Drake International Board of Trustees

Meet the Drake International Business Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for guiding and overseeing Drake International’s strategic direction, succession planning and global operations. These industry leaders and entrepreneurs bring a wealth of international experience, expertise and insights to their role facilitating Drake International’s ongoing innovation and impact.

Glenn Agro

Chair of Audit Committee

Glenn Agro is a member of the Drake International Board of Trustees and Chair of the Audit Committee. A chartered accountant, he has over 35 years of experience at BDO Canada LLP, including as chairman, providing auditing, accounting and advisory services for privately held companies. He has extensive expertise helping businesses expand to new markets, including Europe, South America, USA, Australia, and enhancing financial performance through cash flow projections and forecasts, corporate and tax restructuring as well as negotiations with financial institutions to recapitalize operations. With a strong entrepreneurial bent, Glenn took a secondment from his accounting practice for two years to serve as president of a national food services company. Glenn mentors a number of CEOs of privately held and family-run companies. A strong believer in giving back, Glenn has spent 30 percent of his time in practice on charitable work, serving on the Board of Directors for Accessible Media Inc., Lynwood Hall Children’s Centre Foundation, and the Hamilton-Burlington-Brantford YMCA, among other organizations.

Sandi Hokansson

Chair of Governance and Talent

Sandi Hokansson is a member of the Drake International Board of Trustees and Chair of Governance and Talent Committee. A seasoned leader and influencer in the talent and human resources sector, she served for 14 years as President & Country Manager of the Canadian subsidiary of The Adecco Group, a global Fortune 500 company. Under her leadership, Adecco Canada was recognized several times as a Great Place to Work, identified as one of the TOP 50 Best Companies in Canada and distinguished with a Most Engaged Workplace Award. During this time, Sandi was named as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women, a top 100 winner by WXN. While an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, she subsequently expanded her influence on a global scale, serving as SVP, Executive Development for Adecco Group North America, UK and Ireland. Since retiring in 2018, Sandi launched SOUNDLEADERSHIP Inc., offering executive coaching, leadership training and assessment, as well as HR and business consulting to executives. She also is a Contributing Visionary to The Prosperity Project, a charitable organization established during the COVID pandemic to support and advance women in the workforce. A forward-thinking and dynamic leader with deep expertise in staffing and human resources, Sandi has a strong track record of helping organizations invest in building leaders to achieve sustainable success.

Andrea Stairs

Andrea Stairs is a member of the Drake International Board of Trustees. A resourceful and results-driven leader with deep expertise in technology as well as marketing, global operations and strategy, Andrea has served in numerous executive roles at eBay over the last 18 years. Andrea is currently Global VP, Trust, Regulatory and Monetization. In this expansive role, Andrea leads functions that are critical to protecting and enhancing the trust and value eBay delivers for its global community of more than 130 million buyers and sellers. Prior to her current position, Andrea was VP International Markets &
Regulatory, a role in which she led eBay’s strategy and operations across a global portfolio of more than 50 countries in Europe, Asia & Australia, and the Americas. Previously, Andrea was Chief Marketing Officer & VP of Seller Community for eBay North America and GM of eBay Canada & Latin America. Having led a company-wide organizational transformation from a regional to a global market structure, Andrea is highly experienced in scaling businesses
for sustained competitive growth. She has also served on numerous
governance boards, including for Export Development Canada, FinDev Canada, the Toronto Region Board of Trade, the Information Technology Association of Canada and is currently Chair of the National Ballet School of Canada.

Jeremy Auger

Jeremy Auger is a member of the Drake International Board of Trustees. An entrepreneur and technology executive with a background in the software industry, he is one of the co-founders of D2L (TSX: DTOL), a Canada-based global software company. With teams across Canada, the United States, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Mexico, and Singapore, D2L provides a digital learning platform for K-12, higher education and corporate training programs. Jeremy has been instrumental in the company’s growth and expansion over almost 25 years and currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer with oversight for corporate strategy, corporate development, public affairs, market intelligence, IP strategy, D2L Labs, ESG, as well as the company’s
philanthropic initiatives. Jeremy brings a deep understanding of rapidly evolving technology, including advances in AI, which will impact the future of business globally. He has served on a number of boards, with a focus on economic development and the future of work and learning, including TechNation – Canada’s tech association, Future Skills Council, IMS Global Learning Consortium, and triOS College.

Karen Meredith Blott

Trustee and Global CEO

Karen Meredith Blott is Global CEO of Drake International and a member of the Drake International Board of Trustees. Karen is a seasoned global business executive and community leader with 30+ years of experience across talent management, health care and education, including 20 years with Drake and its associated companies around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Monaco, the US, and Canada. Recognized for driving measurable business impact and meaningful innovation, she is an empathetic leader who empowers people to reach their full potential. A passionate community builder with a strong entrepreneurial drive, she has also launched and/or grown a number of successful social enterprises and start-ups in health care and education, including Circle 21, a non-profit organization with a mandate to transform support for people with Down syndrome and Blueballoon Health Services (now part of TELUS Health), which offers multidisciplinary care for children with development disabilities. Committed to building connected and inclusive communities, she has also served in leadership and governance roles on various boards in the private and non-profit sectors. She thrives at both honoring legacy and driving meaningful innovation.