Council Members

Lisa Barazzutti - Public Member

Lisa is a lawyer with a general law practice in Timmins, Ontario and primarily practises in the area of family law including child protection law. She is also a board member for the Timmins and District Humane Society, Timmins Family Counselling and for Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services. Lisa was appointed to the OCSWSSW Council as a public member in 2001.
Committees: Lisa serves on the Executive, Nominating and Governance Committees

Rachel Birnbaum – Elected Social Worker

Rachel is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, King's University College, University of Western Ontario. Her areas of expertise are with children and families undergoing separation and divorce. Rachel was elected President of the College on October 5, 2005 and was re-elected in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Committees: Rachel serves on the Executive, Registration Appeals and Nominating Committees

Susan Clark – Public Member

Susan retired from the Ontario government after 30 years with the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services. She held numerous positions at the senior management level including Deputy Chief Provincial Bailiff; Manager, Inmate Classification and Transfer; and Regional Program Coordinator. Susan holds a BA from York University and a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts (Journalism) from the University of Western Ontario. She was appointed to Council as a public member in 2005.
Committees: Susan serves on the Executive, Registration Appeals and Corporations Committees

Greg Clarke – Elected Social Service Worker

Throughout his 25-year career, Greg has worked in various roles including front-line and management. He is currently a Mental Health and Addiction Clinician with the Peterborough Family Health Team and provides training and workshops for individuals and agencies in the areas of Crisis Intervention, Anxiety / Stress, Fatherhood and Addiction issues. Greg is currently serving a third term as President of the Crisis Workers Society of Ontario. He was elected to Council in May 2008.
Committees: Greg serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Election Committees

Irene Comfort – Elected Social Service Worker

Irene Comfort is a Child and Adolescent Crisis Counsellor with Niagara Child and Youth Services and serves as Treasurer of the Crisis Workers Society of Ontario. Irene is a graduate of the Social Service Worker program at Niagara College and was elected to Council in May 2009.
Committees: Irene serves on the Registration Appeals, Nominating and Finance Committees

Geneviève Côté – Elected Social Worker

Geneviève Côté was elected to the College Council in May 2004 and re-elected in May 2007. She graduated from the Health Social Work program at the University of Ottawa in 1998. Geneviève is currently a Clinical Practice Leader at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre.
Committees: Geneviève serves on the Complaints and Governance Committees

Roman Delicart – Elected Social Service Worker

Roman Delicart is President/CEO of El Shaddai Outreach Inc., a Clinical Director and Addiction Counsellor at the HEART-BEAT Counselling Center, and a Multi-Lingual Access Worker at Wellington County Social Services in Kitchener. Roman was elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000 and re-elected in 2003, 2006 and 2009.
Committees: Roman serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Election Committees

Zita Devan - Public Member

A retiree from Sir Sandford Fleming College, Zita worked with disadvantaged youth, unemployed individuals, social workers and social service workers. She continues to work in her community on a variety of social justice issues. Zita joined the OCSWSSW Council as a public member in October 2000.
Committees: Zita serves on the Complaints, Standards of Practice and Governance Committees

Jack Donegani – Elected Social Service Worker

Jack, a retired Director-General with the Government of Canada, is a certified Alcohol & Drug Addictions Counsellor. Jack has an MBA in Public Administration and is currently employed at Serenity House Inc. in Ottawa. Jack serves on the Board of Directors of the Therapeutic and Educational Living Centres Inc. (TELCI), on the City of Ottawa’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, and is a Team Leader with Ottawa Victims Services. Jack was elected to Council in May 2007.
Committees: Jack serves on the Executive, Complaints and Finance Committees

Danny Gillard – Elected Social Service Worker

Danny Gillard is an honours graduate of the Social Service Worker and Drug and Alcohol Programs at Northern College. Danny offers consulting services for a multi-disciplinary Northern Medical Team and is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of occupational health and wellness programs, policies and procedures throughout electoral district one. Danny was acclaimed to Council in electoral district one in May 2007.
Committees: Danny serves on the Standards of Practice, Corporations and Governance Committees

Anita Gupta - Public Member

Anita is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Professionals' Society, a Division of the Insurance Institute of Canada. Her more than 20 years experience in the business and corporate sector has provided her with extensive knowledge of corporate governance. Anita was appointed to Council in 2003.
Committees: Anita serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Finance Committees

Michael Kopot - Elected Social Worker

Michael is a full-time medical social worker with the Dilico Family Health Team on the Fort William First Nation and works on a casual basis with Creighton Youth Services in Thunder Bay at J.J. Kelso (juvenile detention centre). Michael was first elected to sit on Council as a social work member in May 2002 and re-elected in May 2004 and 2007.
Committees: Michael serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Corporations Committees

Mukesh Kowlessar - Elected Social Service Worker

Elected in 2000 to the first elected College Council and re-elected in 2004 and 2007, Mukesh Kowlessar has been in the social service field for over 20 years. Mukesh is a Manager with the City of London, Community Services Department. His current responsibilities include the Family Support Program and the Appeals Unit. Mukesh was elected College President in September 2009.
Committees: Mukesh serves on the Executive Committee

Kimberley Lewis – Elected Social Service Worker

Kimberley is a graduate of the Social Service Worker program at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. She has worked as a front-line professional in the social service sector since 1999 and is currently a Mental Health and Justice Worker at the Canadian Mental Health Association, York Region and South Simcoe. Kimberley was elected to the College Council in May 2008.
Committees: Kimberley serves on the Registration Appeals, Nominating and Governance Committees

Norman MacLeod – Public Member

Norman William MacLeod is a graduate of the University of Manitoba. He joined Household Financial Corporation and spent 38 years with the company, working in Western Canada and in Toronto as Vice-President, Administration. He has previously served on the boards of Scarborough Grace Hospital, the Ontario Hospital Association (Regional Executive), The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and The Psychology Foundation of Canada. Norman was appointed to Council in June 2005.
Committees: Norman serves on the Complaints, Nominating and Finance Committees

Lily Oddie – Public Member

Prior to being a member of the Canada Immigration and Refugee Board, Dr. Lily Oddie was Executive Director with YWCA of St. Catharines, Manager of Direct Services with the John Howard Society, Director of McMaster University’s Centre for Continuing Education and Coordinator, Institutional Research and Evaluation, Athabasca University. She earned her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Dalhousie University and her Doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta. Lily was appointed to Council in September 2008.
Committees: Lily serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Standards of Practice Committees

John Pretti - Elected Social Worker

John is a social worker who works part time as an individual, marital and family therapist at Daya Counselling Centre. He is also a Capacity Assessor recognized by the Ministry of the Attorney General. Initially elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000, John was re-elected in May 2002, 2004 and 2007.
Committees: John serves on the Executive, Standards of Practice and Finance Committees

Sylvia Pusey – Public Member

Sylvia Pusey has been an educator employed by the former Toronto Board of Education and the current Toronto District School Board, and worked for many years in a wide range of special education programs serving students with special needs in the primary, junior and intermediate grades before returning to regular education programs. She retired from active teaching in June 1998 and was appointed to Council in June 2005.
Committees: Sylvia serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Election Committees

Beatrice Traub-Werner – Elected Social Worker

Since 1999, Beatrice Traub-Werner has been the President and Director of Education at TAPE Educational Services in Toronto. Upon completion of her M.S.W. at the University of Toronto, Beatrice worked as a clinical social worker before becoming Admissions Coordinator and Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Beatrice was elected to Council in May 2008.
Committees: Beatrice serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise and Election Committees

Hendrik (Henk) Van Dooren – Elected Social Worker

Henk Van Dooren is the Director of the Christian Counselling Centre in Burlington, Ontario. He is also employed as a mental health counsellor with the Hamilton Family Health Team and is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at McMaster University. Henk was elected to the College Council in May 2009.
Committees: Henk serves on the Complaints, Standards of Practice and Nominating Committees

Angela Yenssen – Elected Social Worker

Angela Yenssen is currently Acting Manager of Admissions, Social Work and Spiritual Care at Sunnyside Long-Term Care Home in Kitchener, Ontario. She obtained her MSW from Wilfrid Laurier University and recently completed her Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law at York University. Angela was elected to Council in May 2009.
Committees: Angela serves on the Discipline, Fitness to Practise, Election and Governance Committees