St. Leonard’s is grateful for the Board Members who generously volunteer their time. Their expertise, knowledge, and passion provide direction and stability throughout the entire organization.
Our Board of Directors
Linda’s career development began as a correctional officer in the late ‘70’s, then 19 years in an open custody setting for male youth. Shifting from custody to a community setting, she provided evidence-based programming for youth on probation as Coordinator of an Attendance Centre. Then as Executive Director of Community Organized Support and Prevention, she expanded services to all of Hastings & Prince Edward Counties resulting in the necessity to securing a larger home for COSP at 250 Sidney St, Belleville. Before retiring the end of 2019, Linda assisted in the amalgamation of COSP with St. Leonard’s Home in Trenton.
Why I Volunteer?
Now as Chair of the Board of Directors for St. Leonard’s HPE, I am afforded the opportunity to develop, guide, and grow this organization along with a dedicated group of board directors and accomplished CEO. Volunteering affords me the opportunity to give back to a sector that has supported me for over 30 years. I’m motivated by the knowledge that responsible, effective, and evidence-based/informed programming, along with a caring empathic approach, produces positive results for the youth we serve.
Julie has been a resident in the Belleville area for most of her life. Julie’s working life has been one of service with the Canadian Armed Forces and with Belleville Police Services. Julie worked in finance while serving in the Air Force and then worked and supervised in Operations (patrol, media, quality assurance) and Investigations while policing. Julie has worked on a variety of local boards throughout her policing career. Julie recently retired from policing and hopes to continue to serve her community by volunteering.
Why I Volunteer
I have volunteered in some capacity since I was a young teenager. Volunteering has provided me with opportunities that cultivated lifelong friendships and introduced me to experiences that I would never have had the courage to explore on my own. I would say that balance and change motivate me to continue to volunteer. Change in any organization is hard and necessary. I believe that challenging assumptions and solid communication is key to moving projects forward. I enjoy working on projects that are focused on creating balance for everyone. This led me to the work being done at St. Leonard’s HPE.
Donna’s professional career spans 40 years in finance, IT project management, and software design/development. Her skills include business management, finance, project management, strategic planning, and software design/development. As the past owner of her own consulting firm in the Ottawa area, Donna worked on multiple IT contracts in the telecommunications industry providing project management and software design & development in both small and large teams. For 20 years in Toronto, she worked in finance, primarily in large ticket leasing, progressing from General Accountant to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Why I Volunteer
Working in finance for 20 years and then in IT for another 20 years left minimal free time for volunteering until retirement. With extensive experience in business, Donna can contribute equally as a leader or as a team member. Her volunteer service has included, past Director and President of a condominium board in Picton and now in Trenton as Director and Treasurer of St. Leonard’s Community Support, Prevention and Residential Services. After having sailed to the Bay of Quinte for vacations since 1992, Donna and her husband retired to the Quinte area in 2019.
After graduating from the University of Toronto with B.A.s in Sociology and Philosophy, Paul’s professional career spans almost 40 years in quality management, lean manufacturing, managing newspaper circulation and distribution, and now international student recruitment and enrolment.
As co-Founder of two corporations in Toronto establishing the first database of ISO 9000 registered companies and implementing Continuous Improvement/Toyota Production System learning models in OEMs at automotive suppliers in Southern Ontario, Paul gained international experience and expertise in quality management systems and solutions, and leading organizational transformation through Kaizen into learning corporations.
Working in the Local Community Newspaper arm of the Toronto Star for over a decade brought Paul to Belleville in 2014, where he led a team of 600 carriers and 100 drivers from Northumberland to Kingston, and Prince Edward County to Bancroft.
After the unfortunate shuttering of all local papers east of the GTA as part of the significant downturn in the industry, Paul elected to stay in Belleville where he had laid down roots and called home. For the past two years, Paul has been recruiting, enrolling and assisting international students from Asia at Albert College, where he has grown the demographic of international students here in Belleville to include China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and the Philippines.
Why I Volunteer
Paul was adopted as a child, which left an indelible mark on the importance and value of choosing to give of yourself for someone else. Experiencing such profound generosity is life altering. His mother would lead by example; a life of respect, giving back, and volunteering. “As I chose Belleville as my home, I choose to give back to my community, to hopefully help however I can.”
Ed has been a long-time resident of the Quinte area, where he has dedicated over 40 years of his career to supporting youth and young adults. For the first two decades, Ed worked in a residential facility serving both male and female youth. Beginning as a part-time staff member, he steadily advanced by developing the skills and leadership required to meet the evolving needs of the organization, ultimately serving as Executive Director for his final seven years there.
Recognized for his expertise and commitment, Ed was later appointed by the Ontario Government as a Licensing Specialist for Eastern Ontario, where he ensured that youth facilities complied with Ministry standards designed to protect the safety and well-being of youth in care. His passion for accountability and quality of service led to his selection as a Provincial Investigator, a role he held until his retirement.
Throughout his career, Ed has been guided by a deep commitment to advocacy, safety, and the positive development of young people across Ontario.
Why I Volunteer
For me, it has always been about the youth and young adults. My parents fostered children for most of my life, and through that experience, our family learned that everyone needs a helping hand at some point. We are fortunate to live in a rich and free society, and with that privilege comes the responsibility to give back. I believe we are all called to do better—to support one another and lift up those who need it most. Many young people in our community just need someone to show up for them, and I want to do my part to be part of that support.
Elissa brings strong professional experience in justice, mental health, domestic violence services, and community advocacy to her role as a board member. She has worked in both frontline and program coordination roles supporting youth and adults who face systemic and social barriers. Through this work, Elissa has collaborated with courts, community agencies, service participants, and other community members to address the legal and social factors that contribute to involvement in the justice system. She is currently completing an undergraduate degree in Sociology and holds a diploma in Community and Justice Services, along with additional training in law, policy, research, trauma-informed practice, and crisis intervention. Throughout her career, Elissa has been guided by a commitment to prevention, accountability, and ensuring that young people are supported with dignity, understanding, and meaningful opportunities to succeed.
Why I Volunteer
For me, supporting youth and focusing on the root causes of harm is how we build strong and safe communities for everyone. Informed in part by my own lived experience, as well as the experiences of those I have had the privilege to walk alongside, I believe that young people deserve compassion, stability, and real opportunities to change their path. I want to be part of systems that show up for youth before crisis defines them. This is why St. Leonard’s is where I choose to volunteer my time and energy.
Become a Board Member
If you are interested in contributing in an impactful way to the community and in the lives of youth, please complete an application for consideration.
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