Board of Directors2024-09-27T21:03:38-04:00

Governance

TAIBU CHC is governed by a community Board of Directors made up of 12 members. The Board of Directors is responsible for:

Governance
Setting policies and standards
Financial oversight
Upholding our mission, values and vision
Setting and Achieve goals
Community relations
Accountability
Professional development

What is Community Governance?

Members of the Board are members of the community
Members of the Board represent and reflect the priority populations of the community
Community is involved in decision-making processes
Board considers the changing needs of the community
The Board is accountable to the government as well as the community

Board of Directors

2023-2024

Karen Richards

Chair

Chelsie Johnson

Member

Belinda Ndaye

Member

Nicola Dove

Vice Chair

Aisha Heywood

Member

Deborah Hurley – Laing

Member

Michelle Bailey

Treasurer

Herman Amon

Member

Rudolf Ray Kwaku

Member

Marielle Lubula

Secretary

Nancy Chioma Ezeonugo

Member

Kevin Anderson

Member

Karen Richards

Chair

As the founder and CEO of Karen Natasha Coaching, Karen works with executives and professionals at all levels, bringing over 20 years of corporate experience, intuitive insights and cutting-edge business strategies. She has provided executive coaching, training, leadership and organizational development to clients worldwide. Karen specializes in helping BIPOC women thrive in their lives and careers and has coached several diverse professionals in STEM, academia and the non-profit sectors. Additionally, she empowers clients to take their leadership skills to the next level through her Elev8 program, which is based on a design thinking approach.

Karen is an iPEC-trained Professional Coach certified through the International Coach Federation and is a member of Womenmind, an organization dedicated to closing the gap for women’s mental health. Karen continues to share her knowledge and passion for helping others thrive through various speaking engagements, interviews and mentorship opportunities.

Chelsie Johnson

Member

Chelsie Johnson is dedicated to community work and service. She has earned her Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, a Master of Public Health from the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Disaster and Emergency Management from York University. She also holds a certificate in Infection Prevention and Control, and the Associate Business Continuity Professional designation. Throughout her education and experiences, she advocates for communities to be at the centre of her work. Whether it be developing and hosting a ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ workshop, designing innovative emergency management exercises, serving on the inaugural Youth Council for Canada’s Chief Science Advisor, or redefining health metrics using Afrocentric principles, she grounds her work in community-based approaches.

Chelsie is excited to bring her experiences, ideas, and advocacy to the Board and the broader TAIBU community.

Belinda Ndaye

Member

Belinda Ndaye is a human resources professional and a resident of Malvern. Belinda holds a Commerce Degree in Human Resource with a minor in Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Saint Mary’s University. While at Saint Mary’s University, Belinda played competitive basketball on an athletic scholarship.

Belinda’s academic and community based work has focused on the intersection of race, gender, and inequality. Her thesis – Equity and Intersectionality: Sociology Effects of Race and Gender Inequality involved a quantitative research approach that measured intersectionality within the community.

Belinda currently serves as a human resource representative for McMaster University, as she continues to develop her business skills as an HR specialist.

Nicola Dove

Vice Chair

Nicola Dove grew up in the vibrant and scenic region of Scarborough in Toronto, Ontario. It was here where her curiosities about being, belonging and becoming emerged that set the foundation and inspiration for her professional pursuits. Nicola is currently a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Education at York University. Her research interests center on issues of race, gender and inclusion in education. She sees the relationship between education and health as iterative and is happy to make relevant contributions to the board.

Nicola also brings to the board an array of knowledge informed by her professional experiences in community research, communication rehabilitation, and public health.

Aisha Heywood

Member

Aisha Heywood completed her master’s degree in Developmental Psychology and Education from the University of Toronto in 2013. She also has training in Applied Behaviour Analysis, suicide intervention (ASIST) and mental health. Aisha has over 15 years of experience providing clinical support to adults, children and youth with autism, learning disabilities, mental health disorders and brain injury. She has skills in crisis management, policy development, case management, assessments, transition planning, clinical training and consultation.

Aisha is currently a PhD student at the University of Toronto

Deborah Hurley – Laing

Member

Deborah has over 2 decades of experience in the Social Service Sector. She began her career, working with racialized youth, an area that continues to have her heart. She designed and implemented a program for youth called Outreach for Upward Mobility. This program worked with black youth, providing guided and supervised activities, mentorship, and academic support.

She also worked extensively in the area of Violence Against Women. She led teams, designed programs, and facilitated groups that would assist women to regain their independence, rebuild their lives and learning more about themselves, to help them live a life free from violence. She has managed large teams as a Senior Manager at an agency that finds housing for homeless individuals, those dealing with substance dependence and those impacted by mental health challenges. As a rehabilitation Centre Director, she led a team that encouraged women along their journey towards sobriety from addictions, a gratifying profession. She now serves as the Executive Director of an agency working with women and marginalized youth.

She give thanks for my life experiences, which have brought her this far. She has received a Double Major, Honours BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Toronto and have volunteered in many capacities. She enjoys spending time with her family, is passionate about equity and equality, and is driven by speaking up against injustice.

Michelle Bailey

Treasurer

I am a Funding Operations Manager with over 10 years of experience in reporting, auditing, B2B account management, and collaborating within the financial industry. I am currently working on courses at the University of Toronto to complete my CPA designation.

I grew up in Malvern and have a heart for the community. Being a single mother at a time when community services were not easily obtained, I desire to serve, by giving back to the community that has provided me and my family with a sense of belonging. In my spare time, I enjoy time with friends and family, reading, cooking and eating (but mostly eating lol), and helping those in need.

Herman Amon

Member

Herman Amon is a versatile Research Analyst with a strong background in research, public policy, performance measurement, and project planning. He is currently the Manager Quality Assurance, Research and Outcomes with the Durham Children’s Aid Society. Before that, he was Senior Analyst responsible for research and organizational performance for the Ontario Ombudsman Office and the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario; as such, he led the Commissioner’s strategic planning process as well as the special report on the Designation process under the French Language Services Act. He was also Quality Improvement and Evaluation Advisor at the Toronto Central CCAC, providing process improvement and evaluation support to all service teams.

Herman Amon is also an Adjunct Faculty member at the Department of Classics and Religious Studies of the University of Ottawa and a member of the Late Antiquity Research Network of the same university. He received his Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Paris-Sorbonne, and a Master of Public Administration from the École Nationale d’Administration Publique du Québec.

Rudolf Ray Kwaku

Member

Hello, I’m Rudolf Ray Kwaku, and I’m honored to join the board of directors for your organization. I’m originally from Ghana and hold a Bachelor’s in Neuroscience. I’m currently finishing my Master’s diploma through a clinical research internship at Do Unto Others (DUO) in Oshawa, where I focus on supporting clients with mental illnesses, especially within Toronto’s Black community.

My journey began with an opportunity I learned about from Jermaine Henry at CAMH. My background in neuroscience and ongoing certification in addictions work have given me a strong grasp of harm reduction principles. I’ve also developed key skills through five years as a music band leader and actor, and through volunteering at the Rouge Valley Health System with marginalized clients dealing with addictions and cognitive impairments.

Currently enrolled in the Addiction Worker program at Trios College, I’ve completed coursework in digital literacy, anger and stress management, and communication principles. My past roles, including Residential Advisor and Campus Radio Station Manager at the University of Toronto Scarborough, have equipped me with skills in crisis management and counseling.

I’m excited to contribute to our organization’s mission and look forward to making a meaningful impact. Thank you for this opportunity.

Marielle Lubula

Secretary

Marielle Lubula grew up in a diverse and vibrant community in Scarborough, Toronto, where her passion for community engagement and youth education first took root. She is a proud graduate of McMaster University, where she studied biology and psychology. It was within the supportive community at McMaster that Marielle embraced the value of Ubuntu—an African philosophy meaning “I am because we are”—which continues to guide her work and approach to community service.

As an advocate for Black health and healthcare, Marielle hopes to pair her passions for biology and neuroscience with her dedication to improving health outcomes for underserved communities. She is deeply involved in STEM outreach at McMaster University, where she has spearheads programs that provide tutoring and mentorship in subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics to Black, Indigenous and LatinX youth. She has also played a key role in encouraging at-risk youth to prioritize their education, significantly increasing participation in these programs through her outreach efforts. Her commitment to improving educational outcomes is matched by her dedication to enhancing healthcare services for Black communities in Scarborough.

Nancy Chioma Ezeonugo

Member

Nancy Chioma Ezeonugo is a United Kingdom (UK) and also a Canadian Certified Privacy Professional. She has worked for several multinationals heading the legal departments with the responsibilities for profferring legal advice and managing risks for these companies.

She has also served as a thought partner to several boards of directors in her capacity as the Company Secretary and working closely with the Chairman of these Boards.

She has advised on various license acquisitions for financial payment products from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), debt & equity financing and share capital restructuring. She has skills in legal advisory, negotiations, contract management, data privacy, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. Nancy is excited to bring her wealth of experiences to the Board and most importantly, to serve the community.

Kevin Anderson

Member

I’m originally from Toronto, where I’ve worked many years within the child welfare sector. I am deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I continue to actively work towards dismantling Anti-Black Racism (ABR) as I strive to be an anti-racist. I love the homestead lifestyle and believe in living a simple and sustainable life focused on self-sufficiency and connecting with nature. My values align with creating a nurturing environment where everyone can thrive together.