Speakers

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 Please note: Speaker details will be added as they are confirmed

Emis Akbari
Professor, Early Childhood and Coordinator, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College; and Adjunct Professor and Senior Policy Fellow, Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development, University of Toronto

Pedro Antunes
Chief Economist, Conference Board of Canada

Pedro Antunes is the thought leader and spokesperson for the Conference Board’s suite of economic forecast products, as well as other reports and economic indicators that relate to Canada and its regions. Mr. Antunes has provided expert testimony before parliamentary committees. He makes numerous presentations on economic topics and dialogues with Canadian leaders, the public and media about issues important to Canada.

Mr. Antunes joined the Conference Board in 1991 after working with the Canadian Forecasting Group at the Bank of Canada. In addition to his contribution to regular forecast products, Mr. Antunes led research on the impact of demographic change on the financial sustainability of public health care, productivity and other issues affecting the long-term economic growth for Canada and its provinces. He also worked on several international projects, helping decision-makers in Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Ukraine develop appropriate forecasting and policy analysis tools.

Pedro is fluent in both official languages. He is married with one son and enjoys hikes with his dog and playing soccer.

Mr. Antunes holds an M.A. (Economics) from Queen's University and a B.A. (Honours Economics) from Bishop's University.

Abigail Apenteng
Manager, Family & Income Stability, City of Brantford

Abigail serves as a Manager in the Family and Income Stability division for the City of Brantford, where she is dedicated to supporting the most disenfranchised members of society through the Ontario Works. Abigail holds a Bachelor’s of Honours in Social Work from York University.  With over 16 years of experience across three municipalities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, she has also spent over seven years as a supervisor, honing her expertise in leadership, client service, life stabilization, and fostering self-sufficiency. She is a passionate leader dedicated to coaching, mentoring, and fostering the success and growth of those she works with. Abigail is committed to empowering her team and the individuals she supports, helping them achieve their fullest potential. Her dedication to personal and professional development is evident in her unwavering commitment to guiding others towards success.

Abigail’s commitment to empowering individuals is evident through her extensive work in employment readiness skills development and her ability to forge strategic partnerships with community organizations, including local colleges, non-profits, food banks, shelters, and crisis centers. She is especially passionate about working with youth, guiding them towards further education, employment opportunities.

Her dedication to assisting individuals from diverse backgrounds in achieving their full potential continues to drive her impactful career in social work.

Caitlyn Bourque
Special Projects Manager, City of Greater Sudbury

Caitlyn Bourque is the Special Projects Manager with the Social Services Section of the Children and Social Services Division with the City of Greater Sudbury. She has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry from Laurentian University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from McMaster University. She also holds a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification with the Project Management Institute. Caitlyn’s work focuses on supporting the City’s Roadmap to End Homelessness by 2030 through the implementation of various initiatives. Caitlyn has held various roles within the City of Greater Sudbury since 2019 including Special Projects Coordinator with the Children Services Section and Data Analysis Administrator (By-Name List/HIFIS) with the Social Services Section.

Jessica Braimoh
Assistant Professor, York University

Jessica Braimoh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Science (Criminology) at York University. Jessica has been involved in numerous community based projects that explore the coordination of socio-legal processes and policies among public institutions and the ways that this work responds and/or intervenes in the lives of people experiencing marginality and social exclusion.

Amanda Buchnea
PhD Candidate, Social Practice and Transformational Change Program, University of Guelph

Amanda Buchnea (she/her) is a Doctoral Candidate in the University of Guelph’s Social Practice and Transformational Change program with a research focus on community homelessness planning, youth homelessness prevention, and community-engaged policymaking. Amanda holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Toronto, and a BA in Social Development Studies from the University of Waterloo. She has spent the last 9 years working in the field of youth homelessness prevention research and advocacy, and is currently the Strategy, Policy and Innovation Specialist at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. She has written numerous community reports and research papers and has presented across Canada and internationally on youth homelessness prevention, systems change and housing justice.

Kristen Bustamante
Manager, Special Projects, Children's Services, Region of Waterloo

Kristen Bustamante is the Manager of Special Projects in Children’s Services at the Region of Waterloo. Kristen has worked at the Region of Waterloo's Home Child Care Program for 8 years, most recently as the Manager of Home Child Care. She is currently on secondment, focusing on issues related to access and inclusion. Kristen brings experience and learnings from her previous career in the immigrant and refugee settlement sector to early learning.

Sue Colley
President and Chair of the Board, Building Blocks for Child Care (B2C2)

Sue Colley, VP Cleveland Consulting: Early Learning and Child Care, has been a recognized leader and innovator in the development of co-op housing for seniors, in the health sector, and in the field of early learning and child care over the last 40 years. She brings people together and leads them to find solutions. She was a founder of Action Day Care and first Executive Director of the Ontario Child Care Coalition. She has played an important role in major studies of child care policy and programs for the University of Toronto, the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario. Sue is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of Rise Up Feminist Digital Archive (https://riseupfeministarchive.ca/), a digital archive of feminist activism in Canada from the 1970s to the 1990s. She has an M.B.A. from Edinburgh Business School.

Most recently, Sue has taken on the role as President and Chair of the Board of Building Blocks for Child Care (B2C2) www.b2c2.ca. B2C2 is a community resource that assists not-for-profit child care and community organizations in Ontario prepare to expand by providing advice and support in all phases of the project.

Peter P. Constantinou
President and CEO, Political Acuity Institute; Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration, York University; Academic Director, Ontario Legislature Internship Programme

Peter Constantinou is one of Canada’s leading public policy practitioner academics and award winning university lecturer.  He holds a BA (Specialized Honours) in Public Policy and Administration from York University, and an MA in Public Policy and Administration from McMaster, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Toronto. His doctoral dissertation was a landmark study of government relations with stakeholders in the post-secondary education sector in Ontario.

Dr. Constantinou is a long-time public servant who has worked at the federal and provincial levels of government and in the college and university sector.  He was a Research Analyst with the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing; a Policy Analyst, Senior Policy Advisor and Senior International Trade Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy; and Chief of Staff to an Ontario Minister of Education and Training. Before joining York, Peter was Director of Government Relations at Seneca College and Special Advisor to the President, responsible for the government and community engagement that led to the creation of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), now Ontario Tech University. He currently holds the post of Academic Director of the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme.

For over 25 years, Peter has been active in teaching and research in the area of public policy and administration.  Dr. Constantinou is currently working with the International Financial Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group to provide advice to government officials, academic leaders and faculty in universities and colleges. 

Dr. Constantinou’s study Political Acuity and Council-Staff Relations in the Canadian Journal of Local Government has been the basis for development of training programs for staff and executive teams in hundreds of municipalities throughout Canada and abroad, including working with clients in Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Israel, Peru, United Kingdom, Vietnam, among others. To date he has worked with 480 Chinese partners at the municipal and provincial levels and delivered over 500 lectures and workshops. He has been a visiting professor and delivered workshops in China for Zhejiang Shuren University and Suqian College. 

Nicole Cortese
Manager, Homelessness Operations, Regional Municipality of Niagara

Erin Dej
Associate Professor, Wilfred Laurier University

Erin Dej is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University. Previously, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. Erin has been doing research about homelessness for over 15 years, guided by the lived experts she works with to study homelessness and social exclusion, with an emphasis on the criminalization of homelessness.

Zachery Dickinson
Lived Expert and LGBTQ+ Advocate

My name is Zachery Dickinson, I am 27 years old and have spent half or more of my adult life to date Either on the streets or in and out of correctional facilities.

My journey with homelessness and its subsequent interconnected struggles started off in 8th grade. I had just moved from Alberta here to Ontario where I was now living with my father, school was a nightmare for me as I was constantly the target of bullying.

This trend continued into high school for three years before I dropped out of school and began numbing myself with alcohol and cannabis. I would smoke and drink daily, eventually moving on to other substances, leading to a break in the family. I couch surfed between friends and family before ending up in trouble with the law. My family, while still outwardly supportive, made me go to a shelter in Owen Sound. This was the start of a five-year cycle of homelessness, addictions and mental health.

I struggled for a long time before while incarcerated I chose to finish school, I graduated and when I finished my time, I sought out community support and was welcomed here in York region, I worked diligently up to three jobs at anytime, until I had saved enough for advancing my education. At first, I was unsure, however, two years later, I now own my first degree as a social service worker.

My experience has shaped my life and has helped me to develop strategies and tactics to addressing the needs associated with my lived experiences, this growth has seen me create and present youth tenancy rights presentations and the York Regions Call to Action as the Youth Councils Chair. I have served as a program director for LGBTQ+ individuals and have worked frontline within the shelter system, consistently advocating for change within policy and structures.

As of today I am writing not as someone with lived experiences but as someone who has experienced a way of life!

Carolyn Ferns
Public Policy Coordinator, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

Tyla Fullerton
Manager, Integrated Policy, Planning & Funding, Children's Services, Region of Waterloo

Tyla Fullerton is the Manager of Integrated Planning, Policy and Funding in Children's Services at the Region of Waterloo. Her current portfolio includes managing the child care subsidy program and overseeing the CWELCC directed growth approach for Waterloo Region. With a background in community psychology, Tyla is committed to finding ways to remove barriers for families who are underserved in the licensed child care system.

Pierrick Gacinya
Bilingual Facilitator, Mental Health Works, Canadian Mental Health Association

Pierrick Gacinya is a bilingual facilitator with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Since joining CMHA, he’s had the pleasure of speaking to various people across the province, including high school students, physicians, community health centers, francophone groups and Black lead organizations.

Pierrick grew up in the Franco-Ontarian community and has extensive experience in advertising and in the public sector. In addition, he has volunteered for many years with the Rwandan Youth Community in the Greater Toronto Area and has worked on other community-based initiatives in Hamilton, Ontario. Pierrick is a passionate facilitator and brings with him a strong commitment to workplace mental health.

Sarah Haase
Director, Workforce Development, Fleming College

Sarah is the Director, Workforce Development with Fleming College. With over 20 years of experience in the Employment Services field in both community and post-secondary settings she has played a key role in the Employment Services transformation journey in the Muskoka-Kawarthas prototype region. Sarah’s focus on the client defined journey of success in the labour market is the driver behind the development of programs and services to grow sustainable employment.

Jeffrey Hankey
Toronto Urban Fellow Research Associate, City of Toronto

Jeffrey is an interdisciplinary researcher-advocate and academic-turned-municipal-policy-geek with professional experience and publications spanning education, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, and philosophy—all centred on ethics and resilience. He joined the City of Toronto as an Urban Fellow research associate in Summer 2023 and was promoted to Policy Development Officer with Toronto Children’s Services in Summer 2024, a cross-appointment between the EarlyON unit and Program and Policy Development. His primary projects include spearheading a transformative 5-Year EarlyON Action Plan while contributing to the development of the TCS 5-Year Service Plan. Jeffrey holds a Master of Education in Policy Studies and a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta; prior to joining the City of Toronto, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Psychology at York University, collaborating with Inuit youth on community-based, digital mental health initiatives. Jeffrey is a science fiction, fitness, puppy, and travel enthusiast. In his free time, you can probably find him perched in the sunlight with a good book.  

Christine Heavens
Director, Community Development and Services, Cochrane District Services Board

As the Director of Community Development and Services, Christine Heavens brings extensive expertise to her role within the Cochrane District Service Board. She excels in developing tailored, culturally inclusive, and person-centred strategies supported by strong community and business partnerships. With 24 years of management and leadership experience in the public sector—over half of which has been in senior management roles—Christine has successfully led both in-person, and remote teams. She is skilled at identifying complex regional issues and devising effective strategies to manage multifaceted regional and community projects.

Her innovative approaches and collaborative efforts to address systemic barriers to education and employment have earned her considerable respect within the Cochrane district and across the province. Ms. Heavens is an active member of the SSM consortium and executive team, serves as chair of the Far Northeast Training Board, chairs the Literacy Network Northeast Working Group, and leads the District School Board Ontario Northeast Special Education Advisory Committee.

Christine holds a master’s in business administration (MBA) focused on global leadership, is a Certified Engineering Technologist, and a Survey Technician. She is also finishing a master’s degree in education focused on leadership in learning.

Outside of her professional commitments and educational pursuits, Christine values spending time with her family, travelling, and exploring the great outdoors.

John G. Howley & Marianne Seaton
President, Labour Market Partners Inc. and President, Collaborative Strategies Inc. 

John Howley and Marianne Seaton are the pre-eminent designers and deliverers of professional development curricula in Ontario Works and related social services programs and agencies throughout the province, and beyond. Marianne has been consulting in the social services sector as the principal of Collaborative Strategies Inc. since 2008 and John through his company, Labour Market Partners Inc., since 1997. Their work encompasses many Consolidated Municipal Service Managers and District Social Services Administration Boards, from the largest urban municipalities to the most rural and remote.

Following their careers as social assistance and employment program front-line workers and managers, each achieved subsequent success and recognition as a leader in program development and change. Marianne is the former Acting Executive Director and Director of Professional Development for the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA). John is the former Director of Employment and Training for the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, Social Services Division (now the City of Toronto).

Their work in helping multi-barriered Ontario Works clients achieve success in the world of work includes the design and delivery of SAIL for Clients, a competency-based program that they have delivered in various areas of the province, often in association with community colleges, including Sault College, Confederation College and St. Clair College. John and Marianne also collaborate on designing and delivering employment programs for social assistance clients in a range of other programs, including Movement to Employment (employability profiling); Movement to Improvement (life skills development), and Movement to Learning (literacy and skills training preparation).

Angela Hutchinson
Program Manager, EarlyON, City of Toronto

Angela has nearly 20 years’ experience in the non-profit and public sector. As the Manager, EarlyON Child and Family Centres with the City of Toronto Children’s Services, Angela currently oversees service system management and planning for the largest EarlyON sector in Ontario, working collaboratively with 50 service providers to deliver EarlyON programming at over 250 sites.

Prior to EarlyON, Angela worked with Toronto Shelter Support Services overseeing funding and system work for the Toronto shelter system. Before joining the City of Toronto, Angela held senior leadership, managerial, frontline, funding and research roles in various non-profit and public sector organizations.

A lifelong learner, Angela holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Calgary and a Masters of Business Administration from Royal Roads University in Victoria B.C. 

Angela is a committed social worker, research geek, number cruncher, and change agent who believes in the power of data to inform and improve things. Angela is committed to helping people, making programs better, communities stronger and the world a better place. especially for her two daughters!

Michael Johnny
Manager, Knowledge Mobilization

Michael Johnny is Manager of Knowledge Mobilization at York University, operating in this capacity since 2006. Michael operates as a university-based service professional connecting researchers, students, policy professionals, community organizations, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to collaborate; maximizing the social, economic and environmental impacts research for public good. Michael and his team have been recognized by York University for their commitment to service with the Harriet Lewis Award for Service Excellence. When Michael is not mobilizing knowledge he enjoys time golfing, baking or walking his dog. 

Lindsay Jones
Director, Policy and Government Relations, Association of Municipalities of Ontario

Christine Lachance
Interim Housing & Ontario Works Program Manager, Cochrane District Services Board

With over 25 years of dedicated service at the Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB), Christine Lachance’s career reflects unwavering commitment, compassion, and perseverance. As a former teen mother, she overcame significant challenges by pursuing higher education despite financial hardships, following her passion for human services and community support.

Throughout her various roles, Christine has mentored others, supporting their professional growth. She currently leads the Cochrane District Nurse Practitioner Pilot Project. Known for her dedication to her work and the community she serves, Christine embodies and demonstrates respect, dignity, and care in all she does.

Outside of her professional life, Christine enjoys spending time with family, traveling to warm destinations, curling, fishing, camping, and biking. She is well known for her kindness, dedication, compassion, and empathy toward others.

Leah Logan
Regional Director, Indwell

Leah Logan is a Regional Director at Indwell. Indwell is a non-for-profit Christian organization that is currently providing a range of supportive housing to more than a thousand households across southwestern Ontario. Developing purpose-build housing communities and providing health supports to our communities most vulnerable, Indwell actively works to see tenants grow in their health, wellness and belonging. Leah is responsible for the development and management of Indwell's supportive housing programs within Waterloo Region. With a background in community development and program design in the social services and housing sectors, Leah dedicates her time to creating vibrant, livable, and safe communities where all can feel a sense of belonging.

Michele Lupa
Executive Director, Mothercraft

Roxanne Martin
Consultant, EarlyON, City of Toronto

Roxanne is a registered nurse who brings genuine warmth and a people-centric focus to her role as a management consultant. With over 20 years in public service, she is dedicated to championing initiatives that uplift equity-deserving communities and drive systemic change. Her commitment to community engagement shines through her approach, which prioritizes listening and learning from those she serves.

Roxanne connects with diverse communities and stakeholders, inspiring collaboration, and progress. Her journey reflects resilience, determination, and creativity as she navigates public policy complexities, applying her expertise to develop equitable solutions for Black families and other marginalized populations. She believes that every challenge is an opportunity for growth, embodying the spirit of making lemonade out of life's lemons by turning obstacles into chances for innovation. 

Beyond her professional achievements, Roxanne is a devoted mother of three, sharing her life with a vibrant partner who keeps her grounded. Together, they explore nature through long forest walks and engage their children in culinary adventures, turning family time into valuable learning experiences and connection. As a passionate advocate for equitable communities, Roxanne is eager to collaborate with others who share her vision for a vibrant, inclusive future.

Nicole McGivern
Supervisor, Family & Income Stability, City of Brantford

Nicole McGivern is a supervisor in the Family & Income Stability Department at the City of Brantford, where she has dedicated the last nine years to various roles, including manager, policy and procedure coordinator, service coordinator, and housing and community outreach worker. With a background in psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University, Nicole began her career in the non-profit sector, focusing on crisis intervention, mental health, and addiction services. Her diverse experience equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families in need.

Cora McGuire-Cyrette
Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Native Women's Association

Cora McGuire-Cyrette is a proud member of the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sand Point First Nation). She lives in Thunder Bay with her husband and has three children, two grandsons, and a menagerie of pets.

Cora McGuire-Cyrette has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA), the largest and oldest Indigenous women’s organization in Canada, since 2015. Ending violence against Indigenous women and their families and ensuring equal access to justice, education, health services, environmental stewardship, and economic development, sit at the cornerstone of the organization.

In her leadership role at ONWA, she has tripled programs and increased the association’s employment 400%. An honest, caring, and courageous leader, her passion and dedication for creating safe spaces for Indigenous women and children in communities is the driving force behind her work. Cora is a fierce advocate. She uses her voice to champion the rights of Indigenous women and girls and to amplify Indigenous women’s and youth’s voices, work, and advocacy as the knowledge holders and carriers in their lives. She has been instrumental in cultivating Indigenous women and girl’s healing and in the reclamation of their role as leaders within the family, community, provincially, nationally, and internationally.

Aware of the histories influencing policy and communities, Cora provides keen and critical insights into social, political, and economic contexts in Canada. She challenges colonial legacies as a role model in Indigenous women’s leadership and was critical to the development of the Ontario Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Cora serves as Co-Chair of the Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council of Ontario, and the Chair of the Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services among others.

She is committed to the social and political transformation of Indigenous women through self-determined participation. Her pedagogy brings forward original teachings grounded in her culture, including land-based practices learned from her grandparents, who were Residential School survivors. Her program and policy development work includes an Indigenous gender-based analysis and builds a community development approach focused on safety and healing.

Guided by ONWA’s 2021-31 Strategy Picture, Cora is leading ONWA to expand their advocacy internationally. In 2023, Cora was a member of the Canadian delegation at the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) at the United Nations. She also led ONWA’s delegations at the United Nations Water Conference and the 22nd Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). This advocacy builds on previous international work including participating in the 2016 UNPFII and the Gender Equality Forum, the 2018 Healing our Spirit Worldwide Conference, the 2019 UN Civil Society Forum, and the Beijing +25 Regional Review Meeting.

In 2020, she was recognized by the Honourable Jill Dunlop, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues in the Ontario Legislature for ONWA’s work on human trafficking. In 2021 Cora was the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100, Mercedes-Benz Emerging Leader recipient.

Cora holds a BA in Indigenous Learning and Sociology from Lakehead University and an MMBA from York University, Schulich School of Business.

Danielle McLeod
Home for Good Homelessness Prevention Services, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care

Danielle McLeod is a proud Metis Citizen from Golden Lake First Nation. Since 2021, she has been with Dilico Anishinabek Family Care serving Fort William FN, Thunder Bay and surrounding area in various roles across Children’s Mental Health, Adult Mental Health and Child Protection. In her current role as Home for Good Case Manager with Dilico she serves youth and Indigenous clients since October 2017. She sits on various committees both in and outside of Dilico: High Risk Table and the Housing Committee with Dilico and the C.H.A.T. Table, Situation Table and a member of the Thunder Bay Outreach Network in the Community. She enjoys giving back to the community by volunteering with Shelter House and Girl Guides over the years, as well as being a Foster Parent for both Children’s Aid and Dilico for over 14 years. 

Barb McPhee
Lived Expert, Poverty Elimination Task Force - Guelph/Wellington and Market Manager, North End Harvest

Since 1953, Barb has lived in this place called poverty with the occasional but brief visit to the real world. Barb has dedicated over 50 years to the empowerment and enhancement of the quality of life for cross-cultural and poverty stricken individuals and families by using her extensive range of self-taught social work skills – volunteer and work experiences. Barb has earned her spot in society as a professional volunteering giving many hours to various aspects of community development by sharing her skills at boards, community collaborations, the creation of organizations, community projects and events based on issues needing the lived experience voice. Barb was able to make all this happen while raising two daughters, three stepchildren, two husbands and being a Nana to 12. Barb is now a champion for marginalized families around homelessness because of her lived experiences of homelessness and now sits on the Poverty Elimination Task Force of Guelph and Wellington – as a lived experience peer advocate on the steering committee and as a supportive housing advocate. Barb is the Market Manager for the North End Harvest market which provides free produce free to low income families to help with food insecurity and sits on the Ontario Health team as a patient advocate to help deal with the health and mental health issues supporting the wrap around services for better health care hoping to be the new health care system. Barb has also been a volunteering and staff member of the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition to help address issues and provides programs to build community leaders.  

Living in Poverty and having a disability – not only strengthens me, but it inspires me, to strive for something more. I can’t get any less. You can disable a body, but cannot take away the human heart and spirit.

Amy Osika
Manager, Client Services & Waterloo Region Housing, Region of Waterloo

Amy has an extensive background in housing and homelessness, bringing over 15 years of experience to her role as a manager with the Housing Services Division of the Region of Waterloo. Currently, she oversees the supply of around 2,800 units under Waterloo Region Housing and is responsible for the delivery of various housing programs. Her work focuses on addressing housing needs and supporting the community.

Aaron Park
Manager, Housing and Homelessness Programs, District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board

Aaron Park has worked with the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board for the past 14 years. During this time he has spent time as Supervisor, Research and Social Policy overseeing the Data and Research team and as the Manager, Housing and Homelessness Programs overseeing homelessness system planning, the Private Landlord Rent Supplement and Portable Benefit programs and the Non-profit Community Housing system. 

Kathy Peters
Executive Director, Burlington Ontario Health Team

Kathy Peters, BSc.Bio., BSc.OT., MBA, is an experienced health system leader and presenter who is passionate about driving integrated systems of care. Kathy’s authentic leadership approach has successfully implemented cross organizational and sectoral collaborations and integrations from governance and strategic levels to clinical models of care. In her most recent role as Executive Directors for the Burlington Ontario Health Team, Kathy has led health care organizations serving Burlington to incorporate as a new Not-For-Profit organization with the shared purpose to promote health and wellbeing for the benefit of the general public by delivering care through an integrated health care delivery system in Burlington and surrounding communities.

Kathy is a Patient, Family and Caregiver-focused leader with a history of co-designing new collaborative-decision making structures in partnership with patients, families, and caregivers. She is passionate about improving the patient and family experience, developing cross-sector coalitions for the intention of innovation and integration, and striving to deliver services sustainably for current and future generations.

Kathy has worked in both the private and public sectors of the healthcare industry, with over 20 years of leadership experience in management and system planning roles. Kathy is an alumnus of St. Francis Xavier University, Dalhousie University, and McMaster University. 

David Phipps
Assistant Vice-President, Research Strategy & Impact

David Phipps, PhD is the administrative lead for all research programs and their impacts on local and global communities at York University (Toronto, Canada). He has received honours and awards from York University, the Canadian Association of Research Administrators, Society for Research Administration International, Institute for Knowledge Mobilization, International Network of Research Management Societies and the EU based Knowledge Economy Network.

Phipps received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his work in knowledge mobilization and research impact and was named the most influential knowledge mobilizer in Canada. He sits on knowledge mobilization committees around the world and is Network Director for Research Impact Canada.

Ashley Quan
Senior Manager, Research & Government Relations, Feed Ontario

Ashley Quan is the Senior Manager of Research and Government Relations at Feed Ontario, a charity that supports a network of food banks across the province. Her work focuses on creating tools and opportunities for food banks to engage in community organizing and advocacy, producing research on how food bank use intersects with social welfare, labour, and housing policy, and working with government partners and like-minded coalitions to advance evidence-based solutions to food insecurity and poverty.  

As a passionate advocate for active transportation and city-building, Ashley currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors at Cycle Toronto and has worked on several municipal and provincial electoral campaigns. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, crafting, and cooking, and has recently set a goal to visit all of Canada’s national parks.  

Jennifer Richardson
Senior Director of Strategy and Communications, Ontario Native Women's Association

With over twenty-four years working in the anti-human trafficking sector Jennifer Richardson is considered an expert in her field with extensive knowledge of human trafficking in Canada.

She is known for her research on sexual exploitation and her innovation in leading partnerships across sectors. Her experience includes overseeing the development and implementation of Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy, leading the first jointly operated child welfare/law enforcement child sex trafficking program in Canada; attending Human Trafficking Tri-Laterals with Canada, USA and Mexico.

Jennifer’s lived experience positions her to uniquely understands the barriers and challenges that face victims of human trafficking as she too was a victim of HT for many years.

Currently, Jennifer is the Senior Director of Strategy and Communications with the Ontario’s Native Women’s Association.

Melissa Riou
Senior Planner, Strategic and Environmental Planning Section, Planning Services Division, City of Greater Sudbury

Melissa Riou is a Senior Planner with the Strategic and Environmental Planning Section of the Planning Services Division with the City of Greater Sudbury. She is a Registered Professional Planner and a Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners. Melissa has a B.A. (Hons) in Geography from Laurentian University and a Master of Applied Environmental Studies (MAES) from the University of Waterloo. Melissa’s work focuses on policy development, affordable housing, and community improvement plans. Melissa was the Director of Planning for the Sudbury East Planning Board from 2011 to 2016. Prior to that she was a Planner with Oxford County from 2005-2011.

Sue Ritchie Raymond
Principal Consultant, SLRR Consulting

Sue is passionate about building opportunities for growth, innovation and excellence and brings over 30 years of experience in human services creating partnership-based solutions to improve the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.

Sue’s comprehensive system level experience in the public (municipal and provincial) and not-for-profit sectors uniquely enables her to envision strategic solutions and align diverse stakeholders. 

Her collaborative approach and strategic perspective have supported organizations to take bold steps in the creation of innovative approaches to address the complex issues of poverty, housing and homelessness through service and system design. 

She began her career as a child and youth case worker and over her career took on increasingly complex and progressive roles in social assistance, employment, community programs, homelessness and housing. 

Sue has a Masters Certificate in Public Sector Leadership from the Schulich School of Business, York University; a Certificate in Advanced Health Sector Leadership from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto; an Addiction Studies Diploma, McMaster University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree, McMaster University.

Carrie Sanders
Professor, Wilfred Laurier University

Carrie Sanders is a Professor of Criminology and Director of the Centre for Research on Security Practices (CRSP) at Wilfrid Laurier University.  She has been working with a number of community organizations to study community safety and community responses to homelessness in Brantford, Cambridge and Guelph. 

Tammy Smith
Program Manager, Community Development and Services, Cochrane District Services Board

With a remarkable career spanning 30 years in the social services field, Tammy Smith has dedicated over 25 years to the Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) within the Ontario Works program. Starting as a frontline worker, Tammy steadily advanced though various roles, culminating in her current position as Ontario Works Program Manager, a role she’s held for the past 8 years. During this time, she has helped spearhead numerous key initiatives, including the Social Assistance Modernization project and EST roll-out for the district, showcasing her ability to lead and innovate. 

Tammy’s leadership is grounded in her commitment to creating a service environment that adapts to the needs of the community while valuing the individuality of each resident. She aims to foster a space where respect, communication and collaboration are at the core of all activities. She emphasizes treating individuals, staff and community partners with the dignity and respect they deserve. Tammy believes that by working together, we can ensure that every individual is supported in their journey toward a better life.

Away from her professional responsibilities, Tammy resides in the small community of South Porcupine, where she loves spending quality time with her family, especially her nine grandchildren, who are her greatest joy.

Myles Soulliere
Manager, Windsor Regional Employment Network

Myles Soulliere is a skilled leader in program management and operations with a deep background in community and employment services. As the Lead of the Windsor Regional Employment Network, acting as the Service System Manager for Employment Ontario Transformation across Windsor/Essex, Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton, Myles oversees the integration and delivery of employment services to job seekers and employers.

Prior to this, Myles served as Coordinator of Housing Administration and Development for the City of Windsor and Program Manager at New Beginnings Windsor-Essex. He has consistently demonstrated success in leading complex programs, managing diverse teams, and delivering impactful outcomes, particularly in youth employment.

With over 15 years of experience in government-funded programs and community organizations, Myles is committed to fostering partnerships and bridging gaps in employment for marginalized groups through innovative, client-centered strategies.

Paul Sharman
Councillor Ward 5, City of Burlington and Region of Halton
Deputy Mayor Strategy, BUdgets, Process Management and Performance Measurement
President, Halton Community Housing Corporation 

Paul Sharman was first elected to serve on Burlington City Council as the Ward 5 representative in October 2010. Paul was re-elected in 2014 and again on October 22, 2018 and and 2022. He is now serving his fourth term in office. He is thankful and honoured to have been given the opportunity to represent citizens' interests and serve members of his community.

Paul is a cost and performance management specialist. As a consultant for over 30 years, he has facilitated change initiatives in organizations around the world such as the US Army, DuPont, AT&T and Toyota Motor Credit Corp. He is sought after as a thought leader in the field of Enterprise Performance Management. Paul led the New Jersey based global Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) as its President and CEO. He was named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the US accounting world in 2005, 2006 and 2007 by Accounting Today. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Thomson Reuters publication Cost Management for ten years. One hundred of his articles have been published in professional journals around the world.

Since 2012, Paul Sharman’s quest to bring better care to seniors began when his mother had to be moved to a long-term care (LTC) facility from a retirement home. He and his colleagues have dedicated much time and effort in establishing the Coalition of the Willing in Halton and the City of Burlington to implement and demonstrate there is a better solution to providing older Canadians with a dramatically better quality of life. This was accomplished by adapting the practices and philosophy of the inspiring US Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to produce the now proven and successful Community Wellness Hub (CWH). CWH projects to date include:  

• 410 John Street Burlington, implemented in Dec 2019! 100+ Members and growing (Halton Community Housing Corporation - HCHC)
  
• Wellness Hub Expansion at 410 John Street Burlington to service people in their own homes in the surrounding, area in process
  
• 271 Kerr Street, Oakville (HCHC) 2023
  
• 5250 Pinedale, Burlington (HCHC) 2024
  
• 500 Claridge Place, Burlington (HCHC) 2024
  
• In Construction: 265 Kerr,  Oakville (HCHC)
  
• New communities in process: Hamilton (2)
  
• New communities Considering: Milton, Oshawa, Ajax, Scugog, Peterborough

There is complete lack of a well-designed, systematic, preventative care service across service across Canada to keep all older people out of hospitals and long-term care.  Couple that with an annual 4% increase in the number of people over the age of 75 for the next twenty years and that people over the age of 85 are the primary driver of patient load in hospital and long term care. In addition, during Covid Canada experienced 90,000 excess deaths due to lack of capacity of hospitals.

Based on these facts, there is a burning platform to provide a 1 million person capacity PACE inspired Community Wellness service across Canada in the next ten years, increased to 2 million at the 20-year mark, to which, Paul is committed to building.  

Aaron Stauch
Director, Government Relations, Bruce County

Aaron is currently the Director, Government Relations at Bruce County, where he also oversees the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula SSM. Aaron is a seasoned social purpose sector leader with extensive experience in the start-up and turnaround of human service organizations. Over the past 15+ years, Aaron has led projects and service transformations across the environmental, employment, mental health, and social assistance sectors

Alexi White
Director, Systems Change, Maytree

Rosanna Wilcox
Interim Director, London Regional Employment Services

Rosanna Wilcox is the Interim Director, London Regional Employment Services. An expert in strategic and organizational management, Rosanna has spent nearly two decades in local government, having led the development and implementation of an enterprise-wide continuous improvement and innovation program, and the City of London’s work to create a safe community for women, girls, gender-diverse and trans people. As the Service System Manager, London Regional Employment Services is responsible for implementing Integrated Employment Services in the London Economic Region.

Nickey Wiles
Manager, Child Care, YMCA of Three Rivers

Nickey Wiles is the Manager of Child Care at the YMCA of Three Rivers, where she has dedicated 20 years to the organization. Throughout her career, Nickey has specialized in child care, spending much of that time in a supervisory role. In her current position, she collaborates closely with the J.A.I.D.E (Justice, Access, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity) Manager, focusing on enhancing access and inclusion in child care services across the Waterloo Region.

Christine Wilmot
Manager, Employment Services System, Durham Region

Christine Wilmot is the Employment Service System Manager with the Municipality of Durham Region. Christine has over 25 years of experience in community employment services working in the not-for-profit and public sector. Christine has extensive leadership experience with system transformation, start-up and delivery of innovative programming. Her true passion is supporting individuals furthest from the labour market. Christine is looking forward to building a strong integrated employment services system in Durham which launched January 2024.