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 Tobac has over 20 years of business experience, mainly focused on risk management. Her current role is Manager, Consulting Services at MNP Inc.

Prior to joining MNP, Brenda was Director of Risk Management at Ironclad Developments Inc. where she managed all aspects of risk including the procurement of insurance, claims management and project security. Brenda also started up a captive (self-insurance) program and oversaw fleet management. She has 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.

Nike Bello
Appointed to committee February 26, 2018

Nike Bello 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).

Dave Najduch
Appointed to committee September 25, 2023

Dave Najduch is a former President of the Winnipeg Teachers’ Association (WTA), having served for 11 years over three separate terms, where he was involved in contract negotiations and personnel matters.

He also completed extensive work through various committees with the Winnipeg School Division and served one term on the Provincial Executive of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society as chair of the Health and Safety Committee and the Regional Bargaining Coordinator for the Metro area.

Dave had a 38-year teaching career, teaching social studies to Grade 9 to 12 students. He worked in Birtle, Manitoba for three years, followed by a semester in Quebec and then returned to the Winnipeg School Division where he taught for 35 years before retiring in 2019.

Dave received his Bachelor of Education and master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Manitoba.

Lauren Tolton
Appointed to committee June 15, 2020

Lauren Tolton 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.