MEET OUR TEAM

Our Board of Directors, senior leaders, council and committee members are a group of dedicated and dynamic people who apply diverse expertise and lived experience to help us achieve our vision of ‘A society where everyone is valued.’

Board of Directors

Valérie Picher

Mathew Soong

Brad Saunders,

Chief Executive Officer and Secretary to the Board of Directors

C O M M I T T E E S

Service Excellence Committee

Emory Gilbert (Chair)

Valerie Boyle

Colette Kent

Erica Machtinger

Casey Pruden – COO

Jennifer Pereira

Martin Geffen

Jill Randall

Stephanie Gawur (ex-officio) – Board Chair

Don Logie (ex-officio) – Vice Chair

Brad Saunders (ex-officio) – CEO

Heather Dawson – Director, Quality and Risk/Staff Liaison

Leha Panchalingam – Quality Coordinator

Government Relations Committee

James Janeiro (Chair)

Harvey Cooper

Joan Karout

Adriano Mena

Valerie Picher

Stephanie Gawur (ex-officio) – Board Chair

Don Logie (ex-officio) – Vice Chair

Brad Saunders – CEO (ex-officio)

Julia Silani – Manager, Executive Office

Jonathan Bradshaw – Director, Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships

Petronilla Ndebele – Director, Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Relations

Sarah MacDonald – Contractor

Laura Parsonson has been a part of the CLTO family for more than four decades, first as a mother searching for answers, and soon after, as a dedicated volunteer and advocate helping others find their way.

Laura’s journey began in 1983, when her daughter Emily was born with Down syndrome. At the time, information and support were hard to find. “We didn’t know where to turn,” Laura recalls. A simple search in the phone book led her to us, which turned into a connection that supported Laura and our organization in immeasurable ways.

By September of that same year, before Emily had even turned one, Laura attended her first regional council meeting. There, she found something just as important as services: community. Meeting other parents at the Etobicoke Education Centre gave her a sense of comfort and belonging during an uncertain time. It did not take long before she began giving back. Encouraged by other families, Laura started volunteering almost immediately, joining a regional council made up entirely of parents, siblings, and community members.

Over the next 40+ years, Laura held every position on the Etobicoke Regional Council and most recently stepped down from our Board of Directors. “There’s something powerful about people coming together because of a shared, heartfelt connection,” she says. “CLTO gives volunteers the support behind the scenes to make a real difference.”

As both a volunteer and a professional educator of 37 years, Laura became a strong voice for advocacy, particularly in education. She was involved during a time when legislation began opening doors for children with disabilities to attend school, but support was limited. “It’s one thing to allow children into classrooms,” she explains. “It’s another to give them and their teachers the tools to succeed.” Laura spent years advocating for better resources, smaller classrooms, and proper training, contributing to the development of more supportive educational planning processes. She also supported countless families, helping them prepare for meetings and navigate systems that often felt overwhelming.

Her advocacy was deeply personal. Laura still remembers the difficult experience of receiving Emily’s diagnosis, one marked by fear and isolation. Determined to change that for others, she became a pilot parent, volunteering for over 20 years to support new families. She met parents in hospitals, visited them in their homes, and often simply listened. “Sometimes I was just on the phone with a mother who needed to cry,” she says. “And sometimes, you just need someone to cry with.”

Through it all, Emily has been at the heart of Laura’s journey. “She is a delight,” Laura says. “Kind, empathetic, she brings out the best in everyone.” As Emily grew, she followed a path that reflected both her determination and the support of her community. After high school, she connected with our youth to work program, which helped her secure a job at a leading retail store. More than 20 years later, Emily is still there working in the shoe department, building independence, and taking pride in her role.

One of the most significant milestones came more recently, when Emily found a home of her own. After years on a waitlist, Laura connected with our LIGHTS program, which helps families create individualized housing solutions. With guidance, networking, and support, Emily now shares a three-bedroom apartment with a roommate and a full-time caregiver. “What mattered most was that she felt safe, secure, and happy,” Laura says.

Looking back, Laura sees volunteering not just as something she did but as something that shaped her life. “I grew up in a home where giving back was expected,” she says. “And it is true, helping others does feel good. But more than that, it connects you to incredible people and reminds you what really matters.”

Her message to anyone considering volunteering with us is simple: “Do it. It’s incredibly rewarding. You will meet amazing people, families, staff, individuals, and you will be part of something that truly helps people live their best lives.”

For Laura, what started as a search for support became a lifelong mission to support others. And through it all, she continues to champion inclusion, community, and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive.

“Sometimes I was just on the phone with a mother who needed to cry,” she says. “And sometimes, you just need someone to cry with.”