Nicole strongly believes in the mission and mandate of Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre because the Centre is community-focused and provides strong support and advocacy for quality, accessible and equitable healthcare and works from a holistic approach. Nicole is a lawyer currently employed at a federal sector Association specializing in labour relations. She holds a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University. While in law school, Nicole worked as a caseworker at Parkdale Community Legal Services in the Workers’ Rights division. Nicole also has experience working in a public sector union and private law firm. She is an advocate of diversity.

Email: boardchair@pqwchc.ca

Shahilaa is passionate about meaningfully engaging and working with folks to create sustainable and resilient communities. With a background in Nursing and Public Health, Shahilaa’s experience encompasses community programming, health education, case management, and research. Growing up and currently residing in a marginalized community, she personally witnessed how barriers to health are ingrained in colonial, economic, political, and social factors. She is motivated to help drive social justice initiatives in a way that serves all individuals through a culturally safe, intersectional, and community-responsive approach. She is interested in making a long-term contribution to Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre by helping the organization achieve the vision of “Inclusive Communities, Responsive Healthcare, Healthier Lives”.

Eric is a CPA, CMA who has over 30 years of experience working in the non-profit sector. He has previously worked for the YMCA of Greater Toronto and United for Literacy. Now self-employed in his own consulting business, Eric’s goal has always been to support people to feel more confident and comfortable in financial management. He is currently supporting organizations in Indigenous communities, the social service sector and grassroots organizations. In addition to his consulting business, he is also a Professor at Centennial College, where he specializes in teaching financial management for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). He has previously served on the Board of North York Community House and the Ontario Council for International Cooperation. Eric is passionate about serving communities, and in particular Parkdale, as this was his first home when he moved to the city.

Leigh is passionate about promoting access and equity in health care, particularly as it relates to mental health and addiction. As a corporate lawyer in downtown Toronto since 2003, Leigh realized it is important to live a balanced life, so staying connected with the community and advocating for people who may not be able to advocate for themselves is of the utmost importance.  Leigh recently completed the academic requirements for a post-degree certificate in Mental Health and Addictions at Humber College and is looking forward to completing the program with an in-person placement soon. Leigh has also completed the meditation course at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies and has a great appreciation for the benefits of mindfulness and meditation as a daily practice.

Lindsay Jones is the Director of Policy and Government Relations at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) where she works with Ontario’s 444 municipal governments to support communities across the province. Prior to joining AMO, Lindsay has held progressively senior policy and transformation roles over in the Ontario and the federal governments in areas like social assistance, community infrastructure, and employment.  Over her 20 years in government Lindsay has developed a deep respect for the role of local service providers in shaping neighbourhoods, improving the lives of marginalized individuals, and making social and economic systems work. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Jane and Finch Centre since 2017 and a resident of the Parkdale/Queen West neighbourhood since 2008.

Stanley is a Senior Issues and Business Consultant within the Office of the Deputy Minister of Health at the Ministry of Health. As an epidemiologist, policy strategist, and member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, he actively contributes to broad community efforts to address the factors that generate and sustain health inequities among equity-deserving groups. Stanley currently participates as a reviewer with the Canadian Centre for Accreditation. He previously served as a board member for the Association of Public Health Epidemiologists in Ontario, Chatham-Kent Children’s Services, Chatham-Kent Community Health Centre’s, and the AIDS Committee of Windsor. Stanley holds a Master of Public Administration (Local Government) from Western University, Master of Public Health (Epidemiology) from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Public Health and Safety) from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Morris has over a decade of experience in the public health sector and is currently a Health Promotion Specialist at Toronto Public Health’s COVID-19 Response Team. Morris is a health policy and health equity researcher with a passion for strengthening health care systems to make it people friendly and accessible. Morris has co-authored several book chapters and journal articles on health equity in Canada and overseas. Morris is focused on health issues associated with homelessness, under housing, transient populations, refugees and immigrants, food insecurity, urban and inner-city health, mental health and addictions, chronic disease and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention in the communities. Morris serves on the administration team for the Society for the Advancement of Science in Africa (SASA) to help make African science/research globally visible. Morris brings skills in critical policy analysis and people-friendly program design/implementation.

Lana is on a mission to reduce health inequities, improve healthcare access, and make Canada the healthiest place to live, grow, work, and play. She is currently the Director of Digital Health Engagement at Manulife, furthering health care and digital strategy ambitions for the organization and its customers. Prior to Manulife, Lana led the Business to Institutions (“B2I”) segment at Maple (getmaple.ca), making health care more connected through virtual medicine. Lana also worked in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and spent five rewarding years as a Senior Advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Health. Driven by a sense of civic responsibility, Lana has also pursued leadership initiatives in regional and international arenas. She was selected for the CivicAction DiverseCity fellowship and participated in the world’s largest global innovation lab (UNLEASH) in Singapore. In 2023, she was recognized by The Peak as an Emerging Leader (awarded to Canadians under-40 who are making a notable impact in their field). Lana completed her Master of Public Health graduate degree at Queen’s University and Honours Bachelor of Science Kinesiology degree (minor in Health, Aging and Society) at McMaster University.

A settler in Toronto, Rozita is a biologist with a diverse work portfolio that spans from population research down to the atomic interactions at the genetic levels. She is also trained and worked in the field of public health.

Rozita is a proud Parkdale resident with deep ties to the community. Her work and interests encompass macroscale (social, political, and environmental) as well as microscopic determinants of Human health. Trauma, oppression, immigration as well as the healing power of nature and human connections are the life experiences that have shaped her interests. She believes the interconnected web of existence and the ecosystem of a community life needs constant tending and attending to remain healthy. In the beautifully colorful Parkdale community, where many of her experiences are shared by most residents, she feels at home and compelled to make a difference.

As a member of the board, I believe that being an advocate for those like myself who’ve availed themselves of the services of Queen West Health Center over the years and who are on ODSP with physical/mental barriers to “everyday” life is an important thing. I am committed to that ideal, and to help ensure to the best of my ability that the integrated Parkdale/Queen West Health Center continues to provide the same kind of empowering, life-building, and social structural support to this community as it has given to me. In my mind, that is how I can return the gift I was given by this dynamic, core resource. To pass it on, and aid in passing its torch to blaze with hope as bright in others’ hearts. I intend to continue to support these stated ideals, in whatever way I can even after my service is done. With gratitude to the Board for its boundless positivity as a welcoming space for newcomers, and deepest thanks to those who pushed me to believe in myself as a ‘disabled’ individual. The process of healing is one ongoing, and so is our need to best serve the community. With help from talented individuals from many storied walks of life, we can.

Megan is an educator currently completing her Masters of Education in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Megan gained her undergraduate concurrent education degree at Queens University, where she served as the Head Manager of the Peer Support Center coordinating mental health services for undergraduate students. She spent three years teaching secondary school students in Myanmar and Vietnam, experience that has grounded her understanding of intersectional identities and struggles. She is passionate about the process and complexities involved in decolonizing institutions, particularly in education or healthcare. Having spent the majority of her life living in Parkdale, she cares deeply about this community and all those who call it home.

As a local community member, Matthew values the important role PQWCHC plays in the delivery of essential healthcare services to those who need it, where they need it. A strong believer in equitable access to healthcare services, Matthew is committed to advocating for those that are at risk and face barriers accessing the healthcare services they require. Matthew is currently Associate, Vice-President, Redevelopment at Trillium Health Partners where he has oversight of the largest redevelopment projects in the organization’s history. Prior to joining Trillium, Matthew held numerous roles at St. Michael’s Hospital, and Hamilton Health Sciences. In these roles he worked closely with the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health, Infrastructure Ontario, and hospital executive leadership while leading the planning and implementation of redevelopment projects.  Matthew holds a Master of Health Administration (MHSc) from the University of Toronto and Bachelor of Physical Health and Education (B.P.H.E.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Queen’s University.

For over 5 years, Dana has been serving as the Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) Local Vice-President of the Society of United Professionals (Society). She represents 10,000+ Society members as a member of the Executive Board of Directors and almost 450 lawyers and articling students as the highest-ranking elected representative for the LAO Local. She has been a staff lawyer with LAO since 2010, representing some of Ontario’s most vulnerable persons. Over the years, Dana’s work has had a particular focus on representing people whose mental health is suffering, who suffer from addiction(s) and/or who face socio-economic barriers in life. For many years, she was a proud member of the Downtown Toronto Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee. This committee engages in joint cross-sectoral planning, coordination, collaboration and integration of service for individuals with mental health and addictions issues who are involved or at significant risk of being involved with the criminal justice system. She is passionate about being a member of the Parkdale Queen West Community Heath Centre Executive Board of Directors and to contributing to its mission, vision and values.