – Expires 2024
Total Years Served: 1
Mike is a sales, marketing, and business development leader with progressive experience in sales, marketing, customer service, and strategic planning. Excellent change management skills to align sales team to meet customer needs across multiple businesses. Mike, a highly motivated hands-on leader, leads regional sales at Bausch Health. He is respected for bringing an innovative and dynamic approach ensuring exceptional results and building highly engaged teams.
Mike brings to the Tennis Alberta board strong leadership, analytical, and motivational skills complemented by an ability to build excellent relationships with all stakeholders. He is an avid tennis player at the Calgary Tennis Club.
Chris Zelyas | Vice-President – Since 2023
Capilano Tennis Club
Elected 2022
3rd Term – Expires 2024
Total Years Served: 5
Chris is a partner in the Dentons Canada LLP Litigation and Dispute Resolution team. His varied legal practice includes a focus on intra-business disputes between partners, shareholders, officers and directors.
In this capacity, he regularly advises clients on issues of corporate governance and how to achieve business goals in the face of dissent and opposition. He also handles lawsuits dealing with large construction and infrastructure projects gone awry, and is increasingly focused on disputes under Canada’s internal trade agreements. In 2016, Chris was recognized as a “Canadian Corporate Lawyer to Watch” by the Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada.
Chris has volunteered his time in a variety of capacities, including providing front-line intake services for the Edmonton Police Service, assisting with the U of A’s Safewalk Program, and providing pro bono legal services to Edmonton’s lower income population through the Edmonton Community Legal Centre. He has served as his former firm’s Practice Group Leader for the Intellectual Property Litigation Group, and on the Associate’s Committee, providing guidance to and assessments of the firm’s younger lawyers. He regularly presents on a variety of legal topics.
Chris is an avid tennis player and he has looked for ways to contribute to the game off the courts. He is a member of the Capilano Tennis Club’s executive board and has recently taken on the mantle of the club’s Director of Programming. Chris has also volunteered with Tennis Alberta as a member of Disciplinary Committee
Jessica Fu | VP Finance – Since 2023
Calgary Tennis Club
Elected 2023
1st Term – Expires 2025
Total Years Served:
Jessica brings experience from public accounting, capital markets, and corporate planning and development. Her career spans working in the audit practice of a global public accounting firm, equity research at a major Canadian bank, and most recently corporate planning and development at a publicly traded energy company. She holds both the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designations.
Jessica is the treasurer of the Calgary Tennis Club and is an avid recreational tennis player keen on improving her game.
Marlene Gukert | Secretary – Since 2023
Aforza
Elected 2022
1st Term – Expires 2024
Total Years Served: 1
Following a career in pharmacy as a pharmacist in various practice settings, Marlene retired in July 2020. She currently works casually as a Standardized Patient with the Medical Skills department with the Faculty of Medicine; UofC. This leaves her with lots of time to play tennis. Marlene took up tennis growing up on the community courts of Edmonton but didn’t play for many years after moving to Calgary.
During Marlene’s time as an Experiential Education Course Coordinator with the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the UofA, she developed strong communication and managerial skills as she was often responsible for managing over 200 students while completing courses throughout Alberta. She was often asked to communicate and problem-solve creatively and thoughtfully, drawing upon many important professional skills.
Marlene is happy to be a new member of the Tennis Alberta Board.
Jerrold Diamond | Director
Royal Glenora
Elected 2022
2nd Term – Expires 2024
Total Years Served: 3
Dr. Jerrold Diamond is the founding partner of Diamond Dental, a multi-dentist group practice in West Edmonton. Dr. Diamond graduated from the university of Alberta faculty of dentistry in 1991. He serves as a visiting faculty member at Spear Education in Scottsdale Arizona, a leading post graduate training center for dental education. He and his wife Lisa, also serve as co-chairs for the harvest gala 2020, a fundraiser for the Lois hole hospital for women.
Jerrold is both the treasurer and co-chair of the Royal Glenora Club tennis committee where he has been an avid player for the past 25 years.
Barbara Rypien | Director
Calgary Winter Club
Elected 2023
1st Term – Expires 2025
Total Years Served: 0
Barb is a professional geologist with 25 years experience in both North America and International regions. She has a background in management, technical excellence, communication and strategic thinking, and governance. Barb has been a part of the SAIT Advisory Committee for Geoscience and is currently on the Board of the Directors with the Calgary Winter Club and is part of the governance and nominating committee and the chair of the member engagement committee. Additionally, Barb serves as a director and secretary with the Calgary Horticultural Society. Barb is an active tennis player and her oldest son played competitive tennis at the provincial level in Alberta.
Patrick Thomas | Director
Calgary Tennis Club
Elected 2023
1st Term – Expires 2025
Total Years Served: 0
Patrick Thomas is an active member of the Calgary tennis community serving on the Calgary Tennis Club board and leading the Calgary Tennis Society started in 2009. Previously, he served as executive director and founder of the Dinos Tennis Society for the University of Calgary Dinos Tennis Team. In 2021, Thomas was recognized with a Tennis Canada Distinguished Service Award for helping to grow and nurture the sport in Alberta.
He recently retired and has a background in law enforcement, and insurance claims investigation.
Claire Auroi | Director
Appointed 2022
1st Term – Expires 2024
Total Years Served: 1
As Director Contracts & Deal Governance Rogers For Business, Auroi is a bilingual leader who brings over 20 years of global strategic negotiation, business development and transformational enterprise-wide experience. She brings to the Tennis Alberta Board of Directors her law and business experience, as well as her mastery in leading major complex multi-faceted projects leveraging her unique expertise and creativity. Auroi is an active Calgary community member previously serving on the board of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks and International Aerospace Environment Group. She enjoys the occasional tennis game on Calgary’s courts.
Matias Grum | Director
The Glencoe Club
Elected 2023
1st Term – Expires 2025
Total Years Served: 0
Matías has 21 years of experience in Wealth Management as a Sr. Portfolio Manager with Raymond James Ltd. -and previously with BMO Nesbitt Burns. He has worked as an economist for Shell and for the Consulate of Argentina. As a Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) and former analyst, Matías builds tailored investment portfolios for high-net-worth families, business owners and professionals. He hold a Master’s Degree in International Economics and an MBA from The University of Calgary.
Over the years Matías has been an active member of the arts community in Calgary, serving as a Board Member of the Calgary Opera (2021-14) and the Alberta Ballet (2015-2021). He has also served as a Business Mentor at the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business (CCAL, University of Calgary) and for the Canadian Council for the Americas (CCA), and he is actively involved in the sports community as a Board Member for the UofC Dino’s Tennis Society.
A formerly ranked junior tennis player in Argentina, Matías still plays recreationally and competitively in ITF tournaments and was Captain of the Elbow Park Tennis Club interclub (5.0 level) team in Calgary.
Carolyn Ganes | Director
Calgary Tennis Club
Appointed 2023
1st Term – Expires 2025
Total Years Served: 0
Carolyn’s comes from the public sector bringing experience in board governance, policy, and government relations. As a retired professional athlete and representing Canada in the sports of basketball and rowing, she also brings in-depth knowledge and experience of the sport continuum from the athlete perspective.
Currently serving as secretary for the Calgary Tennis Club, and enjoying tennis at a recreational level, Carolyn looks forward to giving back to the amazing tennis community in Alberta.
Alan Mackin | Executive Director
(780) 415-1661 | alan.mackin@tennisalberta.com
Alan brings to Tennis Alberta a wealth of experience and expertise that will benefit players of all ages and ability. Alan was most recently Head National Coach for Tennis Canada, operating in Alberta and Ontario, where he was directly responsible for the delivery and management of the regional and national training centre programs.
Prior to his role at Tennis Canada, Alan was the Executive Director of Tennis Newfoundland and Labrador where he directly led and managed the implementation of all tennis programming for the province. Alan has also held Tennis Management positions in both the private and public sectors in the UK and Australia.
Alan holds a Business Management Degree (BA) from Robert Gordon University, (Aberdeen, Scotland) and is a certified Tennis Canada Coach 3. He additionally holds professional certifications with the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), LTA, (Lawn Tennis Association) and the USTA (United States Tennis Association).
Alan is an accomplished tennis player. A former UK Davis Cup player, he ranked as high as #4 in the UK and #213 on the ATP rankings list. Alan participated in numerous ATP and grand slam events, with career wins against an impressive list of familiar names, including Nadal, Cilic and Zverev.
Kealy Litun | Manager, Administration, Communication & Member Services
(780) 415-1661 | klitun@tennisalberta.com
Kealy has extensive experience working in various capacities in the non-profit sector, including with arts, post-secondary and municipal government organizations. A graduate of Grant MacEwan’s Public Relations program, Kealy supports Tennis Alberta’s website, Volley e-newsletter and social media, in addition to assisting members, and helping with various administrative supports.
KJ Read | Manager, Tournaments & Competitive Structure
780-415-1661 | kj.read@tennisalberta.com
A long-time tennis official working with Tennis Canada at tournaments across the country, KJ recently joined the Tennis Alberta team as Manager of Tournaments and Competitive Structure. In this role, KJ will oversee Tennis Alberta’s Junior Competitive Structure, and organize and support member clubs hosting all Tennis Alberta Sanctioned events.
Bob Orr | Book Keeper
Bob joins the Tennis Alberta team to support in the area of finance and accounting. Bob has over 30 years in finance in various capacities including most recently as Senior Accountant with Cats Heavy Haul. Transitioning away from the corporate sector, Bob enjoys the challenges of supporting the sport of tennis and keeping Tennis Alberta’s books on track
