About us

Director

Barb Simmons

Barb Simmons retired from the Ontario Public Service in 2023 after 34 years in operations, policy, change leadership and diversity advocacy. She worked in training and employment, social services, federal-provincial relations and services for adults with developmental disabilities, with a brief detour into correctional services. In her last four years, she focused on championing neurodivergent OPS employees seeking safe and welcoming workplaces, and helping OPS executives create those workplaces.

Her last job was as Assistant Deputy Minister, Office of Women’s Economic and Social Opportunity. She took her earliest possible retirement date and is enjoying spending time with her family, traveling to Paris, writing, and making dioramas in her basement window well. She also enjoys social justice activism and using her own privilege for good whenever she can.

Director

Bernadette de Souza

With over 30 years as a senior executive in the Ontario Public Service, the not-for-profit sector and the United Nations (UN), Bernadette’s career has focused on leading and implementing large-scale transformation initiatives that improve client outcomes.

Bernadette’s passion lies in bringing out the resourcefulness of people, helping them achieve their highest potential in life and career. She is an active life and leadership coach. When she’s not coaching, she is a management consultant on strategy, change management, business development and process improvement, focusing on start-ups and small-scale businesses.

She and her family live in the GTA. They are avid travellers, and when they’re not doing that, they spend their time making good music together with their family band and doing a lot of gourmet cooking.

Chair

Subagini Sivapatham

Subagini Sivapatham has spent over 15 years in non-profit organizations management, leading and developing strategic aims through brand building, integrated marketing, client experience and business development. Her past adventures included, promoting stories of entrepreneurial innovations and success, connecting Canadian achievements and sparking ideas with leading edge change makers across the country. Currently, she is Chief Impact Officer at Pathways to Education Canada. In addition to being the co-founder of PR, eh?, a Canadian Public Relations Company that represents the underrepresented in the music and entertainment industry. Her passion for community engagement and growth is further reflected in her previous volunteer board posts, including Access Entrepreneurship Connections, Women’s Economic Council and Moorelands Kids.

Director

Joseph Odumeru

Dr. Joseph Odumeru (B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.) is a Research Scientist and Administrator with a Ph.D. in Microbiology and 32 plus years’ experience in scientific research and Management. He retired on January 31, 2025, after twenty and half years of service in the OPS and 12 years of service at the University of Guelph.

His career journey included management positions in the OPS in two Ministries: OMAFRA and MECP, a Senior Research Scientist, Microbiology Laboratory Manager, Director and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph. He trained and mentored 25 graduate students and many undergraduate students in the field of food microbiology and authored 80 research publications and book chapters. Joseph won an international award for his exceptional contributions to innovative research in food microbiology and as a distinguished educator in the field of food science.

Joseph championed diversity, inclusion and antiracism in the Ministry of the Environment and was one of the Co-Chairs of the Anti-Racisms and Respectful Workplace Committee (ARRWAC) for 4 years. Joseph supported the OPS laboratory community by being the Chair of the OPS Analytical Laboratory Council for 8 years and Vice-Chair of the Council for 4 years with the mission of one community and one voice and working together collaboratively to deliver quality analytical services to support the mandate of the Ontario Government. Joseph is one of the recipients of the Amethyst Award in 2016 for ALC collaboration and partnerships among OPS labs, leading to efficiency and reduced duplication in the delivery of analytical services to the province.

Following his retirement, Joseph looks forward to the next chapter in life including spending more time with his family and friends and continuing to contribute to the Ontario Civil Service and community services in various capacities using his years of expertise and experience in Education and Civil Service.

Governance Officer

Pat Dunwoody

Pat is a client and relationship focused executive with an in-depth background in all aspects of the investment fund industry. She brings a strategic perspective and demonstrates a clear grasp of the drivers behind client satisfaction and the impact on the bottom line.

She has spent over 35 years in the Financial Services industry and is currently consulting within this industry as well as the NFP industry and is on three independent Review Committees.

Pat is also actively involved in the charitable, not-for-profit world, with seats at the Board of Prosper Canada and Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario. She lives in East Garafraxa, Ontario with her husband and dog Otis.

Secretary

Trisha Sharma

Trisha Sharma currently works in the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Since joining the Ontario Public Service in 2018, Trisha has spearheaded the delivery of strategic talent management initiatives at the ministry and enterprise levels. Trisha holds a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and was most recently recognized as the 2023 Emerging New Professional by the Institute of Public Administration Canada, Toronto Region Chapter. Her professional interests include innovations in HR and the future of work, anti-racism and social justice, and continuous improvement in all its forms.

Treasurer

Allan Scott

Allan has over three decades of public service experience, retiring after his third Director role. He began his professional career as a police officer before going into the Ontario Public Service as a provincial prosecutor in the Ministry of the Attorney General. After working at several ministries in policy, operations and regulatory roles in Toronto and Kingston, he retired from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 2023.

As Superintendent of Private Career Colleges, Allan served on the province’s Training Completion Assurance Fund board, managing a $25 million fund to ensure vocational students could receive training completions should a registered school cease operations. He also serves on his Cathedral’s board, overseeing an $800 thousand budget and long-term capital planning.

Director

Ed Buller

Ed is a member of the Mistawasis First Nation in Saskatchewan but has spent his career in Ottawa. He has worked as the Executive Director of the National Association of Friendship Centres in Ottawa and the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, respectively. Joining the federal Department of the Solicitor General of Canada (later Public Safety Canada) in 1984, Ed led an Aboriginal Policy Unit responsible for community corrections, crime prevention and community safety planning, including a focus on Aboriginal street gangs and missing and murdered Aboriginal women. Ed spearheaded approaches to healing, using communities’ traditional cultural and spiritual approaches. For his work, Ed was awarded the 2002 APEX Award for Leadership within the Executive cadre of the federal public service. Ed is also a proud father and grandfather.

Vice Chair

Javier Ibáñez

Javier Ibáñez is a senior business leader whose professional practice focuses on creating and embedding high-performance sales cultures. Mr. Ibáñez is an expert in leading enterprise-level business development strategy and has worked for several of Canada’s largest insurers. He is a highly sought-after advisor in the area of B2B marketing, sales and communications. Mr. Ibáñez is a passionate educator and keynote speaker at industry events. He is a skilled communicator and is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Mr. Ibáñez holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from York University and a Master’s Degree in Adult Education from Saint Francis Xavier University. His research Graduate degree research focused on Organizational Learning Mechanisms; analyzing how organizations create, share and leverage knowledge to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace. He has completed post-graduate work in Business Administration at the Schulich School of Business. He is currently completing an LLM in corporate law at Osgoode Hall Law School.

He and his wife are the proud parents of four boys and are active in outdoor sports including hiking, canoeing and fly fishing. They make their home outside of Toronto.

Director

Michele Ratsch

Michele Ratsch's illustrious 35 year career in the Ontario Public Services spanning seven different ministries over this time, has just come to end at the end of June 2024. Over the years, she garnered extensive expertise in organizational and change management, leadership development, employee engagement, health, safety & wellness, as well as anti-racism, inclusion and diversity. At the senior management level, Michele led the implementation of the Organizational Dynamics Unit in the Strategic Human Resources Branch, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Park by spearheading programs to enhance the employee experience. Her steady guidance and leadership in employee engagement, recognition, workplace mental health, and cultivating safe and healthy workplaces have left an indelible mark on our organization.

As a dedicated people leader, Michele makes it her mission to enhance the work environment, championing employees and advocating for positive change. Her impact was felt across the OPS through her innovative approach to delivering programs, projects, and events and also in her many roles on the Provincial Interministerial Committee/OPS Leadership Network where she served in various roles Toronto Local Chair, and Central Region Chair.

One of Michele’s legacy to the OPS is the founding of the Women in Government (WiG) employee network where she served as a key executive member and CoChair for the past 10 years. As Co-Chair of WiG, Michele influenced decision making by ensuring women had a seat and a voice at the table and advanced women's representation across the OPS. For her efforts, dedication, and passion, Michele was part of the fabled WiG team that won an OPS Amethyst Award in 2015. Michele has also received many ministry recognition awards including a MECP Hidden Gem award where she was nominated by her employees for inspiring them and others to making the workplace a better place to work because of her attitude, values, expertise, and talents. Michele’s passion for inclusivity and equity continues through her mentorship of women and their allies, ensuring an equitable and inclusive workplace for all.

As a manager, Michele empowered high-performing teams to enhance the OPS and ministry culture, imparting her expertise in data analytics, workplace mental health, inclusion, and belonging. Many of her current and former team members now lead equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives for OPS employee networks, a testament to Michele's exceptional leadership.

Director

Will Stratton

Will has extensive expertise in leading large transformations, developing revenue generation and growth strategies, and process improvement. He places a strong emphasis on customer experience with a special ability to develop creative solutions to complex problems. Formerly Will was with the Department of National Defence, and volunteers for the ‘Right to Play’ youth- to-youth program as well as initiating a program to give Syrian refugees a camp experience.