Lisa Barazzutti—Public Member
Lisa is a lawyer with a general law practice in Timmins, Ontario.  She primarily practises in the area of family law including child protection law.   She is also a board member for the Timmins and District Humane Society, Timmins Family Counselling and for Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services.  Lisa was appointed to the OCSWSSW Council as a public member in 2001. 

Rachel Birnbaum—Elected Social Worker - President
Rachel is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, King's University College, University of Western Ontario. Her areas of expertise are with children and families undergoing separation and divorce. Rachel has been involved with the College since its inception and was elected to Council in May 2002 and re-elected in May 2005. Rachel was elected President of the College on October 5, 2005 and re-elected on September 19, 2006 and September 17, 2007.


Mary Ciotti—Elected Social Worker

Mary Ciotti is a social worker at Hamilton Health Sciences in the Digestive Diseases Program. She holds faculty appointments in psychiatry and social work at McMaster University and is a Practicum Instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University. Mary serves on the Critical Incident Stress Management Team, has a certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution, and is a Capacity Assessor for the Ministry of the Attorney General. She obtained her B.S.W. at the University of Western Ontario and her M.S.W. at the University of Toronto. Mary was elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000, and re-elected for a further three-year term in 2003 and 2006. 

Susan Clark – Public Member

Susan retired from the Ontario Government after 30 years with the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services. She held numerous positions at the senior management level including Deputy Chief Provincial Bailiff; Manager, Inmate Classification and Transfer, and Regional Program Coordinator. Susan has extensive experience handling complaints and investigations, policy and program development; budget development and control, and staff training and development for senior institution staff and probation officers. Susan has Masters Degrees in Public Administration and in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario and was appointed to the Council as a public member in July 2005.

Geneviève Côté-Elected Social Worker

Geneviève Côté was elected to the College Council in May 2004.  She is currently a social worker at the Ottawa Regional Women's Breast Health Centre and she has worked as a medical social worker for six years.  Geneviève graduated from the Health Social Work program at the University of Ottawa in 1998.  She also spent three years working in the United Kingdom as a social worker in health settings.  She was interested in the rapid evolution in professional accountability in England during the last few years and was eager to participate in the Ontario College upon her return.  Geneviève acted as Chair of the National Health Service and Social Services Joint Adult Learning Disability Community Team and is a long standing member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers. 

Roman Delicart—Elected Social Service Worker
Roman Delicart is President/CEO of El Shaddai Outreach Inc., a Clinical Director and Addiction Counsellor at the HEART-BEAT Counselling Center, and a Multi-Lingual Access Worker at Wellington County Social Services in Kitchener. He has a Social Service Worker Diploma from Humber College and a M.A. in Social Services from Lael Graduate School in St. Louis, Missouri. Roman was elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000 and re-elected in 2003 and 2006.


Zita Devan—Public Member
A retiree from Sir Sandford Fleming College, Zita held positions as a Program Co- ordinator – Employment Counsellor – Life Skill Coach, working with disadvantaged youth, unemployed individuals, social workers and social service workers. Zita has chosen to spend her time on a number of social justice issues within her community. She is most known for her work as a housing advocate and the founding Chair and present Board Member of "A Place Called Home" (a transitional housing project offering shelter for the homeless of her community). She is also an appointee on the Board of Monitors for East Central Correctional Centre in Lindsay. Zita joined the OCSWSSW Council as a Public Member in October 2000.

Jack Donegani – Elected Social Service Worker

Jack, a retired Director-General with the Government of Canada and a former policy advisor with the Government of Nunavut, is a graduate of the Social Service Worker program at Algonquin College and is currently working towards a certificate in Trauma/Addictions Recovery.  He also holds an MBA in Public Administration and is currently employed in the addictions field and in support of those with acquired brain injury in Ottawa and Kemptville.  He was elected to Council in May 2007.

Joachim (Joe) Fecht—Elected Social Worker

Currently retired from social work, Joe's career spans more than 30 years in the profession. Having worked for organizations such as the Riverside Psychiatric Hospital (British Columbia) as a social worker at the outset of his career, a senior area social worker, Yellowknife, with the Government of the Northwest Territories, and his pre-retirement position of executive director, with the Orillia and District Association for Community Living, Joe brings much experience to the College's Council. Joe also has sat on the Board of the Ontario Association of Social Workers as a Director, Secretary and as its President. He also has been a member of the Appeal Committee of the Ontario College of Certified Social Workers. Joe was first elected to Council in May 2000.

Danny Gillard - Elected Social Service Worker

Danny Gillard is an honours graduate of the Social Service Worker, and Drug and Alcohol Programs at Northern College. Danny also offers consulting services for a multidisciplinary Northern Medical Team. Danny is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of occupational health and wellness programs, policies and procedures throughout district one.    He continues to study in the social science field focusing on communication, community resources and government policy.  Danny was acclaimed to Council in electoral district one in May 2007.

Anita Gupta-Public Member
Anita is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Professionals' Society, a Division of the Insurance Institute of Canada. Her more than 20 years experience in the business and corporate sector has provided her with extensive knowledge of corporate governance. Anita also has interacted with all levels of government, business and community leaders and is a past president and three-year board member of EIPROC, a South Asian professional organization. She has championed and participated in a number of community, cultural and fundraising activities including the Chinmaya Foundation, the Bayview Glen Foundation, Pandit Jasraj U of T Performing Art Endowment Fund, Canadian Museum of Hindu Civilization, Princess Margaret Hospital, and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.  Anita was appointed to Council in 2003.

Kevin Kennedy—Elected Social Service Worker
Kevin Kennedy is a faculty member in the Social Service Worker program at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology.  He completed the Social Service Worker Diploma Program at Seneca College. In 1999 Kevin was appointed by the Ministry of Community and Social Services as a Council Member of the OCSWSSW Transitional Council to develop the infrastructure of the College. Kevin was elected to Council in June 2000 and was acclaimed as a social service work member in May 2002 and May 2005.


Michael Kopot-Elected Social Worker
Michael is a Counsellor in the Lakehead University Health & Counselling Centre and works on a casual basis with Creighton Youth Services in Thunder Bay at J.J. Kelso (juvenile detention centre). He completed a Masters of Social Work degree specializing in Gerontology at Lakehead University's School of Social Work. As a former member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (Northwestern Ontario Chapter), Michael held the position of chapter Vice- President from 1997-1999. Michael was first elected to sit on Council as a Social Work member in May 2002 and re-elected in May 2004 and 2007.

Mukesh Kowlessar-Elected Social Service Worker

Elected in 2000 to the first elected College Council and re-elected in 2004 and 2007, Mukesh Kowlessar has been in the social service field for over 20 years. Mukesh is a Manager with the City of London, Community Services Department. His current responsibilities include the Family Support Program and the Appeals Unit and have held various different portfolios. A graduate of Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the College Council. Mukesh holds a certificate in mediation- alternate dispute resolution and is currently involved with the Ivey School of Business at UWO. He is also a member of the Ontario Municipal Social Service Association (OMSSA), the Ontario Family Court Resource/Liaison Committee, the Ministry of Community and Social Services Committee’s on Family Support (past co-chair) and  Family Responsibility Office.

Norman MacLeod - Public Member
Norman William MacLeod was born and educated in Brandon, Manitoba and a graduate of the University of Manitoba. He joined Household Financial Corporation and spent 38 years with the company, working in Western Canada and in Toronto as Vice-President – Administration. Norman had an active volunteer career with the Liberal Party of Canada, including a two year term as Provincial President of the Party followed by two years as National President. In the health care field he served on the boards of Scarborough Grace Hospital, the Ontario Hospital Association (Regional Executive), The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and The Psychology Foundation of Canada.  In the business sector, he served on the board of the Better Business Bureau of Canada and later became Chair of the Board.  Norman was appointed to Council in June 2005.

Sue-Ellen Merritt—Elected Social Service Worker
Sue-Ellen Merritt is an Addictions Counsellor/Case Manager at the New Port Centre, Niagara Health System, in Port Colborne. Sue-Ellen is a graduate of Niagara College's Social Service Worker program and has completed certificate programs in Crisis Intervention; Suicide Prevention; Eating Disorders and Chemical Dependency Counselling. Sue-Ellen is a representative on the Social Service Worker Advisory Board at Niagara College, and as Chair of their legislation sub-committee, was actively involved in the inclusion of social service workers in the OCSWSSW. Elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000, Sue-Ellen was acclaimed for a further three-year term in 2003 and 2006.


John Pretti—Elected Social Worker
John is a social worker who works part time as an individual, marital and family therapist at London Interfaith Centre.
He obtained an Ontario Teaching Certificate from London Teacher's College, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario and a M.S.W. from the University of Toronto. John is a Capacity Assessor recognized by the Ministry of the Attorney General. Elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000, John was re-elected in May 2002, 2004 and 2007.


Sylvia Pusey - Public Member

Sylvia Pusey has been an educator employed by the former Toronto Board of Education and the current Toronto District School Board, and worked for many years in a wide range of Special Education programmes serving students with special needs in the Primary, Junior and Intermediate grades before returning to regular education programmes.  She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, teaching certificates from both the Jamaican Ministry of Education and the Ontario Ministry of Education and a Specialist Certificate in Special Education from the Ontario Ministry of Education.  She has been actively involved in community issues and activities and has had a wide range of experiences serving on Boards of national, provincial and local organizations and associations.  She retired from active teaching in June 1998 and was appointed to Council in June 2005. 

Patricia Spindel - Public Member

Patricia Spindel of Toronto is a professor in the Family & Community Social Services and Justice Studies Programs at the University of Guelph-Humber. She is also a former Coordinator of the Social Services Worker Program at Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, where she developed the first Canadian post-diploma/degree programs in Forensic Practice, Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Client-Directed Case Management and Advanced Crisis Intervention. She has been employed as a counsellor/community worker at one of the first community health clinics in Ontario, at East Metro Youth Services as a family worker, and at Community Living Ontario, where she did policy analysis, systemic advocacy, institutional investigations, and helped to establish family support programs across the province. In 1992, she was awarded a Government of Canada medal for service to her community.  Patricia was appointed to Council in August 2005.

Joanne Turner—Elected Social Worker
Joanne Turner recently retired as the Director of Social Work and Associate Professor at Renison College at the University of Waterloo. She is currently Professor Emerita and Adjunct Professor at Renison College.  She received a B.A. in Psychology, a B.S.W. and M.S.W. at the University of Toronto, and a Doctorate in Social Work at Case Western Reserve University. Joanne was the Chairperson of the Complaints Committee at the Ontario College of Certified Social Workers and a Member of the Provincial Executive Committee of the Ontario Association of Professional Social Workers. She was elected to the OCSWSSW Council in June 2000, and re-elected in the 2003 and 2006 election.

Colleen Zakoor - Elected Social Service Worker
Colleen Zakoor is the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association serving York Region and South Simcoe County.  She is also a Professor in Humber's College's Psychosocial Rehabilitation Post-Diploma program.  Colleen has been involved in the mental health field for over 25 years working with individuals with mental illness, concurrent disorders, HIV/AIDS and mental illness and/or addictions, homelessness and dual-diagnosis.    She is an active member of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Chapter both in Canada and the U.S.  Colleen was elected to Council in May 2005.