Speakers
Registration Accommodation Program Speakers
Sawsan Al-Refaei
Program Manager, Anti-Racism & Women, Gender Equity, City of Ottawa
Sawsan Al-Refaei is the Anti-Racism, Women and Gender Equity Manager at the City of Ottawa. She is an expert in gender, equity, and public policy. She managed large scale programs and provided technical support to governments, international non-profit organizations, United Nations Organizations, and other international in areas of gender-sensitive policies, equity-based strategy and planning, results-based frameworks, and advocacy.
She worked for several years considerable with governments in the Middle East, North Africa and East Europe to integrate gender, race and equity lens in local and national policies and plans in with focus on women, peace and security and gender-based violence. She joined the City of Ottawa in July 2019.
Sawsan holds a master’s degree in health policy, planning, and financing, from the London School of Economics. She also has a diploma in Population and Gender Studies from the University of Costa Rica.
Tracy Barclay
Advisor, Regional Municipality of Durham
Tim Begin
Human Services Supervisor, Ontario Works, City of Hamilton
Tim Begin is a Human Service Supervisor with Ontario Works in the City of Hamilton’s Healthy and Safe Communities Department. He has worked the last 15 years for Ontario Works in various roles such as Case Manager, Supervisor of Special Supports and Supervisor of Human Services. Tim was instrumental in leading the implementation of Employment Services Transition within the City of Hamilton. Tim takes great pride in leading dynamic, passionate and successful teams.
Connor Bell
Program Coordinator, Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team, City of Ottawa
Connor Bell is the Program Coordinator with the Integrated Neighbourhood Services Team within the Gender, Race Equity, Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, and Social Development branch at the City of Ottawa. Operating under the mandate of maximizing the impact of the City’s community development efforts to improve equitable access to programs and services, Connor plays a role in identifying service gaps, informing City stakeholders of opportunities to overcome barriers and leverage existing resources to respond to needs, and collaborating with internal and external partners to create sustainable solutions to complex needs. Working in 27 priority neighbourhoods Connor has developed intrinsic knowledge of community issues, entrenched barriers, and system navigation needs.
Nandita Bijur
Senior Officer, Prosper Canada
Nadia Boismier
Supervisor - Child Care Services, Social Services, Community and Health Services, Regional Municipality of York
Jessica Chase
Director, Children's and Community Services, City of Hamilton
Jessica Chase is the Director of Children’s & Community Services with the City of Hamilton. She has over 15 years of experience in the human services sector at both the provincial and municipal levels. In her role of Director, she is responsible for overseeing child care and early years services for the City of Hamilton, as well as the City’s Youth Strategy, Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan, Urban Indigenous Strategy and Home Management program. Over the past five years, Jessica has worked closely with the Indigenous community and Indigenous Relations team to develop the City’s first Urban Indigenous Strategy which aims to strengthen the City’s relationship with the urban Indigenous community and local Treaty Nations.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo and a Masters of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business. She has a passion for working with community partners and teams to develop collaborative strategies and approaches to enhance the lives of children, families, youth and residents.
Marc D'Orgeville
Executive Director, Centre d'Éducation Financière EBO
Iain Dixon
Lawyer, City of Vancouver
Morissa-Dalia Ellis
Programs Director, City of All Women Initiative
Leilani Farha
Global Director, The Shift
Leilani is the Global Director of The Shift, an international movement to secure the right to housing, and the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing (2014-2020). The Shift was launched in 2017 with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Cities and Local Government. It works with multi-level stakeholders around the world, including with several city governments in North America and Europe.
Leilani’s work is animated by the principle that housing is a social good, not a commodity. She has helped develop global human rights standards on the right to housing, including through her topical reports on homelessness, the financialization of housing, informal settlements, rights-based housing strategies, and the first UN Guidelines for the implementation of the right to housing. She is the central character in the award-winning documentary PUSH regarding the financialization of housing, directed by the Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten. PUSH is screening around the world and, to continue its momentum, Leilani and Fredrik now co-host a podcast – PUSHBACK Talks - about finance, housing, and human rights.
The Honourable Karina Gould
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
As a lifelong Burlington resident, mother, and the youngest female cabinet minister in Canadian history, Karina Gould is a fierce advocate for her community and a strong voice for Burlington in Ottawa.
For the past seven years, Karina has been working hard to address Canadians concerns on issues related to climate change, healthcare, the rising costs of living, the need for good jobs, and greater equality in a growing society.
In October 2021, she was sworn in as the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. She has previously served as Minister of International Development and Minister of Democratic Institutions.
In her role as the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development she finalized the bilateral child care agreements with provinces and territories to make the Canada-wide early learning and child care system a reality. She remains focused on working with provinces and territories to implement this system, and make affordable, high-quality and inclusive child care available for families across the country.
With the birth of her son, Oliver, Karina became the first federal cabinet minister to have a baby while holding office. She is passionate about breaking down barriers for women, youth and underrepresented groups.
She holds degrees in Political Science from McGill University and International Relations from the University of Oxford. Prior to entering politics, she worked for the Mexican Trade Commission in Toronto and the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C.
Kelly Goz
Coordinator, Housing Administration & Development, City of Windsor
Kelly Goz is a Manager of Housing and Homelessness Support for the City of Windsor’s Housing & Children’s Services Department. In her current role, Kelly’s primary responsibilities include overseeing Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, co-leading the Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4) and continues to monitor the implementation and ongoing delivery coordination of: the Windsor Essex 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Master Plan; Windsor Essex Housing Connections, the regions housing first program, Windsor Essex By-Names Prioritized List and is the community lead in Windsor Essex for Built for Zero – Canada. Kelly remains committed to fostering relationships through implementing homelessness programs that will contribute to the end of chronic homelessness.
Kristine Haines-Chiarello
Manager (A), Employment and Social Services Central, Community and Social Services, City of Ottawa
Kristine Haines-Chiarello is a Manager with Employment and Social Services in the Community and Social Services Department in the City of Ottawa.
Kristine has over 30 years experience within social services and is passionate about person-centred service, relationships and breaking down barriers to empower clients in achieving their goals.
This passion grew from her time working front line in the City of Ottawa’s childcare centres and working with Ontario Works as a Case Worker then Employment Specialist. She continued her career in other roles such as a Partnership Coordinator, Supervisor, Coordinator of the Child Care Fee Subsidy program and a Child Care and Program Development Specialist.
Recently, Kristine led the department’s Human Services Integration project to research, examine, engage, and test integration opportunities to guide the development of the City of Ottawa’s first Human Services Integration Roadmap. The Roadmap is a plan of action to advance human services integration and deliver outcomes for the residents of Ottawa.
Today, Kristine is managing one of four Employment and Social Services offices where she is committed to breaking down barriers to increase access to services, build capacity to deliver responsive services and strengthen a shared commitment across services through approaches such as outreach, colocation, integrated information sharing and teams.
Erin Hamer, RECE
Children's Services Advisor, City of Cornwall
Ian Hanney
Supervisor, Homelessness Prevention and Social Planning, County of Lambton
Ian Hanney is the supervisor of homelessness prevention and social planning at the County of Lambton. He graduated from Western University with a Masters in Public Health in 2017. Ian is a leader of the Lambton County homelessness prevention system transformation including the implementation of the community By-Name List, coordinated access and HIFIS, in addition to front-line programming including community outreach, and co-leading the County of Lambton integrated team. He has experience in front-line, research and policy analysis roles across issues including housing, homelessness, pediatric critical care and problem gambling, leading such initiatives as the Peel Alliance to End Homelessness and the Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness. His passion for poverty reduction, community health and healthy public policy drives his work to harness evidence-informed practices for creating positive system change.
Katie Hill
Supervisor, Regional Municipality of Durham
Shelly Hill
Upper Mohawk, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario
Manager, Indigenous Relations, Healthy and Safe Communities, City of Hamilton
She has worked and lived in the urban communities most of her career obtaining a Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree focused on Leadership from Trinity Western University, BC. Her experience reflects a bicultural and mainstream perspective keeping her traditional Longhouse teachings close to heart. Innovative and adaptive, she has served on various Board of Directors and has been a key advocate working for Indigenous peoples with the guidance from Elders, Knowledge Keepers and community members in the non-profit industry for more than 30 years working mainly in the urban Indigenous sectors.
Shelly works with the City of Hamilton leading the work for reconciliation and building relationships with the Urban Indigenous Community, the Treaty Territories and promoting Indigenous cultures and awareness collaborating with various Indigenous organizations, advancing public education initiatives, facilitating city-wide community dialogue and advancing the recommendations of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Calls to Justice at the local level.
Carolina Izaguirre-Campos (she/her/elle)
Senior Administrative Assistant, Employment and Social Services, Community and Social Services Department, City of Ottawa
Carolina was born in Caracas, Venezuela and is a proud Latina! She came to Canada over fifteen years ago to study English and then decided to study Psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa. After years in the psychology field, she decided to embark on new adventures and she obtained a degree with honors in Public Relations at Algonquin College.
Currently, Carolina works as the Executive Assistant to the Director of Employment and Social Services, at the City of Ottawa, where she puts her experience working with people and creative communication skills to use! Carolina is a dedicated volunteer, particularly within the Latin Community. She is host of Miercoles Latinos with Miss Caro, a radio show on CHIN Radio Ottawa 97.1FM. Every Wednesday she plays incredible Latin music and shares positive messages to the community focusing on growing, learning and overcoming obstacles. Carolina likes to say, "Your dreams can come true after you crossed the fear line." In 2023, Carolina was nominated for the Latin Awards Canada, in the category of Latin Presenter – Digital of the year! Carolina is most proud of being Mom to eight year old, Mia!
Sharad Kerur, Q.Med, C.C.Med, CCMC, ACC, CDP, WFI
CEO, Resolution Pathways
Sharad Kerur has a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and Master of Industrial Relations from Queen's University, with a focus on negotiation theory and alternative dispute resolution methods.
For over 30 years, Sharad held senior level positions in the union and association sectors. His most recent position was Executive Director of the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA), Canada's largest non-profit housing association. As a result, he has a strong grasp on the business of non-profit organizations and associations, and real-world experience in negotiation and mediation.
Sharad is Harvard-trained, having obtained a Certificate in Mediating Disputes and a Certificate in Negotiating Difficult Conversations from the Harvard Negotiation Institute (Harvard Law School) and also holds a Certificate in Dispute Resolution and an Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution, both from the York University in Toronto.
Amongst his credentials, Sharad is:
- a Qualified Mediator through the ADR Institute of Canada,
- an accredited Chartered Community Mediator through the Ontario Community Mediation Coalition,
- a Certified Conflict Management Coach, coach-mentor and trainer with CINERGY®
- an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation,
- a certified Personal and Business Coach through the Coach Academy (Canada)
- a certified Conflict Dynamics Profile practitioner through Eckerd College in Florida, and
- a certified Senior Workplace Fairness Analyst accredited by the Workplace Fairness International.
Sharad also leads his own consultancy firm known as Resolution Pathways, which assists people and organizations to transform conflicts into collaboration. With his knowledge, expertise, and experience, he currently provides services in:
- 1-to-1 conflict management coaching
- "understanding-based" mediation services
- training on managing difficult conversations and navigating conflict relationships
- assistance in the development of high-performing teams
- workplace conflict assessments and fairness restoration strategies
Ahmer Khan
Muslim Community Liaison Advisor, City of London
Chris Kindy
Case Manager, Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit Health and Social Services Division, Norfolk County and Mental Health Worker, Canadian Mental Health Association
Chris Kindy is a Case Manager for Haldimand Norfolk Health and Social Services and a Mental Health Worker for Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk. He studied Sociology at The University of Guelph and Addictions Studies at McMaster University. Chris feels privileged to have a job where his goal at the end of the day is to advocate for those who need it the most in our community and provide the best resources to those individuals. When Chris is not working, he loves walking his Dog, Penny, and travelling the world with his wife Emily and daughter Maren.
Whitney Kitchen
Coordinator, Housing Administration & Development, City of Windsor
Whitney Kitchen is a Registered Social Worker who graduated from the University of Waterloo with an MSW in 2021. Currently Whitney is a Coordinator of Housing Administration and Development with the City of Windsor responsible for co-leading the Housing Hub project which currently provides housing, health and support for over 100 unique individuals daily. Whitney has an extensive history of frontline social work experience in justice, mental health, addictions and homelessness. She has led a number of local initiatives including: chairing the local situation table which collaboratively addresses risk mitigation, providing mental health training for law enforcement and seminars on justice involvement and its impact on disenfranchised populations. Her passion for underserved populations drives her work for advocacy and system change.
Dave LaBerge
Director of Bylaw Services, City of Nanaimo
Dave LaBerge is the Director of Bylaw Services for the City of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Prior to joining the City in 2018, he spent 33 years with the RCMP working in major crime, economic crime and drug investigations. Dave has extensive professional experience dealing with homelessness, addictions, mental illness, street drugs and litigation of tent city encampments, and is a former chair of the Nanaimo Homeless Coalition.
Magda Laljee
Senior Manager, Bylaw Services, City of Abbotsford
Magda Laljee is the Senior Manager Bylaw Services for the City of Abbotsford. She has over 14 years of leadership experience in municipal government and is responsible for leading and directing the work of a specialized team in the development and enforcement of policies, bylaws and strategic plans that support diversity, equity, inclusion, safety, and livability in Abbotsford. Magda was instrumental in developing an inter-departmental protocol for how the City deals with homeless encampments on City owned lands and specifically in parks that see extensive community use. She has experience working in high conflict settings including working together with an agency partner on a Good Neighbour Committee for a highly controversial supportive housing site mediating neighbor complaints as they arose. Magda has professional qualifications in the fields of justice and mediation and holds a Masters in Conflict Analysis and Conflict Management from Royal Roads University.
Sandra Lee
Manager, Community Services, County of Simcoe
Jennifer Lible
Manager, Social Assistance Programs, District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board
Jennifer Lible (pronounced Libley) is the Manager, Social Assistance Programs for the Integrated Social Services Division of The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board.
Jennifer’s education and experience in Social Work saw her climb through the ranks of the DSSAB from a front-line caseworker, supervisor positions and now Manager whose role is to over see the delivery of Ontario Works Financial and Employment Assistance in the District of Thunder Bay.
She has been in her current role for 11 years. Prior to this she was a front-line caseworker for Ontario Works. She has 10 years of experience as a supervisor as well as the initial Supervisor of Intake when TBDSSAB integrated its front door services. In this position she built the intake team and over saw the integration of the unit across OW, Housing and Children’s services.
Jennifer is an active member of many Provincial tables and brings a Northern perspective to service delivery, and currently is the lead of the Ontario Works table of the Northern Ontario Social Services Delivery Association
Kathy Lucky
Manager, EarlyON Programs, Regional Municipality of York
Dunja Lukic
Social Planning and Policy Analyst, Ontario Works, County of Wellington
Santina Macri
Senior Manager, Delivery Support, Employment Services, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development
Santina Macri serves as the Senior Manager of Delivery Support- Employment Services, within the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. In her role, she works with teams within the ministry and across government to lead to implementation and continuous improvement of a suite of services delivered through Employment Ontario. With over ten years of experience working on provincial employment and training programs, Santina’s work is guided by her desire to drive positive change and better outcomes for Ontarians.
Laura Masson
Partnership Coordinator, Employment and Social Services, Community and Social Services, City of Ottawa
Meredith Mandryk-Kelly
Manager, Ontario Works - Program Supports, Health and Safe Communities, City of Hamilton
Meredith Mandryk-Kelly is a Human Service Manager with Ontario Works in the City of Hamilton’s Healthy and Safe Communities Department. She has worked in the social services field for most of her career, including time spent working for both provincial and municipal governments in the General Welfare, Family Benefits, Ontario Disability Support and Ontario Works programs. Providing sensational and accountable service to the residents of the City of Hamilton is something Meredith is passionate about.
Jennifer McCabe
Strategic Procurement Advisor, Supply Services, City of Ottawa
Jennifer McCabe is a Strategic Procurement Advisor in Supply Services at the City of Ottawa. She leads the City’s sustainable procurement initiatives and authored the 2021 report: Economic Recovery Efforts: Social Procurement which describes the City of Ottawa’s social procurement efforts to date. As a lawyer, she is interested in how social benefits are integrated in contracts. As a community member, she is interested in bringing the City together with industry and community to maximize the benefits the City receives from its contracts.
Gynette Moise
Budget Counsellor, EBO Financial Education Centre
Gynette Moise has been a budget counsellor at the EBO Financial Education Centre for the past 11 years, where she also coordinates their micro loan program. She has been working closely with the Employment and Social Service department of the City of Ottawa since 2017. In the fall of 2022, Gynette became the EBO lead for a 2-year project with the City and Prosper Canada to integrate more financial empowerment interventions into Ontario Work.
Gynette chose the Financial Empowerment field to make a difference. She knows how useful resources can be in people’s life and is very grateful to have been given this unique opportunity to working with a very diverse community. Over the years she met some wonderful person seeking help with their finances. They are low-income individuals, and they face all kind of challenges; their resilience inspires Gynette every day. As a budget counselor, she always pays attention to her client’s needs and try to help as best as she can through sound financial education to shine some lights in their life despite all the hardship.
Gynette Moise has a bachelor’s degree in social services from the University of Ottawa. Prior to working at EBO she worked for Chase Bank as a Credit Counsellor.
Rumina Morris
Director, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression, City of London
Louie Napish
Indigenous Relations and Special Projects Liaison, Kenora District Services Board
Olivia Nunes
Manager, Early Years and Child Care Services Division, Regional Municipality of Peel
The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, C.M., O.Ont.
Senator for Ontario, The Senate of Canada
Ratna Omidvar is an internationally recognized voice on migration, diversity and inclusion. In April 2016, Ms. Omidvar was appointed to the Senate of Canada as an independent Senator representing Ontario. Currently, Senator Omidvar is the Chair of the Senate’s Social Affairs, Health and Technology Committee and the Vice-President of the Canada-Germany Interparliamentary Group. She previously served as Deputy Chair of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector.
Senator Omidvar is a Director at the Century Initiative, a Councillor on the World Refugee and Migration Council, a Founding Committee Member of Lifeline Afghanistan and Chair Emerita for the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. She is also a Juror for the Global Centre for Pluralism’s annual Pluralism Award.
Previously at Toronto Metropolitan University, Senator Omidvar was a Distinguished Visiting Professor and founded the Global Diversity Exchange. Senator Omidvar received a Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws, from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2018 and from York University in 2012.
Senator Omidvar is co-author of Flight and Freedom: Stories of Escape to Canada (2015) and co-editor of Five Good Ideas: Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success (2011).
Senator Omidvar was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2005 and became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011, with both honours recognizing her advocacy work on behalf of immigrants and devotion to reducing inequality in Canada. In 2014, Senator Omidvar received the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of German-Canadian relations.
Andrea Personnic
Case Manager, Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit Health and Social Services Division, Norfolk County and Mental Health Worker, Canadian Mental Health Association
Andrea Personnic is a Case Manager for Haldimand Norfolk Health and Social Services and a Mental Health Worker with the Canadian Mental Health Association. She studied Psychology at the University of Guelph and Management Studies at McMaster University. Andrea is a community driven leader. Her mission is to empower and elevate other women and girls to flourish in her community
Andrea’s charity 100 Women Who Care recently reached a milestone of raising over $100,000 that went back into supports and services in her local area of Haldimand County. Andrea is also an Auxiliary Officer with the Haldimand OPP running community and safety events. When Andrea is not working, she enjoys being out in nature, biking, playing baseball, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Donette Phillips
Manager, Direct Children's Services, Regional Municipality of Halton
Melissa Pitfield, RECE
Supervisor, EarlyON, Child & Community Resources
Working with children has always been Melissa’s passion. Melissa is graduate with honours from the Early Childhood Education program at Canadore College. She is a registered Early Childhood Educator with over 30 years experience in Early Learning services.
In 2000, Melissa joined YMCA Sudbury as Manager of Licensed Childcare Services. Melissa took on the role of licensed childcare expansion and Director for Outdoor Camping Services. She is a graduate of YMCA Canada’s Management Institute.
In 2013, Melissa moved to Child & Community Resources and has taken on various supervisor positions within the agency. She is currently the Supervisor of EarlyON Child and Family Centres for the past 3 years. While with CCR, she has had the incredible opportunity to graduate from the Northern Leadership Program with a certification in leadership and completed her certification through the Mehrit Centre for foundations of Self-Regulation. She is co-facilitator for the Child & Community Resources Self Regulation Series for early learning educators and leads. Melissa continues to work with Community Partners and EarlyON providers to offer creative, early learning opportunities for parents, caregivers and children.
Kaitlynn Rice Kavanagh
Kaitlynn Rice Kavanagh is a voice for those surviving through generational poverty, trauma, addiction, mental health challenges. Having lived through these difficulties herself, she is now happily thriving and recovering.
She became this voice as a facilitator for Bridges Out of Poverty workshops where she shared her experiences with homelessness and obstacles and how to overcome them each day.
She has been sharing her story for over a decade to community frontline workers, health care providers, students, and educators in hopes that they may become more open-minded and understanding of where each individual person is coming from and what they are facing each day.
Kaitlynn shares her lived experiences with people to encourage compassion towards others and provide knowledge of the underlying issues or struggles of under-resourced individuals experience. Most importantly, she hopes that with determination we can all work to break the cycle of poverty.
Alissa Savage
Senior Manager, Transformation Secretariat, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development
Alissa Savage is Senior Manager at the Transformation Secretariat in the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development (MLITSD). She has over a decade of experience working in Social Assistance in various roles including as an ODSP caseworker, in analysts roles supporting the SAMS implementation, and as Manager for the Business Technology Solutions team. Since 2019, Alissa has been working on Employment Services Transformation for Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services where she lead the implementation of prototypes catchments and Phase 1 for Social Assistance offices. More recently she has moved to MLITSD to continue working on EST supporting the Transformation Secretariat with Project Governance and Stakeholder Engagement. Alissa is passionate about developing client-centred solutions and about working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders across the province.
Jamie Shipley
Specialist, Outreach & Project Development, Ontario Region, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Jamie has 30 years’ experience in the residential construction industry including over 25 years with CMHC. Jamie’s role at CMHC includes promoting the creation of sustainable affordable housing and delivering on the National Housing Strategy. Jamie shares technical and social economic information about aging in place and affordable housing programs with builders, developers, renovators, planners, and housing design professionals across Ontario. Jamie is also a member of the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists.
Jocelyn Siciliano
Area Manager, Homelessness and Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate, Regional Municipality of Durham
Karine Silverwoman
Social Worker and Consultant
Karine Silverwoman, MSW, is a passionate practitioner, consultant and educator with over 20 years of experience in the social work sector. Her work is informed by an understanding of how trauma and oppression how impact our bodies and communities. She has extensive training in trauma-informed therapeutic approaches, clinical supervision and leadership and in applying strategies to assist front-line workers and other practitioners to deepen their skills and align their work with their values.She has worked in a wide variety of settings and roles including, Director of Counseling for a gender based violence clinic, consultant , street outreach worker, therapist, youth worker and social work instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University and George Brown College. Her approach is guided by a social justice, anti-colonial, queer/trans affirming and strength-based lens. As a trainer, she embeds a trauma-informed lens and creates brave, reflective learning spaces. She interweaves practical examples, a sense of humour and an ethic of care into all her training, believing, as she does, in a world where everyone should be able to live with dignity, safety and belonging.
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http://karinesilverwoman.com/
Chris Simmons
Program Manager, Technology Services, Ottawa Public Library
Chris Simmons is a Program Manager in Technology Services at the Ottawa Public Library. He is interested in promoting digital inclusion within the City of Ottawa and is involved in several projects that aim to increase digital connectivity between clients and the library.
Aaron Stauch
Regional Manager Employment Services, Planning and Development, Corporation of the County of Bruce
David Thomas
OMSSA Facilitator
Laura Urso
Co-ordinator of Quality and Early Years Programs, Children Services Section, Community Development, City of Greater Sudbury
Erin Valant, MPPAL
Area Manager, Income and Employment Support Division, Regional Municipality of Durham
Pei-Ju Wang
Anti-Racism Specialist, City of Ottawa
Pei-Ju Wang was born in Taiwan and moved to Canada over 25 years ago. She is a settler to the unceded and surrendered Algonquin territory. Currently, Pei-Ju works as Anti-Racism Specialist at the City of Ottawa. Pei-Ju likes reading books, travelling, hiking, having interesting conversations with peoples, and eating good food. She is passionate about community economic and social development. She beliefs anti-racism work involves life-long learning. It is multi-disciplinary and is about becoming a human being. Pei-Ju continues learning and understanding the depth of the work every day.
Lisa Whitney
Community Program Coordinator, EarlyON Programs, Regional Municipality of York
Michelle Wojciechowski
Manager, Intake & Eligibility, District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board
Michelle Wojciechowski is the Manager of Intake & Eligibility for the Integrated Social Services Team at the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board and has worked for TBDSSAB for the past 10 years. Her previous work experience was with the Lakehead District School Board and as a Professor at Confederation College.
Michelle was born and raised in Thunder Bay and is a graduate from both Lakehead University and Confederation College.
Michelle manages an Integrated Social Service team that consists of staff of Ontario Works, Housing and Child Care. Programs in this area include Intake, RGI housing eligibility and waitlist, childcare fee subsidy, housing security funds, funerals & burials for OW and ODSP clients, intake for Ontario Renovates and Portable Housing Benefits and Transitional Outreach and Support Workers in the community.
She is also actively involved with community tables and currently co-chairs the Thunder Bay Situation Table; and is the staff liaison for their local United Way.
Michelle has been married for the past 25 years to her husband Gary and they have a son Jayden, 24, a daughter Jocelyn, 22, and a new puppy Nash!