Jonathan, after working in the animal care industry (in various capacities, including as a zookeeper, animal handler, and educator) for nearly a decade, attended Oshawa’s Ontario Tech University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Forensic Psychology - with distinction. Further, Jonathan has earned a certificate of Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School. During his time at Ontario Tech, Jonathan worked with Durham Family Court Clinic and was responsible for creation of literature review entitled “On a New Durham Youth Gang Strategy - A Literature Review and Assessment of Needs for Durham Family Court Clinic,” which included a plethora of research regarding youth in conflict with the law, anti-gang strategies, victimology, community safety and wellbeing, and criminogenic factors contributing to violent crime, to provide recommendations in service of the next Durham Youth Gang Strategy. Jonathan is passionate about helping to teach others about the hardships faced by youth and youth in conflict with the law, and has been a guest lecturer at University of Toronto, lecturing on criminal gangs, anti-gang strategies, youth in conflict with the law, and gangs in the greater Toronto area and Durham Region. He believes in the importance of engaging and involving the community in discussions regarding social issues, and has been published in the Toronto Sun. Currently Jonathan is studying applied neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London in England. His studies are multidisciplinary in nature, from molecular biology to the psychological study of the mind; with a strong focus on neuroscientific and psychological foundations of mental health. Jonathan feels honoured to have been entrusted with the vast responsibility and privilege of holding a seat on DFCC’s board of directors and is committed to employing a person-centered, community-based, equitable approach through an anti-racism/oppression lens/framework, in order to best serve the youth of Durham Region.

Belinda has steadily built her career as a social worker working in child protection, adoption and healthcare. Belinda is the Manager of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) and Wellness at Lakeridge Health and has been there for over 6 years. Belinda is passionate about equity and building out a more equitable Durham region. She is proud to serve her community and sit on a board that helps youth within the Durham region. Belinda enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and family. Belinda completed her bachelor’s in social work at Toronto Metropolitan University and her Master’s at The University of Waterloo.

Richard is a seasoned finance professional with broad experience in commercial

Chris is an accomplished healthcare leader with over 15 years’ experience in financial and corporate services leadership. His professional accounting designation, in combination with a Masters of Business Administration(c) and a significant investment in leadership development (LEADS), MIS training (CIHI) and process improvement (LEAN) has given him the tools to provide effective financial oversight and leadership to healthcare organizations. He moved to Oshawa, Ontario in August 2021 to start his new position as Chief Financial Officer and Health Services Executive ~ Corporate Services with Lakeridge Health.

Dwight is a consultative leader with a successful track record in managing health care strategies and stakeholder engagements across primary, community, and regulatory health care sectors. Directing one of Ontario's First Provincial Health Strategy, Dwight served as Deputy Registrar at the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario and has worked in senior management in Toronto's teaching hospitals. Dwight's scholarship focuses on population health and Afrocentric education leadership. He consults on Board governance, policy and curriculum development. Dwight is also the Founder and Executive Lead for The Health Research Council for People of African Descent. He holds a Bachelor’s of Health Studies degree from York University; Masters of Leadership & Interdisciplinary Studies, Royal Roads University; and a Master’s of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School. A husband and father, Dwight provides education mentorship to at-risk youth and enjoys bringing external industries and sector-specific opportunities into the academic space.

As an intersectional feminist and social justice advocate with a background in clinical and behavioural psychology and over fifteen years of experience in social services, public health, and the corporate sector, Kay is passionate about the impacts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can have. Throughout her career, Kay has worked with diverse populations to develop a standard of trauma-informed practices focused on Anti-Oppressive, Anti-Racist, DEI, and QTBIPOC inclusive frameworks, as well as organization-wide capacity building and change management. Presently, Kay serves on a handful of governing boards and is the Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She has also previously served as the Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Manager of Anti-Violence and Support Services, and Manager of Public Interest and Legal Initiatives, where she championed equitable and accessible services. Her expertise includes management, DEI consultancy, policy development, strategic planning, budget management, program development, and donor relations. Her capabilities extend to providing trauma-informed counselling, survivor support, crisis response and prevention. Above all Kay sees serving on the board of Directors at DFCC an honour and a privilege.

Kelly graduated from Queens University with an LLB in 1987 and was called to the Bar in 1990. She obtained her LLM in Family Law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2012. After working in private practice in family law, Kelly joined the Family Responsibility Office in 1994. As counsel with the FRO she litigates on behalf of the Director primarily in Oshawa, Peterborough, Cobourg, Lindsay and Newmarket in the area of support enforcement. Kelly also supervises panel lawyers representing the Director FRO in the Central East Judicial Region. In 2013, Kelly commenced a secondment with Office of the Children’s Lawyer (OCL). As OCL Counsel, Kelly provided legal representation to children in child protection and custody/access proceedings in Durham Region and supervised panel lawyers in Toronto and the Central South Judicial Region. Kelly returned to the Family Responsibility Office in 2014. Kelly is a member of Liaison Committees at Oshawa, Peterborough, Cobourg, Lindsay and Newmarket courts. She has spoken to the bench and bar at numerous continuing legal education programs throughout Ontario on the subjects of support orders and enforcement, and the ISO Act.

With over 20 years of advanced nursing experience, improving care and safety in healthcare systems and communities are central to her work. Rishita has worked in various healthcare services that span nursing practice, quality, education and healthcare administration. She has a proven track record of leading successful change through team engagement, community partnerships and innovative implementation strategies. Rishita currently works as a Patient Care Manager at Lakeridge Health. Rishita holds a Master of Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Certified Health Executive designation from the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Outside of work, Rishita has been a Durham Region resident for over 15 years and enjoys spending time with her son, daughter and husband travelling and going on adventures.

Usma is a public policy professional with 10 (+) years of experience in research, political analysis and program development. She is deeply committed to anti-oppression, gender equality and social inclusion. During her time with the province of Ontario she has developed and implemented strategies and initiatives that address Gender-Based Violence, racial inequity and marginalized youth. Prior to joining the province, Usma served as the National Projects Manager for the Canadian Council of Muslim Women and a Project Executive Officer at the Lokahi Foundation where she worked on community projects related to youth engagement, religious accommodation, violence against women and community cohesion. She holds a BA from the University of Toronto, and an Msc in International Relations from the London School of Economics. When she is not exploring the wilderness, she can be found exploring planning her next trip, doing MMA and volunteering.