Home to Win Cast Biographies

JO ALCORN

Jo Alcorn has earned her reputation as a design expert. After graduating Manhattanville College, a liberal Arts school in New York City, she explored Europe studying colour and architecture while attending London‟s City University. She has been running her own successful business since 2005, which caters to clients‟ design needs on any budget. Jo first showcased her design skills on HGTV Canada in Critical Listing alongside fellow Home to Win star Carson Arthur.

One of Jo‟s most proud adventures has been designing her own furniture line. She also has a dog bed and home pillow collection, as well as a lighting collection. She even has her own paint colour!

When not working with clients to make their design dreams a reality, Jo teaches at Humber College in Toronto, developing young minds of the industry. Jo is also an advocate for animal rescue groups and is the volunteer coordinator for Ontario‟s Jack Russell Terrier Rescue Organization.

CARSON ARTHUR

Carson Arthur is an international landscape designer and outdoor expert with a focus on environmentally friendly designs. Through his 15-year television career, Carson has been teaching homeowners how to raise the value of their home through outdoor renovations. Carson‟s credits include hosting HGTV Canada‟s Critical Listing alongside fellow Home to Win star Jo Alcorn, and makes regular appearances on Canadian and U.S. daytime talk shows.

Carson now represents Canada as the international ambassador for Save the Children. His expertise in growing food will help end the cycle of poverty for children all over the world by spearheading a Canadian initiative of adding agriculture to education called Fresh For All.

BRYAN BAEUMLER

Bryan doesn‟t believe he‟s put in an honest day‟s work unless he gets his hands dirty. A natural-born teacher, the Gemini-award winning host has been educating and entertaining viewers across Canada and the U.S. for over seven years on hit shows House of Bryan, Leave it to Bryan and Disaster DIY.

Learning valuable tricks of the trade from his father, a meticulous aircraft engineer, Bryan spent his childhood summers building his family‟s cottage from the ground up. His entrepreneurial spirit emerged at the age of 14 when he opened his own handyman business doing odd jobs for neighbours.

With so much of his youth invested in building, it‟s hard to believe Bryan‟s life almost took a completely different turn. After earning a dual degree in Political Science and Business, Bryan was headed towards a career of practicing law. Realizing he‟d rather be renovating than chained to a desk, his innate passion for building took over and he traded in his tie for a tool belt and founded his contracting company Baeumler Quality Construction.

SARAH BAEUMLER

Sarah Baeumler is no stranger to commitment and perseverance as a past childhood dancer, ballet teacher and owner of her own classical dance studio. In 2009, Sarah joined her husband on-air for House of Bryan as fans watched them build a custom home for their family. The series‟ success led to three additional seasons including House of Bryan: On The Rocks, House of Bryan: In The Sticks and the most recent season House of Bryan: The Final Straw.

Aside from her career on television, Sarah owned and operated her own classical dance studio in their hometown of Oakville, Ont. After many years in business, three hit television shows, a husband‟s growing career and four young children at home, Sarah decided to trade in her dance shoes to help Bryan manage their expanding businesses.

In 2012 Bryan and Sarah launched the Baeumler Family Foundation - a charitable organization that provides renovations to families in need of safety, accessibility and security. They have combined Bryan‟s innate construction and business leadership with Sarah‟s positive impact on children‟s growth and development to create a Foundation that strives to help families better the quality of life for their children.

DANIELLE BRYK

Danielle Bryk knows that home is where life happens and life can be messy. Even as the mother of a rambling brood of kids and dogs, a business woman and a wife, she proves daily that it can be done with style. Over the past 19 years, she has divided her time between nurturing her family and transforming multiple houses into chic, stylish, but always functional homes.

Danielle has starred in two seasons of A Bryk At A Time for DIY Network and Bryk House for HGTV Canada. Through the chaos of her demanding schedule, Danielle is always able to keep sight of the most important thing: to renovate is to breathe new life into a space and good design should inspire you to live the life of your dreams.

Much like her personality, Danielle‟s designs are inspiring, intuitive and deeply soulful. She is influenced by her urban in New York City and draws inspiration from countless global cultures. She holds a deep respect for the timeless principles of classic architecture, while incorporating modern, clean lines into her works.

KATE CAMPBELL

Kate Campbell has been working in the television and renovation industry for 10 years and has been taught by some of Canada's top renovators. She got into the skilled trades in 2005 and took a "Women In Skilled Trades" (WIST) course which introduced her to carpentry, electrical, plumbing, finish carpentry and several other trades.

She can be seen as part of the crew for and Paul Lafrance, appearing on hit series such as Holmes on Holmes, Decked Out, Disaster Decks and Custom Built. She‟s worked with the best designers, best builders and the most cutting edge building materials.

When she‟s not working on television, Kate runs her own renovation company, KateBuilds Inc. She is extremely passionate about speaking to young women who are considering entering the trades. Kate is focused on „changing the face‟ of the skilled trades and especially passionate about being an advocate for women and supporting causes that are important to her.

SEBASTIAN CLOVIS

Whether he‟s on a football field or a construction site, Sebastian Clovis loves to play hard and get dirty. On his show Tackle my Reno, Sebastian rolls up his sleeves and helps overwhelmed homeowners achieve their reno goals.

A former CFL defensive back, Sebastian played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the B.C. Lions, who he won the Grey Cup with in 2006. After retiring from football in 2009, Sebastian‟s taken the discipline he learned as a professional athlete and applied it to being a self-employed contractor. He is passionate about renovating because it allows him to be both physical and creative every day.

Sebastian‟s building career started in his family‟s kitchen when he was 15 years old. His parents hired a builder to renovate and asked him to take on Sebastian as his apprentice. He loved the work and continued being a handyman through high school, took a break to pursue a football scholarship at university and eventually the B.C. Lions came calling. Now doing renovations full time for a loyal and diverse clientele, Sebastian thinks of himself as the „ultimate DIYer.‟

ROB EVANS

Motorcycle aficionado, donut fanatic and single dad, design-trained contractor Rob Evans is a man‟s man living in a new world. A specialist in renovating residential properties, Rob began his career in contracting as the owner and operator of a successful design firm. Now his projects range from complete home rebuilds to furniture design and construction. Rob likes to get involved in every step of the construction process. One day you‟ll find him meeting with architects and structural engineers, the next securing building permits and digging out basements.

Alongside fellow Home to Win star Mia Parres, Rob co-hosts HGTV Canada‟s The Expandables and helps design and build spaces that give homeowners extra space without adding one square foot.

Outside of his work, Rob‟s passions are working on and riding motorcycles, collecting vintage tin toys, seeking out the city‟s best bacon and eggs and spending time with his daughter.

JOEY FLETCHER

Joey grew up in a uniquely large family being the second youngest of eight. He began working for Decked Out‟s Paul Lafrance during his summer breaks in high school and knew this was the career that he wanted to pursue. After graduating high school, Joey began working for Paul, who is also his eldest brother in-law, and with his closest brother in-law Dave Kenney. For the next three years he fostered his skills and moved into the lead carpenter roll.

In 2010 Joey was introduced to the world of television and has since appeared alongside Paul Lafrance‟s team on Decked Out, Deck Wars, Disaster Decks and Custom Built. This gave him the ability to combine his skills in carpentry and his love of making people laugh.

When he‟s not busy reining Paul in, enduring Kate‟s puns, or stopping Dave from dancing, Joey enjoys all things sports and working on his home with his wife.

MIKE HOLMES JR.

Mike Holmes Jr. is a professional contractor, television host, public speaker, educator and guest expert. Mike Jr. started working with his father - celebrity contractor Mike Holmes - when he was just 14 years old on the set of ®. For over 11 years Canadians have watched Mike Jr. grow up as he helped his father on some of his most ambitious builds including Holmes in and Holmes Makes It Right. Mike Jr. took a big step when he helped build his father‟s garage in the two-hour special Mike’s Ultimate Garage. Now he‟s ready to join the HGTV Canada all-star cast in Home to Win.

Having inherited Mike‟s dependability, honesty, loyalty and determination, Mike Holmes Jr. supports the importance of upholding proper building code and improving building standards across the board. He also supports the skilled trades by helping build respect for the people at the forefront of the world‟s leading industries.

MIKE HOLMES

Mike Holmes has become an international success and starred in many HGTV Canada hits including Holmes on Homes®, Holmes Inspection, Holmes Makes It Right, Mike’s Ultimate Garage, and most recently Home Free.

Building got into Mike‟s blood very early on. As a kid growing up, he would watch his father work around the house and on neighbours‟ homes. By the time Mike was 10 he had built a three-bedroom tree fort, and by 12 he had completed his first basement – all under the watchful eye of his father. Using television as a tool, Mike‟s been educating homeowners about proper building code, what to look for in contractors, and their rights as homeowners.

Mike‟s mission is to improve the building industry from the ground up and raise standards across the board. He believes that educating people on the importance of upholding proper building code and construction principles is essential to preserving and enhancing the safety and well-being of communities and households, both at home and abroad.

COLIN HUNTER

Colin Hunter is a multi-licensed contractor who is known for rocking out fast paced creative projects with the highest level of workmanship. He is the fun- loving top builder on the HGTV Canada shows Summer Home and Open House Overhaul alongside fellow Home to Win star Samantha Pynn.

Colin‟s business used to focus mostly on intricate masonry work, structural modifications and underpinning. Now he and his crew take the entire project from start to finish. He has completely renovated seven of his own properties in Ontario.

Known for his „work hard, play harder‟ attitude, Colin enjoys rebuilding vehicles, board sports and playing music when he‟s not busy working. Colin is also known for bringing his sidekick Quinton the dog to all of his jobs.

DAVID KENNEY

Dave Kenney has been working as a carpenter for over a decade, and has been showing off his carpentry skills for nearly five years on HGTV Canada‟s Decked Out, Disaster Decks, Deck Wars and Custom Built. While working on interior and exterior renovations, both on and off camera, Dave strives to push his limits and never stop learning. A North York, Ont. native, Dave is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with others so they can have the confidence to take on their own projects.

When he is not filming, Dave is doing renovations in and around the Greater Toronto Area and spending as much time with his two children as possible.

PAUL LAFRANCE

Paul Lafrance, most commonly known as the “Deck Guru,” is the host of HGTV Canada‟s Decked Out, Disaster Decks, Deck Wars and Custom Built. Since 1997, he‟s been designing and installing everything from custom built homes, basement transformations, corporate facades and common areas, to complete backyard retreats. He‟s on a constant mission to improve the quality of life for people who normally just wouldn‟t have the time or an inspiring place to go to unwind with family and friends.

Paul‟s passion for design and architecture is matched by his love of music and composition. Being both a musician and a deck builder has given him the edge and creativity needed to offer the one-of-a-kind design concepts. When he‟s not busy designing and building for Paul Lafrance Design, Paul enjoys playing music and spending time with his wife and four daughters.

SCOTT MCGILLIVRAY

Scott McGillivray is a full-time real estate investor, contractor, writer, educator and host of HGTV Canada‟s hit series Income Property. As an international television star, astute real estate investor, skilled contractor and accomplished businessman, Scott is the definition of an entrepreneurial success story.

Before graduating from The University of Guelph with an Honours degree in Commerce, McGillivray had already discovered his calling. His career started from an ambitious school project about income properties that developed into a unique and strategic business model that Scott then strategically executed, laying the foundation for his success in the industry. Ten years later, Scott has built his own real estate empire with dozens of properties, housing hundreds of tenants.

A devoted family man, he and wife Sabrina, a teacher, love spending time as a family with their two daughters, Myah and Layla.

MIA PARRES

Mia began working behind-the-scenes on set as a design stylist and designer for various television shows before making the move to on-camera design host in 2012. Now the co-host of HGTV Canada‟s The Expandables alongside fellow Home to Win star Rob Evans, Mia helps homeowners make their homes better when they can‟t make it bigger.

Mia‟s love of functional, elegant and timeless spaces translates from both low to high end residential designs. Her designs are also defined by her love of rustic, Muskoka design and residential design. She has spent most of her life in the Muskoka area and loves working with clients on their dream getaways. Born and raised in Toronto, Mia draws on her family roots in Danish and Scandinavian heritage to inspire her design aesthetic.

When not busy designing or filming, Mia loves nothing more than to play with her yellow lab, keep fit with outdoor activities, and, of course, crank up the tunes.

TIFFANY PRATT

Tiffany Pratt grew up in her father‟s auction house and then spent years in the New York fashion world, so it makes perfect sense that Tiffany came home to make the world a more beautiful place, one piece at a time. A multifaceted designer, Tiffany‟s goal is to elevate the everyday. As a host on HGTV Canada‟s Buy It, Fix It, Sell It, she uses found and forgotten items to style lavish photo- shoots, create fantasy wedding displays and transform her clients‟ personal spaces.

Tiffany‟s work deals with rooms and spaces as well as fashion. She's designed her own collection of clothes called the Tiffany Pratt Canvas Collection - a line of stylish canvas smock dresses for makers and artists. She's also collaborated with Foxy Originals, creating her own mini jewelry collection, and with Sartoria she has a line of upcycled cashmere underwear.

Tiffany can often be spotted on daytime television, magazines and newspapers offering her unique style and DIY advice.

SANGITA PATEL

Intelligent, charming and energetic, Sangita Patel is an electrical engineer turned television personality who rocks steel-toed boots and stilettos with equal confidence.

Born and raised in Toronto, this big city girl has always excelled in academics while pursuing her passion for performing. After graduating university, Sangita worked as an engineer during the day and reported on lifestyle and entertainment news at night for a community television station. Finally, an opportunity to combine her passions for television and science came along when Sangita was offered a job as a weather presenter. It was at that point that Sangita left her day job to work in media full-time and she hasn‟t looked back since.

In 2014, Sangita joined ET Canada, the nation‟s entertainment powerhouse, to cover the hottest red carpets and profile the biggest stars in the world including George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren.

This spring, Sangita dusts off her steel-toed boots once again to host Home To Win.

SAMANTHA PYNN

Design star Samantha Pynn is a decorator, stylist and host. Known for her flirty, fresh style, Sam is all about approachable, layered decorating that brings in personal touches. She's also well known for her creativity in developing easy, do- it-yourself projects that anyone can do at home. Her entry into the world of decorating and design began 17 years ago as a location scout for commercials and music videos in Toronto. Within a few years, she had parlayed that talent into an illustrious career.

In her most recent project with HGTV Canada, Open House Overhaul, Sam and her crew ambush an unsuspecting seller poised to show their home. She offers to overhaul their home and increase its value in time for their next open house. Sam reunites with crew member Colin Hunter in Home to Win.

SARAH RICHARDSON

Sarah Richardson is an award-winning designer and television personality, known around the world for dramatic transformations that turn ordinary spaces into magazine-worthy rooms with an incredible wow factor. Sarah has hosted many successful shows on HGTV Canada including Sarah's House, Sarah 101, Real Potential and her most recent series, Sarah’s Rental Cottage. Her series are seen around the world and focus on the demands and design challenges of modern living. She is the recipient of a Gemini Award for Best Host in a Lifestyle Series.

Sarah is considered a creative powerhouse in the design world and juggles the daily workings of a high-demand design business, Sarah Richardson Design Inc. based in Toronto. In addition to her design company and television career, Sarah has authored two bestselling books, Sarah Style and At Home: Sarah Style. TOMMY SMYTHE

Tommy Smythe‟s contagious enthusiasm and fun-loving approach to renovation and decorating have made him an international design media favourite. Tommy is known for his incredible sense of style, his passion for design and his signature look complete with an enviable collection of bowties. Tommy has worked alongside Sarah Richardson as an integral member of her design team for over 10 years, through several award-winning HGTV Canada series including Design Inc., Sarah's House, Sarah's Cottage and Sarah 101. He has proven himself to be Sarah's indispensable confidant, friend and design sidekick and most recently was featured in Sarah’s Rental Cottage.

Authenticity, integrity, quality and craft are the focus of his work for private clients as well as the content he delivers through popular speaking engagements in Canada and the U.S.