Our Team

Aleem Sufi has been a Durham Region resident for over 16 years and is currently the Manager of Stakeholder Relations for the Ministry of Finance with the Government of Ontario. He also is the Founder and Director of Gorilla Management, a full-service event management organization. As a well-known member of the community, he has worked with other non-for-profits such as the YMCA and The Movember Foundation Canada in support of their development initiatives. In his down time, Aleem likes to stay active by playing basketball and volleyball.

Nicole graduated from McGill University in 2000 with a Masters of Science Degree in Nursing. She obtained her RN license in Ontario the summer of 2000 and worked at Brampton Memorial Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. In 2001 Nicole joined Toronto Public Health as a Public Health Nurse in the Healthy Living Directorate and held positions in the Child Health and Development Directorate as a Public Health Nurse Consultant, Family Home Visitor Supervisor, Reproductive Infant Health, Early Years, Maternal Infant Health Manager and an Associate Director in the Healthy Babies and Healthy Children program. Currently, Nicole is the Director of Healthy Communities and Child Health and Development at Toronto Public Health.

Nicole’s passion for ongoing learning has led her to the final stages of her pursuant of a PhD degree in Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Her study is examining racial socialization practices of parents from racialized communities. She is passionate about issues related to health equity, social justice and to supporting the development and maintenance of healthy communities

Elizabeth is a seasoned HR leader and has over 20 years in the public and private sector. She has extensive experience as a strategic business partner, as well as program, project and change management. While working at the City of Toronto she partnered with social services to deliver programs that would support the City’s Workforce Development Strategy. Elizabeth also collaborated with a range of stakeholders to promote implementation of diversity hiring strategies to enhance diverse representation and foster a culture of inclusiveness. Following her Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Management, Elizabeth pursued a post-graduate diploma in Human Resources and CHRL and is a certified change management practitioner. She currently lives in Ajax with her husband and two sons.

Marvin Yorke, BA(hon), CPA CGA, FCCA, is an experienced Assurance and Accounting Advisory professional with a demonstrated history of serving organizations in multiple industry sectors. Throughout his 18-year + career, he has had the opportunity to gain exposure to multiple international jurisdictions through positions held with PwC, Deloitte and KPMG. Marvin is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants Association of Ontario and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in the UK. Marvin is passionate about developing his team members and currently serves as a mentor to aspiring CPAs.

Marvin approaches his work with a practical mindset recognizing that every organization has its unique set of strategic objectives and operational challenges. He is a firm believer in giving back to the local community and regularly participants in charitable initiatives. Born and raised in St. Lucia, Marvin moved to Toronto in 2011 and currently lives in Oshawa Ontario with his wife and three girls.

As Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Équité Association, Danielle Wilkinson brings over 15 years of expertise within the insurance sector including privacy, corporate governance, and regulatory experience.

Danielle’s extensive background includes In-House counsel for Intact Insurance and Aviva Canada, where she held roles such as Senior Litigation Counsel and Corporate Strategy Analyst. She has authored over 40 reported decisions, papers, and delivered numerous speaking engagements as Accident Benefits Counsel. Additionally, Danielle has contributed to education as a Professor at Durham College, teaching in the Paralegal Program.

Eleanor has been a positive influence in the field of education for over 20 years. She began her career in education as a language teacher (A.L.T.) with the J.E.T. Program and has supported the transition of internationally trained teachers in Canada through a program jointly funded by the Ontario College of Teachers and United Way of Toronto.

Eleanor has developed her leadership skills in the various roles including Vice Principal, Principal, Education Officer, and currently as a Superintendent of Education with the Halton District School Board. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration and undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Kinesiology. A passionate advocate for youth and community, Eleanor was a founding member and two-term Chair of the Durham Black Educators’ Network (DBEN) and a founding member of the Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators (ONABSE). She currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Black Opportunity Fund Inc.

An experienced speaker, Eleanor has been a panelist and presenter at 20 different conferences and events since 2012 and has appeared on multiple media news.

Stephen is currently the Senior Manager of Advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society, Vice Chair of the Alliance for a Tobacco Free Ontario, and Co-Vice Chair of the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance. He is passionate about community food security and has spent much of his career in politics and government to advance health outcomes in communities throughout Ontario. Stephen is politically engaged, having worked at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and House of Commons, along with spending some time in the Ontario Public Service. Stephen completed a B.A. in Political Science and Legal Studies at Algoma University, a Master’s in Political Economy at Carleton University and is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) through the Canadian Public Relations Society. He lives in Ajax with his partner Jessica and their dog Loki.

Ivano is a seasoned Executive leader with over 30 years of experience in the utility industry. As the former President and CEO of Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation, he played a crucial role in strategic planning and supporting energy and communication services in the region. Ivano brings to the Board his extensive background in business development and strategic planning.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering Science from Western University, a Masters of Engineering from Out, MBA from Queen’s University and a graduate of the Directors College at McMaster University DeGroote School of Business.

Dedicated to community and industry advancement, Ivano serves on several Boards.

Heidi has always held a passion for healthcare. She went to school at Canadore College for her Food and Nutrition Administration Diploma and furthered her education at the University of Southern New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science and Hospitality Administration.  In 2019, she completed her Supply Chain Management Certificate at George Brown College, and recently completed her Long-Term Care Administrators certificate.    She has held her membership with the Canadian Society of Nutrition Managers for over 20 years.

Heidi has spent her entire career in the senior living industry in both long-term care facilities, designated assisted living facilities and retirement homes in both Alberta and Ontario.

Heidi has wanted to give back to the community in which she resides, specifically to not-for-profit services with healthcare.  Heidi grew up in the northern Durham region in the Blackstock area, returning to the area 9 years ago after living in different communities around Ontario for a few years.  She currently resides in Bowmanville with her daughter and husband.

Kim’s career has spanned both the public and private sectors in operations, organizational development, strategy, and transformation. She is currently a Director in Manulife’s Canadian Operations team where she is able to apply her passion for leadership development, driving innovation, and fostering continuous learning. Kim holds a degree in Business Management and a Masters in Arts and Leadership, along with participating in Queen’s Public Executive Program and certificates in HR Strategy & Transformation.

Born in Halifax, she grew up in Durham Region and followed career opportunities that led her back to Halifax and several years in Ottawa; she has happily settled in Oshawa with her family. She enjoys playing her “annual” round of golf and devotes considerable time and energy to her love of travel.

Alexander Sewrattan is a CPA, CA and holds an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. He has over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and investor relations and is a part-time Professor at Sheridan College. In his spare time, Alexander enjoys DIY projects, cooking pizzas and traveling.

Diana’s curiosity and compassion for understanding the challenges behind changing lifestyle behaviors to support better health and wellness, especially for older adults, has inspired her to continue her educational pursuits through Creighton University School of Medicine. Her dedication led her to earn a Master of Science in Integrative Health and Wellness, a testament to her expertise and qualifications in the field of health coaching and creating content for group programming.

With 12 years of experience at Ontario Health atHome, Diana has served as the Self-Management Program Central East Program Coordinator. Her role involves creating content for new lifestyle behavior change workshops for adults with chronic health conditions and supporting one-on-one health coaching sessions in collaboration with the province-wide Self-Management Program. Her leadership role in developing partnerships throughout the Durham region and her support for the successful delivery of these free workshops demonstrate her influence and impact in the field.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Diana’s first degree as a Specialist in Fine Art Studio from the University of Toronto continues to influence her passion for the arts and appreciation for creative thinking.