The Founders
Every great journey begins with a bold dream and the courage to pursue it. Our story is no different. It's a tale woven from passion, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of football.
We are a roll-up-your-sleeves, entrepreneurial team relentlessly striving for excellence. We are dedicated to fair play, grounded in honesty and integrity.
Helena Ruken
Helena’s extensive leadership experience on boards in the Toronto soccer community has built deep ties with the grassroots football network in Ontario and has honed her community partnership development and problem solving skills. Passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion, she champions sport as a medium for fostering confidence and leadership in young women and girls and she is committed to driving this team towards success through a culture of fairness and respect.
Brenda Ha
Brenda brings a wealth of business knowledge to AFC Toronto, backed by her experience in strategy, account management, and IT in senior leadership roles at two of Canada’s Big Five financial institutions. A seasoned volunteer having held various leadership positions in her community, Brenda is committed to promoting gender equity, inclusion and diversity in sport at the highest level so athletes can achieve their best and pursue their athletic dreams.
Jill Burgin
A strategic brand marketer with over 15 years of experience, Jill is well positioned to guide and advise impactful marketing strategies that will propel women’s professional soccer into the forefront of the sporting arena in Toronto. With years of involvement in girls’ grassroots soccer watching and managing a team, she has experienced the transformative power of sport to build confidence, leadership skills and grit in young women and she is committed to bringing that experience to more women and girls in the GTA.
Billy Wilson
Billy brings extensive experience as a sports executive having held senior leadership positions at both the Club and Provincial Sport level. Billy is passionate about player and coach development and takes a people-first approach to nurturing talent. Billy's experience, leadership and technical insight are pivotal in steering AFC Toronto toward achieving its competitive goals and fostering a culture of excellence. Billy is accredited as an A Licence coach.
Mike Ruthard
Mike brings his extensive background in finance and accounting, overseeing the team's financial management and budget adherence. His skills in risk management and strategic operational execution, coupled with his entrepreneurial and board leadership experience, are crucial for the team's growth and for advancing its social responsibility and inclusion goals through local partnerships and initiatives.
Kamal Sandhu
Kamal is a seasoned technology executive with over 23 years of consulting and business operations experience, having served local and global clients across multiple industries. Through the management of large, complex, multi-year business transformation programs, Kamal brings deep expertise in client relations, financial and risk management, and program governance.
Shamez Mangalji
A skilled foreign exchange dealer, Shamez enhances AFC Toronto with his extensive business acumen and board experience. His enthusiasm for leadership and team collaboration combined with a strong commitment to women's sports and community involvement makes him a key player in sales and fundraising.