Our Current Board of Directors:
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- Grace Patenall, Chair is a mother to a daughter and 2 sons. She has been practicing law for 24 years and, when she is not taking her children to one of their many extra-curricular activities, enjoys exercise, reading and spending time outside. She cherishes time with her family and loves being part of the East York community. Grace joined our board in 2012.
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- Vanessa Stevenson, Secretary has been attending EECC programs since 2016 and joined the board in May 2018. She is of three and a full-time lawyer at Intact Insurance. In her spare time, Vanessa reads for her monthly book club, travels, and spends time with her family.
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- Tina Lines is parent to an active ten year old. She has worked within the not-for-profit sector for more than 15 years, and specializes in program and fund development. She is passionate about child-centered programs locally and internationally. Tina joined our board in 2014.
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- Meredith Briglio first joined the EECC community as a participant, attending programs with her two children. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). In her spare time, Meredith enjoys staying active, cooking and eating delicious food with her family and friends. She joined the Board in May 2017.
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- Rachael Owen-Worden is a mom to a 11yr old girl and 8 yr old boy. Both kids have enjoyed the programs at EECC. Rachael has been a Realtor in the GTA for over 16 years. When she has a spare minute she enjoys baking, crochet and reading. Rachael joined the board in 2018.
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- Mandy Vaughan is a mother of two boys and brings a decade of brand management in kids and family sector. She has a BA in Communications from Wilfrid Laurier University and studied Children’s Media at Centennial College. Mandy is very passionate about community and helping others.
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- Anastasia Zaver is a senior marketer that enjoys the diversity of juggling projects from copywriting and design, events and PR, and everything in between. She became fond of living in East York in just a few short years, volunteering at numerous organizations in the area. With a passion for travel and adventure that came to a halt during the pandemic, and now with a young daughter attached to her hip, she turned her focus on discovering her own end of the city which led her through the doors of the East End Children’s Centre. Shortly after, in May 2022, Anastasia officially joined our Board.
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- Maureen Chow is a mother to a toddler boy and discovered the EECC by participation through its EarlyON program. She is a paralegal who has worked in human rights in the nonprofit and public sectors for over 15 years. Maureen has lived in the east end of Toronto her entire life and seeks out opportunities to be involved in the community. In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball, reading, travelling and spending time with her family.
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- Shivani Lahar was first introduced to EECC as a participant where she attended various classes/sessions with her two children. She became a Board Member in 2023. Shivani has worked in the Financial Services industry for over 15, with an expertise in Governance, Compliance and Risk. She is passionate about the community and fostering a safe and educational environment for children of all backgrounds.