Members

Chair: Mary ten Doeschate, Provincial Appointee

Mary ten Doeschate, Chair of the Police Service Board

Mary ten Doeschate holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western University, a Broadcast Journalism diploma from Fanshawe College, and completed the Leadership Development Certificate program at Fleming College. She is bilingual in both French and English.

Mary is currently the National Customer Solutions and Operations Manager for World's Finest Chocolate, where she leads with a strong focus on collaboration, service excellence, and operational leadership.

Mary and her family relocated to the Peterborough area in 2010 and have embraced the many outdoor experiences the region offers. She enjoys travelling, golfing, cycling adventures and hiking, 

Mary believes strongly in the importance of effective, community-focused policing and is honoured to serve on the Board. She values the opportunity to support initiatives that strengthen public safety, community trust, member wellness, and positive engagement throughout the communities served.

Vice-Chair: Drew Merrett, Provincial Appointee

Drew Merrett, Vice-Chair of the Police Service Board

Drew Merrett is the owner of Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre in Peterborough and also oversees Kingan Home Hardware in the Peterborough downtown. His experience of 40 years’ operating a local business in Peterborough has prepared Drew for serving on this Board. The experience of 7 years on the Board of directors for the local CMHA has also educated Drew on the many facets of mental health and the realization that it takes a community to have success in this area.

Working, living and volunteering in the Peterborough area has given Drew a great perspective on the wants and needs of Peterborough and the surrounding communities.

Drew has vast Board experience serving on many different types of organizations board of directors in our community:

•       Peterborough Northumberland Crime Stoppers
•       Peterborough Sales and Advertising Club
•       Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
•       Community Futures Peterborough
•       Canadian Mental Health Corporation- HKPR

Family life in Peterborough is very important to Drew and his partner Lynda. They have 4 kids (Madison, Stewart, Max, Avery), and one Grandchild (Briar).

Mayor Jeff Leal

_{(Photography by Julie Gagne)}

Mayor Jeff Leal, Member of the Police Service Board.

Jeff Leal was born and raised in Peterborough and is proud of his hometown Peterborough roots. He has always taken pride in representing the residents and the interests of the community that he lives and works in.

Jeff is a graduate of Kenner Collegiate, Trent University and the University of Windsor.

He served his constituents and the riding of Peterborough as Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for 15 years from 2003 to 2018. He was proud to serve as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Minister of Small Business.

During this tenure working provincially, Jeff worked collaboratively to proudly deliver public infrastructure for the Peterborough community including funding for the GO Transit Bus, Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) and Cancer Centre, the Kawartha Trade and Technology Centre, the 407 Extension to Highway 115/35, Peterborough Airport expansion, Trent Science Complex, the Canadian Canoe Museum, the Arena and Aquatics Complex, Hospice Peterborough, the OPP Forensics Unit, Kaawaate East City Public School and Monseigneur-Jamot French Public School.

Prior to entering provincial politics, Jeff, who now lives in Ashburnham Ward, served as Otonabee Ward Councilor from 1985 to 2003. He was Second Deputy Mayor from 1993 to 2003.

An avid community volunteer, Jeff has remained actively involved on various committees across the city, including Chair of the Board of Employment, Planning and Counseling, as Vice Chair of St. Joseph’s at Fleming Long-Term Care Home, and serving on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Kawartha Golf and Country Club.

Jeff is a proud Associate Member of Branch 52, Royal Canadian Legion and a member of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regimental Association.

Family is everything to Jeff; his wife, Karan, and children, Braden and Shanae, have been instrumental in helping him serve in public life.

 

Councillor Gary Baldwin

Councillor Gary Baldwin, Member of the Police Service Board

Gary Baldwin is a City Councillor for Ashburnham Ward.  He is a retired teacher and principal. He was first elected City of Peterborough Councillor in 2014.  His community experience includes:

• Former Board Chair, Peterborough Police Service Board
• City of Peterborough Legislative Services Portfolio Co-Chair
• Waste Management, Parks and Recreation Portfolio Chair
• City of Peterborough Finance Committee Vice Chair
• City/County Waste Management Chair
• Peterborough Library Board Member
• Art Gallery of Peterborough Board Member
• Peterborough Utilities Commission Commissioner
• County/City Joint Services Steering Committee Member
• Ontario Region Conservation Authority Director
• Arena, Parks Recreation Advisory Committee Member
• Peterborough Public Health Board member

Gary and his wife Debbie have two grown sons, and eight grandchildren.

 

 Steven Girardi, Citizens' Appointee

 

Steven Girardi, Member of the Peterborough Police Service Board

Steve Girardi was appointed to the Peterborough Police Service Board in the spring of 2023.

Steve is originally from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, having moved to the Peterborough area in 1992, where he began his teaching career in Norwood. Steve received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Waterloo, a bachelor of education from Lakehead University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Lake Superior State University.

Steve is a retired educator, having worked 30 years for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and its predecessor board, the Peterborough County Board of Education. During that time, he was employed in several roles within the Board, including that as teacher, vice-principal, principal, and 14 years as a Superintendent of Education. As Superintendent, along with supervising schools, Steve oversaw a number of portfolios including school operations, school planning and accommodations, staff leadership and development, and system staffing He completed his career as the Superintendent of Human Resources and as the chairperson of the senior negotiators for the Ontario Public School Boards Association. Currently, Steve is a part-time instructor in the business department at Trent University.

Steve has volunteered locally with a number of organizations, including that as a volunteer coach for the Peterborough Minor Hockey Association, with the Maple Leaf Cavan Football Club, and the annual Peterborough Greenwing Fishing Event.

Family is very important to Steve. Along with his wife, Joette, who is also a teacher, he has two children: son Christopher, currently attending university to be a teacher, and daughter Lauren who has completed university and now works and lives in Peterborough.