Amine H. Aïdouni is the Superintendent of Education at the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'est de l'Ontario (CEPEO). He holds two bachelor's degrees, one in science and one in education, a master's degree in educational leadership and a supervisory officer's certificate. His twenty-five years of experience in the field of education, the last five as a Superintendent of Education, contribute to his intimate understanding of the purpose of any school board, which is the development and success of every student. Mr. Aïdouni has lived in many countries throughout his life and has developed an understanding and appreciation for the richness of diversity in all its forms. As the champion of diversity and inclusion at CEPEO, He understands the essential role that schools must play in building a caring and inclusive society. Thus, he invests all his passion for education in the service of a pluralist vision of Canadian society. Mr. Aïdouni is known for his creativity, his authenticity and his sense of humour.
Abdi Bileh Dirir is a historian, researcher and promoter of African culture and history. Very active in the community, he is a vice-principal in elementary school, founder of l’Association canadienne pour la promotion des héritages (ACPHA) and former president of the expert group against racism in education at CCUNESCO (2020-2021). Mr. Bileh is the recipient of the prestigious Capital Teaching Excellence Award in 2014 and a Provincial Award from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade for his advocacy work in inclusion and diversity. Finally, he was a candidate for the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence in 2016. An active member in the community, he organizes large-scale national and international events to promote the culture and history of people of African descent. In February 2017, he joined forces with UNESCO to bring together Canadian artists from different backgrounds and origins to join the UNESCO International Coalition of Artists for the General History of Africa, a first in Canada.
Since 1994, Pino Buffone has been a talented educator, serving first as a teacher in the Western Quebec School Board (1994-1998) and as a teacher, vice-principal, principal and superintendent in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (1998 to 2017). In 2017, Mr. Buffone joined the Renfrew County District School Board (RCDSB) as the Director of Education. As Director of Education for the Renfrew County District, he was accountable to the Board of Trustees, and through Statute, to the Minister of Education for the organization and operation of the district. Key areas of responsibility included: student welfare; educational leadership; fiscal responsibility; organizational management; strategic planning; personnel management; policy/procedures; Director/Board relations; communications and community relations; student, staff and district recognition/public relations; and, system leadership. With this experience, he is well positioned for the complex role of OCDSB Director of Education - the largest school district in eastern Ontario. In addition to his work with school districts in Eastern Canada, Mr. Buffone has worked on secondment at the Education Quality and Accountability Office – an arm’s-length agency of the Government of Ontario responsible for provincial, national and international large-scale assessments – as an Education Officer, and subsequently, as Coordinator of English-language Assessments (1999-2003). He is currently a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s Children and Schools COVID-19 Working Group (2020 to present) and an Education Partner with the Education Research Development & Innovation (ERDI) Institute (2018 to present). He is also a facilitator of the Supervisory Officers’ Qualification Program (SOQP) of the Eastern Ontario Staff Development Network (2017-2022) and a member of the Modernization in Measurement Advisory Panel of the Education Quality and Accountability Office (2016 to present). He has served as President of the United Nations Association in Canada – National Capital Region Branch (2007-2012), as well as part-time academic staff, in the Faculty of Education, for the Teacher Education and the Indigenous Teacher Education programs (2006-2008).
Julie Cafley is a creative, strategic leader and an accomplished academic with expertise in in public policy, governance and higher-education leadership. She is the Vice-President, Communications and External Relations at the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. She is helping to lead an innovative vision to build the organization from the ground-up and develop its brand as a world-class start-up funding tomorrow’s technology. Previously, she worked as Executive Vice-President at the Public Policy Forum (PPF). Ms. Cafley built bridges and enhanced the profile and visibility of the PPF while directing its communications, external partnerships, membership and learning teams. In her previous role as Chief of Staff to two presidents at the University of Ottawa, She worked closely with the senior executive team to develop and advance strategic initiatives. Ms. Cafley holds a PhD in education leadership from the University of Ottawa and has sought-after expertise in university presidential mandates. Her thesis focused on higher education leadership and governance through the lens of unfinished terms of Canadian university presidents. She is an active community builder, a committed advocate for women and leadership, and a tireless champion for diversity initiatives. She is a collaborative change maker and an inclusive connector.
Tom D’Amico is the Director of Education with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. A graduate of the University of Ottawa faculty of Education, he has over 30 years of experience in education and has had many roles including as a teacher, school administrator and as Superintendent of Human Resources and Superintendent of Learning Technologies and as the Associate Director of Education. An award-winning educator he has been recognized with the Prime Minister’s Award for teaching excellence and with Canada’s Outstanding Principal award. As a Superintendent he received the EXL award to recognize excellence among members of the superintendency. He has presented across Canada on the topics of educational technology and leadership in the 21st Century. Mr. D'amico is the Canadian co-lead for New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL), a global partnership of over 1500 schools across 14 countries focused on practices to develop deep learning and the development of global competencies. In addition to his educational qualifications, he holds an Osgoode certificate in education law; a workplace mental health leadership certificate, a diversity and inclusive management certificate, an executive certificate in conflict management with a focus on alternative dispute resolution, and safe schools certification. He is an off-ice official with the NHL and prior to his career in education was the general manager of Ottawa’s professional soccer team, The Ottawa Intrepid, and also spent time as the general manager of Malkam Cross-Cultural Training, a provider of cross-cultural communication, diversity and employment equity training.
“I believe in the empowerment of youth and their ability to make our world a better place, especially through the use of social learning and technology in a connected global society”.
June Girvanhas devoted her adult life to nurturing, protecting, affirming and giving voice to children and young people. After her retirement, she established the J’Nikira Dinqinesh Education Centre (JDEC), named for her children, in Ottawa, Ontario. The JDEC commemorates pioneers who championed anti-slavery, human rights and social justice in Canada, and bequeathed to us, our North Star legacy. The JDEC’s community is based on honouring and celebrating the moral compass of fellow Canadians for their efforts as Keepers of our North Star Legacy, and passing it on to new generations.
Executive director of the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario since January 2012, Peter Hominuk has many years of experience in community development. Over the years, Mr. Hominunk has demonstrated his skills in advocating for the rights of Francophones in minority situations, project management, staff and volunteer management, strategic planning, organization and promotion of activities and the economic development of his community in general. He was also one of the architects of the movement “La Résistance”, which was created following the cuts to French services on the famous “Black Thursday” on November 15, 2018.
Carl E. James holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora in the Faculty of Education; and is also the Senior Advisor on Equity & Representation in the Office of the VP of Equity, People and Culture at York University. His research interests include examination of accessible and equitable opportunities in education and employment for marginalized and racialized Canadians noting the ways in which societal and institutional cultures shape their lived experiences, educational trajectories, and social outcomes. He is the 2022 Killam Laureate (Social Sciences); and his most recent publications include Colour Matters: Essays on the Experiences, Education and Pursuits of Black Youth (2021).
Huguette Labelle has served for a period of nineteen years as Deputy Minister of different Canadian Government departments including Secretary of State, Transport Canada, the Public Service Commission and the Canadian International Development Agency. A former Chancellor of the University of Ottawa, former Chair of transparency International and former Board member of the UN Global Compact. She has also served on several additional boards. She is currently Chair of the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, Chair of the IACC Council, Vice-Chair of the Rideau Hall Foundation Board, member of the Board of the Global Centre for Pluralism, Board member of Global Financial Integrity, Board member of the Aga Khan Museum, member Advisory Board of RESOLVE and Chair of the Selection Committee for Master's Scholarships on Sustainable Energy Development.
Roger Paul has worked throughout his career to protect and develop Francophone communities in Ontario and across the country. He began his career as a high school teacher in Timmins, then became a school principal for many years at the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est in Ottawa. He was seconded as an education officer at the Ottawa regional office of the Ministry of Education. In 2001, he became superintendant, and then, director general, of the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien. After his retirement from the school board, he accepted a position as executive director at the Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones (FNCSF) and the Regroupement national des directions générales en education (RNDGÉ), positions he held for nearly a decade. In 2019, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ottawa. He is now an invited professor and Educator-in-Residence in the Faculty of Education.
Before being appointed Director of Education at the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO) in 2022, Lyne Racine held the position of Superintendent of Education at CSDCEO for 9 years. Her career at CSDCEO also includes the roles of Director of Student Services, School Principal, Programming and Training Coordinator, Educational Consultant and Teacher. She has also distinguished herself at the provincial level on several occasions, notably as an Education Officer for the Ontario Ministry of Education where she accompanied school boards to carry out literacy and numeracy projects to improve student performance. She also has extensive experience in the field of education, having worked for the Centre franco-ontarien de ressources pédagogiques (CFORP), the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and the Ontario Educational Leadership Centre. Finally, in addition to holding a Supervisory Officer’s Certificate, Ms. Racine holds a master's degree in Education, a bachelor's degree in Arts and a bachelor's degree in Education.
Norman Southward became Ashbury’s tenth Head of School at the beginning of January, 2014. He brings with him 20 years of education experience, including seven as Principal of Neuchâtel Junior College in Switzerland and 11 at Stanstead College in Québec, where he served five years as Assistant Headmaster. Most recently, he was Headmaster at St. John’s-Kilmarnock School, an IB World School of 400 students (JK-12) serving the Waterloo and Guelph regions of Ontario. Mr. Southward's career in social studies, second language and international education includes the completion of the CAIS Diploma in Independent School Leadership and his participation in visiting committees with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS). He has served as vice-chair of the Swiss Group of International Schools (SGIS) for five years including organizer of the SGIS annual educator’s conference for over 40 international schools. He currently sits on the board of the Conference of Independent Schools (CIS) in Ontario, and chairs the CIS Governance Committee. He has presented at the International Baccalaureate Annual Conferences, international schools in China and is enthusiastic in developing a range of experiential and learning opportunities for students. He holds a BA in history and French from the University of Western Ontario, a BEd from Mount Allison, and an MEd (Curriculum and Instruction) from McGill University.
Anita Tenasco is Anishinabe Algonquin and was born and raised in the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community (an Algonquin community located two hours north of Ottawa, Ontario). She is a djo djo (mother), kokomis (grandmother) and the child of a Residential School survivor and Indian Day School survivor. She has dedicated her career to First Nations education and has served the Kitigan Zibi community for the past 26 years in a variety of capacities. She is currently the Director of Education for Kitigan Zibi and is a firm believer in First Nations Control of First Nations Education. Ms. Tenasco is a proud graduate of the Kitigan Zibi High School, Heritage College, and the University of Ottawa.
We pay respect to the Algonquin people, who are the traditional guardians of this land. We acknowledge their longstanding relationship with this territory, which remains unceded.
We pay respect to all Indigenous people in this region, from all nations across Canada, who call Ottawa home.
We acknowledge the traditional knowledge keepers, both young and old. And we honour their courageous leaders: past, present, and future.
