The Downtown Milton Business Improvement Area (DMBIA) is governed by a volunteer Board of Management. This board is a standing committee of the Council of the Town of Milton. The board is elected by the DMBIA membership at the Annual General Meeting and then appointed by the Council of the Town of Milton. There are 10 board members appointed to the Board – two are elected Councillors for the Town of Milton and eight are elected by DMBIA members. The board’s term of office runs for four years, concurrent with Municipal Council.
All board members are volunteers and work to represent the interests of all members and achieve the vision and mission of the organization. Most importantly, they are a part of the Downtown Milton community. Feel free to contact us at info@downtownmilton.com to share any questions or recommendations for the Board.

Monique Gaudet
Executive Director
Executive Director
Monique is a dedicated non profit professional with a strong passion for community engagement and development. She possesses exceptional skills in listening to the needs of the community, being responsive to those needs, and working collaboratively with various stakeholders to achieve shared goals. With a wealth of experience in event management, advocacy, and marketing, Monique has played a crucial role in the success of numerous community-based initiatives within Halton. Monique has a degree in Business Administration and has completed her Certified Meeting Planning Designation. She understands the importance of creating impactful experiences that bring people together and leave a lasting positive impact.
t. 905-876-2773 | e. m.gaudet@downtownmilton.com

Eric Chabot
Chair
Chair
Serial Entrepreneur Eric has business interests in real estate, retail and wholesale distribution. Since 1997, he has combined his passion for travel and design at Spareparts, a purveyor of clothing, fashion accessories and handicrafts personally selected from artisans located throughout the developing world. As a business operator and property owner, Eric has developed a keen understanding of the challenges that face Main streets across North America. Eric joined the DMBIA in 2010 to try to enhance Downtown Milton’s position within the broader community. He resides in Milton with his wife Ginette and their two children.

Sara Bergsma
Vice Chair
Vice Chair
Sara is the proud owner of Bergsma’s Paint & Decor, an established home decor business that has been located in the heart of Downtown Milton for over 30 years. Sara’s involvement in the BIA is a natural fit as she endeavours to represent the voice of fellow retailers and their desire to ensure that they can all benefit from being located in a thriving downtown core. Sara is dedicated to helping to transform Downtown Milton into a popular destination for new and old Milton residents to shop, eat and visit regularly! Our town has grown exponentially and Sara believes that if we can entice people to support our community, we will attract more businesses and further expand the choices and reasons for visitors to come Downtown more often. Sara has been a part of the BIA Board of Management since 2012.

Tom Dusmet
Treasurer
Treasurer
Tom Dusmet is a retired investment professional who throughout his career, has had various roles in the industry including the General Manager for the Canadian subsidiary of a large US roofing products firm and the Technical Director for the Canadian subsidiary of an industry leading flexible packaging firm. Tom is trilingual speaking English, French and Italian. Tom volunteers to support community initiatives in Milton in his role at the Downtown Milton BIA and with other local organizations, such as the Halton County Radial Railway. Tom’s interests include spending time with family, skiing, traveling and restoring (and operating) old machines.

Colin Best
Board Member – Regional Councillor
Board Member – Regional Councillor
Colin is the Regional Councillor for Ward 1 which includes areas North of Derry Road including the Downtown area. During Colin’s many years of involvement with his local community, he has built a solid understanding of the history, challenges and opportunities in Downtown Milton. His family owned and operated a downtown business for 26 years. He has represented the downtown area for 25 years on local council and 11 years on regional council. He is also the Vice-Chair of the Regional Planning & Public Works Committee and is involved in a number of downtown events such as the Farmer’s Market, Santa Claus Parade and Downtown Milton Street Festival.

Kristina Tesser Derksen
Board Member – Local Councillor
Board Member – Local Councillor
Kristina is Milton’s Ward 1 Town Councillor and a practicing lawyer. She was born and raised in Milton, is married to a local business owner, and is mother to four children. Prior to attending law school, Kristina worked as a funeral director at McKersie Kocher Funeral Home on Main Street. As a lifelong Milton resident, wife of a small business owner, and lawyer with a local practice, Kristina enjoys bringing her understanding of local issues to work for Milton’s downtown core.

Ian Campbell
Board Member
Board Member
Ian is lead pastor of Southside@Main church. He grew up in Northern Ireland and came to Canada as a teen. His undergraduate studies were at Cairn University in Philadelphia and his graduate studies were at Regent College in Vancouver. Ian has served on the boards of several not for profit organizations. Ian has four grown children – a high school teacher and three police officers. He is passionate about being part of a vital downtown community in Milton.

Eric Parris
Board Member
Board Member
Eric is a graduate of The University of Guelph and has lived in Milton, Ontario for over ten years. He is a highly motivated and detail-oriented individual. He is a sales professional with over seven years of award-winning experience and currently works as an Account Executive Team Lead helping and assisting others in their sales goals. He has lived in multiple provinces across Canada since he comes from a military family. He is interested in having a positive impact on Downtown Milton.

Julie Rock
Board Member
Board Member
Julie Rock has 10 years of professional experience as a portrait and branding photographer, but her love and passion for the art far pre-dates her founding Julie Rock Photography in 2012. A highly regarded small business owner, and the co-founder of The Studio in downtown Milton, Julie’s recognized ability to capture people’s authentic selves has branched out recently to capture her recent, very personal journey with cancer, at speaking engagements both behind and in front of the camera. Inspirational, real and selfless with her story, Julie’s passion for authenticity is equally expressed in her words as it is in her photography. She resides in Milton with her husband Tyler and 5 children. When not behind the camera or in front of a microphone, you can find Julie on the soccer field or at her favourite local gym.