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Appointee Biographies

Human Rights Legal Support Centre

ENA CHADHA

Ena Chadha is a lawyer and proud member of the South Asian community of Brampton. Ena recently served as Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and co-reviewer of the systemic racism review of the Peel District School Board. She previously served as a Vice-Chair with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (2007-2015) and Director of Litigation with ARCH: Disability Law Centre (1999-2007). She has appeared before various courts, including prominent constitutional challenges at the Supreme Court of Canada. She has a Journalism degree, LL.B. and LL.M. Ena holds certificates in Advance Alternate Dispute Resolution; Intensive Trial Advocacy; and Mental Health Law. She teaches Power & Politics Schulich School of Business and has published extensively on equality rights. Ena conducts impartial investigations into complex allegations of racism, harassment, bullying and toxic environments. As a recent survivor, Ena participates in breast cancer charitable initiatives.

MARY JOE (MARIA JOSE) FREIRE

Mary Joe Freire’s career and community involvement has been focused in areas that improve people’s lives. Early in her career, she was the Executive Director of The Portuguese Information Centre in Cambridge, Ontario. Later, as an employee in the Ontario Public Service, she progressed in various roles and eventually retired as a Regional Director from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. As a Regional Director, she worked in the Northern and South-Western regions of Ontario. Her community contributions have included board memberships in the not for profit sector, volunteering in the long-term care sector, and, most recently with the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre. Mary Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Queen’s University. She also completed an Executive Leadership program at The Rotman School of Management. Her combined employment, community service and education has contributed to her understanding of, and commitment to social justice issues, governance and accountability.

ENA CHADHA

Ena Chadha is an experienced human rights lawyer, investigator, educator and mediator. A proud member of the South Asian community of Brampton, she has dedicated her career to equality rights and conflict resolution. Ena served as Vice-Chair with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario from 2007 to 2015, where she rendered noteworthy decisions in the area of racial discrimination, sexual harassment and disability accommodation. Previously, Ena was Director of Litigation with ARCH: Disability Law Centre and worked as counsel with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. She has litigated before various court levels, including prominent Constitutional challenges before the Supreme Court of Canada, advancing Charter rights in workers compensation, immigration law and government services. Ena has a Journalism degree from Ryerson, a LLB from University of Saskatchewan and a LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School. Ena has spoken and published extensively on gender, race, disability and harassment.

MARTIAL MOREAU

Martial Moreau was granted the volunteer service award from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, for community volunteer recognition to the United Way Sault Ste Marie and Algoma District. Provincially, he served as a member of the Council of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario and holds a Certificate of Service with such College. He is an active member of the Human Resources Advisory Committee to the Board of Directors at the Victoria Order of Nurses (VON) in Ottawa. Mr. Moreau graduated from the University of Ottawa and holds a Financial Management Advisor designation from the Canadian Securities Institute.

TAMAR WITELSON

Tamar Witelson is the Director of Legal Services at the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, which provides legal services and other supports to survivors of gender-based violence. Tamar has worked for 20 years in several areas of social justice law. She was the Legal Director at METRAC Action on Violence; has practiced as a union-side labour and human rights lawyer; she worked on Constitutional and Charter issues as a lawyer at the Constitutional Law Branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General; she was counsel at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario; as well as staff lawyer at the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). Tamar has developed legal education resources related to gender-based violence in the areas of family, immigration, employment, and sexual violence law. She has co-written public statements on the impact of legislation on women, in the areas of family, immigration and criminal law, has made submissions before a committee of the House of Commons, and has worked on facta for cases before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Tamar was a clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada and before going to law school, she worked for twelve years as a television journalist. Tamar holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University, a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Ottawa as well as a Master of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Toronto.

GARY PIETERS

Gary Pieters has been an educator for over 25 years and is currently a principal with Toronto District School Board (TDSB). He is a social justice champion whether as president of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) from 2012-2015; advising the provincial government on Equity in Education as a member of the Ontario Ministry of Education, Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education (MACSE); or as a member of the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) Modernization in Measurement Advisory Panel. He is also Vice-Chair and a Member of the Toronto Islands Residential Community Trust Corporation. His extensive knowledge base and experience are leveraged through community building, youth engagement, through an equity, inclusion, diversity, anti-racist, anti-oppression and dismantling anti-Black racism lens.

SANDI BELL

Sandi Bell serves as a member (part-time) for Patient and Family Advisory Council, and is President of EMPOWWORD Inc. Sandi’s community involvement includes serving as a Chair for Hospital Standards Committee.