Honorary Life Members - Ten Oaks Project

A Life Membership is awarded by the Board of Directors to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the mission, vision and values of the Ten Oaks Project. In addition to the permanent right to vote at our Annual General Meetings, life members also receive a handsome handmade Ten Oaks Project mug and our eternal gratitude.

Ten Oaks Project Life Members

holly_julia_picHolly & Julia Wagg

Holly and Julia Wagg co-founded the Ten Oaks Project in 2004. For the first five years of Ten Oaks’ life, they worked to build this grassroots organization from the ground up into a charity that has become known throughout Canada as a leader in meeting the needs of children and youth from 2SLGBTQ+ identities, families, and communities. Julia primarily led the Camp Ten Oaks staff team and developed the program and culture as the Camp Director, while Holly primarily steered organizational development, fundraising and governance as President of the Board of Directors.

Holly has dedicated her career to the charitable sector and is Managing Partner and Head Counsel with Good Works where her expertise is in digital and social fundraising to help causes connect with donors.  Her community involvement includes Centretown Community Health Centre, the LGBT Giving Network Advisory Board, the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Diversity to Inclusion Project, and fundraising for the Ten Oaks Project.

After fourteen months with leukaemia, we said goodbye to Julia on April 14, 2017. Before her death, Julia lived big in every area of her life and was the Director of Organizational Development at Hydro Ottawa where her portfolio included diversity and inclusion.

Together, Holly and Julia have three kids, which has probably been the most amazing project of all.


Chris Cowperthwaite

A volunteer with the Ten Oaks Project since 2005, Chris served as both a Camp Ten Oaks counselor and member of the camp leadership team. Since his first year of involvement, Chris been a proud ambassador of the Ten Oaks Project in Toronto, taking a lead role in building the community and donor base in the city. He served on the Ten Oaks Project Board of Directors from 2008 to 2010. In 2009, he convened a team that conceived and launched CampCurl, a Ten Oaks Project Toronto FUNdraiser, raising $25,000 for the project in its first year. Chris holds a BSc and diploma in peace and conflict studies from the University of Waterloo. He is currently completing an MBA at York University’s Schulich School of Business. In his professional life, Chris has worked as a fundraiser and project manager, most recently as manager of Development and Alumni Relations at The Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation.


MarcusMarcus Logan

Marcus Logan was the Director of Camp Ten Oaks from 2012-2017, and now sits on our Board of Directors. He has over 20 years experience working with 2SLGBTQ+ youth and communities and has a passion for  providing supportive environments and programs for QueerSpawn, 2SLGBTQ+ children and youth, and their families. Marcus grew up on Lake Temagami and his family often found him sleeping in his canoe, late for meals because he had paddled to far to get back on time, and fishing with his dad.  As a gay dad, Marcus and his husband have two children who attend Camp Ten Oaks and have come to love camp and see it as an important part of their year.


Jen Keystone

Jen was one of the five members on the very first Board of Directors of the Ten Oaks Project. It’s because of her that Ten Oaks stretched to meet the needs of kids living in Toronto/GTA, and that the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Toronto significantly supported Ten Oaks in its early years.

Jen is currently working as a Paramedic for Toronto Emergency Medical Services, and is a proud mom of three super kids. Previously, Jen worked for social service organizations such as Rainbow Health Ontario, a program of Sherbourne Health Center and the AIDS Committee of Toronto, working with 2SLGBTQ+ communities to improve the health of individuals and communities alike. Prior to her undergrad in Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism from Lakehead University, Jen spent her entire pre-adult years exploring Ontario’s wilderness as both a camper and counsellor at Camp Timberlane.


Sonja (4)Sonja Prakash

Sonja has more than 10 years experience in community work that focuses on youth, social justice, and anti-oppression. Sonja is a founding board member of the Ten Oaks Project, and has been volunteering with the organization since 2004. In addition to her role on the board, she was also a Camp Ten Oaks staff member and has led the development and and execution of Project Acorn, a leadership camp for youth from queer communities. Leaving her hometown of Montreal to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work at Carleton University, Sonja has come to embrace Ottawa and its communities of activists who live and agitate in the Capital.


markMark Schaan

Mark has been involved with the Ten Oaks Project almost since his arrival in Ottawa in 2006. Mark spent a number of years on the Board of Directors of the organization, including roles as Treasurer, and Vice-President, before becoming the first non-Founder President in 2009. In his time as President, Mark helped to initiate a new strategic plan and bring on the first paid staff for the organization. Mark continued on the Board as Past President until 2011. Mark was also involved in the very beginnings of Project Acorn, working with Sonja Prakash and the Youth Advisory Committee to build a strong foundation for this incredible program. Mark continued through the first five years of Project Acorn, and still keeps in touch as a Friend of Acorn.

In his day job, Mark is a policy wonk, having held progressively senior posts within the public service of the Government of Canada. Mark remains engaged in the community, and has volunteered and provided leadership to a number of other organizations including the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation, the National Gallery of Canada, and Rainbow Health Ontario.