The Audit and Risk Committee assists the Board in discharging its oversight responsibilities related to the quality and integrity of financial reporting and enterprise risk management, including internal controls and fraud detection and prevention. Three of TRAF's Board members and an external accounting professional sit on this committee. Additional details regarding the function of the Audit and Risk Committee are set out in its Terms of Reference.

The current members of the Audit and Risk Committee are set out below.

Brenda Tobac
Chair
Appointed to committee February 26, 2018

Brenda has over 20 years of business experience, mainly focused on risk management. Her current role is Director of Risk Management for Ironclad Developments Inc. She is responsible for managing all aspects of the organization's insurance and claims, risk profile and business continuity plan, as well as assisting in financing and investment activities.

Prior to surety, Brenda spent 10 years in mid-market commercial banking where she managed banking relationships, structured financing solutions, and brought in appropriate banking partners for mid-market corporations. Brenda has also led surety bond practices at HUB International and practiced cross-border taxation at Deloitte and Arthur Andersen. She has both a Bachelor of Accountancy and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Dakota as well as a Certified Public Accountant designation. Brenda has also completed the Institute of Corporate Directors – Rotman Director Education Program.

Brenda has participated on boards and chaired committees focused mainly on children, health, and education.

 
James Bedford
Board Member
Appointed to committee June 20, 2022

James is currently the President of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society. Prior to his election as President, he served as Vice President of the Society and, before that, as a high school science and mathematics teachers in the Louis Riel, St. Boniface and Norwood School Divisions. He has served as President of the St. Boniface Teachers’ Association and as a Vice President of the Louis Riel Teachers’ Association. James has also served as the Chief Governance Officer and Chair of the Disability Benefits Plan of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society.

James received a Bachelor of Science (4-year) degree from the University of Winnipeg, a Master of Science (Health and Radiation Physics) degree from McMaster University and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Winnipeg.

Nike Bello
Board Member
Appointed to committee February 26, 2018

Nike is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with more than 20 years of professional accounting experience in Chief Financial Officer, Finance Director and Controller roles at organizations including Macdonald Youth Services, Economic Development Winnipeg, Pfizer Inc., Microsoft Ireland Operations, Xerox Europe Ltd. and Marks & Spencer.

Nike is the President of Olanike Bello CPA, a public accounting firm. She is also the co-owner of a UPS Store franchise in Winnipeg. 

Nike serves on ACCA Canada as a network panel member, and is a council member of Ka Ni Kanichihk and member of the Associates of the Asper School of Business.

She was the Treasurer of the Board at St. John's-Ravenscourt School Parents' Association and Com-Spam Inc. and Chair of the Finance Committee of the Manitoba 150 Host Committee Inc.

Nike holds a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University (UK) and four professional accounting designations – Chartered Accountant (CA - IFAC), Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA - Europe), Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA - Canada) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE - North America).

Lauren Tolton
Appointed to committee June 15, 2020

Lauren worked at BDO Canada LLP for more than 20 years. She was admitted to the partnership in 2013 and retired at the end of 2020. Her area of expertise is accounting and assurance services and she has focused on working with public sector and not-for-profit organizations in several areas, particularly education and local governments. She has also worked extensively with several union pension and health and welfare plans. Her work in the public sector includes providing tax and accounting advice to companies from manufacturing and construction, to agriculture and retail. She also has experience in conducting federal and provincial government recipient-contribution agreement audits.

Lauren was a member of the Board of Regents for the University of Winnipeg and the Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee for six years from 2015 until 2020. 

She completed her Bachelor of Commerce with Honours in 1999 and became a Chartered Professional Accountant/Chartered Accountant in 2002.