How We Are Governed

Your Support Service Network is a not-for-profit charitable organization, incorporated since 1982. YSSN is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. The Board follows a policy model of governance and includes, within its key tasks and commitments:

  • steering the agency toward its mission
  • guiding strategic planning
  • being transparent
  • maintaining fiscal responsibility
  • ensuring an effective management team
  • implementing assessment and control systems
  • planning for diversity on the Board

The Board constitutes itself in a way that ensures a broad representation of the community we serve, including members who are:

  • from all parts of the Central East Region
  • consumer / family members
  • from the general community
  • persons familiar with each service sector

Our Board Members

  • Bryan Laviolette – Chair

    Bryan has been a YSSN Board Member since 2019 and is currently YSSN’s Board Vice-Chair. Bryan brings a unique perspective to the Board from her 15+ year career as a York Region paramedic, having served as a Paramedic, Community Paramedic, Educator, Platoon Leader, and currently as Supervisor. Bryan has significant experience interagency and multidisciplinary care specifically for vulnerable populations. Bryan has a specific interest in health equity across the healthcare domain.

  • Brad Smith – Treasurer

    Brad has been a YSSN Board Member since 2017 and currently serves as the Board’s Treasurer. A resident of York Region, Brad has always been passionate about helping businesses and not-for-profits alike grow and transform themselves to better serve their communities. Brad, a licensed public accountant, has been a partner at SSL Group in Newmarket since 2009 and has been involved in planning and providing audit services and preparing business and personal taxes for small businesses for more than 20 years. The financial expertise that Brad brings to his Treasurer role is very welcomed and appreciated by the Board.

  • Susan Dobson – Director

    Susan has been a YSSN Board Member since 2016. Susan has been working in the social services field in York Region for more than 15 years; most notably in the violence against women sector as well as the mental health and addictions sector. Susan has worked as a trained Peer Supporter since 2011 and currently fulfills the role of Executive Director for the Krasman Centre. Susan brings a unique perspective as both a person with lived mental health experience as well as someone who has supported a family member. Her dedication to supporting people with mental health challenges is reflective in her contributions to the Board.

  • Rosalyn Gambell – Director

    Rosalyn has been a YSSN Board Member since 2018. A former long-term York Region resident, Rosalyn offers a significant health management and hospital perspective to the Board. Recently retired from Southlake Regional Health Centre as the Manager, Health Links and Chronic Diseases, Rosalyn’s career has been dedicated to helping others in a variety of GTA hospital settings. From nursing to management positions, including oversight of several medical care units and outpatient clinics programs, Rosalyn’s experience always helps inform Board discussions.

  • Marcel Price – Director

    Marcel has been a YSSN Board Member since 2021. He brings his experience and perspective from a 14+ year career as an active member with York Regional Police to the Board. This is not his first connection with YSSN. In 2015, as a member of YRP’s Mental Health Support Team, he worked along side YSSN crisis team members to jointly respond to mental health and crisis related calls, de-escalating where required, connecting with families and individuals, and ensuring that the proper supports were in place.

  • Kimberly Thorn – Executive Director/Director (ex officio)

    Kimberly was appointed YSSN’s Executive Director in June 2020. Having worked in Developmental Services since 1993, and starting her tenure with YSSN in 2004, Kimberly has brought her expertise in working with people with developmental disabilities to the many roles she has held at YSSN. Most recently, Kimberly was YSSN’s Developmental Services Director and Director of DSO Central East Region, where she worked to ensure YSSN’s priorities reflect the growing needs of the communities and people we support.

  • Bijesh Balan, Director

    Bijesh has been a YSSN Board Member since 2022. He is a technology leader who is passionate about making meaningful impacts in society by enabling companies, government agencies transform their business to achieve successful outcomes. Bijesh has over 18 years of professional experience in the IT industry, being part of small, medium and large IT transformation initiatives, his expertise in the area of benefit delivery modernization, child welfare, developmental services. He is experienced in conceptualizing and executing enterprise technology transformations, strategy development/execution, stakeholder management, requirement management, enterprise analysis, resource management, project management, portfolio management, account management, business development, risk management, change management etc. Bijesh has an Engineering degree and is in the process of completing his Executive MBA program at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. Bijesh is deeply passionate about contributing towards a fair and equitable society for all. He lives in Durham Region and is the father of two children.

  • Rose Luo, Director

    Rose has been a YSSN Board Member since 2022. She resides and works from home in York Region, with more than 7 years of professional experience advising senior management and Boards in Fortune 500 companies as a CPA and management consultant on a variety of business issues, from accounting valuation, governance and operational matters. Rose brings personal experience with managing mental health challenges, as well as providing support to colleagues and family members with their own experiences. Her past volunteering contributions have included as VP Finance and Sponsorship with INSEAD Women in Business, VP Education for PwC Toastmasters, Safehaven and Furniture Bank. Rose is passionate about diversity and inclusion, particularly destigmatizing mental health challenges in the Asian community.

  • Patricia (Trish) Maxwell, Director

    Trish has been a YSSN Board Member since 2021. She lives and actively enjoys life in York Region with her loving family, husband and two daughters. Professionally, Trish continues to work in the healthcare sector in Ontario and has over 25 years of experience from various sectors – government, hospitals, long-term care, homecare/community organizations and as a consultant. As a long-time believer in ongoing education, Trish has continued to grow with an MBA, CHE, LTC Administrator along with numerous credentials in change management, quality improvement and operations. Trish’s beliefs, values and passion align with YSSN’s vision of ‘a meaningful life for all’. This message is key to daily living, as Trish supports her own special needs daughter in life.

  • Oluwakemi (Kemi) Oduwole, Director

    Kemi has been a YSSN Board Member since 2021. She is a resident of York Region. Kemi brings her perspective as a law professional with over 20 years of experience and currently as managing partner of Topmarké Attorneys LLP in Toronto, providing legal advisory support in diverse areas, including workplace discrimination, harassment and code of conduct compliance and ethics. Part of her practice includes delivering immigration and refugee services through in-depth understanding combined with extensive practice experience of the Canadian Immigration Law. Kemi is also an academic. Her students have benefited from her practical and experiential approach to teaching. She volunteers extensively with various organizations, including representation at consent and capacity hearings, Pro Bono Ontario, and mentorship to youths and young lawyers. She is dedicated to using her expertise, professional and personal experience to advance the interests of the vulnerable in society.

  • Demetre Rigakos, Director

    Demetre has been a YSSN Board Member since 2022. He is a proud resident of York Region for over 27 years. Demetre brings his experience and perspective from a 30+ year career in the public sector, holding senior leadership roles, and currently with the town of Aurora as the head of Human Resources. Demetre has extensive experience at managing disabilities and the workplace accommodation process, as a former Manager with the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. He also brings a valued personal perspective to his Board work as both a person with lived experience, as well as family member experience, regarding mental health challenges.

If you may be interested in exploring membership on YSSN’s Board of Directors or have any questions about our Board, please feel free to contact us at contact@yssn.ca.

Notre gouvernance

Le Your Support Service Network est un organisme de bienfaisance sans but lucratif, constitué en personne morale depuis 1982. Le YSSN est régi par un conseil d’administration bénévole. Le conseil d’administration respecte un modèle de politique de gouvernance et ses principaux engagements et tâches comprennent ce qui suit :

  • Guider l’organisme vers sa mission;
  • Orienter la planification stratégique;
  • Être transparent;
  • Maintenir la responsabilité financière;
  • Avoir une équipe de gestion efficace;
  • Mettre en œuvre des systèmes d’évaluation et de contrôle;
  • Assurer la diversité du conseil d’administration.

Le Conseil d’administration est composé de membres largement représentatifs de la communauté à laquelle nous offrons des services, et inclut des membres qui proviennent :

  • De toutes les parties de la région du Centre Est;
  • Consommateurs/membres de la famille;
  • De la communauté;
  • Personnes familières avec chaque secteur de service.

Membres du conseil d’administration

Lois Alderson-Wigelius, Vice-Chair

Brad Smith – Treasurer

Sarah Butterworth – Director

Susan Dobson – Director

Rosalyn Gambell – Director

Penny Hubbert – Director

Bryan Laviolette

Heather Meikle – Director

Kimberly Thorn – Executive Director/Director (ex officio)

 

Si vous souhaitez faire partie du conseil d’administration du YSSN ou si vous avez des questions à propos de notre conseil d’administration, n’hésitez pas à communiquer avec nous à l’adresse contact@yssn.ca.