Appointee Biographies

PATRICE BARNES

Patrice Barnes, of Whitby, is Co-Chair of the Equity and Diversity Committee and Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee for the Durham District School Board. Patrice’s community involvement includes serving as a member of the Education Program Work Team for the Ontario Public School Board Association.

ZOHAIB MALHI

Zohaib Malhi is a renowned businessman and community activist dedicated to empowering youth through positive development, engagement, and support. With a strong passion for community service, He has community Contributions: Arranged food donations for GTA food banks and raised over $3 million for hospital foundations across Canada. He is recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award, Spirit of Etobicoke Award, and Durham Community Champion Medallion. Leadership Roles, Board Member of Lakeridge Health Foundation, former Chair of Run for Vaughan charity event, Director of Mercy for Mankind (2022-2024), and Member of Heritage Vaughan Committee. Zohaib serves as a director, advisor, and consultant on various boards, engaging in civic, interfaith, and multifaith initiatives.

HENRY WALL

Henry passionately believes that positive youth development, engagement, opportunities, and support are critical components to a framework that allows young people to develop their full potential. By providing youth with a voice and meaningful engagement through community involvement and collaboration, young people are better equipped to build upon their strengths and develop skillsets and connections that they need to be successful in both life and in the workforce. Living in Northwestern Ontario for the past twelve years has provided Henry with a great appreciation for the beauty, diversity, and unique challenges, both financial and cultural, that rural and remote communities face. The opportunity has also allowed him to gain necessary knowledge and understanding to develop and foster relationships and partnerships with First Nation Communities and Indigenous Organizations. Henry Wall is a hands-on leader with twelve years of expertise in the Municipal Sector. He began his career as the Treasurer and Director for Finance for the Municipality of Sioux Lookout; making him one of the youngest municipal Treasurers in the Province. Since November of 2014, he has been the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Kenora District Services Board (KDSB). Henry has a proven record of managing a diverse range of teams by engaging staff to achieve ambitious strategic priorities, as well as developing and implementing policies, and establishing internal controls. As CAO of the KDSB, Henry is responsible for the operations, transformation and development of the region’s Emergency Medical Services, Community and Housing Sector, Social Assistance and Pre-Employment Programs, Early Years and Child Care Programs, Homelessness Sector and Non-Profit Housing Sector. Henry’s leadership philosophy is straightforward: with strong vision, collective-forward thinking and engaged employees, any organization can achieve great things. During his term, KDSB has become a fully integrated organization focused on providing full wrap-around services and support for families. The organization has grown from being a Service Manager and Housing Provider of safe, affordable housing to administering Emergency Homeless Shelters, and developing Supportive and Transitional Housing. Henry strives to empower communities to implement positive health and social system change.

JASON OTTEY

Jason Ottey is the Director of Government Relations and Communications for LiUNA Local 183 where he provides direction, advocacy and strategic advice on construction related issues at all three levels of government. Prior to joining LiUNA Local 183, he was the Director of Research and Policy for RESCON, where he represented the interests of single and multi-family residential builders across the GTA. He is graduate of McMaster of University and the University of Toronto, receiving Master of Arts in Political Science and Master of Industrial Relations respectively.

RACHEL AARONS

Rachel Aarons is a DEI enthusiast whose experiences working as a marketing and finance research assistant, while competing internationally on Schulich’s Case Competition Team have inspired her to adopt practical and solution-oriented approaches to addressing social and political issues in the Black community. As a former member of the Ontario Securities Commission DEI team, she has published toolkits including the “How to Support Racialized Employees in Times of Tragedy” toolkit to instill a culture of diversity and equity companywide. As the Vice President, Community Partnerships at the Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals, she directs funding and partnerships to support the career development of Black early- and senior-level talent. As well, she works at SponsorshipX and the Black Talent Initiative (BTI), where she has managed partnerships with OLG, RBC, Scotiabank, Microsoft, NFL, The Globe and Mail, and Meridian Credit Union, in aiming to empower Black youth with equal opportunities.

JOHN AYEMOBA

John has a true passion for problem-solving, data analysis, and community impact. As a resident in the SIS program, he received a full M2M scholarship from the Pinball Clemons Foundation. He earned an advanced diploma in Business Administration from George Brown College in 2022, achieving Dean's List honors for six terms. His internships at CIBC ignited his love for data analytics. After graduating, John joined a leading healthcare procurement firm, playing a pivotal role in championing strategic data-driven initiatives. John collaborates with The Whiteboard Collective, a social enterprise that removes barriers and creates a clear pathway for employment for marginalized communities across Canada. Here, John leads data and research initiatives across the country that fuel growth and community impact, creating over 185 employment outcomes. John continues to volunteer with various organizations, applying his skills to foster positive change and enhance community development.

CARRIE MCEACHRAN

Carrie McEachran is the Chief Executive Officer of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce. She previously served as the Executive Director of Sarnia-Lambton Rebound and also held leadership positions at Community Living Sarnia and Pathways Health Centre for Children. She carries a master’s degree in leadership from Royal Roads University, a developmental services worker diploma from Loyalist College and a non-profit management certificate from Western University. Her community involvement includes being an active Rotarian for 18 years where she served a term as President of the Rotary Club of Sarnia. She currently serves as a board member for the Sarnia Lambton Economic Partnership, Arlanxeo CAP member, Business PAC member at Lambton College, and served previous terms on boards for North Lambton Community Health Centre, Sarnia-Lambton Physician Recruitment Taskforce, Sarnia-Lambton Social Services Network and PAVRO (Professional Association of Volunteer Leaders-Ontario).

SUNNY PATHAK

Sunny Pathak is the President of NewPath Sports & Entertainment Inc., a leading sports marketing agency that brings together top athletes, brands, and organizations to form winning partnerships that deliver impactful results. With a foundation built on years of experience, hard work, grit, and authenticity, Sunny consistently goes the extra mile, embodying a championship mindset that has forged compelling connections for renowned brands such as Nike, Timberland, Under Armour, AMEX, Levi’s, Wonderful Pistachios, Toronto International Film Festival, Ruffles, Heineken, Sapporo, Chevrolet, Twitch and BioSteel Sports Nutrition. As an entrepreneur, Sunny recognizes the significance of skills development, training, and seizing opportunities for success. He firmly believes that we all bear a responsibility to ensure that the choices we make today pave the way for a better tomorrow.

STEVEN DOHERTY

Steven has over thirty years of experience in the fields of children and family mental health, developmental services, youth addictions treatment, and youth shelter operations. Steven is currently the Executive Director of Youth Without Shelter (YWS) in Etobicoke. YWS has a long history of supporting youth experiencing homelessness. The one of a kind Stay In School (SIS) program allows youth in high school, post secondary or apprenticeship programs to advance their education while living in a safe and supportive environment. With a graduation rate of over 80%, SIS focuses on the elimination of barriers so young people can thrive. YWS strongly embraces and personifies the idea of equality of opportunity through targeted supports including tuition support, mental health and addictions treatment services, wrap around case management, housing supports, and employment and life skills services. Steven has guided YWS through unprecedented growth over his six years as Executive Director.

DOMINIC ROSZAK

Dominic Roszak, of Mississauga, is a director of Government and External Relations for the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Dominic’s community involvement includes serving as President of the Canadian Polish Congress National Executive Board.

ZAHIR BACCHUS

Zahir Bacchus has been serving as an Imam at Jamiat-ul-Ansar Mosque in Brampton for over a decade, guiding the community through teaching, counseling, and service. As head of the Outreach Committee, he launched the Feed the Poor Program, which for the past ten years has prepared and delivered over 500 meals monthly to local shelters across Peel. Under his leadership, the mosque has also organized successful food and toy drives supporting food banks and families in need. A member of the Canadian Council of Imams and the Interfaith Committee of Peel, Shaykh Zahir continues to promote compassion, cooperation, and community care, embodying faith in action through service to others.

MOWLID ALI

Mowlid Ali is a strategic, equity-focused leader with over 15 years of experience advancing youth outcomes across education, workforce development, and community systems. He has led system-level initiatives that address graduation gaps, reduce suspension disparities, and remove structural barriers facing marginalized youth. As Founder and Managing Partner of JMDFlex, Mowlid provides strategic leadership across operations, policy development, and organizational growth, with a strong focus on compliance, sustainability, and impact. His work is grounded in data-informed decision-making and inclusive program design that translates insight into action. In addition to his professional work, Mowlid has served numerous governance and advisory roles, supporting youth engagement, community development, and educational equity across Toronto.

HIRAD ZAFARI

Hirad Zafari, of Toronto, is a Dentist at Toronto Diamond Dental. Hirad’s community involvement has included serving as President of the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association and as a student trustee of the Toronto District School Board.

AINSWORTH MORGAN

Following a career as a professional football player, including a stint with the Toronto Argonauts, Ainsworth Morgan pursued a career in education, obtaining his Bachelor of Education and Master of Education at the Ontario Institute for Students in Education. This was in addition to his Bachelor of Science in Criminology that he received from the University of Toledo prior to entering the CFL. Upon completing his B.Ed., Ainsworth returned to Regent Park, where he had spent his childhood. There, he began his education career as a teacher with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in September 1999. Facilitating equitable access to education is at the core of Ainsworth Morgan’s approach to teaching. It was with that in mind that he accepted a secondment as the Academic Coordinator with the Pathways To Education Program (Regent Park) – a charitable organization created to reduce poverty and increase access to post-secondary education among disadvantaged youth in Canada. In 2012, Ainsworth co-founded the 100 Strong Foundation – a mentoring and advocacy group for Black boys between the ages of 11 to 14. Presently, he also serves on the Board of Directors for White Ribbon Canada – an organization that engages men and boys in the prevention of gender-based violence by promoting equity and transforming social norms, a position he’s held since September of 2017. In his continued service to community, Ainsworth was appointed to the Toronto Police Services Board in January 2020. A dedicated educator, mentor and community organizer for 20 years, Ainsworth is committed to the students and families he serves, both inside and outside the classroom and is currently a Principal at the Toronto District School Board.