David Lobo, President and Chief Executive Officer
Reporting into the OCRC Board of Directors, David oversees all day-to-day operations of the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS). David has been with the OCS since its inception in 2017 and prior to that he worked on the development of the legal recreational cannabis model while at the Ministry of Finance. David is committed to the success of the industry and fostering relationships with OCS’ retailer and licensed producer partners.
Prior to this role, David held the position of Chief Merchandising Officer with responsibility over merchandising, brand, insights, marketing and digital experience. He also previously held the role of the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Vice President – Social Responsibility. David has experience in various policy and strategic engagement roles with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and the Ontario Government. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University.
Amanda Carr, Chief Information Officer
Amanda provides leadership for the continued development of OCS’ innovative, robust, and secure information technology strategies and initiatives. She has been a member of the OCS Information Technology leadership team since she joined in December 2017 leading the team to implement a scalable retail and wholesale ecosystem, while meeting the demands of a new marketplace. Amanda brings over 18 years management experience, leading several multimillion-dollar program portfolios including transitioning LCBO.com to eCommerce. Amanda holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management from the University of Guelph.
Zeela Merchant, Chief of Financial Operations
Zeela leads the OCS’s finance group and has over 20 years of progressive financial leadership roles within the public sector including Metrolinx, Ontario Financing Authority, Office of the Provincial Controller Division (Treasury Board) at the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario. Zeela holds both her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Accountant (CA) designations as well as both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Accounting from the University of Waterloo.
Deborah Morshead, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer
Debbie is a seasoned corporate lawyer and experienced executive who has held senior roles at complex and fast paced customer-driven organizations in competitive industries, including Loblaw, George Weston, Dell and Kodak. Debbie has experience running her own legal and compliance practice where she provided advice to a range of companies, including several in the legal cannabis space.
Most recently, Debbie served as Chief Compliance Officer for George Weston Limited where she led the company through a tremendous period of transformation. Immediately prior to this, Debbie spent 9 years in senior leadership positions in Loblaw’s Legal Dept., including Associate General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer.
At OCS, Debbie provides leadership for the areas of Legal Services & Board Governance, Internal Audit & Risk, Corporate Security, Privacy & Freedom of Information and Human Resources. Leveraging her background, Debbie will also works closely with a range of teams across the organization to further create and promote a strong culture of corporate compliance as the OCS continues to grow and stabilize.
Debbie holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, an LL.B from the University of Windsor, and a CCEP (Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional) designation.
Denny Palarchio, Chief Operating Officer
Denny leads OCS’s logistics and operations and is a senior operations management strategist with leadership experience in operations and supply chain in both national and global organizations. After numerous years in progressively more senior supply chain roles with Indigo, he joined Chefs Plate, Canada’s leading online meal-kit delivery business as the Chief Operating Officer. Denny’s experience with online businesses and the food sector will successfully support the OCS as the industry grows. Denny holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University and is a graduate from the Supply Chain Management Executive Program at Stanford University.
Tanya Watkins, Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Social Responsibility
Tanya leads the OCS’s Corporate Affairs & Policy and Communications & Social Responsibility Teams. As OCS is a Crown Corporation, Tanya ensures the OCS works closely with the Government of Ontario to ensure the organization delivers on its mandate. This includes close collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of the Attorney General, and Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Prior to joining the OCS, Tanya held senior leadership roles at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Attorney General, where she provided oversight of government agencies, and supported the provinces planning and policy development in the areas of gaming, horse racing, and alcohol. Tanya holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University.
Ian Menard, Vice President, Strategic Planning & Transformation Office
Ian leads the OCS’s Strategic Planning, Change Management and Transformation teams and is responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of OCS strategic initiatives and policies.
Ian has over 19 years of relevant experience in the areas of Human Resources, Strategy, Transformation, Business Process and Change with a specialization in automation and a passion for customer service. His experience ranges from working for large retailers such as Canadian Tire, to consulting for IPMHR Inc., Humber College, University of Richmond and BGRS.
He also holds a Master of Arts Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
