Trustees
The Upper Grand District School Board has ten elected trustee members who represent the municipalities within the counties of Dufferin and Wellington. Trustees are accountable to their communities and to the province for continuous improvement in the level of student achievement in their schools. Two student trustees are selected each year by student senators and are appointed for one-year terms by the Board.
All mail correspondence to all trustees can be sent to the Guelph Board Office at 500 Victoria Road North, Guelph, Ontario, N1E 6K2.
Learn more about being a Board Trustee or about Student Senate and being a Student Trustee
Board Trustees (2022 – 2026)
Ralf Mesenbrink, Chair
Electoral area: City of Guelph (Wards 2, 3 and 4)
School Liaison for: Central PS, College Heights SS, Gateway Drive PS, John McCrae PS, Mitchell Woods PS, Paisley Road PS, Taylor Evans PS, Victory PS, Willow Road PS, Continuing Education, Elementary Remote Learning Program (ERLP)
Email: ralf.mesenbrink@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 575
Alethia O’Hara-Stephenson, Vice-Chair
Electoral area: Town of Orangeville
School Liaison for: Credit Meadows ES, Dufferin Centre for Continuing Education, Island Lake PS, Montgomery Village PS, Parkinson Centennial PS, Princess Elizabeth PS, Princess Margaret PS, Orangeville DSS, Spencer Avenue ES, Westside SS
Email: alethia.oharastephenson@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 573
Jen Edwards
Electoral area: Township of Guelph/Eramosa, Township of East Garafraxa and Town of Erin
School Liaison for: Brisbane PS, East Garafraxa PS, Eramosa PS, Erin DHS, Erin PS, École Harris Mill PS, Rockwood Centennial PS, Ross R. MacKay PS
Email: jennifer.edwards@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 572
Irene Hanenberg
Electoral area: Township of Centre Wellington
School Liaison for: Centre Wellington DHS, Elora PS, James McQueen PS, J.D. Hogarth PS, John Black PS, Ponsonby PS, Salem PS, Victoria Terrace PS
Email: marina.hanenberg@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 570
Martha MacNeil
Electoral area: City of Guelph (Wards 1 and 5)
School Liaison for: Arbour Vista PS, Guelph CVI, Jean Little PS, Ken Danby PS, Priory Park PS
Email: martha.macneil@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 574
Kyle Reaburn
Electoral area: City of Guelph (Ward 6), Puslinch
School Liaison for: Aberfoyle PS, Kortright Hills PS, Rickson Ridge PS, Sir Isaac Brock PS, Westminster Woods PS, Centennial CVI
Email: kyle.reaburn@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 571
Robin Ross
Electoral area: Township of Wellington North, Town of Minto and Township of Mapleton
School Liaison for: Alma PS, Arthur PS, Centre Peel PS, Drayton Heights PS, Kenilworth PS, Maryborough PS, Minto-Clifford PS, Norwell DSS, Palmerston PS, Victoria Cross PS, Wellington Heights SS
Email: robin.ross@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 577
Lynn Topping
Electoral area: Townships of Amaranth, East Luther/Grand Valley, Melancthon, Mulmur, and Towns of Mono and Shelburne
School Liaison for: Centennial Hylands ES, Centre Dufferin DHS, Glenbrook ES, Grand Valley and District PS, Hyland Heights ES, Laurelwoods ES, Mono-Amaranth PS, Primrose ES
Email: lynn.topping@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 579
Luke Weiler
Electoral area: City of Guelph (Wards 1 and 5)
School Liaison for: Brant Avenue PS, FA Hamilton PS, Guelph Lake PS, John McCrae PS, John F. Ross CVI, William C. Winegard PS
Email: luke.weiler@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 576
Laurie Whyte
Electoral area: City of Guelph (Wards 2, 3 and 4)
School Liaison for: Edward Johnson PS, John Galt PS, King George PS, June Avenue PS, Ottawa Crescent PS, Waverley Drive PS, Westwood PS
Email: laurie.whyte@ugdsb.on.ca
Phone: 519-822-4420 ext. 578
Elisa Emini, Student Trustee (Rural Schools)
Student at Erin DHS
Wreighn Fetalcorin, Student Trustee (Urban Schools)
Student at Guelph CVI
Committee Membership
Standing Committees (1-Year Term)
Policy and Priorities: Trustee Ross (Chair), Trustee O’Hara-Stephenson, Trustee MacNeil, Trustee Topping, Trustee Whyte
Finance and Facilities: Trustee Edwards (Chair), Trustee Hanenberg, Trustee Mesenbrink, Trustee Reaburn, Trustee Weiler
Governance: Trustee Weiler (Chair), Trustee Hanenberg, Trustee MacNeil, Trustee Mesenbrink, Trustee Reaburn
Statutory Committees: (1-Year Term unless stated otherwise)
Audit Committee (4-Year Term): Trustee Mesenbrink (Chair), Trustee Hanenberg, Trustee MacNeil, Ryan Delisle (External), Mark Gilroy (External)
Parent Involvement Committee (PIC): Trustee MacNeil. Alternates: Trustee Edwards, Trustee Mesenbrink
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) (4-year Term): Trustee Whyte (Chair), Trustee O’Hara-Stephenson. Alternates: Trustee Mesenbrink
Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL):
Wellington County: Trustee Ross, Alternate Trustee Whyte
Dufferin County: Trustee Topping, Alternate Trustee Mesenbrink
City of Guelph: Trustee Mesenbrink, Alternate Trustee Whyte
First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education Council
Trustee Hanenberg, Trustee MacNeil. Alternate: Trustee Topping
External Appointments
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) Director and Voting Delegate: Trustee MacNeil. Alternate: Trustee Edwards
Art Gallery of Guelph: Trustee Weiler
Upper Grand Learning Foundation: Trustee Edwards
Ad Hoc Committee
Honouring Martha Rogers Ad Hoc Committee: Trustee MacNeil (Chair), Trustee Hanenberg, Trustee Topping, Trustee Whyte
MYP Advisory Committees
Lifelong Love of Learning: Trustee Hanenberg, Trustee Topping
Health and Wellbeing: Trustee Ross
Equity of Access and Outcomes: Trustee O’Hara-Stephenson, Trustee Whyte
Sustainability: Trustee Edwards, Trustee MacNeil
Student Trustee Liaison Role
Trustee Mesenbrink (Term to July 31, 2026)
Trustee Weiler (Term August 1, 2026 to November 14, 2026)
For questions or information contact:
Nancy Fiorentino, Manager of Governance and Board Services
Phone 519-822-4420 ext. 728
Email: nancy.fiorentino@ugdsb.on.ca