Board
Our Board of Directors consists of elected members who volunteer their time and knowledge to set the association’s vision and direction. These dedicated individuals come from various backgrounds and bring a wealth of experience to the leadership table.
Board applications are taken in the first quarter of each year in advance of the Annual General Meeting. Once the application period has closed, PAC members are called upon to vote on who will be the board members for the upcoming term.
James Anderson
A government relations and strategic communications consultant, James has been involved in Ottawa’s political and public policy arenas for over 35 years, providing strategic counsel and policy analysis to prime ministers, premiers, cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and business, NGO and municipal leaders. During his time in politics, James managed and/or worked on many campaigns and served as a senior advisor to several Cabinet Ministers, including the Ministers of Health, International Trade and Foreign Affairs. He has coached in local sports leagues, volunteered on community association boards, and helped lead fundraising initiatives. A long-time squash and tennis player, his addiction to padel began in 2021, while he was living in London (UK); upon his return, he became focused on promoting the growth of padel in Canada.
Matthew Barnfather
Matt is a Calgary-based Chartered Professional Accountant with over twenty years of experience in accounting, financial planning, and risk management. Currently, he serves as the Director of Risk for a midsize Oil and Gas company overseeing the organization’s financial and enterprise risk management processes.
Matt grew up playing competitive tennis. He played college tennis at Mars Hill University in North Carolina and then as the captain of the University of Calgary Men’s team. Matt began playing Padel over twenty years ago when the sport was introduced in Calgary, and he represented Canada at the 2006 Padel World Championships.
Michael Bellissimo
As a Senior Vice President at CBRE, Michael specializes in assisting corporations with securing land and facilities, relocating operations, and transforming surplus properties for infill redevelopment. With over two decades of experience, Michael is a key member of CBRE’s Special Properties Group, a select group of professionals within the North American Industrial Network known for delivering strategic solutions for large-scale projects.
Michael is also the co-founder of T.10 Padel Club in Toronto and a passionate advocate for the sport of padel in Canada. His commitment to growing the sport reflects his vision of establishing Canada as a premier destination within the global padel community.
Fabio Busi
As a recent board member of Padel Canada, Fabio brings a proven track record in sport business and marketing, with expertise that bridges both luxury and high-performance brands. He earned his MBA from Italy’s prestigious University of Bologna Business School, where he specialized in premium marketing and first discovered padel, developing a passion for the sport. During his time in Italy, Fabio gained experiential marketing experience with Automobili Lamborghini, honing his skills in brand positioning and global strategy. He now coordinates North American marketing for TRUE Hockey, a high-end sports equipment manufacturer at the forefront of sports technology and innovation, where he continues to contribute to growth and deliver athlete-focused solutions across the performance market.
Jack Drybrough
Jack has been playing padel for the past 10 years, competing in Calgary’s major tournaments and leagues. He also grew up playing competitive sports including basketball, volleyball, tennis, and golf. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends
Nancy Malone
Ezequiel Quian
Ezequiel Quian is a multidisciplinary professional with degrees in Economics, Sports Medicine, and a Master’s in Biomechanics. A former U18 Argentina national rugby player and professional athlete in England, he has also coached the Argentina Women’s National Hockey Team. Passionate about endurance sports, Ezequiel has competed in numerous adventure and long-distance races, while playing padel for over 20 years. He’s been a dedicated volunteer with the Padel Association of Canada for more than 15 years.
Jorge Vila Jr.
Born in Mexico, Jorge has been immersed in sports since the age of three, beginning with tennis and competing nationally and internationally while representing Mexico. Jorge relocated to Canada in 2001 and in 2003 he moved to Ottawa, where he became a High Performance Coach at the Ottawa Athletic Club. Between 2003 and 2011, he coached and traveled extensively with nationally ranked juniors.
Jorge has dedicated the past several years to focus his training in Padel. He trained and certified under his mentor Marcos del Pilar in Orlando at the USTA Center, bringing international expertise back home. Today, he serves as Director of Padel & Friends in Ottawa and co-leads VESA Consulting, a sports consulting company specializing in facility operations, program design, coach education, and staffing solutions.
Certifications:
● RSPA Padel Professional
● PadelMBA Level 2
● RSPA Elite Tennis Professional
● Tennis Canada: Club Pro 1 / Coach 2
● RSPA Pickleball Instructor
● Pickleball Canada Instructor
● Hockey Canada: Coach 2 / Developmental Coach
● Football Canada Coach
● Psychology of Performance