Christina Langlois
Tina is a lawyer with over 30 years’ experience in professional regulation and governance. She advises numerous regulators on a broad range of regulatory, governance, policy, registration, quality assurance and professional conduct matters.
Tina also has a master’s degree in education and is passionate about providing effective and engaging training and education for board and committee members in the regulatory sector. A self-described ‘regulatory geek,’ Tina teaches a session on regulation as part of York University’s “Accountability Issues in the Public Sector” program.
Tina is currently the Chair of the Empowered Kids Ontario Board of Directors and previously served on the Board and as Chair of the Children’s Treatment Centre of Simcoe York.
Christianne Abou-Saab
A Chartered Professional Accountant, Christianne is currently Director of Finance at the Law Society of Ontario. She is skilled in leading finance functions including financial planning and budget, financial reporting, internal controls and process improvement. Prior to joining the Law Society, Christianne worked in healthcare finance where she developed a great appreciation for organizations that strengthen relationships and support communities.
A firm believer in supporting one’s community, Christianne brings governance experience to the EKO Board having previously served on the board of Children’s Treatment Network including two years as Chair. Christianne is currently Treasurer and a board member at CrossTown Family Health Team.
In her spare time, Christianne enjoys travelling, softball, and spending time with her family and daughter.
Nagham Azzam
Nagham is the Manager of Equity Diversity and Inclusion at Hamilton Health Sciences and a Doctoral Candidate at Queen’s University. Nagham is a social worker by training and brings with her an understanding of the complex psychosocial needs of children and their families.
Nagham is committed to ensuring that vulnerable children and families have their voices and needs represented at decision-making tables. Nagham has non-profit board experience and is the founding president of Mishka Social Services, a social service organization that aims to provide culturally relevant services for Muslim and Muslim-adjacent peoples and cultures. Nagham is committed to bringing an intersectional approach to the work of the board to create equitable and inclusive pathways for those experiencing marginalization and systemic barriers to accessing care. She brings this focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, together with corporate experience in EDI, to Empowered Kids Ontario.
Lisa Coffey
A passionate, student achievement-oriented educator, Lisa is known for creating learning cultures, monitoring for improvement, and building policies and practices for inclusion. Lisa brings deep experience as a teacher and principal to her current role as a superintendent of education, responsible for 17 schools, as well as the leadership portfolio responsible for all leadership programs, new teacher training and mentorship. She has also served as the system principal at the Toronto District School Board Virtual School, providing extensive professional development opportunities and implementing strategies to eliminate systemic barriers for students and parents.
Kevin J. Collins
Kevin J. Collins is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Easter Seals Ontario. A seasoned executive with more than 30 years of experience in advancing organizational goals, Kevin brings deep marketing and operational experience to his leadership role, guiding and implementing effective fundraising strategies to ensure the organization’s ability to deliver essential programs and services to support children and youth with physical disabilities across Ontario.
Before becoming President and CEO, Kevin managed Easter Seal Ontario’s corporate and special events, leading the development of the organization’s annual strategy for events and fundraising initiatives. Previously, he held the role of Executive Director at Friends of We Care Foundation Inc. for over 17 years, maximizing the profitability of Friends of We Care’s events and programs through effective strategic planning, development, and implementation.
With a deep passion and commitment for supporting children and youth with physical disabilities, he is actively involved in addressing issues around accessibility and inclusivity as part of the Board of Trustees at Bloorview School Authority, Board of Governors at Georgian College and as a board member of Empowered Kids Ontario.
Andra Duff-Woskosky
Andra Duff-Woskosky is the Associate Vice President, Continuing Care and Community Integration at Mackenzie Health providing strategic leadership for the York District Stroke Centre and post-acute hospital services including Complex Continuing Care, Rehabilitation and transitional care beds. Andra also provides oversight for Mackenzie Health’s long-term care portfolio, including the Mackenzie Health Long-Term Care Centre located at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital. She also serves as the executive lead for the Western York Region Ontario Health Team to create a high-quality, safe and seamless health care experience for patients and their families.
Prior to joining Mackenzie Health in 2023, Andra demonstrated her expertise in community care, geriatrics, mental health, rehabilitation and palliative care in a number of clinical leadership roles including as a Senior Clinical Program Director at Unity Health and as an Administrative Director at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.
Andra holds a Master of Health Sciences from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Physiotherapy from McMaster University and a Bachelor of Sciences in Life Science from the University of Toronto. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Health Policy at the Institute of Healthcare Policy Management and Administration at the University of Toronto and has held governance positions on various Boards, including two terms on the Board for Grandview Kids. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Empowered Kids Ontario (EKO) and on the Governing Council for the GTA Rehabilitation Network.
Noella Klawitter
Noella Klawitter is the Director of KidsInclusive at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. Noella brings over 25 years of leadership experience as well as the lived experience of being a mother and a person with a disability.
She is a Master's graduate from the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa and an undergraduate degree in Psychology. Noella is an accomplished Para Track and Field athlete yielding three IBSA Pan American Gold medals and 4 Canadian records.
As a public speaker Noella has spoken to the loss of her eyesight and the power of embracing resiliency and courage to overcome adversity. She is passionate about empowering others, children’s development, pediatric wellness and child and family centered care. Noella lives the leadership philosophy “…Sometimes the greatest things in life are not what we ourselves accomplish; but what we help other to do.”
She serves on the EKO Board of Directors as Chair of the EKO Leadership Council.
Carole Moore
As the Chief Operating Officer at Halton Healthcare, Carole is committed to ensuring an exceptional patient and staff experiences; and improving patient outcomes.
Carole holds a HBsCN from Lakehead University and MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University with many years experience as a health care leader. She is a passionate advocate for improving the care continuum for children and youth with disabilities bringing the parent voice to her work in this area. Carole is a dedicated volunteer serving the boards of several organizations including Children’s Treatment Network of Simcoe-York and DeafBlind Ontario Services. She also volunteers as a skating coach with special needs speed skaters. As a parent, Carole considers herself “a long-time
customer” of Ontario’s child development sector and its services.
Dr. Rageen Rajendram
Dr. Rageen Rajendram is a Developmental Pediatrician at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s Child Development Program, specializing in the assessment and diagnosis of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental concerns. He is also the co-medical lead of an innovative multidisciplinary clinic focused on addressing restrictive eating concerns in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
As Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of NeuroAI, Dr. Rajendram is pioneering the use of AI to enhance developmental pediatric care, particularly in refining ASD diagnostic processes. His efforts in integrating AI with clinical workflows aim to improve diagnostic accuracy and streamline assessments, ultimately benefiting both clinicians and families. He is also a strong advocate for Clinical Informatics education, and has played a key role in incorporating informatics into resident training at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Dr. Rajendram serves on the steering committee for Our Kids Health and was instrumental in founding TamilKidsHealth, one of its chapters, to provide culturally relevant pediatric health information to the Tamil community and address healthcare disparities. Outside of his clinical and technical work, Dr. Rajendram is a passionate hip-hop artist, using his music as a platform to bridge social inequalities and make a broader societal impact. His contributions to pediatric care, AI-driven innovation, and community outreach are documented in various publications accessible via PubMed.
Charmaine Sheahan
Charmaine Sheahan has been involved in assessing, diagnosing and the clinical care of kids with disabilities and developmental needs for more than 25 years. She considers advocating and empowering families to help their child along their individual journey as a part of her vocation. In addition to overseeing clinical and education programs, Charmaine has been involved in the grassroots start-up, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Coalition Guelph and Wellington and she also serves as chair of Compass Community Services in Guelph and Wellington. Charmaine is passionately committed to the advancement of children and youth who are underrepresented and marginalized. In her current role as Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Director at House of Friendship, a charitable social service agency, Charmaine is the subject matter expert on Justice & EDI-related wisdom, legislation, best practices, and organizational policies. She is also a professor at Conestoga College’s School of Workforce Development.
Susan Vanagas-Cote
Susan Vanagas-Cote is passionate about empowering children and youth with disabilities and their families. Susan dedicated her career as a Speech- Language pathologist to treating individuals with communicative disorders— early on working with adults before moving to administration, clinical supervision, and treatment for kids with language, speech and feeding issues. As Executive Director for THRIVE Child Development Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Susan made significant contributions to building the agency’s governance and operational structures in order to deliver high quality, consumer- oriented services. In her retirement, Susan volunteers her time in companionship and conversation with senior citizens and serves as a director on several local Boards.
Christine Williams
Christine Williams is a distinguished and forward-thinking Chartered Director whose exceptional career trajectory reflects decades of impactful leadership and strategic insight at Scotiabank where she served as vice president.
Her many contributions leave a legacy of empowerment and progress in the non-profit sector including at The Scarborough Hospital Foundation, The College Compensation and Appointments Council, and the Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education. She served as Chair of both Centennial College's Board of Governors , Advisory Group Chair of the Scarborough Chamber of Commerce and held the presidency of Tropicana Community Services.
Christine has been honored as one of Canada's top 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women. Her accomplishments have also been recognized with the Heritage Award from Transformation Institute & Silvertrust Media, the Margot Franseen Leadership Award, the Tropicana Community Builder Award, and the Woman of Honour Award from The Black Business and Professional Association.
An esteemed member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and a Governance Solutions Director Community member, Christine embodies leadership, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to advancing communities.
Jennifer Churchill
As CEO of Empowered Kids Ontario-Enfants Avenir Ontario (EKO), Jennifer Churchill leads the association through a significant period of growth and change, as the province continues to innovate in its approaches to the delivery of community- based health care in child development and rehabilitation. She is respected as a collaborative partner by colleagues in a sector for which Ontario is known across Canada and around the world as a leader in both child disability research and care. During her tenure at EKO the association has modernized its governance, expanded its membership, and developed relationships that ensure EKO’s voice represents a broad range of stakeholders.
Jennifer joined EKO after more than 25 years in the health and government sectors. She has a degree in Social Work, a Master’s Certificate in Municipal Management and Executive Leadership Certification.