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Staff
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We employ professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds including health sciences, evaluation, research, knowledge exchange, communications, administration and more.
You can reach Centre staff by phone at 613-737-2297 and dialing their extension, or by email.
Executive
Our executive sets our entire team up for success. These individuals set direction, seek out emerging trends and work to inform practice and policy initiatives across the sector.
Executive Director
Email Purnima
ext. 3769
| Purnima's bio |
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Purnima Sundar (PhD) is the executive director at the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health (the Centre). Along with the leadership team, she sets the vision and strategy for the Centre. Purnima has over 20 years of experience doing community-based, participatory action research, evaluation, implementation and knowledge mobilization in the areas of child and youth mental health and race/equity. Purnima’s training has been in the fields of psychology and social work, with a focus on community development and social planning. Since joining the Centre in 2008, she has worked with government partners across ministries, agency leaders and young people and their families to ensure high-quality, evidence-based mental health service delivery for Ontario’s children and youth. |
Interim Director, Special Projects and Operations
Email Melissa
ext. 3720
| Melissa's bio |
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Melissa Jennings (she/her) is the interim director of special projects and operations at the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health. She has a master’s degree in child studies and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Early in her career, she was involved in a range of program evaluation and community-based research initiatives in the areas of school-age child care, early years, social-emotional learning, violence against women and programming for seniors. Melissa joined the Centre’s leadership team eight years ago and has led the evaluation support program, the knowledge broker team and most recently key internal planning- and performance-related activities. In her interim role, Melissa oversees the Centre’s operations. |
The Centre team
| Administration |
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This team is the backbone of the Centre. Team members make sure we pay our bills, spend wisely and demonstrate our impact.
Allanna Dagley
Émilie St-Jean Savoie ext. 3316
Mageya Castedo
Samantha Watters |
| Communications |
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Our communications team works strategically across the organization and with each of our project teams to ensure that we are effectively communicating what we do.
ext. 3388
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| Data and quality improvement |
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This team uses its expertise to support others working in child and youth mental health to evaluate their work and make sure they are being the best they can be. Team members also do the same for the Centre, holding us accountable in our pursuit of excellence.
Sandra Huang Del Frari
Tara McFadden
Project Coordinator
Kristina Rohde
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| Knowledge mobilization |
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Our knowledge mobilization team makes information accessible, understandable and usable for those who need it most. Team members’ expertise helps align research, policy and practice to improve outcomes for children, youth and families.
Ashley Radomski ext. 3475
Ashley Charbonneau
Nicole Summers
Huma Muhammadi
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| Youth and family engagement and quality standards |
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This team supports our sector partners and others across the child and youth mental health system to meaningfully engage youth and families in Ontario. Team members also help us to fulfill our commitment to do so in our own work.
Melissa Edwards
Natalie Markoff
Josianne Fernandez
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