Recognition Team
Our volunteer presenters are the face of the Community Builder Award program and put tremendous effort into honouring every recipient. The awards presentations are a surprise for the recipient and take place at different events throughout the city, including at fundraisers, employee events, religious functions and festivals.
Michael O’Byrne
Michael has been part of the Community Builder Award program since its inception. In that time, Michael has surprised and delighted close to a hundred individuals and organizations with Community Builder Awards. Michael is a News Anchor and Producer for CTV Ottawa’s News at Noon and can be seen around town volunteering at various community and charitable events.
Stefan Keyes
Stefan is with CTV News and Community Builder himself. Stefan is an Ottawa native and Carleton grad who works diligently to give back to the community volunteering for several not-for-profit groups with a focus on minority issues, youth, and the arts.
Sarah Onyango
Sarah joined the Volunteer Recognition team in 2008 after receiving a Community Builder Award of her own. In addition to her work as a translator and journalist, Sarah is a very active member of the Ottawa community. Sarah created and maintains the website, Black Ottawa 411, and gives her time to host and produce programs on Rogers TV and CHUO, the University of Ottawa radio station.
Sekou Kaba
Sekou is a hurdler for Team Canada and made his Olympic debut in Rio August 2016. He trains with the Ottawa Lions and is a community leader, involved with local initiatives like Proud to be Me and joined the volunteer recognition team last year.
Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka
Long-time United Way volunteer Rabbi Bulka joined the volunteer recognition program in 2014. He is a broadcaster, author, activist, religious leader and founding chair of Ottawa Kindness Week. He has been the Rabbi of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa since 1967, and is renowned for his tireless commitment to the community through service on charitable and civic boards, as well as regular support of non-profit organizations.
Dylan Black
Dylan Black from Vankleek Hill, Ontario, is a leader both inside and outside of the Ottawa community. Aside from being part of Ottawa’s radio landscape since 1999, Dylan has been a major supporter of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, The Children’s Wish Foundation, and The Max Keeping Fund at C.H.E.O.D. This year Dylan was the Honorary Chair for the “TELUS Walk for the Cure”, and has twice been nominated for “Humanitarian of the Year”.
Derick Fage
In 2012, Derick was awarded with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his continuing work in the community and his contributions to a number of charitable organizations. Recently, Derick went public with his personal struggle of living with chronic fecal incontinence since birth. Since going public Derick accepted the role of ambassador and champion for the Canadian Continence Foundation in the hopes of helping others who are living with any number of challenges.
Suzanne Pinel
Suzanne is a strong supporter of United Way and has been part of the Community Builder Awards program since its inception. Suzanne is a former citizenship judge and Canadian children’s entertainer. Using stories and songs to teach the French language to kids, she recorded music albums and starred in the television series Marie-Soleil. In 1991, Pinel was made a Member of the Order of Canada and in 2012, she was made a member of the Order of Ontario.
