Paul Saguil

Chair

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Paul is an award-winning queer Filipino-Canadian lawyer who has defended equality and human rights before the Supreme Court of Canada. He currently works on the front lines of fighting financial crime and combating corruption worldwide. He has demonstrated his passion and long-standing commitment to equity for vulnerable and marginalized communities through a career dedicated to volunteerism and public service.

Paul has served in leadership capacities with a number of organizations, including as Corporate Treasurer of Asian Community AIDS Services and the Ontario Justice Education Network, as well as Chair of Start Proud, the Law Society of Ontario Equity Advisory Group, and the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law Caucus of the Canadian/Ontario Bar Association. Previously having served for 5 years on The 519 Board of Management and its various committees (including as Corporate Secretary and Vice-Chair), Paul is looking forward to advancing The 519’s strategic priorities and assist with important public advocacy and capacity building initiatives during a critical period of organizational and societal transition.

Tom Spence

Vice-Chair

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Tom has served on the Board of Management of The 519 since 2018 and is currently Vice-Chair of the Board. Tom holds a Master’s Degree in History from McMaster University and currently works in the Division of People Strategy, Equity, and Culture at the University of Toronto in communications and engagement, supporting the University’s Institutional Equity Offices. He was a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Premier of Ontario under Kathleen Wynne, and he has worked as a Senior Tour Lead on two provincial campaigns for the Ontario Liberal Party and as Director of Tour in the 2023 Toronto Mayoral Election.

Tom has called Toronto home for 15 years and has consistently volunteered in leadership roles across 2SLGBTQ+ communities. He has served as a volunteer co-lead at Pride Toronto in multiple roles over many festivals and is currently the Secretary of the Board of Forte – Toronto Gay Men’s Chorus. He has frequently participated in the annual Friends For Life Bike Rally and the Pride & Remembrance Run and plays dodgeball in the Dodgeball Society. A proud former member of the Canadian Forces-Army Reserve, Tom resides in the Church & Wellesley Village with his husband, Mith.

Zoe Robinson

Treasurer

Pronouns: She/Her

Bio

Zoe Robinson has a CPA, CMA accreditation and is the Director of Corporate Services at the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. She worked in amateur sport for most of her 30-year career as an executive with a national sports organization. Zoe has served on multiple boards of directors over her career most recently with the Canadian Mental Health Organization – Vancouver/Fraser Branch, Parachute Canada, and The Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Services Agencies of BC (AMSSA). Zoe has spoken publicly in the amateur sport community about her transition after she came out at 54 years of age in November 2018. She lives in East York, runs, reads historical fiction and business strategy, enjoys Taylor Swift, and has two adult children.

Erika Voaklander

Secretary

Pronouns: She/Her

Bio

Erika Voaklander is a lawyer at an Aboriginal law firm in Toronto, where she focuses on the negotiation and implementation of modern treaties and governance agreements. She grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, and is a descendant of the Swain and Gunn Métis families who relocated to the Sioux Lookout area from Red River.

Erika received her JD and a Certificate in Aboriginal Legal Studies from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. At law school, Erika was Co-President of the Indigenous Law Students’ Association and Out in Law. She received the Dean’s Leadership Award and the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award for her contributions to student life at the faculty. Prior to law school, Erika earned a BSc in Mathematics with an embedded Certificate in Indigenous Governance from the University of Alberta. During and after law school, she worked at a leading national law firm in Toronto where she completed her articles.

In her free time, Erika enjoys playing tennis and ultimate frisbee, working on her beadwork skills, and visiting Toronto parks with her dog Gus.

Brett House

Member of the Board

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Brett House is Professor of Professional Practice in economics at Columbia Business School and a Fellow with the Public Policy Forum, the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, and Massey College. He lives in Regent Park/Cabbagetown with his partner.

Previously, Brett was Deputy Chief Economist at Scotiabank, Chief Economist at Alignvest, and Global Strategist at Woodbine Capital Advisors. Brett also served as an economist at the IMF, UN, and World Bank. He currently sits on the boards and board committees of The 519, the Canadian Association for Business Economics (CABE), Pearson College, Massey College, and the Canadian Rhodes Scholars Foundation. Brett received the 2014 Québec Notable Award in Finance, the 2015 Good Citizen Award from his hometown of Lincoln, Ontario, and the 2018 Professional Leader Award from Start Proud. Brett was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (Davos) and one of 100 top global LGBT+ executives by INvolve & Yahoo Finance.

Brett is also a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and holds the ICD.D designation from Canada’s Institute of Corporate Directors. Brett’s analysis appears regularly in the Globe & Mail and Financial Post, while his segment “Dollars & Sense” is featured weekly on Toronto’s NewsTalk 1010 radio station.

Juan Camilo Rendon Ocampo

Member of the Board

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Juan Camilo Rendon Ocampo is a Social Impact Senior Consultant at Intact Financial Corporation. In his role, he manages a $5M portfolio of charitable investments across Canada and leads Intact’s employee citizenship programs as well as the Intact Foundation’s operations.

Prior to Intact, Juan Camilo was an engagement officer and analyst for the Government of Canada where he supported enterprise-wide transformational initiatives with the Canada School of Public Service and the Department of Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Juan Camilo is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is actively involved in raising awareness and promoting efforts of inclusion at the workplace and in the community. He is the co-chair of the Intact LGBT & Allies Network (2019) and was selected to join Civic Action’s DiverseCity Fellows Program (2019). Juan holds a Masters of Arts in sociology and a Bachelor’s Degree (Joint Honours) in communications and sociology from the University of Ottawa.

Natalie Miller

Member of the Board

Pronouns: She/Her

Bio

Natalie is an articling student at a law firm in Toronto, where she works on corporate transactions with a focus on fund formation and mergers and acquisitions. Natalie received her JD from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. At law school, Natalie was Co-President of Out in Law, a Pro Bono Students Canada Volunteer, and a researcher with the International Human Rights Program. Outside of school, Natalie worked as a caseworker at Downtown Legal Services and as an analyst in the community legal services division of Legal Aid Ontario. Prior to law school, Natalie earned an HBA from Ivey Business School.

Min Oh

Member of the Board

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Min Oh received his J.D. degree from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. At UofT, Min served as the Operations Lead for the UofT Legal Hackers Group, a member of the International Human Rights Program’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Working Group, Senior Executive of Business Law Society, Legal Clinic Assistant at The 519 Legal Clinic and a Senior Editor for the Critical Analysis of Law Review. He has particularly enjoyed working as a research assistant to Assistant Dean Christopher Essert, during which he primarily researched zoning issues and legal safeguards against homelessness.

Asides from his academic endeavours, Min has worked at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP as a student. Prior to law school, Min has earned an M.Sc. in Interdisciplinary Oncology and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on lung cancer. He has also enjoyed his time volunteering and working with the Canucks Autism Network, where he taught sports and social skills to children and youth living with autism. Out of school, Min enjoys spending time practicing Muay Thai, hiking, and making music.

Aaron Hewitt

Member of the Board

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Aaron is a frontline healthcare worker, educator, and passionate member of Toronto’s vibrant queer community. He has worked in different capacities over the years to promote Accessibility and community engagement.

A full-time student studying Healthcare Administration, he looks forward to applying his leadership skills and working with community members to continue the amazing legacy of The 519.

Dr. Jaris Swidrovich

Member of the Board

Pronouns: He/They

Bio

Dr. Swidrovich is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto. He is a queer, Two Spirit, disabled, Saulteaux, and Ukrainian pharmacist from Yellow Quill First Nation.

Dr. Swidrovich is the first and only Indigenous faculty member in pharmacy in North America. Their mother was a 60s Scoop Survivor, and both their grandmother and great-grandmother were residential school survivors. They received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan and a postbaccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Toronto. Their primary areas of research and practice include pain, HIV/AIDS, substance use disorders, 2SLGBTQ+ health, and Indigenous health.

Dr. Swidrovich is also a PhD Candidate in Education at the University of Saskatchewan, where he is studying Indigenous Peoples’ experiences with pharmacy education in Canada. Dr. Swidrovich recently founded and is the chair of the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada, which is the first national organization for Indigenous pharmacy professionals in the world. He has been recognized with several awards and honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for service to the community and the National Patient Care Achievement Award from the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

Vanshika Dhawan

Member of the Board

Pronouns: She/Her

Bio

Vanshika  is a lawyer who represents survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault, often against institutional defendants. She is passionate about helping people better understand and navigate the legal system. Vanshika earned her JD from the University of Toronto.

While at law school, Vanshika volunteered with Advocates for Injured Workers and helped to provide legal support for clients in need. Vanshika also holds a Bachelor of Medical Sciences, in which she studied the neurobiology of trauma, and a Master’s in Professional Communications, in which she researched sexual assault and survivor discourses in the Canadian criminal justice system.

In her spare time, Vanshika enjoys writing, reading fiction novels, going to the theatre, and being by the ocean.

Chris Moise

City Councillor, Ward 13

Pronouns: He/Him

Bio

Chris Moise (he/him) was elected the City Councillor for Ward 13 – Toronto Centre on October 24, 2022. Chris is the first Black and openly gay Toronto City Councillor, and chairs the 2SLGBTQ+ Advisory Committee, Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee, and the Board of Health. Chris has spent over two decades living and working throughout communities in Ward 13 and is committed to improving safety, transit, housing affordability and social services while fostering equity, fairness and inclusion in all aspects of city life.

Chris has a depth of knowledge about how social services and education can make the most powerful impacts in peoples’ lives and he is committed to ensuring positive outcomes for everyone in his communities. Chris has served as a Toronto District School Board Trustee for six years and an addictions counsellor at St. Michael’s Hospital for 22 years, he brings his lived experiences and considers the impact on the most vulnerable members of the community. Chris is honoured to have been elected to serve Toronto Centre and he is committed to making Toronto more liveable.

Contact Chris Moise