|
|
|
|
|
About Us How we are organized
|
|
|
United Way of Peel Region is a volunteer-driven organization. United Way volunteers play an important role in every facet of our organization.
|
|
A volunteer Board of Directors comprised of leading community members governs all United Way decision-making. The Board oversees how donor money is used, shapes the strategic vision and plan, and monitors organizational performance.
|
|
|
|
Board Chair
Dr. Colin Saldanha
Saldanha Health Centre
Vice Chair
Joseph Palumbo, MBA, CMA
Executive Director,
Career Development Centre,
The Schulich School of Business
Treasurer
Marshall Platt, CA
Partner,
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Past Chair
Harminder (Harry) Mann
Barrister & Solicitor,
Mann Law
|
Harold Brathwaite
Executive Director,
Retired Teachers of Ontario
Michelle Cole
Managing Director,
GE Commercial Finance
Charles Courneyea
President,
Brampton-Mississauga and District Labour Council
Matthew Curran
Teacher,
Peel District School Board
Paul Jones
Superintendent of Education,
Peel District School Board
Kamal Jolly
Vice President,
Narang Investments Inc.
Vijay Kanwar
President and Chief Financial Officer,
KMH Cardiology & Diagnostic Centres
Louroz Mercader
Project Facilitator,
Parkdale-Liberty Economic
Development Corporation
Linda A. Kuga Pikulin
President,
The Pepsi Bottling Group (Canada) Co.
Sue Ritchie
Manager, Community Programs Unit,
Social Services Department,
Regional Municipality of Peel
Bobby Sachdeva
Partner,
Pallett Valo LLP
Don Taylor
Director, Human Resources & Organizational Development,
Peel Children’s Aid
Janice Telfer
Manager, Human Resources,
Ingersoll-Rand Canada
Norma Trim
Director of Corporate Finance,
Regional Municipality of Peel
Teresa Wong
Senior Investment Advisor and Financial Planner,
BMO Nesbitt Burns
Shelley White
Chief Executive Officer,
United Way of Peel Region |
| |
|
|
A long time resident of Mississauga, Harold Brathwaite spent his formative years in Barbados. He earned an Honours B.A. in French from the University of West Indies/London and obtained his M.A. in French, from McMaster University. He is fluently bilingual. Mr. Brathwaite began his Ontario teaching career in the early 1970's. His experience has included elementary, secondary, public and Catholic schools, as well as post-secondary education. His varied roles saw him move from teacher, department head, vice-principal to secondary principal with the Halton Board of Education. In the mid-1980's he accepted a superintendent position with the Toronto Board of Education. In 1991 he became their Associate Director of Education: Human Resources. From 1994-2002 Mr. Brathwaite served as Director of Education with the Peel District School Board. His first "post-retirement" job beginning in January 2003 was with Seneca College as Senior Advisor to the President. In September 2004 he joined the Retired Teachers of Ontario (RTO/ERO) as Executive Director.
Mr. Brathwaite serves as an executive member of People for Public Education. He is Chair of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (Canada), and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Harold is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Education Association, and a past chair of the OISE/University of Toronto Advisory Board. Harold also served as a member of Premier McGuinty's Transition Team.
Always active in community organizations and civic affairs, Mr. Brathwaite has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Learning Partnership (2003), National School Public Relations Association - USA (2002), Urban Alliance on Race Relations (2002), and Peel Multicultural Community Service (2001). Over the years he has also received recognition from a number of other organizations for his leadership as an educator. |
| |
 |
Michelle Cole is a Managing Director with GE Commercial Finance. She joined GE in 1997 under their management training program. During her tenure with GE, she has worked for GE Corporate, GE Global Exchange Services, Camco and GE Commercial Equipment Finance and GE Franchise Finance. In her current role she is responsible for the development of GE Commercial Finance's Enterprise Client Group in Canada. Ms. Cole holds a BSS from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from the University of New Brunswick. While completing her Master's Degree, she spent eight months on exchange with the Limburg Universitair Centrum in Belgium, earning a Certificate in International Business. Ms. Cole received GE Canada's Leadership Award in 2004, the GEFF 2004 President's Award, and the CEF Award for Growth in Emerging Markets in 2003 and the Organic Growth Award in 2005. She was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2005. |
| |
 |
Charles Courneyea is President of the Brampton-Mississauga and District Labour Council. He has been a member of the United Steelworkers for more than 22 years. In that time he has served as a Health & Safety Committee member for 20 years, Chief Steward for six years, Unit Chairperson for over 10 years, and Recording Secretary for his union local. He is a WSIB advocate for the Ontario Federation of Labour. A skilled tradesman, Mr. Courneyea is multi-licensed in Automotive Mechanic-Class A, G2 Gas Fitter, Welding/Fabricator, Millwright and is a certified trainer in forklifts and aerial work platform. He was appointed to United Way's Board of Directors in 2005. |
| |
 |
A Special Education teacher with the Peel District School Board, Matthew Curran brings to the United Way Board six years of human services experience in management, teaching, and outreach. With a Bachelor of Education degree from York University and Special Education Specialist qualifications from Queen's University, he currently teaches a learning disabilities class for students in Grades 6 to 8 who have highly diverse learning needs. Mr. Curran provides leadership within the school community through coaching soccer, facilitating student parliament, coordinating the school's United Way campaign, and managing the school's recycling program. His wealth of volunteer experience includes working as a team leader for YMCA of Greater Toronto's Outreach Services and as an Account Coordinator/Sponsored employee for YMCA's United Way campaign, managing a fundraising portfolio of more than $2.5-million. |
| |
 |
Paul Jones is the Superintendent of Education at the North Field Office of the Peel District School Board. Mr. Jones started his teaching career in 1970 and has, during his tenure, served as Assistant Head, Head, Vice Principal, Principal, Administrative Assistant in the Planning Department and later in the Operations Department. During 2003, Mr. Jones was on secondment to the Ministry of Education as an Education Officer. Mr. Jones has served as Co-chair of the Peel District School Board United Way campaign for two years. He has been active on the Peel District School Board Central Organizing Committee for a number of years. He joined the Board in 2004 and was a member of the 2005 Campaign Cabinet. |
| |
 |
Savita Junnarkar has been actively involved for over twenty years in promoting multiculturism, providing community leadership in race relations and employment equity. She served as President of India Rainbow Community Services of Peel and Peel Multicultural Council (PMC). During her Presidency, PMC received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ministry of Community and Social Services. Ms. Junnarkar was on the Board of Governors of Sheridan College, where she chaired both the Academic Operations Committee and the Staff and Students Committee. She served on the Board of Trillium Health Centre/ Mississauga Hospital, where she was Chair of the Human Resources Committee and a member of the Executive, Finance, Ethics and Community Advisory Committees. Since 1998, Ms. Junnarkar has been a member of Peel Police Services Board. She has over twenty-five years experience in the field of Biochemistry, holds a Masters degree in Clinical Biochemistry and has held positions in both private laboratories and hospitals. Ms. Junnarkar was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2001and was Chair of the Board of Directors in 2005. |
| |
 |
Ms. Jolly is a resident of Mississauga. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and is a lawyer specializing in corporate law. She has extensive experience in all aspects of corporate and securities transactions with Torys LLP, Holland & Knight LLP, and TLC Laser Eye Centres. She is currently Vice President of Narang Investments Inc. Ms. Jolly served on the Ontario Review Board from 2002-2005. From 1993-1996, she served as Vice President with India Rainbow Community Services of Peel.
|
 |
Vijay Kanwar is currently the President and Chief Financial Officer of KMH Cardiology & Diagnostic Centres, North America's largest provider of nuclear cardiology services. KMH focuses on decreasing wait times by using the latest planning tools and technology to facilitate fast access to physicians, diagnostic and treatment services. Mr. Kanwar is also the President of Lambardar Inc., which designs and coordinates the construction of state-of-the-art medical facilities. He was previously the President of Transamerica Medical Inc., a company he launched in 1988, and built into a successful medical supplies broker specializing in bulk purchasing arrangements to minimize costs.
Extensively involved in his community, Mr. Kanwar has shared his time and efforts as a Board Member for Interim Place, and sits on the Board of the Toronto Raptors Foundation. Mr. Kanwar has been a member of the Young Presidents of Ontario Association since 2003.
Mr. Kanwar holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Thapar College of Engineering at Punjabi University in India.
Mr. Kanwar was appointed to the 15-member GTAA Board of Directors by the Province of Ontario in 2006. |
| |
 |
Harry Mann is a Barrister and Solicitor practicing law in the firm Mann Law since 1992 in Mississauga. He also hears and determines matters as an Inquiry Officer in Applications for Expropriation of Land in the Province of Ontario. Prior to commencing his own practice, he practiced with the Law Firm of Green & Spiegel of Toronto. From 1983 to 1988, he practiced law in India, specializing in criminal litigation and was counsel to some of the country's large crown corporations and chartered banks. Mr. Mann graduated from Punjabi University with a Bachelor of Arts before earning a Bachelor of Laws also from Punjabi University. After immigrating to Canada in 1988, he enrolled at the University of Western Ontario where he graduated with a Bachelor of Law in 1991. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in April, 1992. Mr. Mann has served as a Director of the Peel Law Association and as the President of the Lions Club of Erin Mills in Mississauga from 1998 to 2000. He worked on the Capital Campaign Cabinet of the Credit Valley Hospital Foundation. He is the President of the South Asian Lawyer's Association and the Executive Director of the Sikh Foundation of Canada Inc. Mr. Mann is the Chairman of the Central Coordinating Committee of South Asian Heritage Foundation to celebrate the month of May as South Asian Heritage Month pursuant to South Asian Heritage Act, 2001. He was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2001 and is Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors. |
| |
 |
Louroz Mercader is currently the Project Facilitator for the Parkdale-Liberty Economic Development Corporation. With a public relations background, Mr. Mercader previously served as the Communications Strategist for Peter Fonseca, Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga East and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health Promotion.
He is a passionate advocate for youth issues as a past chairperson of the Mayor's Youth Advisory Committee with the City of Mississauga from 1998 - 2001. Mr. Mercader is the Founder of the Mississauga Youth Games; a program that offers young people a sport and educational experience that encourages participants to live healthy lifestyles.
Mr. Mercader serves as a director on the Healthy City Stewardship Centre, the Peel Halton Dufferin Training Board and the Canadian National Exhibition Association. He is the founder of the annual Mississauga Youth Week Celebrations, and the Institute for Youth Citizenship; an organization dedicated to engaging youth in local government.
Mr. Mercader was a recipient of the Canada Day Youth Award in 2000 and was awarded the 2001 Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. |
| |
 |
Joseph Palumbo has helped thousands of students and professionals from all different backgrounds, start their careers, re-energize their careers and overall become more successful and focused in their professional lives. Mr. Palumbo has mentored and coached a professional team of counselors and career professionals to deliver career advice globally. Having consulted with the world's top organizations, he has the rare knowledge of what organizations desire from their future leaders and what tomorrow's leaders want from their organizations. As Executive Director of the Career Development Centre (CDC) for The Schulich School of Business, one of the world's premier business schools, Joseph is the main corporate, government and organizational relationship executive for the CDC and helps build the Schulich brand globally. He develops on a global basis, new relationships and cultivates existing relationships with diverse firms at the most senior strategic, operational and human resource areas. Mr. Palumbo has conducted thousands of interviews and coaching sessions, developed and delivered hundreds of presentations, workshops, keynotes and panel discussions in New York, Hong Kong, China, London and Toronto.
Trained as a senior financial professional, Mr. Palumbo obtained a marketing degree from York University, a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation and his MBA from The Schulich School of Business at York University specializing in Strategic Decision Making and Organizational Behaviour. His twenty-four years of experience encompasses: mentoring, coaching, corporate business development, relationship management, alumni development, marketing, communications, public and media relations, recruiting, training and development, consulting, team-building, leadership, finance, governance, internal audit, budgeting and financial reporting. Constantly re-inventing himself, Mr. Palumbo has recently completed a Recruiting and Retention Professional Certificate, a Certificate in Business Coaching and Career Counseling and a Strategic Decision Making and Human Resources Certificate from the Wharton School. He is certified in delivering both Career Leader (career and skill assessment) and Talent Smart's Emotional Intelligence (EQi) tests and workshops.
Mr. Palumbo is an active member of: The International Coaching Federation, The Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario, Global Society of Human Resources Management Association, ExecuNet, Future Leaders, MBA Career Services Council, The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Toronto, The Strategic Leadership Forum, The Canadian Professional Sales Association and The Society of Management Accountants of Canada. He continues to contribute his passion and knowledge to a number of national NFP organizations. |
|
|
Linda A. Kuga Pikulin is President of PBG Canada, a position to which she was appointed in 1998. She is PBG's highest ranking female operating executive running Canada's $1.2B soft drink business. Ms. Kuga Pikulin joined Pepsi-Cola North America in 1982. From 1982 to 1988, she held a series of increasingly responsible sales, marketing and operations positions in Pittsburgh PA, Asbury Park, NJ and Austin, TX. In 1990, Ms. Kuga Pikulin was named Pepsi's Vice President of Operations in Florida. Two years later, she was appointed Pepsi's Vice President and General Manager in Tampa. In 1993, Ms. Kuga Pikulin assumed the position of Director of National Selling and Delivery in Somers, NY. In 1994, she was appointed Senior Vice President (SVP) and General Manager for Pepsi's Florida/Georgia Business Unit. She served as SVP and General Manager of the Heartland Business Unit in Ohio from 1997 until being named to her current role.
Ms. Kuga Pikulin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh.
In 2007 Ms. Kuga Pikulin is serving as the 2007 Campaign Chair for United Way of Peel Region. She first joined United Way's Campaign Cabinet in 2006. In addition, Ms. Kuga Pikulin sits on the boards of Refreshments Canada and the Food and Consumer Products of Canada.
She recently founded the Dr. Donna J. Kuga Trustee Scholarship Program that helps students with financial needs. |
| |
 |
Marshall Platt has been an audit partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP since 1999. Currently his main focus is within the manufacturing sector and includes both North American and Japanese-owned businesses. Mr. Platt and his family immigrated from South Africa in 1989. He obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in South Africa in 1985 and his Canadian designation in 1990. Mr. Platt served for five years as a member of United Way's golf committee, including as Chair in 2003. He is a member of the Canadian and Ontario Institutes of Chartered Accountants and has been the past president for both the Halton-Peel CA Association and the Southern African Business Association. Mr. Platt was elected to the United Way of Peel Region Board of Directors in 2005 and is Treasurer of the Board of Directors. |
| |
 |
Sue Ritchie, is the Manager of the Community Programs Unit, Social Services Department of the Regional Municipality of Peel. Her portfolio includes management of programs assisting some of the most vulnerable people in the Peel community including the homeless. These programs include 3 emergency shelters, 2 transitional housing programs, a community centre, outreach/mobile case management program and several prevention initiatives. In addition, she is responsible for management of purchase of service agreements with community organizations, community relations, program development and implementation, policy development, outreach and external communications for the Ontario Works Division. She works closely with a number of community organizations and has a strong knowledge of emerging community needs and the not-for-profit sector in Peel Region. Ms. Ritchie has been an active member of the Community Investment team for the past 13 years. She has been the Chair of the Community Investment Cabinet for the past 4 years and prior to that she was a Chair of a review team for eight years. Ms. Ritchie has been an active member of the Priorities Review Team and acted as Chair of the Policy Review Committee. She was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2002. |
| |
 |
Bobby Sachdeva has been a partner with Pallett Valo LLP since 2001 in the Commercial Litigation and Insolvency Group. Mr. Sachdeva represents and provides advice to mid-size and larger corporations, financial institutions and other professionals in all levels of court and before administrative tribunals. He has extensive involvement in personal and firm-wide client development activities. Mr. Sachdeva graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Political Science in 1988 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1991. He was called to the Bar in 1993. Mr. Sachdeva is a member of the Ontario Bar Association, Peel Law Association and the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2005. |
| |
 |
Dr. Colin Saldanha immigrated to Canada in 1981 following completion of his medical degree at the University of Karachi in 1979. He currently practices Family and Occupational Medicine in Mississauga. He also serves as a corporate physician to a number of business establishments and government agencies, including the RCMP, Transport Canada, Health Canada and Immigration Canada. Involved extensively in community work, Dr. Saldanha participates in numerous forums on race relations and equity, policing and social justice issues. A Past President of Peel Multicultural Council, Dr. Saldanha participated in the Spicer Commission on Canadian Unity. In 1990, he was appointed as Chair of the Peel Police Services Board and later served as President of the Canadian Association of Police Boards. He is Past President of the Mississauga Board of Trade and a member of the Toronto Immigrant Employment Council. He received the Canada 125 Medal in 1992. Dr. Saldanha was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2005. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 |
Don Taylor is currently the Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development at Peel Children's Aid, where he also sits on the Board's Diversity Monitoring sub-committee. His background includes leadership of the human resources function in health care and commercial R & D organizations. Previous to this, Mr. Taylor worked in government and telecommunications as an economist and strategic planner. Mr. Taylor is a member of the leadership team for a national association of senior human resources leaders and leads the association's strategy development. As well, he co-chairs the Peel Learning Institute development committee, part of the Capacity Building initiative of United Way of Peel Region. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Regina and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. He was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2005. |
| |
 |
Currently the Manager of Human Resources for Ingersoll-Rand Canada, Janice Telfer is responsible for development of human resource programs and is a key corporate resource for local and global compliance issues. Ms. Telfer is an active participant on many international corporate teams to understand global consequences and develop policies that work across diverse cultures and regulatory requirements. Previously, Ms. Telfer held positions in accounting, pensions, benefits and administration for Ingersoll-Rand Canada. Ms. Telfer was educated at Mander College in the United Kingdom and is a Director of Ingersoll-Rand Canada Inc., a member of IRCI Pension Investment and Administration Committee, a member of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters HR Forum and is a prior member of the Bayer Care Advisory Board. She was elected to United Way's Board of Directors in 2003. |
| |
 |
Ms. Trim is a resident of Caledon. She is Director of Corporate Finance with The Region of Peel. She has extensive experience in financial management in a variety of sectors, including health and biomedical. Norma is a chartered accountant and has a Masters Certificate in Municipal Management. She has served as a community volunteer with youth and sport organizations in Caledon.
|
 |
Ms. Wong is a resident of Mississauga. She is a Senior Investment Advisor and Financial Planner with BMO Nesbitt Burns in Toronto. Her investment career spans 30 years. Ms. Wong is a Canada Medal recipient, former governor of Sheridan College, and past president/chair of numerous business and charitable organizations including as founding president of Mississauga Chinese Business Professionals Association.
|
 |
Shelley White is the Chief Executive Officer with United Way of Peel Region. She holds a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education degree from Brock University. Shelley has over 20 years of experience in the non profit sector.
Shelley is an active leader in the community as a member of the Mississauga Healthy City Stewardship Centre, Fair Share Peel, Trillium Health Centre Community Advisory Board, Mississauga Halton LHIN Integration Advisory Group, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council Board of Directors, a member of the Council of Champions and a mentor with the Mentoring Partnership, Co-Chair of the Peel Newcomer Strategy Group and Co-Chair of the 2007 Mississauga Summit.
Shelley resides in Mississauga with her husband Gord and their two daughters Caitlin and Lauren.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|