Eligibility Criteria

• The recipient must be 30 years and under in the year the nomination is made

• Has been recognized as a leader in their community and seen as a person who has created change, as well as strengthened leadership in various capacities

• Special consideration to be given to someone involved in human services sector work

• Able to travel to a future OMSSA Exchange Conference to receive award and speak during a plenary session

Nomination Process

Nominations for our 2025 Awards open on May 26th!

• Any OMSSA member can nominate another individual, including themselves
• Only one nomination per member will be accepted
• Nominators must receive sign-off from their Commissioner/Lead

To submit a nomination:

Nominators can submit nominations online! Click on the button below and fill in the form to submit your nomination directly to OMSSA. If you have any questions, please contact OMSSA at info@omssa.com. 

Current and Previous Recipients

2024 | Kendra Habing | Regional Municipality of Halton

Kendra Habing is a Decision Support Advisor for Halton Region with nearly a decade of experience in research, strategic planning, and community partnership building. She holds a Master of Public Health and leads the work of Halton’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, providing critical support to enhance program effectiveness and community outcomes. Kendra’s recent projects on CSWB include:

• Supporting the establishment of 15 Community Action Tables focusing on priority CSWB issues
• Evaluation of Halton’s CSWB Plan, including engagement with community partners and the development of key recommendations and an Action Plan
• Development of toolkits to build capacity of CSWB partners to engage in planning, governance, evaluation and more
• Selection of indicators to build out a CSWB Indicator Framework and creation of a Power BI dashboard to provide dynamic updates to the public

With a background as a Public Health Epidemiologist, Kendra is deeply committed to leveraging data as a transformative tool for addressing social and health issues. Her work emphasizes the social determinants of health, focusing on the factors that influence overall community well-being. Previously, she worked with the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University, where her research centered on Community Paramedicine and strengthened her dedication to collaborative, community-focused initiatives.

Kendra’s expertise in social services management, strategic planning, and program evaluation has allowed her to drive impactful change and build resilient community partnerships. Known for her strong analytical abilities and adeptness in project management, Kendra has a proven track record in managing complex projects, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring program outcomes meet community needs. Her approach emphasizes collaboration, continuous improvement, and evidence-informed decision-making, which have contributed to successful partnerships and enhanced service delivery within the municipality. She actively contributes to public service networks within Halton, across Ontario, and nationwide, with a passionate commitment to advancing health and safety in the community.

2023 | No Award Given

2022 | Joseph Friedman Burley | City of Toronto

Joseph Friedman Burley is a public health professional with a background in 2SLGBTQI+ health research and policy. He holds a BA&Sc from McGill University and an MPH in Health Promotion from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. 

Joseph entered the City of Toronto as an Urban Fellow and has since established himself as a champion for equity and excellence in service. In his current role as a management consultant with the division of Seniors Services and Long-Term Care (SSLTC), Joseph leads a number of files focused on improving services for marginalized seniors across the care continuum, including the Toronto Seniors Strategy and the Leading & Learning with Pride Tool Kit.  

Joseph’s work has been covered by local media, profiled at national and provincial conferences, and recognized by sector leaders like AdvantAge Ontario and the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research, and Innovation in Long-Term Care. 

A driven community-builder with a passion for social justice, Joseph looks forward to a career in which he can create a better and brighter Toronto through inclusive, accountable, and equitable public service. 

2021: Nohad Abou-Hamad & Ben Reyes-Landicho, The Multiculturalism Group, City of Ottawa

2020: Phillip Mock, CK Prosperity Roundtable, Municipality of Chatham-Kent