The Aurora Sports Hall of Fame Board of Governors consist of a group of dedicated volunteers that are passionate about giving back to their community. Individuals that won’t shy away from rolling up their sleeves and getting things done.
We are an organization with a big mission and a strong vision for creating an inclusive and accessible space for all who wish to learn and experience the rich sport history and culture of Aurora.
Javed S. Khan is a highly-rated international speaker, recognized for his captivating presence and ability to engage audiences at conferences and seminars around the world.
His dynamic speaking style and contagious passion have earned him a reputation as a sought-after main stage speaker. He has had the privilege of addressing over 10,000 individuals representing hundreds of organizations, leaving a lasting impression with his carefully crafted messages.
With over 25 years of experience in marketing, communications, and brand management, Javed has demonstrated his expertise in developing and managing marketing programs that capture attention and drive long-term results. His unique approach focuses on creating purposeful strategies that generate awareness and support sales objectives. This experience has made him an invaluable asset to businesses in financial services, sports marketing, and software companies.
In addition to his professional achievements, Javed has been an active member of the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame (ASHoF) for nearly its entire 10-year existence. Serving on the board and various committees, Javed has made significant contributions to the growth and success of the organization. His community involvement extends beyond ASHoF, as he has dedicated his time to organizations such as the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, CHATS, and Sport Aurora. Javed’s leadership and community engagement have made a profound impact on the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame and the community it serves.
Furthermore, Javed’s commitment to service is exemplified by his 25 years of dedication to the Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve, where he served as a veteran of the Canadian Forces. This experience instilled in him a sense of discipline, resilience, and a strong work ethic that he brings to every endeavor.
Kristen’s passion for sports and education has been a driving force behind the success of the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame. With 34 years of experience as an elementary school teacher in the York Catholic District School Board, Kristen has a deep understanding of the value of education in shaping young minds.
As the Vice-President and Chair of the ASHoF Board of Governors, and Chair of the Education Committee, Kristen is always seeking opportunities to educate the younger members of our community about the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame.
Growing up, Kristen excelled in numerous sports, competing at a high level in volleyball and track and field. She was a pioneer for women competing in track and field, becoming one of the first women to train and compete in the hammer throw. Kristen represented Canada at the Harry Jerome Track Classic and other international events, and also played rugby for the Ajax Wanderers and the very first Ontario Women’s Rugby team as a second-row player.
Kristen’s love for sports and competition continues today, as she still competes as a Masters athlete in track and field throwing events. In 2021, she was ranked 4th in the world in the Throws Pentathlon in the W55 age group.
Kristen has been the longest-standing Director on the Board since its inception in 2013. She has created and executed numerous education programs, including Sport History Alive, Future Hall of Famer, and the newest initiative, Heroes of the Hall comic book series.
Her dedication and leadership have made a significant impact on the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame, and we are grateful for all that she continues to do.
David is the past President of the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame and has been a resident of Aurora for over 35 years. Dave grew up in Etobicoke and attended Wilfrid Laurier University in an honors physical education program and as a geography major. Upon graduating, he went on to complete a Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto. This led him down the path of becoming and teacher and in later years he went on to Easter Seals Ontario, eventually became the National Director of Easter Seals Canada.
Eventually Dave left Easter Seals over 30 years ago to join the “St. Clair Group”, a sports media company and eventually went on to start his own sports marketing company, “Thom Partners Inc.”, a sports media, sponsorship, activation, and events company. More recently he was instrumental as a partner in building the “Sports Digital Network”, a national digital media network in over 100 community sports venues.
Dave’s volunteering life has included many years spent as a rep coach for the Aurora Tigers minor Hockey League, as well as serving as the VP Rep on the Aurora Minor Hockey Board for several years. Dave has also served on the Board at Yellow Brick House and has volunteered with many charities and events.
Growing up and well into his 60’s Dave enjoyed or still enjoys a wide variety of sports such as hockey, skiing, squash, windsurfing, scuba, golf and more. During the summer months in particular you can find Dave at the family cottage on Lake Muskoka enjoying cottage life with family and their six grandchildren! Dave is looking forward to continuing to be involved wherever possible with the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame.
Bob has been a resident of Aurora for 66 years, he and his wife Kim have been married for 46 years and have 2 children, Marnie, and Kyle, and 2 grandchildren. Both kids were involved in many sports while growing up in Aurora. Bob began his volunteering journey with ASHoF as a member of the Organizational Committee in 2012, and two years later became a member of the Board of Governors in 2014, as the Aurora Historical Society Representative. In addition to his Board involvement, Bob also volunteers his time for ASHoF on various committees, events and even does the voiceover for the induction celebration videos.
Bob is a retired high school mathematics teacher; he taught for 33 years, and 22 of those years were spent teaching in Aurora. Bob continues to be an educator as he still tutors students in mathematics. During his time as an educator, Bob coached 39 basketball teams and 8 Track teams.
Bob’s volunteering activities are not limited to ASHoF, as he is an active member in the Aurora community. Bob was the Deputy Mayor of Aurora from 2006 to 2010, York Region District School Board Trustee for Aurora & King Township from 2018 to 2022, Member of the Aurora Historical Society Board for 14 years (2005 to 2019) and is an ongoing member of Aurora’s Heritage Advisory Committee since 2003. Bob has been a member of the Aurora United Church choir since 1965, worked with the Salvation Army as a Kettle Volunteer for 15 years, and wrote a book titled, Postcards of Olde Aurora, which includes some history and postcard images of Aurora.
Bob has been acknowledged for his contributions to the community as a recipient of the following awards:
Sandra has been a resident of Aurora for more than 24 years and is married to a fourth-generation Auroran. With 12 years of experience as a Municipal Councillor and over 25 years in IT Senior Service Management, Problem Management & Communication, she is a valuable asset to the Town of Aurora as an active volunteer.
Her involvement in various areas of focus such as Sports, Arts, Culture, and Financial Fiduciary accountability has given her extensive knowledge and experience in successfully delivering appropriate programs.
Sandra has served as a member of many boards and committees, including the Heritage Advisory Committee, Accessibility Advisory Committee, Library Board, Economic Development Board, Active Trails and Transportation Committee, Council Liaison for the History Society, Southlake Run/Walk, and the Aurora Farmers Market & Artisan Fair.
As a strong supporter of the Aurora Sport Hall of Fame (ASHoF), she played a crucial role in facilitating the move of ASHoF to the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex (SARC) from Aurora Town Hall during her tenure on Aurora Town Council.
Sandra firmly believes in recognizing local talent, as it fosters a culture of celebration, motivation, and encouragement.
Chan is a talented video content creator with a passion for storytelling. With years of experience in video production, he has perfected the art of crafting compelling narratives that come alive on screen. He has worked on various brand campaigns, social media videos, and short films, demonstrating his creativity and vision to capture audiences and leave a lasting impact.
Chan has been an integral part of the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame organization, leading the videography efforts for several years. His constant search for innovative ways to generate awareness of the organization has been invaluable.
As a result, Chan’s skills, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to excellence make him an excellent addition as a Director to the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame Board of Governors.
Jonathan Rass is a high school teacher and active coach in both basketball and soccer, as well as his role as Vice Chair of the Basketball Advisory committee for the York Region Athletic Association.
Having played varsity basketball during his studies at Laurentian and Brock Universities, Jonathan has a deep understanding of the importance of teamwork, confidence, determination, and strength. As a proud alumni of Aurora High School and current teacher and coach at Dr. G. W. Williams Secondary School, he is passionate about inspiring youth in our community through sports and academics.
Jonathan’s focus on positive sportsmanship and developing the strengths of his teammates aligns perfectly with the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame’s values.
Despite being in grade 11, Dante has a keen interest in business and communication, with experience in sales that allows him to forge new relationships with people. He has a passion for sports, having played baseball for six years and also enjoying wrestling and football.
He invests most of his time into school, his part-time job as a premium men’s wear sales representative, and personal development. He is always eager to take on new opportunities that will enhance his skill set and benefit his future.
With his strong communication skills and ever-growing social media savvy, Dante will be a tremendous asset to the organization.
As a young and dynamic member of the Board, Dante believes he can help the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame reach a wider and younger audience. His fresh ideas and unique perspective will contribute significantly to the organization’s vision.
We are thrilled to have Dante as one of our NEW Youth Ambassador Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors, and we look forward to seeing him make a positive impact on the Board.
Gerry is a born and raised Auroran. He grew up in Regency Acres with his 5 siblings in a home that was all about sports. He and his brothers played organized hockey, baseball, soccer, football, boxing as well as unorganized activities such as golf and tennis while his sisters also played hockey, baseball, and figure skating.
Gerry’s parents were the inspiration behind this sporting family. Gerry’s father was inducted in ASHoF’s second year as a Builder/Contributor. His father was a coach, referee, umpire founder of football and boxing, organizations, Aurora Tiger owner as well as an Aurora Town Councillor responsible for numerous sporting infrastructure in Aurora including the building of the Aurora Community Centre. Gerry’s mother was also an OptiMrs following her husband who was a founding member of the Aurora Optimists. The OptiMrs ran the Bantam Hockey Tournament in Aurora. Gerry has deep roots in Aurora and is a graduate of Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School.
Gerry is a lawyer. He is the managing partner of his Bay Street law firm. His expertise is business law. He joined ASHoF as a volunteer to assist with it governance from the beginning writing its Letters Patent and Governing Bylaws. Later he was successful in obtaining charitable status for the organization. Gerry supports ASHoF as its legal counsel providing both professional and practical support for all of its committees and Board of Governors.
Brian has been a resident of Aurora since 1998 when he moved to the area to start working for a local accounting firm. In 2005 he received his Chartered Professional Accountant designation and became a partner in the firm. Today he is the President of Roberts & Company, a full-service CPA firm offering accounting, bookkeeping and tax services to personal and corporate clients.
Brian grew up in a small town in southern Ontario. He spent much of his free time helping on the family farm and participating in several extracurricular activities. At present, Brian, his wife and three children continue to live an active lifestyle, engaging in activities such as hockey, golf, skiing, and soccer.
In the past, Brian served as treasurer for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, where he continues to sit on the finance committee. He volunteers for different services and events in the community such as the Aurora Street Festival and the Home Show. Every spring, his firm hosts a free clinic for low-income seniors to assist with filing their income tax returns.
Brian joined the ASHoF Board of Governors as Treasurer in October 2020 and brings extensive experience in accounting and finance from working with various not for profits. He enjoys working with the board and assisting the organization to achieve its financial objectives.
Robin is the Director of Community Services with the Town of Aurora. One of her many roles is representing the Town on the ASHoF Board helping to guide the members while supporting the partnerships the Town has with ASHoF.
Mayor Mrakas is currently serving his second term as Mayor of the Town of Aurora. Prior to being elected as Mayor in 2018, he was a Councillor from 2014 to 2018. Mayor Mrakas represents the Town of Aurora at Regional Council as part of his Mayoral duties and represents the Town of Aurora on the ASHoF Board helping to guide the members while supporting the partnerships the Town has with ASHoF.
