Council Members

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Natacha Akineza is an accomplished educator and consultant with a diverse background in education, leadership, and community engagement.

With more than a decade of experience as a French Immersion Teacher with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), Natacha is known for her commitment to inclusive education, exemplified by the successful implementation of a project on Canadian Black Heritage at the board. She has completed many in-service programs, including a Certificate in Leadership from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario’s Code Black program and a mentorship and leadership program offered by the TDSB.

In her leadership capacity, Natacha acts as Person of Responsibility at her school, and she served as a member of the LC3 Inclusion Learning Cadre, where she took part in meaningful conversations about student support and identity.

Natacha has also engaged in consulting roles for not-for-profit organizations, actively contributing to initiatives that create a positive impact and address racism and discrimination from a Francophone perspective.

She holds a Bachelor of Education in Primary/Junior French Immersion and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Glendon College, York University.

Mark Baxter is the president of the Police Association of Ontario (PAO). Before being elected to his current position in 2021, he served on PAO’s Board of Directors as a uniform director for seven years, five of them as board chair.

Mark sat on the Thunder Bay Expert Panel, currently sits on the Ontario Police Arbitration Commission, the Canada Beyond The Blue Awards Committee, and he is also the co-chair of the Section 21 Advisory Committee. He previously served as vice president of the Brantford Police Association from 2012 to 2015, and president from 2015 to 2021.

Mark is passionate about member well-being and mental health, and he credits his local police association in Brantford for contributing to his work ethic and nurturing a dedication to labour relations.

His policing career started in 2005 as an officer with the Brantford Police Service, serving in various capacities, including frontline patrol, high school resource officer, and collision reconstructionist.

Joseph Fiorino is a lawyer with expertise in labour relations and employment law. He currently serves as Canadian Director of Human Resources and Labour Relations at First Canada ULC, where he provides strategic guidance on labour relations, oversees dispute resolution, and represents the company in collective bargaining and arbitration.

Previously, Joseph was Legal and Labour Advisor to Ontario’s Minister of Education, delivering strategic legal analyses and recommendations on employment matters and participating in defending the government's legal cases.

Joseph holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Laws in Labour Relations and Employment Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. He completed his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Toronto.

Bilingual in English and French, Joseph has been recognized for his contributions in academia and the community, earning awards such as the NATO Council of Canada Research Fellowship and the University of Toronto’s Outstanding Service Graduation Award, and has regularly volunteered in leadership roles with local organizations.

Valerie Fontenelle has worked in education for more than 30 years, including in her current role as a teacher at Glen Park Public School in Toronto.

She’s a devoted educator and community leader whose extensive professional experience includes nearly equal parts classroom teaching, governance , and administration.

During her career she’s held a wide range of governance and leadership roles. She served as vice-president and then president of Lawrence Heights Community Daycare, and at Flemington Public School was the elementary grade position of responsibility (POR) and the primary grade chair.

Valerie has chaired grade team meetings and provided ongoing support as part of a school administrative team, making decisions to help determine school vision. She’s also conducted professional development workshops for teachers, hosted teacher candidates from several post-secondary institutions, mentored new teachers and provided leadership for a long list of special events and programs at the school level.

Charles Kouassi is a teacher employed by the Conseil scolaire Viamonde, where he focuses on student well-being and academic success.

He completed his professional training in Forest Engineering at the Institut national polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, in Ivory Coast (1999), and holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from the Université de Sherbrooke (2006). Charles taught at the École supérieure d’agronomie, in Ivory Coast, from 2002 to 2012. From 1999 to 2001, he worked as a Planning Officer with Inades-Formation Côte d’Ivoire, an organization dedicated to economic and social development. Charles also held the position of Regional Development Officer at the Conseil de la coopération de l’Ontario, in Ottawa. In this role, he was responsible for project management and workshop facilitation, and served on various committees and community organization boards. These experiences in negotiating, collaborating, writing, planning, analyzing and decision-making inspired him to pursue a career in teaching. He completed a B.Ed. at the University of Ottawa in 2014.

As part of his integration into Canada, Charles completed various certificate training programs, including in Intercultural Skills Development (Government of Canada Centre for Intercultural Learning, 2004-2006), Canadian Agri-Food System Studies (University of Guelph, 2011) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) (British Standards Institution, 2011).

Karen Restoule is Director of Indigenous Affairs and Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and a strategic advisor on public and policy issues. Karen brings a rare breadth of experience, working with First Nations leaders on justice, law, community development, and sustainability. She led Ontario’s administrative justice system as a public sector executive.

Previously, she held provincial appointments as alternate executive chair and associate chair at Tribunals Ontario, leading the Ontario Special Education Tribunal, the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Landlord and Tenant Board, and other constituent tribunals. 

A graduate of the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall’s Intensive Program in Aboriginal Lands, Resources, and Governments, and the University of Ottawa’s French Common Law Program, she was inducted into the Faculty of Law Honours Society for leveraging her legal education to benefit society.

An Ojibwe from Dokis First Nation, Karen is a sought-after voice on Indigenous economic and governance reconciliation, especially where it intersects with resource development. She regularly contributes to media and conferences across Canada and abroad and provides commentary on Israel and the Middle East, including combating growing antisemitism and countering extremism.

Jeff is a seasoned public affairs professional with more than 15 years of experience in both government and the private sector. As Vice President at McMillan Vantage, he leads teams that help organizations communicate with impact, manage risk, and navigate complex political and regulatory environments.

He advises a wide range of clients, from global corporations to local nonprofits, delivering strategic solutions backed by deep expertise and a strong national network. Outside of client work, Jeff is actively involved in community initiatives, including his long-standing work with the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee, where he supports civic engagement and leadership development.

A father to a young daughter and the son of an Educational Assistant, Jeff grew up around educators who helped to positively change the lives of the students they taught. Jeff is deeply passionate about education policy and is committed to building a more inclusive, informed, and equitable future through both his professional and volunteer efforts.

Stephen Sliwa is the Executive Program Director of Teacher Education and an adjunct Professor of Education at Queen’s University’s Faculty of Education.

With a long record of service in Ontario’s K-12 education sector, Stephen has held various senior executive roles in three different district school boards, culminating in his appointment as director of education and CEO for the Upper Canada District School Board until 2021.

His extensive experience in governance and leadership is further demonstrated through his service on several not-for-profit boards, such as United Way of East Ontario and Families Canada, a national organization that delivers training, resources, and programs to empower family support centres.

In addition to his board service, Stephen has contributed his expertise through participation on numerous provincial panels, committees, and working groups. His contributions have focused on educational leadership and governance, as well as the development of resources and capacity building sessions in support of the implementation of Indigenous studies in schools and the teaching of students with learning exceptionalities.

He holds graduate degrees in curriculum design, Indigenous studies, public administration, and change management from Trent University and Queen’s University

Imran Syed, is a principal with the Durham District School Board (DDSB). With more than two decades of education experience, as both a teacher and an administrator, Syed is a passionate leader of equity and inclusion. He is the co-founder of the Muslim Educators Network of Durham (MEND), which aims to empower educators who identify as Muslims, and to create safe and inclusive spaces for all. He also serves on DDSB’s Equity Council, where he uses data to drive equity, while working closely with students, parents, the community, and other educators.

Imran holds numerous leadership roles, including as a past member of the Durham Children’s Aid Society’s board of governors, the EQAO Sensitivity Review Committee , and the DDSB New Teacher Induction Program committee.

He holds a master of science in education from the University of New England, a bachelor of arts (honours) from the University of Toronto , and a bachelor of education from the University of Windsor.

Robert Waxman is a Chartered Professional Accountant in both Canada and the United States. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst. He has spent his 30-year career working in the real estate and financial services industries with roles in equity research, trading and most recently as the Chief Financial Officer of a publicly traded hospitality business. He is currently working with several partners in an asset management capacity in the hospitality space. Robert is a trustee for Inovalis REIT, a French-based real estate company traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Tammy Webster, registered member of Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg, serves as Indigenous education and equity consultant for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, delivering professional development material and training for teachers, principals, and staff.

She is also co-chair of the board of directors and former managing director with Anishnabeg Outreach in Kitchener, where she offers an expert voice, infusing and amplifying Indigenous perspectives.

As well, Tammy is a member of the President’s Advisory Group for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with St. Jerome’s University in Waterloo, Ont. She was interim co-convener of the Region of Waterloo Anti-Racism Advisory Working Group, a former member of the Parent Involvement Committee for the Waterloo Region District School Board and a member of the Community Editorial Board for The Record newspaper, serving Waterloo region.

Tammy also serves as a member of the Waterloo Region Children and Youth Planning Table, Wellbeing Waterloo Region Connector’s Hub, the Aboriginal Relationship Council with Conestoga College, and Wellbeing Waterloo Region: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Advisory and Advocacy Circle.