Toronto Staff

Ownership Team

Johanna Neilson Boynton

Ownership

Johanna Neilson Boynton, has been a women’s hockey pioneer since she started playing pond hockey with the boys in first grade. She played on the first women’s team at St. Paul’s School and was recruited to play at Harvard where she was a 2-time captain and winner of the Ivy League championship in 1987 and 1988. She served as co-chair of the Friends of Harvard Hockey for nearly two decades during which time she was instrumental in attracting funding and supporting the growth of the women’s program. She and her family coordinated billets for the 2014 US Women’s Olympic Team that trained near her home in Concord, Massachusetts, and she worked with USA Hockey to establish the Sochi Family Fund which enabled the families of US players to travel to Sochi, Russia to see their daughters realize their Olympic dreams. Hockey has been a central part of her life and she was thrilled by the opportunity to get involved with the Toronto Six.

When she’s not in a rink, she runs a residential building company in Concord, serves as President of the Harvard Varsity Club, and sits on the board of Middlesex School.

Show less

Front Office

Sami Jo Small

President

Angela James

General Manager @AngelaJames8

Widely considered the first superstar in women’s hockey, Angela James is a pioneer and trailblazer, being the first and only Black woman to captain Canada’s National Women’s team. On the ice representing her country, James is a four-time gold medalist and was named a recipient of the Order of Hockey in Canada. Additionally, she played 18 years in the Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League, where she was named MVP six times and led the league in scoring eight times. Following a transition to the National Women’s Hockey League, she earned MVP honours in her first season and won a league championship the next year with the Beatrice Aeros. Retiring from competitive hockey soon after, James was tabbed to coach by Hockey Canada, winning a gold medal as an assistant at the 1999 Canada Winter Games. As a head coach in 2001, she led Team Canada en route to a gold medal at the U18 National Championship. Leaving an illustrious mark behind her, James broke a barrier in 2010 as the first woman to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the most decorated in the game, she’s also a member of the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame, as well as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Now, as she helps to push the game further, James says she’s honoured to have the chance to join the Six. “It means a lot to me to have an opportunity to coach the girls and be a part of the progression and advancement of the women’s game to pro status and beyond," she said. "I grew up playing elite hockey after college and all women should have that same opportunity. Hockey is Hockey. We have a talented team, great coaches and a great administration. I look forward to working with everyone and being apart of the Toronto Six and more especially, winning.”

Geraldine Heaney

Head Coach

Kevin Greco

Assistant Coach

Jessica Turi

Assistant Coach

Nick Grainger

Goaltending Coach

Nick Grainger is in his first season serving as goaltending coach with the Toronto Six Hockey Club.

Cam Borody

Head Athletic Therapist

Dr. Cam Borody is a husband and father of two boys, a chiropractor at Cleveland Clinic Canada, and an assistant professor at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. A practicing chiropractor for over 20 years, Dr. Borody has worked with athletes of all varieties including Bobsleigh/Skeleton Canada, Canada Soccer, Volleyball Canada (Beach), Athletics Canada and differently-abled athletes. He is a passionate hockey fan, continues to play as much as he can and is very proud to support the Toronto 6ix!

"I joined this team to work with great hockey players, help a new franchise grow, and make new connections in sport. As head athletic therapist, I define success as a complete season of healthy players, coaches, and staff.

"The players are great athletes and people. Professional hockey isn’t just for boys/men, women’s hockey is just as exciting. The players and staff are passionate, you will feel good supporting this group."

Show less

Kris Franzoi

Equipment Manager

Kris Franzoi is in his second season serving as equipment manager with the Toronto Six Hockey Club.

Dr. Alex Francella

Team Physician

Alessandro Francella, MD, is a Sports Medicine Physician at Cleveland Clinic Canada. As Team Physician, he works closely with the players to keep them safe, healthy and performing at their best. Dr. Francella has a strong interest in sport and exercise medicine, physical activity promotion, emergency medicine, and sideline and event coverage.

He is actively involved with the Canada Soccer and Canada Basketball programs, and previously held the role of team physician for the Toronto Wolfpack Rugby League Football Club. He is also a sports medicine physician at the University of Toronto and Seneca College. Over his career, he has provided medical care to teams such as Toronto FC, Toronto FC II, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL), Toronto Rock (NLL), the Nutcracker Ballet, NHL Referees Association, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the Toronto Triathalon.

Dr. Francella is proud to be supporting the women of the Toronto Six as they help to inspire future generations of professional female hockey players.

“It’s a great honour to be involved with such an incredible organization that is at the forefront of promoting gender equality and inclusivity in sport.”

Show less

Vanessa Decesare

Team Physiotherapist

Vanessa Decesare is a Physiotherapist at Cleveland Clinic Canada.

She graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2016 with a Doctorate of Physiotherapy degree. She has a strong passion for working with athletes, and heavily relies on evidence-based practice and clinical experience to rehabilitate patients.

Since graduation, she has been working in a private practice setting whilst working as a sports trainer/physiotherapist for a variety of teams including soccer and the Australian Football League (AFL). This is Vanessa’s second season supporting the Toronto 6ix and she is very proud to be part of the team.

Show less

Saba Seda

Team Therapist

Saba Seda is a physiotherapist at Cleveland Clinic Canada. Having played sports all his life, he understands the mechanics required and the strict timeline required for his patients to return to their sports. Saba has experience assessing and treating a variety of orthopaedic conditions, particularly high-performance volleyball, baseball, soccer, and football players. He believes that consistency is key for training and for injury prevention and is dedicated to developing treatment plans for symptom relief as well as comprehensive injury prevention programs.

Previously, Saba was a member of the Canadian national lifesaving team, which competed in Australia in 2012. Saba also spends his free time coaching 17u and 14u girls’ volleyball out of York Region three times a week, with tournaments on weekends.

Show less

Alice Sobiesiak

Team Athletic Therapist

Alice Sobiesiak is an Athletic Therapist at Cleveland Clinic Canada. Passionate about the world of athletics, Alice is dedicated to helping her patients get back to their top performance level, and tailors their rehabilitation plans to match their individual physical demands. She has been involved with numerous professional organizations and events, including the National Ballet of Canada, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team and the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Previously, she has leant her skills to the Aurora Panthers PWHL Team, the Sheridan College Powerlifting meet and the Varsity Football, Junior Varsity Hockey, and U16 Rugby teams at St. Andrew’s College. In addition to supporting the health of athletes and patients at the Toronto 6ix and Cleveland Clinic Canada, Alice supports high performance athletes at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO).

Show less