ABOUT CANUCK

Canuck has been my home and part of my extended family for over 25 years. I’ve had the privilege of being involved in nearly every role within the club, as an athlete, coach, referee, and board member. I strongly believe that volleyball is about building strong foundations, fostering positive relationships, and most importantly, cultivating a love of the game. My ultimate goal is to develop well-rounded people both on and off the court. Outside of volleyball, I’m a wife and a proud mom of three girls. I’ve been a teacher for 13 years and currently teach high school physical education. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time at our family cabin or hanging out at my in-laws' farm.

Fabiano combines his professional expertise in finance and governance with a lifelong passion for competitive sports. A Senior business professional with over 10 years of experience in non-profits, he brings strong financial stewardship, accountability, and strategic planning to the club. Beyond the numbers, Fabiano has been deeply engaged in sport for more than four decades as a competitive swimmer, earning national medals, holding records, and achieving international championships. As Treasurer, Fabiano is committed to ensuring the Canuck club’s financial health while supporting opportunities for athletes to thrive and excel.

Shannon brings over 20 years of leadership experience on nonprofit boards, having served in key roles including President, Vice President, Director of Communications, and Director of Social Enterprise. She has contributed to organizations with operational budgets ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000, offering expertise in governance, strategy, and communications. A passionate advocate for youth sport, Shannon believes strongly in the role team athletics play in developing leadership, life skills, and lifelong connections. She is committed to supporting Canuck's continued growth as a premier choice for athletes, families, and coaches. Shannon is also Level 1 NCCP coach, coaching ages U12–U16 with Dome Defenders for 5 years. Professionally, Shannon works in the oil and gas sector for an engineering member association. She is also a proud sports mom of three daughters—one Canuck alumna, one current athlete, and her youngest playing with Dome Defenders.

Carla graduated from the University of Alberta with a BSc in Geology and enjoyed a successful career before retiring in 2013. A lifelong volleyball enthusiast, she has embraced the sport as a family passion. Both of her daughters grew up on the court with the Canuck organization: one currently on the U17 Girls Black team and the other enjoying the game in a recreational league at UBC and on the beach in Vancouver. Beyond volleyball, Carla is an active volunteer who gives her time to schools, teams, and major sporting events. She supported the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games and is preparing to contribute to the 2026 Summer Games in Medicine Hat. She is passionate about athletes staying involved in sport simply for the love of the game. This is her third year serving on the Canuck Volleyball Board of Directors.

Milou, being the first of the four Saxton children, started playing volleyball at the age of 10 and spent seven years playing with Canuck Stuff club, winning a couple of Provincial Championships and two Nationals Championships before going off to Connecticut University for five years as a Division 1 setter/rightside in the NCAA and pursuing her interests in graphic design. Milou’s passion for coaching started when she was about 16 years old running the Volleydome summer camps for kids and she has been actively coaching ever since. Over the years she has coached all age groups for both guys and girls. Milou has also really enjoyed sharing her experience as a high level setter over the past few years by running setting sessions for our juvenile women’s setters. Add to that her passion for the beach game and the fact that she spends her summers coaching beach volleyball to club athletes as well as on the Provincial Teams, Summer Games teams and most recently the Western Canada Summer Games team. In her “spare time” she works full time running the Volleydome's Youth programs and somehow still finds time play in the competitive women’s and co-ed leagues. Not sure where she finds the energy, but we are sure grateful for all she brings to our club and the volleyball community in general!

Deb has contributed to numerous boards and associations, supporting organizations from their initial formation through to their established operations. She has held a variety of leadership roles, including Director of Finance, Director of Administration, Director of Fundraising, Director, and Secretary. Deb previously served on the Canuck board and is excited to be returning to continue supporting the organization. Deb is a proud mom of two daughters who grew up playing volleyball with Canuck, where she spent many years on the sidelines watching them learn, compete, and ultimately move on to play at the post-secondary level. Volleyball became a meaningful part of her family’s life, shaping countless memories and connections along the way. With deep appreciation for the opportunities the sport and community provided her family, Deb is excited to serve on the board. She is committed to giving back and supporting the ongoing development of athletes, families, and the volleyball community in any way she can.

Jim Silovs earned his B.P.E., J.D., and B.Ed. from the University of Calgary and his LL.M from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. He is a certified teacher, is currently an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Business, Communications Studies and Aviation at Mount Royal University (MRU) and sits on the Human Research Ethics Board at MRU. Jim’s previous roles in education have included Acting Dean, Associate Dean Academic, Chair of International Business and Supply Chain Management and Chair of Aviation at MRU and his teaching experience includes instruction in a variety of courses in law, insurance, risk management, and corporate governance. In addition to the roles Jim plays in post-secondary education, he has accumulated over 20 years legal experience providing general corporate commercial advice and negotiating and drafting major business transactions. He sits on advisory boards and partnership councils related to adult education and professional development.

2026 will mark Brian's 27th season coaching volleyball at Canuck Stuff, although it also marks his 45th year involved in competitive sports as either a coach, official and/or sport administrator. Brian has spent those years coaching Canuck guys and girls club teams and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He is a Level 2 NCCP certified coach in both Softball and Volleyball and has completed all the training for his Level 3 Performance Coach criteria. Brian is also an Advanced Coach Developer and Evaluator. He spent 16 years officiating Basketball at all levels including community, ACAC, CIAU and the World Basketball League. Brian believes strongly in the lifelong benefits children gain when they participate in competitive sports as witnessed in his own children as well as many others in his years in sports. Over the years Brian's teams have earned several championship banners and many of the athletes he has coached have gone to play at the post secondary, national and professional levels, but his greatest pride is in watching these young athletes grow to become great young men and women and in some cases return to coach at Canuck or the Volleydome.