Board of Directors

Andrea Bobkowicz, Vice-President
Andrea has been a member since 1994 and is now a lifetime member. She is now the Chair of the Annual Charitable Luncheon, she also served two terms as Treasurer. Professionally, Andrea is an Investment Advisor and joined National Bank Financial in 2002 after spending almost 4 years in New York working as a global institutional equity salesperson. She has a young family and enjoys giving back the community that is close to her heart.

Thomas Brady, Director
Thomas Brady was born in Montreal and attended Loyola High School and College. He is a partner in the labour law department at Heenan Blaikie, a Montreal law firm with offices across Canada, where he specializes in federal labour, employment and human rights law. He has published a number of articles on historical and legal topics as well as a legal text book.

Karen Bright, Director

Christie Brown, Secretary
Christie has been involved with the St. Patrick's Society since the age of 18. She started as a Ball Usher and then became more directly involved in the organization of the Annual Charitable Ball as the Junior Ticket Coordinator. Now Ball Chairperson, Christie has not missed a Ball in 15 years. Christie works for the Ministry of Education where she manages two dossiers for the Anglophone Sector; Math, Science and Technology as well as First Nations Education.

Edward Brennan, Director

Rob Brodrick, Director

Paul Doyle, Director

Paul Dunne, Treasurer
Paul Dunne is an Irish Chartered Accountant who settled in Montreal in the late seventies. In addition to his work with SPS, Paul is an active volunteer and past chair of the Montreal YMCA and vice-chair of YMCA Canada. Paul is single with two sons and lives on Nun’s Island.

John Lemieux, Director

Mary McDaid, Immediate Past-President
Mary has been a member of the Society since the early 1990s. She has served as Editor of Nuacht (1998 to 2002) and intermittently as Chair of the Cultural Committee. Recipient of St. Patrick’s Society’s Community Service Award in 2002, Mary has been involved in our local Irish Community since arriving in Montreal in 1990. Upon conclusion of her term as President of the Society this year she was appointed to the Board of the Quebec Anglo Heritage Network where she can connect with the province-wide Irish community. Her major focus during this Anniversary Year is “Being Irish” the Irish-in-Quebec Exhibition opening in March 2009 at McCord Museum. She has worked at McGill University since 1992 and is currently the Academic Affairs Officer of the Faculty of Arts.

Sandra (Sandy) McDonaugh, Director
Sandra joined the Board of Directors in 2005. She is of Irish descent on her Mother’s side and is married to John, a first generation Irish man from Galway. She is retired from the pharmaceutical industry where she held positions that included Administration and Human Resources Manager as well as that of Director of Sales. She was Chair of the Charitable and Educational Grants Committee, Membership and is presently involved in the planning and coordination of the Annual Christmas Concert.

Frank McMahon, Director

Tom Mulcair, Director

John Mulholland, Director
John Mulholland was born in New York City and moved to Montreal in 1970. John graduated from Loyola HS in 1980 studied history at Queen’s University and earned his MBA from UQAM in 2006. John was married to Martine at St-Patrick’s in 1987 and has a son (Patrick-Henry) and two daughters (Vero and Isabelle). He is a project manager for real estate and construction projects. He is also vice-chairman of the Montreal Irish Community Foundation and an amateur student of ancient Irish history.

Alistair O'Hara, President
Although born in Queensland, Australia, Alistair nevertheless looks on Cushendun in the north-east corner of the Glens of Antrim as home. It was to here that his Irish father, a true “Glensman” and his Scots mother returned in 1954 with Alistair and his two older brothers. By the early 70’s, the wanderlust was upon him and he moved to London, and then on to Montreal in 1980 where he worked for two years with Air Canada before joining the International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN specialised agency. Alistair currently resides in Montreal West with wife Fiona, daughter Caitlin and son Conor. His initial introduction to the Montreal Irish community was through Caitlin’s Irish Dancing career, and then later was recruited to help with the SPS Charity Ball by Ned Eustace. (The rest, as they say, is history.)

Scott Phelan, Vice-President
Scott Phelan has been involved with The St. Patrick’s Society for many years and recently served as Secretary. Scott is co-owner of La Boutique Electronique and a number of Espace Bell stores in and around the West Island of Montreal. A graduate of Loyola High School and Concordia University, Scott is also Chairman of the ICDAC (Independent Communications Dealer Association of Canada), past President and member of the Board of Directors of The Loyola High School Alumni Association and is active in a number of charitable fundraisers. Scott is married with three children: Jonathan, Kathryn and Kelly.

Matthew Rooney, Director

Patrick M. Shea, Vice-President
Patrick M. Shea is a partner at Ogilvy Renault LLP where he practises corporate law in the firm's Montreal office. Patrick received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1995 and an LL.B and a B.C.L. from McGill Law School in 1999. Patrick is sixth-generation Irish Montrealer and serves as a director and trustee of a number of other not-for-profit organizations.

Hugh Whalen, Director

Robert Travers, Director

Danny Zangwill, Director