Board of Trustees
Wycliffe was incorporated in 1879 for the purpose of “providing for the training of theological students in accordance with the principles of the Reformation as embodied in the Articles of the Church of England.” The governing body of the College is the Board of Trustees, which elects its own members. The Wycliffe College Act (1916) gives the College degree-granting powers and gives the trustees of the College the authority to enact by-laws. The Principal is the chief executive officer and the chief academic officer of the College.
Bill Benson (Chair)—As a cradle Anglican and an active lay leader, Bill has seen firsthand the importance of excellent ordained leadership. He considers it a privilege to be part of the Wycliffe community and to participate in the long tradition of forming future Church leaders for the world.
Janice Ivory Smith (Vice-Chair)—After graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design, Janice entered the workforce as a Graphic Designer, and eventually, Creative Director. Over the years, she began to focus her attention on the not-for-profit sector, helping organizations that help others connect with their audience through websites, print and online materials and branding. In 2013, Janice opened Ivory Smith Communications where she continues to offer compelling communications materials and strong visual identities to her clients.
Over the years Janice has served on various boards, currently a member of the board of management for Leaside Memorial Community Gardens. A long-time supporter of Habitat for Humanity Toronto, she has participated in builds locally and abroad. Janice was received into fellowship by Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in 1997, where she serves as a Deacon and as Chair of the Communications Committee.
Janice also sat as a member of the recent Wycliffe Strategic Planning team. Janice, and her husband Arthur, have lived in North Leaside for 30 years and have one grown son.
Robert (Bob) M Motz (Treasurer) —Bob has a 20+ year history as a public company CFO working with small public companies (both TSX and NASDAQ) that were either looking for growth capital, or to adjust their internal controls and financial processes to the rapid growth that these companies were facing. Bob retired from full-time employment in 2022 and now provides consulting services to similar organizations.
Bob has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and a CA (now CPA) with Coopers & Lybrand (now Pricewaterhouse Coopers).
Bob and his wife Sue have been members of Trinity Anglican Church, Streetsville, for almost 30 years and Bob has served both as Treasurer and Chair of the Parish Board on several occasions.
Tim Andison — Tim Andison is a partner at the law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Toronto, where he has practiced corporate and securities law since 2010. Before then, Tim practiced law in London, Singapore and Tokyo. Tim recently served as the rector’s warden of St. Clement’s, Eglinton, for two years before moving to St. Paul’s, Bloor Street, where his wife, the Rt Rev. Jenny Andison (Wycliffe 1997), now serves as rector. Tim is a graduate of Queen’s University and the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. He and his wife have three daughters.
Paul Baskcomb—Paul is a recent graduate (2024) of Wycliffe College, having earned a Master's Degree in Theological Studies, and was ordained a deacon in the Algoma Diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada in June 2024. Prior to this, Paul enjoyed a career as a professional urban planner at the City of Greater Sudbury, which included service as Director of Planning and then as General Manager of Growth and Development, where he was responsible for the Planning, Building, and Economic Development Departments.
Paul served on the Board of Thorneloe University for many years, including two terms as Chair. In addition, he served as Acting President of Thorneloe University for five months in 2019. He received the honorary degree of Doctorate of Sacred Letters (D.S. Litt) from Thorneloe University in 2023.
Paul enjoys cross-country skiing and playing hockey in the winter months. During the summers, Paul and wife Marsha can usually be found cottaging on Manitoulin Island. Paul and Marsha have been married for 41 years and have three adult children and three grandchildren.
Jason Byassee—Jason is Senior Minister at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, and a self-professed nerd with narrow interests! So all things church, ministry, seminary-related. He also loves movies, visual arts, sports (especially basketball) and travel. Jason speaks a little Spanish and is trying to learn Portuguese. He and wife Jaylynn have three sons sons who are 21 (studying philosophy at Drake in Iowa), 19 (studying theology at Baylor), and 16 (a Grade 11 student at Humberside Collegiate).
Geoffrey (Geoff) Melbourne—Geoff is a cradle Anglican, born, educated, and completed the first 12 years of his actuarial career in Jamaica. Geoff moved to Canada in 2003, and settled in Markham, where he lives with his wife, Tanya, and young adult daughters, Kayla and Geena. The family worships at Grace Anglican Church in Markham, where Geoff serves as a lay-reader.
Professionally, Geoff is a seasoned actuary, pension consultant and relationship manager, with vast experience leading strategic initiatives, growing relationships and articulating complex subject matter to various stakeholder groups—boards of directors, senior management teams, unions, trustees, employees and government representatives. He joined Mercer in January 2021, as Partner and Wealth Canada Growth Leader, and has more than 30 years of consulting experience spanning Canada and the Caribbean. He has expertise assisting organizations in managing their pension and other employee benefit programs, involving funding and financial reporting, design considerations, union negotiations, monitoring, M&A due diligence and settlement. He has significant client experience in the private, public, religious and university sectors, and in the Ontario and federal pension jurisdictions.
Geoff was appointed to the Ontario Pension Board in December 2021, where he chairs the Pensions Committee. He completed his term on the Actuarial Standards Board in 2020, where he lead the introduction of risk disclosures for pension-plan funding reporting, and is currently Chair of the Project Oversight Group for the update of Canadian Pensioners' Mortality and a member of the Actuarial Profession Oversight Board. He is passionate about supporting colleagues and clients in optimizing their potential.
Geoff is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. He holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors, and will be pursuing the GCB.D designation from Competent Boards. He graduated with a BSc in Mathematics from the University of the West Indies.
Linda Tripp—Linda worked with World Vision Canada for 31 years beginning in 1976, managing a wide variety of overseas and domestic development programs.
As the first woman to serve as a Vice President in the World Vision Global Partnership, Linda chaired the Women’s Commission, which developed a World Vision Partnership-wide policy on women in leadership and development programming. She was a member of the World Vision delegation to the United Nations Conference on Women, in Beijing, China, 1995 and the follow up Conference in New York, 2000.
Linda liaised with government aid agencies and non-government organizations across Canada. She served on various inter-agency committees, and as Vice Chair of the Board of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC).
She travelled extensively in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, witnessing first-hand the effectiveness of World Vision projects. She participated in consultations and workshops world-wide, on topics including refugees, innovative programming, gender and development. At home, she spoke frequently about relief and development activities, women’s initiatives, promotion of justice and world issues.
During her tenure she established World Vision’s Private Sponsorship Program for refugees beginning with the Vietnamese Boat people. She initiated the Global Education Department that produces high quality resources on global issues for schools, churches and the public. She implemented the opening of World Vision’s Toronto Refugee Reception Centre, an 80- bed facility which helps government-sponsored refugees adjust to life in Canada (now an independent facility called the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre). Linda also developed World Vision’s Advocacy Department to influence policies affecting children, peacebuilding and economics.
In retirement she has served on several Boards/Committees including Tyndale University Board, Wycliffe College Advisory Council, the Fistula Foundation in the US, and facilitated charitable status for MK Safety Net (Missionary Kids Safety Net), an advocacy group for adults who experienced sexual, physical and spiritual abuse as children while in boarding school overseas.
While attending St George’s Anglican Church in Guelph she led the sponsorship of a Syrian family with two-year-old triplets. This required her involvement over the next two years as the family settled in Guelph but required special attention regarding the triplets. Linda continues to enjoy a very close relationship with this family.
Linda is a member of the Condominium Board in her community, volunteers at an Urgent Care facility, and is a member of the Canadian Federation of University Women. Linda lives in Paris, Ontario and is active in her church, Paris Community Church (Presbyterian). Her interests include cottaging, dog walking for neighbours, reading, hosting meals and sharing time with friends.
Beng Wee—Beng received a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Management and Chemical Sciences from Manchester, UK; attained professional accounting qualifications and became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK. He also holds a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Regent College, Vancouver, BC. He has spent over 30 years in finance and administration leadership positions in different parts of the world, and currently manages a financial portfolio.
