Highlights
- Senior Ontario Public Service counsel and subject matter expert in equity, diversity and inclusion, including experiences with the OPS Diversity Office, Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, Ontario Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Legal Support Centre
- 15 years of progressive experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams to deliver excellence through measurable outcomes
- Led the establishment of the first meditation/prayer facility in the OPS (“Quiet Room”)
Ontario Public Service Experience
Present, Ministry of the Attorney General
- July 2010 – Present Crown Counsel, Crown Law Office – Civil
- December 2019 – March 2021 Crown Counsel, Operational Support Branch
- February 2019 – August 2019 Crown Counsel, Legal Services Branch, Energy
- April 2014 – April 2015 Flex Counsel, Assistant Deputy Attorney General’s Office
Received 2019 Excelsior Award for role in Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project
Received 2 Excelsior Awards in 2015 for implementation of the Ministry of the Attorney General Law Practice Program and organization of Black History Month equity awareness event
Assessed over 1000 applicants over an 8-year period for summer and articling student positions, using an equity, diversity and inclusion lens
Supported client policy development, including advice on statutory interpretation, the development/implementation of legislation and regulations and governance
E-discovery Counsel and Project Manager on high profile, plaintiff-side complex commercial and Indigenous litigation files for the Crown
Ontario Public Service Diversity Office
- June 2009 – June 2010 Senior Program/Policy Consultant
Contributed to the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, including identification of key metrics for the organization
Created the policy framework and operational guidelines for OPS employee resource groups, e.g. OPS Pride, Black OPSers, Tomorrow’s Ontario Public Service (TOPS), etc.
Drafted terms of use, communications and briefing materials and coordinated facility administration and refurbishment to launch OPS Quiet Room
Resolved conflicting rights requests from employees through research in best practices, consultation with leadership and staff discussion
Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO)
- July 2008 – June 2009 Project Management Coordinator
Spearheaded a strategic shift in the organization’s primary role to focus on the enforcement of accessibility regulations from policy development and public education
Drafted privacy policy and business practices consistent with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to manage and protect personal information provided to the ADO by members of the public
- June 2007 – July 2008 Ministry of the Attorney General
Project Management Specialist, Human Rights Legal Support Centre Transition Team
Had a leading role in the establishment of a new provincial agency delivering legal services to marginalized populations in Ontario
Consulted stakeholders and conducted inter-jurisdictional analysis of caseload volumes to anticipate service demand on new agency
Analyzed current and anticipated caseload volumes of provincial human rights system to assess capacity of new legal services agency at launch and resources required to sustain the agency over its first three years, including determination of number of agency staff, start-up budget and areas of financial risk
Examined case management options and designed new agency case management tools taking into account existing government and legal aid models, IT limitations and privilege/privacy considerations of potential clients
Board Memberships
June 2021 – January 2022, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Director, Board of Directors
- Support the company’s mandate and activities through active involvement, and through the provision of professional expertise
2018 – 2020 Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) Canada, Strategic Advisor, Board of Directors
- Legal Officer, Board of Directors
- Led the Board through the process of defining governance objectives and key performance indicators
- Chaired Governance Committee and initiated a review of bylaws to ensure legal compliance with federal and provincial legislation and regulations
- Participated in equity, diversity and inclusion committee hiring process
- Supported the President, the Executive Director, and the Executive Committee as requested on legally sensitive matters
2010 – 2018, Rapport credit union, Director, Board of Directors
- Chaired Nominating Committee, developed succession plan and recruited Directors
- Understood and demonstrated a commitment to the organization’s mission
- Kept up to date with issues and trends in the credit union sector
- Prepared for meetings by reading agendas, minutes, reports and other documentation required to actively participate in decision-making processes
Education
2018 – Present, Specialized Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training
- Unconscious Bias with Dr. Chris Taylor
- Anti-Racism and the Workplace
- Bimickaway Indigenous Cultural Awareness
- Ryerson Law Practice Program, Diversity Consultant
- Difficult Conversations with Amanda Chrisanthus
- Micro Aggressions in the Workplace with Arlene Terry
- San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
- Deep Diversity with Shakil Choudury, Anima Leadership
- Association of Law Officers of the Crown, Trial Advocacy, Bias in the Courtroom
2007 – 2009, Master of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School
- Specialized in administrative law with an emphasis on principles of access to justice
1999 – 2002, Bachelor of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School
- Upper Year Mooting Team, Stetson International Environmental Law Moot
- Research Assistant, International Human Rights Law
1995 – 1999 Honours Bachelor of Political Science, Cooperative Option, Wilfrid Laurier University
Professional Activities
Candidate Assessor, Ryerson University Law Practice Program, August 2015 to present
Mock Trial Judge (High School), Ontario Bar Association – April 2018