From Candidate to Council
We reached out to our 2022 ElectNOW candidates to share with us the lessons they gleaned from their inaugural year in office, their transition from candidate to council member, and the advice they'd offer to aspiring newcomers considering their own candidacy journey.
Donica LeBlanc is a School Board Trustee for the Lakehead District School Board in Thunder Bay.
Julie Ann Bertram is a School Board Trustee in Zone 1 for the Near North District School Board in West Nipissing.
Judy Kosmerly is a School Board Trustee in Area 3, Wards 5 & 6 for Rainbow District School Board in Greater Sudbury.
ElectNOW 2022
We asked the women running for office in Northern Ontario during the 2022 Municipal Election about their platform, their values, and what representation means to them.
Here are their beliefs in their own words.
Women Running For Head of Council
Johanne has lived in North Bay for 60 years. She was raised by blue-collar parents who instilled strong work ethics, integrity, commitment and reliability. She has devoted over 50 years of community volunteerism, including 23 years of board experience. She had a 37-year career in the sewing industry as a patternmaker, business owner and national sewing educator. Since retiring in 2014, she has had the pleasure of serving on city council 2018-present. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, spending time with family, and taking advantage of all that North Bay offers.
Evelyn has extensive and diverse experience in municipal government. She sat on three municipal governments from 2006 to 2018, with three mayors. She also sat on Rayside Balfour Council, from 1989 to 1994. She was a high school teacher for 33 years. As a councillor, she worked with groups and individuals to meet goals. Some of her successes as a council member are Villa St. Gabriel, the Therapeutic/Leisure Pool in Azilda, the 4-laning of MR 35, the Revitalization of the Donovan, and Park improvements in the Ward. Since 2018, she has been working with Abbeyfield Canada to provide affordable housing for older adults. She is also the Co-Chair of the Compassionate City.
Miranda was born and raised in Sudbury by an immigrant father and a second-generation immigrant mother. She was raised with her sister to understand the merit of hard work, the importance of being authentic, and the value of community. Like her entrepreneurial-minded father, she is the founder and operator of three small local businesses and one not-for-profit community-based organization for youth. She built all of this while raising her family. She acquired two degrees from Laurentian University and graduated in 2009 with a Master’s Degree in Distance Education from Athabasca University. She has always had a passion for working with the public. Her focus has always been on identifying people’s needs and building capacity to address community gaps. She believes a mayor's first priority is to serve the community's needs and to build and sustain a brighter future.
Geraldine is a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces with 23 years of service. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba. She was the first woman to be elected to the Beckwith Township Council. She taught English in South Korea from 2008-2009. She has served on two Economic Development Committees and was the Eastern Ontario Representative to the Ontario Economic Development Corporation.
A proud Franco-Ontarian born and raised in Timmins, Michelle has dedicated her career to bettering the socio-economic well-being of people throughout Northern Ontario. She has over a decade of experience working in the postsecondary education sector and is currently the Employment & Immigration Services Manager for a local community college. Michelle obtained a Master of Research degree in Educational and Social Research from the University of London and an Honours Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa. Elected to the municipal council in the City of Timmins in 2018, Michelle serves on several community boards and committees and is honoured to chair the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association. She is most proud of being the mother of a two-year-old daughter, Rosalie.
Stacy was born and raised in the North and proudly established her career and family here. She has served her community through countless volunteer organizations, including Kabaret Charitable Foundation and Ducks Unlimited. She served one term as a council member and wishes to continue serving her community in the future.
Women Running For Council
Leslie (she/her) is excited to be running for City Council in Ward 9. She is a lifelong Sudburian: educated in Greater Sudbury, she also raised her family in the city and was employed in public service for over 30 years. She comes from a family of entrepreneurs who have always been immersed in business and keen to help Sudbury grow in the right direction. She is a tireless advocate working in the field of Social Services and is presently a Patient & Family Advisor at Health Sciences North and the Chair of the Northern Initiative for Social Action (a Peer Lead Organization of persons with lived experience of mental health challenges/mental illness). The Northern Initiative for Social Action is member-driven and offers meaningful and useful programs, and believes in active recovery rather than passive dependence on community services.
Angela (she/her) is a serial entrepreneur and community hype woman. In 2019, she was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Northern Ontario Business. In 2020 when the pandemic struck, she chaired an initiative to bring lunches to children in geared-to-income housing and was awarded by TD Canada Trust for doing so. Angela was recognized as 1 of 6 recipients across North America for the TD “Thank You” program for her commitment to her community. Her business, The Breakfast Pig, has been awarded and written about across Canada.
Marilyn (she/her) is a widow, retired nurse, and licensed real estate agent. She has been on many committees over the years. She simply wants to help the people of Thunder Bay.
Born in Sudbury and raised in Blind River, Natalie has spent most of her adult life living in various small communities across northern Ontario, making a difference and enhancing the quality of life in those communities by giving her time, talents, and leadership over the last 28 years. She is the proud mother of two young adult sons who live in Greater Sudbury and is the Assistant Manager at a non-profit organization that enhances the quality of life for Older Adults ages 50 or better! Natalie's extensive resume includes diverse experience working for two municipalities, the public, private and non-profit sectors and as an entrepreneur. She has chaired and contributed as a Board Member for over two decades in various sectors. She has volunteered for countless organizations and spearheaded many successful grassroots community projects. She was also elected and served on Municipal Council in Manitouwadge from 2010-2014. Growing up in Blind River, her parents taught her that being of service to others is one of the best things you can do to improve your community. They made it clear to Natalie through their actions and encouraged her to seek opportunities, saying, “If something needs to be done, you can’t wait for others to do it. It all starts with you!” Since relocating to Capreol from northwestern Ontario in 2014, she’s known for Coordinating the Capreol Santa Claus Parade and recently taking the reins in bringing Capreol Days back for everyone to enjoy, which was a tremendous success.
Justine Mallah has over eight years of experience in community outreach, political engagement, and health promotion. Justine works in mental health and is the chair of the Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee of Nipissing, co-chair of the Gambling Harm Reduction Partnership of Nipissing and Parry Sound, and a member of North Bay’s Terry Fox Run Planning Committee. Justine is a dedicated supporter of the arts and has facilitated workshops for Art Fix and redeveloped the Gateway Theatre Guild’s website. Before moving to North Bay, Justine managed a charitable organization called Meagan’s Hug, which has raised over $5 million for research into childhood brain tumours. Justine has a Master of Arts degree in Communication and a Graduate Diploma in Health: Science, Technology, and Policy from Carleton University. After her schooling, Justine completed a course in Spain focusing on community development under Dr. Bengt Lindstrom, a leading researcher in the field. In this course, Justine gained tools to help cities identify what is really working (the strengths) and to build, promote, and maximize these strengths to create more community.
Yuk-Sem Won is a Labour Law litigator, Part-Time Faculty Member at Confederation College specializing in Business, and has a background in Education. She has raised her family, established her career and has over 30 years of volunteering and governance experience, including the Thunder Bay District Labour Council, TBay Business Women’s Network, Accueil francophone, TBay Chinese Canadian Association, and the Orange Abinoojiinh Movement for Residential School Survivors. She has never been able to ‘just wait’ for change to happen but chooses to invest time and energy to be a part of the change she wants to see. This is the foundation of her community leadership and interest in politics. As Neebing Ward Councillor, she wants to bring her experience, knowledge, and advocacy skills to city council. She appreciates the non-partisan structure of municipal politics, focusing on collaboration and respectful advocacy for the needs of the people, economic development and the community's well-being.
Lisa Vezeau-Allen grew up in Sault Ste. Marie. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurentian University in 1991 and attained a Not-for-Profit Management postgraduate degree in 2006 from St. Clair College. Her work experience is varied: she instructed in Communications at both St. Clair College and Sault College, supported the Big Brothers Association of Sault Ste Marie in a fundraising role, as well as led organizations in a Director capacity (including Sault Youth Association and the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie). She was Director of Development for the YMCA of Boulder County in Colorado. She was elected to City Council in 2018 and is involved in various committees and boards in her capacity as Councilor, including; SSM Police Services Board, Downtown Association, Finance Committee, Social Equity Committee, Accessibility Committee and others. In the latter part of 2019, she founded and is Board President of Grocer 4 Good Ability Development Program, a social enterprise committed to programming and paid employment for persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, other intellectual disabilities and those facing other employment barriers. Lisa joined her first Board of Directors at 18 and has over 25 years of experience in the Not-for-Profit sector. She believes in community, the joy of giving back and the strength of collaborations.
Tammy was raised in the beautiful community of Elliot Lake. She was a part of the first pride committee formed in Elliot Lake. She has a background in finance and management. She holds a first-level management degree from the Retail Council of Canada.
Tracey (she/her/elle) has won numerous leadership awards, has taken many leadership courses, and has been asked to speak for Leadership Thunder Bay. She has lived experience along with years of volunteer work throughout the community. She co-founded a women’s hand drum group years ago which is still going strong — so much so that recently, the group was asked to open for a live event in the city this past summer. She is a mother, grandmother, friend, ally, advocate & candidate. She has also run in federal and provincial elections.
Maggie Horsfield has lived in North Bay her entire life. She is solution-driven and will bring her energy to City Hall to work with and for constituents as a City Council representative. In 2020, she was awarded the Young Professional of the Year award. She is a dedicated community member, volunteering her time on Boards of Directors with the Near North Crime Stoppers and the Lindsay Weld Centre for Children. For several years, she was a St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog Handler with her dog, Nixon. She has served on the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and chaired the Young Professionals Committee.
Born and raised in Fort Frances, Wendy (she/her) is a three-term Councillor. She is a retired Human Resources professional with a finance and administration background. She has 8 years of experience on various boards and committees in the community, as well as on the Northwestern Health Unit Board of Health and the Northern Ontario Municipal Association Board. It has been Wendy’s pleasure to serve her community and she looks forward to another term that will see her community transition from a mill town to a thriving and growing place where families enjoy the great northwestern lifestyle.
As a resident of Ward 9, Deb has served in the community for the past 8 years. During that time, she chaired the Planning, Operations and Audit Committees of council, and was the Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee. She sat on the Greater Sudbury Economic Development Board, the Nickel District Conservation Authority and the Solid Waste, Public Art, Sustainable Mobility, Newcomer and Watershed Advisory Panels. During this past term of Council, she served on the Board of Directors of the Association for the Municipalities of Ontario and the Ontario Municipal Water Association. Her educational background is in accounting, and her work before being elected was as the Executive Director of Rainbow Routes Association and the Sudbury Food Bank. She is a recipient of a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and a Community Builders Award for her work with Rainbow Routes Association. She is a Mom and Gramma.
For the past 31 years, Rajni has worked very closely with hundreds of residents in Thunder Bay and the area. Born and raised in Northwestern Ontario, the 4 years away at the University of Toronto and then 3 years in Mexico only made Rajni appreciate Thunder Bay even more. Her career has been broad and includes several businesses as a realtor and broker, restauranteur and real estate developer and property manager, and other local and international businesses. She was the Chair of the Special Olympics Winter games event Kidnapped for a Cause, President of Fort City Kinettes from 1999 to 2001, the National Chair of Entertainment for CF Telethon (1994-1997), and designed a fundraiser for organ donation awareness (Maharaja's Gala 2010 -2011). She also has won multiple awards and has been recognized for her accomplishments as a top producer in local real estate and an influential businesswoman. Rajni Agarwal has proven herself in business, development and care for the community.
Catherine (she/her/they/them) works in public health, holds a Master's degree, has co-founded the local Pride committee and Young Professionals Network and sits as the Chair of the local Women's Shelter Board. She is a cancer survivor, vegetarian, and lover of the outdoors and audiobooks. She was born and raised in Red Lake, Ontario and has lived in Dryden for the past 10 years. She loves organizing community events, volunteering and supporting local events and businesses.
Lindsay Koch is a working professional, wife, and mother who jumped into giving back to her community following university through participation in various boards and committees related to economic development and tourism, business development, arts, community service, and social services, in addition to working with various groups on their fundraising efforts. Lindsay is a life-long learner who believes that when you know better, you do better. Relevant strengths include a background in policy and governance, open-mindedness and a willingness to consider other perspectives, the ability to respectfully engage in challenging debates and discussions, and most importantly, the drive to do what it takes to take care of what we have and grow to make us better.
Shelby (she/her) believes Thunder Bay will need experience around the council table as we usher in a new crop of leaders who will need time to learn their new roles. She brings that experience. Having served on council for two terms, actively chairing and participating in more than a dozen committees, her progressive approach to moving Thunder Bay forward is what will be needed as we elect a new council in this post-pandemic world. She has never shied away from taking on large, politically sensitive files. She has served Northwood for the last 8 years with my shoulder to the wheel of $16 million in infrastructure, crossovers, a youth centre, splash pad, Conservatory upgrades and active transportation upgrades that make our neighbourhood walkable and liveable. She would be honoured to continue serving Thunder Bay's citizens with her sleeves rolled up and ready to take on the challenges before the community.
Tanya is the current Deputy Mayor for the City of North Bay and has served the citizens of North Bay for the last 15 years. Born and raised in Corbeil, she has proudly called North Bay home since she was 18. She and her better half Dan Nogueira have 2 beautiful daughters, Danielle and Sydney. She is the daughter of Bill and Gisele Vrebosch. Her day job is with DNSSAB as a Supervisor for Ontario Works. Her philosophy is to always listen and make sure people feel heard. Her guiding principles are fiscal responsibility with a social conscience.
Barbara (she/her) was born in Keewatin, happily married to a Norman boy for 32 years and raised two sons in Kenora. She worked for the Town of Keewatin for 5 years and the City of Kenora for 25 years, retiring as Parks Supervisor. Her experience within the City (almost all departments), has given her a wealth of knowledge of the inside workings of the City. In any department she worked, she left it in a better position. She has volunteered on Committees, including as the Director, of the Kenora Community Foundation, Common Ground - A Sharing of Stories, Lake of the Woods Historical Society, Kenora Heritage Committee, Business Incentive Commiittee etc. She won Employee of the Year for the City of Kenora (the only year the Chamber presented the award). Her crowning achievement working for the City was co-ordinating the Festival of Lights at the Cemetery — the year she retired, there were 8,000 candles lit on Xmas Eve. She also brought a successful air show to Kenora in 2013, with an attendance of over 8,000 people. She takes pride in all she does.
Kelsie (she/her) is a personal financial advisor, currently on maternity leave with her second child. She and her husband have two children under two and have been married for almost four years. Her husband was born and raised in Kenora, and she has lived there permanently since the spring of 2017. She is currently the treasurer for the Women’s Shelter Saakate House, and has been a volunteer board member for the Festival of Trees. She has spent the bulk of her career, prior to living in Kenora, in Sales and Merchandising. She is a registered investment fund advisor, and has a visual merchandising diploma from Sheridan College and Business Administration from Red River College.
Kristin is a registered member of Chapleau Cree First Nation and is a descendant of a signatory to Treaty 9. She graduated from Laurentian University with a B.A., with a concentration in Equity, Diversity and Human Rights. She holds a certificate in Leadership from the COADY Institute at St. Francis Xavier University. She also holds a Diploma in Social Services and Drug and Alcohol Counselling diploma, both from Northern College. Kristin has over 19 years of experience working in the social services sector in the Timmins area. She is experienced in community development personally, and professionally and in her current role as Municipal Councillor. She is dedicated to Indigenous health promotion and policy in addressing the unique challenges of racialized people across Northern Ontario. Kristin’s areas of interest are Indigenous Affairs, child welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Lori Paras is a well-known businesswoman in Thunder Bay with over 30 years of experience and expertise in sales, strategic planning, business development, and marketing. She is a community advocate and has helped support social programs through different fundraisers and events, including the Welcome Home Dinner for International Students, Food Drives for P.A.C.E., the Regional Multi-Cultural Youth Council, and the Underground Gym. Currently, she owns and operates The Hub Bazaar, a retail business incubator helping entrepreneurs launch new business ideas.
Sharon was born in Sudbury where she raised my four kids. She has four grandchildren that she spends a lot of time with. When her kids were young, she volunteered on Our Children Our Future for 10 years providing prenatal nutritional information for expectant mothers and organizing activities for preschool children. She has worked as a manager and a bookkeeper but has spent most of her life in the transportation field as a driver as well as a trainer. In her spare time, she’s an author and an inventor.
Donnalee Morettin is an active, busy mother of two teenage daughters Isabella and Angelina. With her husband Dennis by her side, she is able to become the woman she has always wanted to be. Her career in the Hospitality Industry spans thirty years, but that is only the beginning. Donnalee has successfully been involved and helped organize and present world, national, and locally run events over the past 25 years. Her involvement with the Chamber of Commerce, Waterfront District BIA, and various organizations has given her the ability to adapt well to any situation. Motivation is key in Donnalee’s world, and running for council is her way to help ensure our community is well-placed moving forward.
Joyce has PhD in social work from Wilfrid Laurier University and is now semi-retired. For 4 decades, she has worked for First Nations north of Sioux Lookout in mental health and research. Having served 4 terms on Council, her accomplishments include the development of an Environment Committee, laying of groundwork for the establishment of a Friendship Accord between the Municipality and 4 northern First Nations, working towards women's involvement in municipal politics, and bringing a woman's perspective to a predominantly male council as one of only 2 women of the 4 Councils on which she has served.
Kathy is a full-time nurse at West Parry Sound Health Centre, serving the community for over 18 years in this role. She has over 20 years of experience serving on community boards and has gained governance skills. She has a passion for education and contributes to the learning of healthcare staff by organizing education rounds at her workplace. Kathy also serves on the McDougall Volunteer Fire Department as a firefighter.
Women Running for School Board Trustee
Marie (she/her) was first elected and began her journey as a trustee in 2018. Her background and experience in community leadership and engagement lend themselves to an understanding of the importance of advocacy and governance. The past four years have provided her with a better understanding of the framework in education at the local, district and provincial levels.
Leah (she/her) retired two years ago after 33 years in education. She has worked for Lakehead Public Schools, three regional school boards, and the Ministry of Education in various roles, including teacher, principal, superintendent, Student Achievement Officer, and Thunder Bay regional manager for Field Services. Many of these roles allowed her to work with different staff and students across Northwestern Ontario. Those work opportunities provided Leah with not only a local perspective but a regional and provincial one. As a Trustee, she believes she can bring that breadth of knowledge as the elected board of trustees participates in making decisions that would benefit all schools and their communities. She remains committed to quality education and would love the opportunity to be a voice of education experience for the community at the trustee table.
Julie Ann (she/her) is a parent of 3 children attending schools within the NNDSB. Her background is in the arts, as a musician and writer. She has been running a business in West Nipissing for over ten years and sits on a few volunteer committees in her small community of Field. She believes that strong and progressive communities begin with a strong and progressive public education system.
Stacy is a mom of 3 children who is currently working for the Office of Graduate Studies at Laurentian University. She also holds the office of the Dean of Residence at Thorneloe University. Stacy is also passionate about her community and has sat as an Executive Member for the Ward 10 Community Action Network and a founding member of the Ward 1 Kingsmount/Bell Park CAN. She served as President of the Greater Sudbury Kinette Club, sat as a member of the Conseil d'éducation catholique at École St. Denis, volunteered with Sole Hope, and served as Vice-President for the United Nations Association of Canada - Sudbury Chapter.
Kelly Fettes aims to offer the fresh perspective of a community-minded parent with a goal to advocate for students actively and prepare them to thrive and grow. Her perspective is important in the quest to improve the school experience, making it work for all students, parents, teachers, and partners alike. Kelly has served on a number of volunteer boards, including Little Lions Waldorf Daycare, Leadership Thunder Bay, and most recently, the Thunder Bay Country Market. These commitments have included executive designations (President & Vice-President) and Director at large. She is an active volunteer who strives to improve this community, donating her time to several community initiatives. Currently, Kelly is employed as an Administrative Officer at Lakehead University, where she utilizes her superior skills in staff, client and stakeholder relationships and provides her expertise in administrative procedures and protocols.
Ellen has spent her entire career in education, beginning as an elementary teacher and then continuing in the classroom and special education. She was the president of the local Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and an ETFO Provincial Executive Member. She advocated locally, provincially, and nationally for LGBTTQI+ students’ rights and safety. Ellen was on the Project Advisory Panel for the Egale First National Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools. She is co-chair of Diversity Thunder Bay (DTB), chair of DTB Education Committee, volunteer for Birds Canada, and a founding member and past co-chair of Thunder Pride. She is the recipient of the ETFO provincial Humanitarian Award, the ETFO President’s Award, the Thunder Bay Mayor’s Hero Award and the Thunder Pride Visionary Award. Her passion is education and children. Her love is her family and friends (and dogs and nature). She pledges to help whenever she can.
Annelise Iacoe has been married Rico for over 41 years. She is a mother to two daughters named Annetta and Emilie. She is blessed with three grandchildren (Drew, Abby and Presley). She has been an educator for over 42 years. She retired as an elementary school principal seven years ago, but she continues to teach literacy to children in both English and French.
Before retiring, Donica worked in education for 33 years in various roles; teacher, Vice Principal, Principal, Supervising Principal, and Special Education Officer. Her first years were spent working in outlying communities; the remainder were with Lakehead Public Schools. The experience in outlying communities supported her in developing an understanding of the educational needs of the Indigenous People. She has been part of many committees, for example, the Early Childhood Education Committee at Confederation College, a member of the Board Of Directors at Communities Together for Children and the Lakehead University Achievement Program Committee. She has two children who went through the Lakehead Public School System and Lakehead University and are now contributing to the healthcare workforce in Thunder Bay. Donica believes that with her diverse background in Education, she can be a strong voice for the community.
Sheryl has served 2 terms as Sault North and Prince Township's Algoma District School Board Trustee. She is seeking re-election for a third term. She has been incredibly grateful and considers it a privilege to represent her community's voice around the ADSB table and Northern Ontario's voice around the Provincial Tables for 4 years. She served 2 years as the Northern Region Chair at the Ontario Public School Board Association, advocating for Education Priorities in the North. She works full-time at Metis Nation of Ontario as an Education Support Advocate. She graduated from Algoma University with a degree in Community Development and a Certificate in Social Welfare. Public Education is her absolute passion.
Maman de 3 enfants, Carole s’implique à fond lors de l’ouverture de l’École publique Hélène-Gravel en 2001. Conjointement avec les autres membres du comité de parents, elle organise et participe activement aux maintes levées de fonds afin d'aménager des aires de jeux variées extérieures créant ainsi un espace sain favorisant le développement physique mais également social des enfants. Passionnée par les enfants et l’éducation, la réussite scolaire lui tient à cœur. Ancienne membre du Conseil scolaire au CSPGNO à titre de représentante des parents, Carole possède l’expérience nécessaire pour mener à bien les dossiers prioritaires des deux écoles de sa région: Franco-Nord à Azilda (quartier 4) et Hélène-Gravel (quartier 1) veillant à ce qu’elles bénéficient de conditions optimales pour la réalisation de leur mission éducative.
Judy is a graduate of Laurentian University (HonBSW'77). She worked for the Provincial Government for 34 years. She led several government initiatives, negotiated and managed agency service contracts, and championed good governance, teamwork and partnerships. Since her retirement, she has sat on the Canadian Mental Health Sudbury and Manitoulin board for 3 years and has been a Rainbow District School Board trustee since 2014. She sits on several committees, including the Parent Involvement Committee, Equity and Inclusive Education, Labour Relations, and Special Education Advisory Committee. She is the board's representative on the provincial public school board association (OPSBA).
Chantal is an Educator living in North Bay with two children. Her oldest just graduated, and her youngest is continuing in high school. Her experience teaching young children, teens and adults from age 7 to post-secondary has given her more compassion. She is an active volunteer in the community to support the arts and, in particular, Newcomers to Canada. She believes that inclusion makes our schools better. Her family has had many successes in supporting their children with very different needs. She hopes to continue strengthening our school to support an increasingly diverse student population.
ElectNOW 2018
In this inaugural version of our ElectNOW series, we asked the women running for office in Northern Ontario during the 2018 Municipal Election about their platform, their values, and what representation means to them.
Here are their beliefs in their own words.
Born and raised in Kirkland Lake, Stacy Wight has been involved in her community since high school, currently sitting on the Museum of Northern History Advisory Committee, Teck Centennial Library Board, Ducks Unlimited Planning Committee and volunteer for Tim Horton's Camp Day and Kabaret Charitable Foundation. Stacy's been involved in local politics since the 2014 election and has spent the last 4 years educating herself in all facets municipal governance. Stacy is running for municipal council for Kirkland Lake, ON.
April Leblanc is a North Bay native who loves her community and cares deeply about public education. With over 20 years of finance experience, she brings the necessary business acumen to compliment the board of trustees. A group of trustees should bring a balance of expertise, experiences new and old, and the ability to listen and respect the voice of others. She is a mother and grandmother; through the years she has spent many hours at the kitchen table helping with homework and projects. She has been frustrated with Math curriculum, standardized testing, and costs of school activities. She recognizes that it is extremely difficult to balance work, family life, kid’s sports, and school work. April is running for Trustee of the Near North District School Board.
As the current Greater Sudbury Ward 9 councillor, Deb McIntosh has demonstrated over the past four years that she works effectively with residents, business and community groups, and all levels of government to get things done. Deb extended the fiscal responsibility and high achievement level she demonstrated during her career in Sudbury as an accountant, community volunteer and Executive Director of Rainbow Routes Association into her work as a councillor. Deb capably demonstrated her ability to identify and troubleshoot critical issues as chair of the Planning and Audit Committees and vice chair of the Finance Committee. A resident of Ward 9 for 25 years, Deb is married to retired music educator Ralph McIntosh. Deb trained to become an accountant but more importantly Deb is by nature a caring mom, grandmother, daughter and friend to many. She also hopes to include a Labrador retriever in her family circle at some point in her future.
Sue Doughty-Smith was born in Southern Ontario and moved to Thunder Bay just before her secondary school years began. After completing high school, she worked as a flight attendant for a small airline in northern Manitoba on scheduled and charter flights to remote communities in Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. This was her first experience in understanding what remote and isolated communities went through in their daily lives. She returned to Thunder Bay to attend Confederation College to enter the Developmental Service Worker program where, after graduation, she began a career working at a community agency supporting adults with developmental disabilities in both their homes and work settings. She entered the education field as a Student Support Professional with Lakehead Public Schools where she continued to work for almost forty years supporting students with different exceptionalities at both the elementary and secondary school levels. She was also involved with community partners and other related agencies while supporting students during co op and vocational placements. She was involved for 27 years as a union executive at both the local and provincial levels for the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, that services members who work in educational settings from JK to post-secondary. Through working with members across Ontario, she has had the opportunity to be part of a team who developed, coordinated and presented professional development opportunities with workshops that included crisis awareness, homophobia, bullying and cyber bullying. Sue is running for School Board Trustee for the Lakehead District School Board.
Cheri is a strong, outspoken and enthusiastic leader, and a passionate advocate for our public schools. With experience in broadcast television news as a former Television News Reporter, in media relations, and now in provincial government program delivery, she is a dynamic voice highlighting today's issues and tomorrow's opportunities. She is the Chair of Hammarskjold High School’s School Council, an active member of the Lakehead Board's Council of School Council Chairs, and was Chair of the Choose Hammarskjold campaign that successfully lobbied the Lakehead Board to reverse their plan to close her local high school. Working in Strategic Communications for the Ontario Government (Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services), she understands provincial legislation, program policy and the decision-making processes of government. Her work has helped her gain an understanding of current issues facing our Indigenous communities, children in the child welfare system, the supports available to families through the Ontario Autism Program, the Ontario’s Special Needs Strategy and mental health supports for students in our schools. Previously, she worked for the Ontario Student Assistance Program helping colleges and universities administer student grants and loans to Ontario students. As a stay-at-home mom, she drove a school bus for several years, gaining an understanding of transportation logistics, financial pressures, and school bus service delivery in urban and rural centers. Cheri is running for school board trustee of Lakehead Public School Board.
Patricia is a successful journalist, businesswoman and community leader who created many events that have become cornerstones in Northern Ontario, including the Influential Women of Northern Ontario Awards, 40 Under Forty Awards, Community Builder Awards and the Northern Ontario Business Awards. Most recently, she led the creation of NEO Kids Foundation which raises funds for children’s care in the north. She is the recipient of a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, Bernardine Yackman, BPW Woman of the Year Award, Volunteer of the Year Award, United Way,
Cambrian College Alumni Award, Edward J.Conroy Community Leadership Award,
International Women’s Week Award, Excellence In Communications, Women of Distinction Award, Sudbury Women’s Centre and numerous provincial and national newspaper awards. Patricia is the only woman running for mayor in Greater Sudbury, and is the only woman running for mayor in a city in Northeastern Ontario.
Heather Garbutt was raised in Sudbury and left to pursue a degree in Fisheries Biology from the University of Guelph. She also completed a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. She is a career public servant with the last 15 years being spent with the Ministry of Transportation in North Bay in the Environmental Section. The foundation of her work at the MTO is in Environmental Assessment, which is a defined process for informed planning and decision making. Toward ensuring more positive and inclusive work spaces, she is trained and registered as a Positive Space Champion and will soon be a Positive Space Trainer. She is a married mom of 2 kids (11 and 9) and in her spare time, she plays the violin in the North Bay Symphony Orchestra. Heather is running for School Board Trustee for Near North District School Board.
Tanya Vrebosch is a 37 years old mother of two beautiful children: Danielle (Dani) who is 7 months and Sydney, who is almost 6 years old. She raises them with her better half, Dan Nogueira. Her parents are Bill and Gisele Vrebosch. Her father is the current Mayor of East Ferris and retired music teacher and her mother is retired from working at Gravelle's Meat Market. She was born in Corbeil and has lived in North Bay since she was 18. She has always had strong roots in the city, graduating from St. Joseph Scollard Hall and then Canadore College after that. Her experience ranges from tourism to economic development to social services. Her most recent experience involves working for 9.5 years at LIPI, the local poverty office and currently as a Case Manager for Ontario Works. She is an active volunteer with the North Bay Santa Fund and LIPI and have been a Royal Canadian Legion member for over 15 years. Tanya is running for re-election to council in North Bay.
Ashley Nurmela is an Indigenous woman from Lake Helen, and a proud wife and mother of four beautiful children. She attended Confederation College in the Native and Child Family Services Program as an adult learner, where she was on the honour roll, received the Board of Governors Award, and the Succi OASA Student Leadership award. She works at both the grassroots and administrative levels, developing and coordinating such programs as the Stand Up Speak Up Campaign, and most recently as the FNMI Liaison for the Lakehead District School Board. Ashley is running for city councillor of the McKellar ward in Thunder Bay, ON.
As a community member for over 30 years, Kim Ducharme has been engaged in her community in a variety of activities, roles and commitments. She has served in several family/children’s social service agencies, both in direct service and management. She has extensive experience serving on various Boards, as well as significant volunteer and advocacy work. She graduated from both a community college and university program in Child and Youth Care, and is grateful for the experience in both learning pathways. She presently serves as a professor at her local community college in the Child and Youth Care program. Her career direction definitely fine-tuned her skills in realistic and no-nonsense decision making, conflict management, crisis intervention, organization as well as the ability to do ten things all at the same time. Kim is running running for councillor-at-large in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Winona was born in Toronto and raised in an Anishnaabe household. Her adopted mother is a band member of Garden River and her birth mother is Metis (French/Blackfoot). She returned to Sault Ste Marie in 1999. She has a varied work experience, beginning with graduating from Humber College as a Child and Youth Worker in 1989. Since then she has accomplished many things, but to highlight a few: she 5 group homes in government licensing and operations; she held the position of Chair of the Staff Training and Retention Sub-Committee for the Ministry of Community and Social Services; she has experience as the manager of Marks and Assistant Store Manager at both Home Depot and Lowe’s, with experience in both roles of Operations Manager and Specialty Manager in Sault Ste. Marie; she managed a weight-loss and nutrition center which allowed me the necessary experience to cross over to retail from the social services industry; she managed Invitational and Regional Swim Competitions as a Meet Manager. Winona is also a Level IV Referee with Swim Ontario. She is running for Councillor of Ward 3 in Sault Ste Marie.
Ellen Chambers is a retired teacher, local union president and provincial executive member for ETFO. She has received the Thunder Bay Mayor's Local Hero Award, as well as the Humanitarian Award provincially for ETFO for her advocacy for safety of LGBTQ students in schools. She works on social justice committees, such as Diversity Thunder Bay. She was a founding member of SAGE - Sexuality and Gender Equity and was the co-founder and co-chair of Thunder Pride.
Arlene Phillips enjoyed growing up in North Bay, and went to Laurentian University (North Bay and Sudbury). She completed her B.A. at the University of Toronto on a part-time basis while working full-time, so that she could have working experience for when she graduated. She has been with the Ontario Government for a precarious twenty-eight years, working in many cities and in many positions, often as a business analyst. She is a single parent of one amazing human being who has left the nest. With her union, she has developed an activist's voice, working towards things like living minimum wage, fairness and helping others up. Arlene is running for council in North Bay.
Deborah Swyer-Burke has been the sole proprietor of a business in Sudbury for 10 years. She has worked with the Food Bank in Ward 7 for almost 6 years. Deborah is also dedicated mother of 2 boys. She feel that now is the right time for her to get involved with her community at a higher level.
A graduate of Fort William Collegiate and Confederation College, Thunder Bay has been home to Kristen Oliver for her entire life. She presently works full-time as the Executive Director of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA). She oversees the advocacy and lobbying efforts of NOMA and attributes this role as the main driver to seeking office on the municipal level. In 2004, she was employed as Policy Assistant to the Mayor for the City of Thunder Bay and held this position until 2010. Prior to that, she was a constituency assistant to Lyn McLeod, MPP, Thunder Bay - Atikokan. As a dedicated member of her community, she serves as Chair of the Board of Governors for Confederation College and Vice President of Northwood Hockey League.
Sheryl Evans-Price graduated Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario in 2002 and has been working in healthcare for 16+ years. Throughout her career, she has worked in Long-term care, Home-care and Hospice-care. She is particularly passionate about Palliative Care and has taken two post-graduate courses in Palliation. She ran in the 2014 municipal election and was successful in winning her seat as Trustee for the Algoma District School Board. She considers the last four years serving her community in this capacity to have been a great privilege. She has worked hard and won the support of my Board room colleagues for seat as Vice-Chair of ADSB for the last two years and also sit provincially, gaining the support of North-Eastern School Boards and serving in her second year on the Policy Development Work Team at the Ontario Public School Boards Association. Over the years, she has had experience volunteering on the Board of Director's at the Sault YMCA, sitting as Accommodation Review Committee Chair at Aweres Public School, sitting on School Council, volunteering in breakfast programs and meal preps, and coaching soccer within her community. To date, her greatest accomplishment and constant inspiration are her two children and family, as they are her guiding light, her drive, and her heart.
Charmaine was born and raised in Northwestern Ontario and moved to Thunder Bay to pursue her degree in Political Science in 2008. She has held positions in recruitment, economic and community development, research and, before herprofessional career, everything from a gas attendant to an elementary teacher. Thunder Bay has been home for 10 years now (with a few adventures in between). She has always been an advocate for eliminating misconceptions through education. She was nominated for the Northern Ontario Visionary Award in 2014 for her capacity development work with First Nations. She and her partner own a home on Dawson Road and have three fur babies; their families are their hugest support and she plans on calling Thunder Bay home for many years to come.
Erika Lougheed works across the North - advocating, fundraising, and creating community connections to support the most vulnerable people in her area. She mobilizes positive community collaboration for a living. Although herfocus is in Nipissing and Parry Sound, and her office is in North Bay, her work takes her all across the North. She hasa long history in non-profit management as well as experiences as a wilderness canoe guide, yoga teacher, business owner, farmer, and community builder. Erika is running for councillor of East Ferris, ON.
Born and raised in Sudbury, Elizabeth earned her Urban Planning Degree at Ryerson University in Toronto. She began her career as a Market and Housing Analyst with CMHC. While with CMHC, she moved to Halifax to assume the position of Senior Market and Housing Analyst and then to Saint John as Regional Strategic Planner. Later in her career she worked as a Planning Consultant, Her clients ranged from government, developers, non-profits, and private industry. She's worked on a broad range of projects, some of which include, land use plans, municipal strategic plans, housing affordability, recreation plans, ice allocations, and cycling infrastructure. She's written a number of FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) grant and loan applications and helped secure over $15million for the City of Saint John for their energy efficiency initiative. Elizabeth is the Executive Officer for the Sudbury Home Builders' Association, a non-profit that advocates for housing affordability. She lives in Ward 11, where she was raised, garden, creates art and cycle as a mean of transportation. Elizabeth is a mother of two boys. She is running to be the councilor for Ward 11 in Sudbury, ON.
Stephanie Bernier is a 36 year old mother of two beautiful kids (18 and 15). She grew up in Timmins, but then moved to Cochrane by choice. She graduated grade 12 after having a baby at 17. She volunteers pretty much every chance she gets. From being on the carnival committee to a girl guide leader to even helping the army cadet corp, you can find Stephanie dedicating her time to a variety of local groups. She has wanted to join the town council for years and finally found the courage to make the leap this year. Stephanie is running for council in Cochrane, Ontario.
After her post secondary education, Johanne Brousseau was fortunate to find employment in her hometown and worked at Lee Jeans as a pattern maker. In 1986, the plant closed and she instead decided to open Creation Unique, creating employment for herself and others. After 22 years as an owner, Johanne sold her business and became a national freelance sewing educator. In the last 50 years, Johanne has been an active volunteer for various clubs and boards. From helping in the pool during swimming lessons to serving on local and regional boards, she has served on a variety of boards and committees in a variety of capacities, such as chair, vice-chair, treasurer, director, president, vice-president, secretary and instructor. She’s had the honor of being the recipient of several awards: Rising Star, Recognition, President’s List, Service and Certificate of Thanks. Johanne is running for Councillor in North Bay.
Lisa Vezeau-Allen grew up and raised her young family in Sault Ste. Marie, received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Algoma University in 1994, and attained a Not-for-Profit Management post graduate degree in 2015 from St. Clair College in Windsor. Her work experience is varied: she has taught English courses at both St. Clair College and Sault College, supported the Big Brothers Association of Sault Ste. Marie in a finance and fundraising role and has led organizations as an Executive Director for both the Sault Youth Association and The Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie and District. She currently leads the granting and fund development revenues as the Director of Fund Development for the YMCA of Boulder Valley via distance from her home in Sault Ste. Marie. Lisa has over 25 years experience in the Not-for-Profit sector and joined her first Board of Directors at the age of 18, and believes in giving back to community. She was honoured to receive the "Woman of the Week" recognition from the Business Professional Women's (BPW) organization in 2014 and was present at Queen's Park in 2010 to receive the Playworks Youth Friendly designation on behalf of the city of Sault Ste. Marie. Lisa is the proud mother of three sons, and shares her adventures of parenting a son on the Autism Spectrum at https://thepurplenote.blogspot.ca/. She is running for councillor of Ward 2 in Sault Ste Marie.
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Sara McCleary is the Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator at St. Vincent Place and a reporter and columnist for Sault This Week. She completed an BA in History at Algoma University, an MA in History at Queen's University, and a Business Foundations Certificate at Sault College. Sara volunteers with a number of organizations including Refugee705, La'ad Canada, the Municipal Heritage Committee, and her own nonprofit called We've Got This. She is the proud mother of a five-year-old girl and three-year-old boy, and has been happily married for almost twelve years. Sara is running to be elected councillor of Ward 4 in Sault Ste Marie, ON.