WDBA is led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and governed by a board of directors who are responsible for overseeing the business activities and other affairs of WDBA. The board is comprised of up to seven members, including the CEO. All directors are approved by the Government of Canada with the Chair and CEO holding office for five years and the directors holding office for up to four years.

Marie Campagna

Ms. Campagna has over 30 years of progressive experience in the public and private sectors. Her career has been rooted in finance and operational support and spanned many sectors including healthcare, automotive, logistics and pharmaceuticals.

Formerly the Vice President Corporate Services, New Business Development and Chief Financial Officer of Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare, Ms. Campagna is currently an Executive in Residence at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, Program Facilitator with CPA Ontario and CFO and Business Advisor for R.E.E. L. Outline.

Since February of 2017, Ms. Campagna has served on the Board of Directors for Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. In addition, she is the Board Chair of Essex Energy Corporation, and a Board member with the LaSalle Police Board and Assumption University. Over the past 20 years, Ms. Campagna has also held Board and Committee positions with the Windsor Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, Essex Power Corporation, CMA Ontario and CMA Canada.

Ms. Campagna holds a CPA designation, BComm and an MBA  from the University of Windsor, an ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors, and is a Fellow and Life Member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.

Mr. van Niekerk recently held the position of Executive Vice President – Transportation at Infrastructure Ontario and brings a wealth of experience in infrastructure planning and delivery, asset management, and operational management in the public and private sectors.  

Over the past 9 years at Infrastructure Ontario, Mr. van Niekerk has gained significant experience overseeing the delivery of complex provincial highway, subway, and rail projects, including the successful delivery of the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway that connects to the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Globally, he has an extensive leadership background in the construction, operations, and engineering industry. 

Mr. van Niekerk holds a Bachelor in Civil Engineering from the University of Pretoria and a Master in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa. 

Mr. Allsop brings over 30 years of senior executive experience in a number of industries, including finance, banking and private equity. Mr. Allsop is currently a Partner with TVG Partners LLC, a U.S. based, real estate-focused private equity firm. 

Mr. Allsop was Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of HSBC Securities (Canada), as well as a director of HSBC Global Asset Management (Canada) Ltd. He has also served in senior leadership roles at HSBC in investment banking in Toronto and London, including as Managing Director and Head of Global Infrastructure Fund Coverage. Mr. Allsop has a strong governance background and extensive experience in investment banking, accounting and consulting, and infrastructure lending domestically and internationally.

Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Mr. Allsop holds a Honours Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at Western University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. He is a member of the Board of Governors of St. Clement’s School in Toronto, Ontario.

Karla Avis

Member of the Audit Committee and Member of the Project Oversight Committee

Ms. Avis is the Chief Planning Officer at Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario connecting communities by delivering an integrated transit network for all in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area. Ms. Avis-Birch is applying her executive leadership and multi-billion dollar project delivery experience to lead the Planning Division in supporting practical advancement of the Regional Transportation Plan and evidence-based decision making in the delivery of transit projects and managing benefits of the transit projects through the project lifecycle.

Throughout her career, Ms. Avis has had progressive roles at Metrolinx having overseen the construction of several transit projects in partnership with Infrastructure Ontario, including stations delivery and Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) projects, established Metrolinx’s first “Project Controls and Design Standards” Office, introducing a corporate automated project tracking system. 

Ms. Avis is a Civil Engineering graduate from Toronto Metropolitan  University and has garnered a feature in the Women of Influence “Meet a Role Model” article and a spot amongst the 2020 Women in Infrastructure Network (WIN) Outstanding Leaders shortlist, and served as the 2017 and 2018 President of the Women in Transportation Seminars (WTS) Toronto Chapter.

Ms. Krauss brings nearly 15 years of experience in the infrastructure and public-private partnerships industry. She is currently a Principal with LK Infra Consulting and has also been working with Evolve Infrastructure for the past three years, providing consulting services and infrastructure best practice guidance to clients. Prior to starting her consulting business, Ms. Krauss was Senior Legal Counsel, then General Counsel for the North American developer and equity provider for HOCHTIEF. Ms. Krauss began her legal career at the Toronto office of DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, an international law firm. 

Ms. Krauss has significant experience supporting a wide range of construction and infrastructure projects, including the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor in Montréal and the Northeast Anthony Henday Drive Project in Edmonton. Ms. Krauss has a detailed understanding of commercial consulting and extensive domestic and international legal background. 

Ms. Krauss holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Semiotics and Communication Theory from the University of Toronto, a Juris Doctor from the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, and is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

Ms. Reidel is President and Chief Executive Officer of ENWIN Utilities Ltd. and brings more than 34 years of senior executive and board director experience in the public and private sectors. She has also served in a variety of senior executive and operational roles with the Corporation of the City of Windsor, including: City Manager/Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and General Manager of Corporate Services.

A native of Windsor, Ontario, Ms. Reidel has a strong connection to the region. She is a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Windsor, the Board of Directors of the Motor City Community Credit Union, and previously held a number of volunteer appointments, including the United Way Centraide-Windsor Essex, the Windsor Public Library Board, and the Windsor Essex Children’s Aid Society.

Ms. Reidel is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds an ICD.D. from the Institute of Corporate Directors, as well as degrees in Commerce and Education from the University of Windsor.

Mr. Smith brings over 35 years of experience in commercial, institutional, residential, and industrial construction, delivering a wide range of construction projects. In his executive capacity in the construction industry Mr. Smith was responsible for the successful completion of some of Canada’s major infrastructure projects.

In 2019, Mr. Smith started MPa (Major Project Advisory), a consulting service that provides commercial best practice guidance and leadership development support to clients in the development and construction sector.

Mr. Smith has served on a number of boards of directors, including the Canadian Construction Association, and the Ontario General Contractors Association.

 

The Audit Committee is responsible to ensure transparent and accurate reporting of financial information; effective risk management practices; internal control; and the corporation’s standards of integrity and behaviour. While the Auditor General of Canada is the corporation’s external auditor, the Audit Committee oversees WDBA’s internal audit function.

Jeff Allsop

Temporary Chair

Helga Reidel

Committee Member

Tim Smith

Committee Member

 

The Governance and Human Resources Committee is responsible to develop effective corporate governance practices and to advise WDBA on a range of human resources issues to ensure that that appropriate strategies and plans are in place for the attraction, retention and succession of employees. The committee also will periodically review the corporation’s compensation structure and philosophy and human resource policies.

Helga Reidel

Committee Chair

Karla Avis

Committee Member

Lindsay Krauss

Committee Member

The Committee will provide oversight of and require accountability from management in respect of the resolution of significant contractual and commercial issues impacting the delivery of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project (the “Project”) with the objective of achieving Substantial Completion, first day operations and Final Completion. The Committee with further provide oversight and accountability from management in respect of significant contractual and commercial issues impacting operations and maintenance.

Tim Smith

Committee Chair

Jeff Allsop

Committee Member

Lindsay Krauss

Committee Member

The Committee assists with overseeing and holding management accountable to ensure Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority is ready to perform all activities related to being the Bridge Operator above and beyond those activities sub-contracted to Bridging North America.

Karla Avis

Committee Chair

Lindsay Krauss

Committee Member

Helga Reidel

Committee Member