Appointee Biographies

SUSAN CLARKE

Susan Clarke has been an Adjudicator with the Animal Care Review Board, and the Fire Safety Commission since 2017. Prior to this she was active in the fire protection field for 30+ years. She worked as a Fire Protection Engineer at the Office of the Fire Marshal for 27 years and was responsible for Fire Marshal Reviews of Inspection Orders, training, delivering presentations, and writing articles, as well as participating in the Fire Code writing team. She has also worked as a municipal official and as a consulting engineer. Ms. Clarke has been a member of, and later in a leadership position with the Canadian Fire Safety Association and the Code Interpretations Advisory Committee (OBC). She has supported her local community by serving as Director on several boards. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree (Civil Engineering) from the University of Waterloo. and a Master of Business Administration from York University.

ZIBA HEYDARIAN

Ziba Heydarian is a lawyer, mediator, and focuses on dispute resolution. Ms. Heydarian holds a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and has a Honours Bachelor of Law from the University of Toronto in Human Biology and Ethics, Society, and Law. Prior to her appointment she practices civil litigation, real estate law, wills & estates, trademarks, and corporate law. Ms. Heydarian also has past experience working as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Federal Court of Canada and was a former member of the Iranian Canadian Legal Professionals Association.

EMMA RHODES

Emma Rhodes is a lawyer with a practice that focuses on child and youth law. She has represented young people for all criminal matters in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. She also represents children as a panel lawyer for the Office of the Children's Lawyer. Emma also works with the College of Early Childhood Educators and is a roster member on the Discipline/Fitness to Practice Committee for the Ontario College of Teachers.

ROBERT PATCHETT

Robert Patchett, of Ottawa, is a Vice-Chair (part-time) of the Landlord and Tenant Board and Lieutenant-Colonel Infantry Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, and former Senior Strategic Policy Advisor and Senior Military Advisor, Department of National Defence/Canadian Forces Housing Agency. His community involvement includes serving as Branch Service Officer with the Royal Canada Legion.

LINDSAY LAKE

Lindsay Lake has been an Adjudicator with the Licence Appeal Tribunal, the Animal Care Review Board, and the Fire Safety Commission since 2018. Prior to these roles, Lindsay was a Municipal Prosecutor and Solicitor with the City of London conducting prosecutions under several statutes and routinely appearing before all levels of court. Lindsay has also served as a part-time member on the Landlord and Tenant Board. Lindsay completed her B.A. in Women's Studies at Western University, her LL.B. at the University of Windsor, and both the Certificate and Advanced Certificate in Adjudication for Administrative Agencies, Boards, and Tribunals at Osgood Hall Law School. Lindsay has served on several municipal advisory committees, teaches Tribunal Practice and Procedure at Fanshawe College, is a member of the Family Advisory Council at the London Health Sciences Centre, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection and Victim Services of Middlesex-London.

AVRIL FARLAM

Avril Farlam is a lawyer, Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, a Vice Chair of the Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal, former chair of the CPP/OAS Administrative Review Tribunal and City of Windsor Hearing Officer. Ms. Farlam holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor Law School. Ms. Farlam has served on the Council of the Ontario Bar Association and the Board of Directors of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators, and serves on the Education Committee of the Ontario Deputy Judges Association. Ms. Farlam has taught Advocacy at the Law Society of Ontario Bar Admission Course, taught at St. Clair College and sponsored a student scholarship through the Women's Law Association of Ontario.

RAYMOND RAMDAYAL

Raymond Ramdayal is an Environmental Health Specialist with Toronto Public Health and holds a graduate degree in science from Ryerson University. He is a part-time professor in the School of Health & Life Sciences at Conestoga College and is the past President of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. Mr. Ramdayal is a seasoned adjudicator and has served as board director with the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators. He has received appointments to various tribunals including the Ontario Parole Board, Fire Safety Commission, Licence Appeal Tribunal, and Animal Care Review Board. Mr. Ramdayal also conducts disciplinary hearings for the Ontario College of Trades. He has served his community in many capacities including as a volunteer firefighter for the City of Brampton and a mentor for at-risk youth in the City of Toronto.

SANTINA MOCCIO

Santina Moccio is an experienced adjudicator. She has worked in this role as a past member of the Ontario Parole Board and the Landlord & Tenant Board and remains cross-appointed to other constituent tribunals. She is a member of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators & Regulators. Previously, she worked as a law clerk at firms in Toronto and Hamilton. Her community service includes serving in leadership roles on various boards and committees in Hamilton and Niagara.

MATTHEW LETOURNEAU

Matthew Létourneau is a part-time member with the Licence Appeal Tribunal as well as the Animal Care Review Board, the Fire Safety Commission and the Ontario Parole Board. He is the French Services Lead for Tribunals Ontario. Mr. Létourneau is a lawyer and member of the Law Society of Ontario. He practices employment, labour and administrative law in Ontario and Federally, in both French and English. He holds a Bilingual Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Alberta’s Faculty St. Jean and a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law’s French Common Law Program. Mr. Létourneau is active in the French Language Community of Ontario with over a decade of volunteer involvement.

MERYN STEEVES

Meryn Steeves is a lawyer who has spent the past five years building her practice in Family Law, Real Estate, Wills & Estates, and Civil Litigation. She resides in Peterborough, Ontario. Originally from New Brunswick, Meryn earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from St. Thomas University in Fredericton. During that degree, she spent a semester studying in Sweden, where she met her husband. She then attended the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, where she co-chaired the Student Animal Law Association at Dalhousie (SALAD). Meryn summered and articled at one of the three largest law firms in Halifax before moving to Peterborough and joining John McGarrity at his full-service law firm, which later became Steeves & McGarrity Law. She volunteers as the Vice Chair of the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF).

ANDREW GAWUR

Andrew Gawur has over 17 years experience in the pet industry as a successful business owner. His community involvement includes volunteering for Scouts Canada (GTR). He is a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award Recipient and a Queen’s Venturer. He is active in independently assisting Ukrainian families fleeing the war zone and relocating in Ontario. He has a passion for the outdoors, spending time in the Haliburton Highlands and Kawartha Lakes Regions with his two dogs.

NICOLE GAJRAJ

Nicole Gajraj is an accomplished public servant, having worked with the Centre of Forensic Sciences as a Senior Forensic Scientist. Following this, Ms Gajraj conducted investigations under the provisions of The Law Society Act with the Law Society of Ontario's Professional Regulations Department. Most recently, her work has focused on combating human trafficking for five Police Services in Grey and Bruce County. Ms Gajraj holds a Master in Public Policy, Administration and Law (MPPAL) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Justice System Administration (GradDIP). She has testified as an expert witness at all levels of Court in Ontario and has been a visiting Instructor with the Ontario Police College. Her community involvement has included being a Director with Crime Stoppers and a member of The Blue Mountains Arts and Culture Council. Ms Gajraj is a proud advocate for the LGBTQ community.

ALISA CHAPLICK

Alisa Chaplick has a range of experience in adjudication. She is the Vice-Chair of the Discipline Committee of the Home Construction Regulatory Authority. In addition, she is a Member of both the Discipline Committee and the Registration Committee of the Professional Engineers Ontario and a Member of the Discipline Committee of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Ms. Chaplick was formerly a member of the City of Toronto Dangerous Dog Review Tribunal. She has worked as an Investigation Counsel at the Law Society of Ontario, Legal Counsel at the Ontario Realty Corporation and as an Associate at Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber LLP. She has also served as a Law Clerk at the Federal Court of Canada. Ms. Chaplick received her LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School and her LL.M from New York University School of Law.

JAMES RHODES

James Rhodes is a lawyer that has been practicing for almost 22 years. He graduated with a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Toronto and subsequently went on to pursue a law degree that was granted in 1998 from University of Manitoba. His articling was completed at the Tax Court of Canada and he was called to the Ontario bar in 1999. James Rhodes has worked at the accounting firms of KMPG and PwC, and then worked for the Federal Department of Justice representing the government. Subsequently, he worked as a sole proprietor and then worked at Miller Thomson developing a tax dispute practice. Currently, he works as a sole proprietor under the name TaxationLawyers representing individuals, corporations, and municipal entities across Canada at the audit, appeals, and before the Tax Court of Canada and Federal Court of Appeal.

RON KATZ

Ron Katz is an experienced adjudicator, who first joined Tribunals Ontario in 2021 as a part member of the Criminal Injury Compensation Board. In January 2022 he was appointed as a part time member of the Social Benefits Tribunal, where he remains, cross-appointed with the Animal Care Review Board and Fire Safety Commission. In his spare time, he enjoys being with his family, playing and watching sports.

DEBRA BACKSTEIN

Debra Backstein graduated from the University of Toronto in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1998 Debra graduated with an LLB from the University of Western Ontario and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1998. Debra has practiced civil litigation in Toronto for over 20 years. In her career, she has represented both the insurance companies as well as plaintiffs. She continues to be a lawyer and a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

TASSIA POYNTER

Tassia Poynter is a lawyer and a writer. Currently, she writes decisions for a statutory committee at a regulatory body. Previously, she maintained a civil litigation practice focusing on labour, employment, and human rights law, in addition to advancing class actions on behalf of employees and other groups. Prior to her legal career, Ms. Poynter was a television news producer for a decade.

ROBERT DOWHAN

Robert Dowhan (Bob) resides in Guelph Ontario. Bob is a lawyer practicing in the area of Civil Litigation. Bob was called to the bar in 2001 and began his practice with the law firm Smith Valeriote in Guelph. On January 1, 2022, after twenty (20) years of practice, Bob moved to join Dolden Wallace Folick a national firm with offices in cities across Canada. Bob is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and has appeared before all levels of Court in Ontario and multiple provincial and federal tribunals and panels. Bob is married with three children ranging from 13 to 18 years of age.

MARK SRAGA

Mark Sraga, of Caledon, is a former Director of Building Services and Municipal Law Enforcement Department and former Chief Building Official for the Town of Caledon. He is also a former Director of Investigation Services and former Deputy Chief Building Official for the City of Toronto.

PAUL STOPCIATI

Paul Stopciati, of Sudbury, is currently a public member of the Council of The College of Psychologists of Ontario with the Ministry of Health and is the owner of a fire protection business. His community involvement has included serving as a board member of the Greater City of Sudbury Library Board.

PETER SIMMONS

Peter Simmons is an experienced public sector executive serving as Chief Administrative Officer, Commissioner and Vice-President with municipal, regional, and provincial governments at operational and corporate administrative levels. Preceded by 10 years of construction management experience he is also the former Director of Municipal and Community Engagement with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). A graduate of universities in Canada, the US and UK, he holds both Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees and is active in the community having served as past Vice-Chair of the Canadian Mental Health Association (Peel-Dufferin), and currently as a Director with the Brantford Symphony Orchestra.

MINDY CATERINA

Mindy Caterina is a Toronto and Hamilton based lawyer with a practice which focuses on appeals, professional discipline, and criminal/regulatory matters. Prior to starting her law practice, she was an appellate lawyer with two boutique firms and a federal prosecutor. She has argued cases before all levels of court in Ontario, including the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Tax Court of Canada, and has intervened in a case before the Supreme Court of Canada.

ANXHELA (ANGELA) PECO

Anxhela (Angela) Peco is a Toronto-based lawyer and policy professional, working primarily in the field of professional regulation. She earned her law degree from the University of Ottawa and holds a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University. Ms. Peco currently volunteers on the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Mass Disaster Response.

ASHLEY DEATHE

Ashley (Ash) Deathe is a lawyer and workplace investigator in Ottawa, having appeared at all levels of court as well as various boards and tribunals. Most recently, she was one of the counsels to the Independent Assessor under the Merlo Davidson class action settlement agreement, addressing claims related to gender- and sexual orientation-based harassment and discrimination towards women in the RCMP from 1974 to 2017. She is a graduate of the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law and was called to the bar in 2009. She holds a Master of Law from New York University. In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Deathe volunteers on the boards of several charitable organizations

SEAN WEIR

Sean Weir was CEO of Canada’s largest national law firm from 2000 to July 1, 2018. In his legal practice, Mr. Weir advised financial institutions, corporations and major pension funds. Active in his community, Mr. Weir served as an elected Councillor of the Town of Oakville, a director of the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and a Director and Chair of Oakville Hydro. Mr. Weir was named a “Diversity Champion” by Women of Influence Magazine, received the Lexpert Zenith Managing Partner Award for Corporate Social Responsibility and was listed in the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.