Marisha Roman appointed as RCA Safe Sport Director

RCA is pleased to announce that Marisha Roman has been appointed to the Board of Directors for a one-year term as Safe Sport Director.

RCA believes that everyone in rowing has the right to enjoy the sport at all levels of participation. Athletes, coaches, officials, umpires and volunteers have the right to participate in a safe and inclusive training and competitive environment that is free of abuse, harassment or discrimination.

As Safe Sport Director, Roman’s mandate is to oversee the development of RCA’s Safe Sport strategy, policies and procedures.

“We are excited to welcome Marisha into this critical role,” said RCA Chief Executive Officer, Terry Dillon. “There is no one better suited to support our work to meet the expectations of the new Universal Code of Conduct for Safe Sport.”

Roman is a lawyer, adjudicator, workplace investigator and competitive Masters rower with the Argonaut Rowing Club and the Toronto Sculling Club. She currently serves as a Workplace Investigator and Trainer with Rubin Thomlinson LLP and focuses her private practice on investigating complaints in the post-secondary sector.

She has previously held positions as the Aboriginal Initiatives and Policy Counsel for the Law Society of Upper Canada and as an adjudicator with the Child and Family Services Review Board.

“I believe in the importance of sport environments being safe places for all,” said Roman. “I am looking forward to working together with the rowing community as we strive to implement best practices and lead the way towards a Canadian sport landscape that is free of abuse, harassment or discrimination.”

Roman served as an RCA Director from 2017 to 2019 and is currently a Director with the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) and the Chair of the SDRCC Safe Sport Advisory Committee.

In addition, she has served on the Aboriginal Legal Services (ALS) board and volunteers with the ALS Community Council Program, a criminal offence diversion program. She also supports community-level and elite athletics in Ontario as the City of Toronto appointee to the Pan Am-ParaPan Am Legacy Fund Allocation Committee.

More information on RCA’s Safe Sport policies and procedures can be found here.

Photo: Rubin Thomlinson