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Appointee Biographies

Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee

MICHAEL RAS

Michael Ras is a public affairs and strategic communication professional with broad experience advising a variety of industries, professional bodies and corporations across Canada. Michael is presently Senior Vice President at Counsel Public Affairs. Prior to this position, he was Director of Government & Stakeholder Relations at Meridian Credit Union and prior to that was Executive Director of the Federation of Ontario Law Associations. In his community, Michael is a volunteer Board member with Radius Child & Youth Services, a leading provider of assessment and counselling services to children and families affected by abuse. He is also on the Board of Career Edge, a social enterprise that provides recent graduates and new Canadians employment opportunities through internship work placements. He is also an occasional instructor in the Government Relations certificate program at Seneca College.

MICHAEL RAS

Michael Ras is a public affairs and strategic communication professional with broad experience advising a variety of industries, professional bodies and corporations across Canada. Michael is presently Senior Vice President at Counsel Public Affairs. Prior to this position, he was Director of Government & Stakeholder Relations at Meridian Credit Union and prior to that was Executive Director of the Federation of Ontario Law Associations. In his community, Michael is a volunteer Board member with Radius Child & Youth Services, a leading provider of assessment and counselling services to children and families affected by abuse. He is also on the Board of Career Edge, a social enterprise that provides recent graduates and new Canadians employment opportunities through internship work placements. He is also an occasional instructor in the Government Relations certificate program at Seneca College.

JOHN HENDERSON

John W. Henderson has provided communications services for businesses and non-profit agencies throughout Northwestern Ontario since 1979. Now semi-retired he is involved with numerous local organizations including The North Shore Steelhead Association, Port Arthur Hunt Club and is an avid outdoorsman. Mr. Henderson acts as a mentor through the Community Economic Development Corporation and has had significant work experience with Indigenous economic development in the region. ln addition to degrees from Lakehead University, he holds an Advanced Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Windsor University.

NESTOR PRISCO

Nestor Prisco was appointed Sheriff in 1974. For 31 years, he managed all court operations in Nipissing and Parry Sound Judicial Districts. His community involvement has included serving on North Bay City Council, 52 years with the Rotary Club of North Bay, President with the Bliss-Gillmor Non-Profit Housing Complex Inc., Treasurer, MacKay Homes for Seniors, Huron University College Board (London, Ontario) and the Nipissing Parry Sound District Housing Authority. Mr. Prisco holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Queen's University.

DEBORAH TURNER

Deborah Turner became a member of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Committee in April 2019. Debby has been on the Board of Directors of the local two site hospital since 2012 and is currently Chair of the Fundraising committee and sits also on the Executive committee. Debby has been active in the Community through years of volunteering with the Little Current Figure Skating Club, the Ski Club, Community Service Advisory Committee, Downtown BIA, Classic School of Dance, Holy Trinity Anglican Church Board, Downtown Beautification, Centennial Bridge Committee, Little Current Yacht Club.

RICK WEBSTER

Richard W. Webster is a graduate of Loyalist College in Business Administration. Rick began his entrepreneurial career as a management trainee for a national building supply retailer which culminated in ownership of the Home Hardware Building Supply Centre in Elmvale Ontario that he owned and managed for 25 years. His community commitments over the years include Board positions on TimberMart stores, Simcoe Community Living, Barrie Trojans Swim Club, College of Pharmacy and Committees of Adjustment in two municipalities. He was elected Councillor in Springwater Township and served from 2010-2014. Rick is an active member of Lion’s Club and volunteers at the Barrie Hospital in Cancer care.

TERRI-LYNN COLLINGS

Terri-Lynn Collings became a member of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee in April 2019 and has been the Central West Region Lead since March 2020. Terri-Lynn is a retired police sergeant from the Hamilton Police Service. During her 30-year tenure, Terri-Lynn performed her duties in patrol, crime analysis, community services and crime prevention. As a sergeant she was the voice of the organization as the Media Relations Coordinator, and she investigated crimes against seniors as a detective in the Victims of Crime Unit. She is an active community volunteer raising funds for golf tournaments, participating in the annual Ancaster Food Drive, a committee member of the Ancaster Heritage Days event and a participant in the Hamilton Out of the Cold program.

JP MCAVOY

Jeffrey (JP) McAvoy practices corporate and commercial law at Conduct Law. Called to the bar in 2001, he received his LL.B from Queen’s University in 1999. He represents a diverse range of corporations throughout Canada, the United States, and Eastern Asia. Prior to commencing private practice, he was a founding employee of Silicon Valley start-up Zip2, which was sold to Compaq and later merged with Alta Vista. In addition to practicing law, he is a contributing writer for the New Economy Watch, hosts a popular legal podcast and is a founding member of the North Dundas Business Centre.

PAMELA MUNN

Pamela Munn became a member of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee in January 2019. Ms. Munn attended Wilfrid Laurier University (B.A. History and Philosophy); and the University of Manitoba (LL.B.). Called to the Ontario bar in 2006, Ms. Munn worked as an associate at a general practice in Shelburne, Ontario, then a criminal law practice in London, Ontario before starting her own practice in 2010. Ms. Munn has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario. Ms. Munn returned to school to study Health Sciences; Thanatology; and Grief Literacy. Ms. Munn has also completed a 200- hour Yoga Teacher Training. Ms. Munn is a member of the Middlesex Law Association; a past President of the London Criminal Lawyers’ Association. Ms. Munn is a tutor for the Criminal Law portion of the Bar Examination, an Advisor for the Coach and Advisor Network, and a Law Practice Program assessor.

MANU RAJ

Manu Raj has been employed in the financial services sector for the past two decades, working in progressively senior roles with Canada’s largest bank ranging from leading operational teams, account management, technical sales, and strategic program delivery. He currently works for IGM Financial as Director of Business Architecture and Analysis with responsibility for supporting the Investment Management and Fund Services functions in driving business strategy and enablement. His current focus is on defining and designing business capabilities, processes, and platforms to support their mandates. He has an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business and achieved a mark of “distinction” on his final paper that focused on how Canadian asset managers can use digital transformation to achieve competitive advantage.

NICHOLAS CHARITSIS

Nicholas Charitsis was called to the Ontario Bar in 2004 and became a member of the Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee in March 2019. Nicholas is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1999 from the Schulich School of Business at York University. Upon graduating Nicholas worked at the Toronto law firm of Goodman and Carr LLP, where he was seconded to the Enforcement Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission. Nicholas has worked as a per diem Assistant Crown Attorney and has practiced criminal defence at his own firm Charitsis Law since 2006. He is actively involved with fundraising for the Canadian Diabetes Association, Heart and Stroke Foundation and participates in the Run For Southlake Hospital.

EDWARD (TED) MARKLE

Ted has played senior executive roles in the media, manufacturing, marketing services and software industries in Canada, the USA and France. Mr. Markle’s formal education consists of a B.A from Laurentian University supplemented with studies in strategy and innovation at the executive development schools of McGill, Harvard and Columbia universities. He has also completed the Executive Development Program at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Ted serves on the board of The Mariposa Folk Foundation, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, and is a former board Chair of the Orillia Museum of Art & History.

HOPE BUSET

Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Hope Buset received her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba. She received her Ontario Call to the Bar and her Manitoba Call to the Bar in 2006. She practiced as a lawyer in Manitoba for approximately 10 years before returning to Thunder Bay and joining the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law as the Director of Student Services and Skills in the summer of 2017. She is passionate about working with and mentoring law students and helping them achieve their academic and career goals.

MICHELLE ZARE

Michelle Zare is a paralegal with a career specializing in Workplace Safety and Insurance Law for over 15 years. She established her firm, Zare Paralegal Services Professional Corporation, in 2009. Her practice is devoted to representing injured workers across the province. She also practices in the area of Canada Pension Plan Disability law, regularly appearing at hearings before the Social Security Tribunal of Canada. Her devotion to lifetime learning is seen through her ongoing active participation in co-chairing and speaking at conferences for the Law Society of Ontario and the Ontario Bar Associations’ Workers Compensation Section, as well as her experience teaching part-time in the Paralegal Studies Program at Mohawk College.

OMAR FAROUK

Omar Farouk is a Public Member on Council and of the College of Opticians of Ontario. Former public member of the College of Nurses of Ontario and current member of the Toronto Police Chief’s Muslim Consultative Community. In July 2019, Omar was appointed by The Heritage Minister of Canadian Heritage as a Board of Trustee of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Halifax. In March 2020, Omar was also appointed as a regional member of the Justice of Peace Appointments Advisory Committee of Ontario. Omar also has a Certificate in Conflict Resolution, from York University. In 2012, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Award by the Governor General of Canada. In 2018, he was also a recipient of the inaugural award of Canada's 150 Community Award.

DANIELLE BASTARACHE

Danielle Bastarache is current Senior Enforcement Counsel at the Investment Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Called to the bar in 2007, she received her L.L.B. from the Université de Moncton, New Brunswick, in 2006. She has been an Associate Crown Attorney, a Municipal Prosecutor and has been working in the Administrative Law regulatory sphere since 2013 formerly with the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), and the College of Immigration (CICC). Ms. Bastarache’s first language is French which makes her a bilingual litigation counsel. In addition to practising law, she volunteers for Big Brother, Big Sister, the CAN Network for the Law Society of Ontario, volunteers with the St. John Mission of Compassion and has spent numerous years volunteering at animal shelters both in Canada and abroad. She also teaches French part-time to her work colleagues, judges of provincial nomination and other members of the public sector.

LORRAINE HIRST

Lorraine is a lifelong volunteer. For over 30 years she has served her community by leading fundraisers and organizing large events for not-for-profits, including the coordination of catering, decorating and clean-up for these events. Lorraine volunteers her time at food banks, local meal providing centres, as a political campaign volunteer, and has provided many hours of help for various charity fundraisers. She has also assisted the librarian and been a classroom helper in her children’s school. She sits on the executive board for a community not-for-profit thrift store and donates her time there as well. Lorraine is a trained doula. She has worked in office administration and in the advertising department of a local city newspaper, The Hamilton Spectator.

KATHY NARRAWAY

Kathy Narraway, of Toronto, retired as a principal after 30 years with the Peel Board of Education. Ms. Narraway was a former Board Member at Our Place Peel (a youth shelter) and a long-time member of the Peel Sports Advisory Board. Currently an active volunteer on the local School Council, her long-standing community involvement included volunteering with the Triangle Prom for Queer Youth, coaching basketball, and organizing annual fundraising/community dances for the Youth Crisis Line. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science from Queen's University in math and computer science.

KAREN MCCLEAVE

Karen McCleave is a lawyer who devoted her career to public service as an Assistant Crown Attorney in several judicial districts. She handled a varied caseload, including domestic and sexual assault, child abuse, complex fraud and homicide. Karen has been on stakeholder committees, such as regional child abuse protocols and community partnering. She has been a wiretap agent and provincial mentor for sexual violence cases. Karen taught Crown Attorneys, Provincial and Municipal Prosecutors, Police and others on various legal topics. She is the recipient of two Ontario Excelsior Awards for "outstanding achievement". She has served on Boards of Directors, both professional and community based, and currently sits on the Board of Trustees at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Volunteer work includes many community causes and fund-raising.

JANET HARNDEN

Janet Harnden is Owner of Pinnacle Music Studios, and a former Customer Service Representative for Scotiabank/National Trust. Her community involvement includes formerly serving as a board member for Belleville & District Chamber of Commerce.