OPSBA is organized so that every school board, regardless of its size, has its interests faithfully and thoroughly represented at its Board of Directors, Executive Council, and Work Group tables.

  • Between meetings of the Board of Directors, the business of the Association is supervised by OPSBA’s Executive Council, which reports to the Board of Directors at each meeting. The Executive Council is composed of the President, First and Second Vice-Presidents, Past President, five Regional Chairs, one from each of OPSBA’s regions, a Pupil Enrolment Representative from Toronto District School Board and Peel District School Board, and the Chair of the Indigenous Trustees’ Council. These five Regional Chairs are also Chairs of their regions and are elected by the region they represent.

    The Executive Council ensures that the decisions of the Board of Directors are executed and also provides strategic advice to the Board of Directors on such matters as long range planning for the Association, government relations and Association personnel matters.

    OPSBA’s Executive Council

    Kathleen Woodcock
    President
    Waterloo Region DSB

    Arlene Morell
    Regional Chair, Western Region
    Thames Valley District School Board

    Kathryn Pierroz
    First Vice-President
    Rainy River DSB

    Bill Steer
    Regional Chair, Northern Region
    Near North DSB

    Michelle Aarts
    Second Vice-President
    Toronto DSB

    Deborah Williams
    Enrolment Representative
    Toronto District School Board

    Jaine Klassen Jeninga
    Regional Chair, Central East Region
    Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB

    Susan Humphries
    Regional Chair, Eastern Region
    Renfrew County District School Board

    Donna Danielli
    Regional Chair, Central West Region
    Halton DSB

    David Green
    Enrolment Representative
    Peel District School Board

    Elaine Johnston
    Chair, Indigenous Trustees’ Council
    Algoma DSB

    Kathy McDonald
    Chair, Black Trustees’ Caucus
    Peel DSB

    Cathy Abraham
    Past President
    Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB

  • The Board of Directors is the principal source of policy and political direction for the Association, and its major decision making body. The Board manages the affairs of the Association and reports to the general membership each year at the Annual General Meeting.

    Each District School Board Member in good standing is entitled to appoint at least one Director to the OPSBA Board of Directors. Each District School Board that is a Member and which has a pupil enrolment of more than five per cent of the total enrolment of all Member Boards is entitled to appoint an additional Trustee from that District School Board to the Board of Directors. Each District School Board that is a Member and which has a pupil enrolment of more than fifteen percent of the total enrolment of all Member Boards is entitled to appoint a further additional Trustee from that District School Board to the Board of Directors.

    School Authorities elect one Director at the Annual General Meeting to represent their interests on the OPSBA Board of Directors.

    Treatment Centre School Authorities elect one Director to represent their interest on the OPSBA Board of Directors.

    The Indigenous Trustees’ Council elects one Member to represent their interests on the OPSBA Board of Directors.

    The Past President is appointed to the Board of Directors for a one year term. The President, First and Second Vice-Presidents and Regional Chairs, who are elected at the Annual General Meeting, also serve on the Board of Directors.

    Members

    As of November 2024

    Michelle Aarts
    Second Vice-President
    Toronto District School Board 

    Cathy Abraham
    Past President
    Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

    Kate Baggott
    Central West
    District School Board of Niagara

    Karla Bailey
    Central West
    Peel District School Board

    Michael Barrett
    Treatment School Authorities
    Grandview School Authority

    Shannon Binder
    Eastern
    Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board

    Greg Bowman
    Northern (East)
    Algoma District School Board

    Becky Buck
    Central West
    Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

    Julia Burgess
    Western
    Greater Essex County DSB

    Esther Childs
    Central East
    Trillium Lakelands District School Board

    David Cornish
    Northern (West)
    Keewatin-Patricia District School Board

    Donna Danielli
    Regional Chair, Central West
    Halton District School Board

    Donna Edwards
    Central East
    Durham District School Board

    Jeanne Gray
    Central West
    Halton District School Board

    David Green
    Enrolment Representative
    Peel District School Board

    Susan Humphries
    Regional Chair, Eastern
    Renfrew County District School Board

    Jennifer Jennekens
    Eastern
    Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

    Elaine Johnston
    Chair, Indigenous Trustees’ Council
    Algoma District School Board

    Jan Johnstone
    Western
    Bluewater District School Board

    Jaine Klassen Jeninga
    Regional Chair, Central East
    Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

    Judy Kosmerly
    Northern (East)
    Rainbow District School Board

    Jeff Lehman
    Northern (West)
    Rainy River District School Board

    Diane Lloyd
    Central East
    Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

    Jodi Lloyd
    Central East
    Simcoe County District School Board

    Martha MacNeil
    Central West
    Upper Grand District School Board

    Nadeem Mahmood
    Central East
    York Region District School Board

    David McDonald
    Eastern
    Upper Canada District School Board

    Kathy McDonald
    Chair, Black Trustees’ Caucus
    Peel District School Board

    Karen McGregor
    Eastern
    Limestone District School Board

    Marilyn McLeod
    School Authorities
    Moose Factory Island DSAB

    Kelly Miller
    Central East
    Durham District School Board

    Sherri Moore
    Western
    Thames Valley District School Board

    Arlene Morell
    Regional Chair, Western
    Thames Valley District School Board

    Jason Nesbitt
    Northern (West)
    Superior-Greenstone District School Board

    Zakir Patel
    Central East
    Toronto District School Board

    Scott Piatkowski
    Central West
    Waterloo Region District School Board

    Kathryn Pierroz
    First Vice-President
    Rainy River District School Board

    Lori-Ann Pizzolato
    Western
    Thames Valley District School Board

    Rosemary Pochopsky
    Northern (East)
    District School Board Ontario North East

    Karthi Rajamani
    Eastern
    Renfrew County District School Board

    Kelley Robertson
    Western
    Lambton Kent District School Board

    Neethan Shan
    Central East
    Toronto District School Board

    Lynn Scott
    Eastern
    Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

    Elizabeth Sinclair
    Central East
    York Region District School Board

    Ryan Sitch
    Northern (West)
    Lakehead District School Board

    Patricia Smith
    Western
    Avon Maitland District School Board

    Bill Steer
    Regional Chair, Northern
    Near North District School Board

    Claudine VanEvery-Albert
    Central West
    Grand Erie District School Board

    Deborah Williams
    Enrolment Representative
    Toronto District School Board

    Kathleen Woodcock
    President
    Waterloo Region District School Board

  • Members of OPSBA’s two core Work Groups play a meaningful role in advancing the Association’s identified priorities through the initiatives they accomplish. These Work Groups focus on OPSBA’s identified priorities and take on tasks that are aimed at action on the Association’s priorities.

    EDUCATION PROGRAM WORK GROUP

    This work group provides recommendations to the Board of Directors/Executive Council on issues related to education program reform, children’s services and social policy, including, but not restricted to: program restructuring, secondary school reform; curriculum; information technology; special education programs; College of Teachers, teacher training; early learning; school to work/college/university linkages; Education Quality and Accountability Office; quality, accountability, testing and assessment; immigration, poverty and settlement and any additional needs and services in this area.

    Staff Resource

    Erin Kelly, Director of Program Policy

    Work Group Members (2024-25)

    Kelly Miller, Durham, Central East
    Debbie King, Toronto, Central East (also serves as Black Trustees’ Caucus Representative)
    Kathy McDonald, Peel, Central West
    Carol Ann Sloat, Grand Erie, Central West
    Lynn Scott, Ottawa-Carleton, Eastern
    Karen McGregor, Limestone, Eastern
    Marie Murphy-Foran, Algoma, Northern (E)
    Dave Cornish, Keewatin-Patricia, Northern (W)
    Patricia Smith, Avon Maitland, Western
    Jan Johnstone, Bluewater, Western (Chair)
    Lisa Corbiere-Addison, Rainbow, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative

    Executive Council Liaison

    Michelle Aarts, Second Vice-President, Toronto

    Alternates

    Vacancy, Central East
    Amanda Fehrman, Hamilton-Wentworth, Central West
    Carole Dufort, Upper Canada, Eastern
    Rosemary Pochopsky, Ontario North East, Northern (E)
    Leah Vanderwey, Lakehead, Northern (W)
    Jane Thomson, Bluewater, Western
    Roberta Northmore, Lambton Kent, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative
    Alexis Dawson, Toronto, Black Trustees’ Caucus Representative

    POLICY DEVELOPMENT WORK GROUP

    This work group provides recommendations to the Board of Directors/Executive Council on issues related to the analysis of legislation and the development of OPSBA policy in areas affecting education finance and governance, including, but not restricted to: education finance and education finance reform; assessment, revenue and taxation, operating grants; school capital; financial accounting and reporting; the role of the Ministry, school boards, school councils; municipal election issues; education restructuring, deregulation and privatization; and any additional needs and services in this area.

    Staff Resource

    Jennifer McIntyre, Director of Policy

    Work Group Members (2024-25)

    Donna Edwards, Durham, Central East
    Shelley Laskin, Toronto, Central East
    Kate Baggott, Niagara, Central West
    Karla Bailey, Peel, Central West
    Amanda Robertson, Hastings and Prince Edward, Eastern
    Michel LaBonte, Upper Canada, Eastern
    Jennifer Sarlo, Algoma, Northern (E)
    Pat Johansen,  Lakehead, Northern (W)
    Julia Burgess, Greater Essex County, Western (Vice-Chair)
    Robert Hunking, Avon Maitland, Western
    Howard Archibald, Ontario North East, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative
    Kelly Miller, Durham, Black Trustees’ Caucus Representative

    Executive Council Liaison

    Kathryn Pierroz, First Vice-President, Rainy River

    Alternates

    Diane Lloyd, Kawartha Pine Ridge, Central East
    Katherine Hauser, Upper Grand DSB, Central West
    Shannon Binder, Hastings and Prince Edward, Eastern
    Judy Kosmerly, Rainbow, Northern (E)
    George Saarinen, Lakehead, Northern (W)
    Sherri Moore, Thames Valley, Western
    Denise Baxter, Indigenous Trustees’ Council Representative
    Stephen Linton, Durham, Black Trustees’ Caucus Representative

  • OPSBA’s Indigenous Trustees’ Council (ITC) is composed of First Nations trustees appointed to school boards, and other Indigenous trustees elected through the municipal electoral process.

    One of OPSBA’s multi-year strategic priorities is Advancing Reconciliation: First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education. We believe that through education we will move towards a Canada where the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians is founded on mutual respect and OPSBA, therefore, supports the Calls to Action of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

    The ITC has engaged in a range of initiatives to support the education of Indigenous students, and to ensure all students are educated about the history and culture of Indigenous peoples. Council members have successfully worked on revisions to the mandatory curriculum to include treaty education, the history and legacy of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, the High Arctic relocation, the Powley Decision, and the impact of the Indian Act.

    For the 2024-25 school year, Algoma DSB Trustee Elaine Johnston serves as the Chair of the Indigenous Trustees’ Council (ITC) and sits as the Council’s representative on the OPSBA Board of Directors and Executive Council.

  • OPSBA’s Black Trustees’ Caucus (BTC) brings together publicly elected or appointed trustees who identify as Black, in a supportive environment where they may collaborate to influence change.

    One of OPSBA’s multi-year strategic priorities is Student Success, Equity, and Well-Being in order to promote and advance high-quality, equitable, and inclusive learning environments to support student success and well-being. The BTC engages in a range of initiatives and partnerships to support this priority.

    Established in 2022, the Caucus focuses on the educational experiences of Black students, mentors Black student trustees, works to ensure all students, families, and school boards are aware of the issues that currently and historically impact student achievement, and highlights practices that have positive impacts. Caucus members use data to support the Ontario education system in making informed recommendations on various educational outcomes and teachings for Black students.

    For the 2024-25 school year, Peel DSB Trustee Kathy McDonald serves as the Chair of the Black Trustees’ Caucus (BTC) and York Region DSB’s Trustee Dr. Elizabeth Sinclair serves as the Vice-Chair of BTC.

    For more information, contact inquiry@opsba.org.

    September 29, 2023 – OPSBA Black Trustees’ Caucus Submission to the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Consultation on Anti-Black Racism in Education