OMSSA Speakers Series
Over July and August, OMSSA's Speakers Series will bring Members three timely and relevant webinars on topics you want to hear more about. We will bring in guest speakers to discuss topics and issues, and they will be hosted by the Association. Our first three webinars will cover several key topics in human services:
- July 13: Implementing CWELCC in Ontario
- August 18: Member Housing and Homelessness Initiatives Discussion
- August 24: Continuing the Local Municipal Champion Conversation
Please see more information below, including speaker information and registration links. Please note: Speakers and sessions are subject to change. Members who have questions can contact OMSSA at communications@omssa.com.
There is no cost to attend this webinar, but registration is required. Please click on the registration link associated with each webinar to complete the process.
Implementing CWELCC in Ontario
July 13, 2023
11:00AM to 12:30PM
This webinar will explore the current implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning & Child Care Program (CWELCC). Attendees will hear our guest speakers share their insights on the implementation of CWELCC in Ontario. Please see our invited speakers and presenters.
Registration is now closed.
Moderator: Satinder Klair, Director, Children's Services, Regional Municipality of Niagara
Dr. Gordon Cleveland
Consultant Economist, President of Cleveland Consulting: Early Childhood Education and Care Inc.
Dr. Gordon Cleveland is an economist and researcher in the field of early childhood education. In 2017-18 he was the main author of Affordable for All: Making Licensed Child Care Affordable in Ontario, a comprehensive report to the Ontario Ministry of Education. Currently, he is a member of the National Advisory Council on Early Learning and Child Care, providing advice to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
Beth Deazeley, LL.B.
Registrar and CEO, College of Early Childhood Educators
Beth Deazeley, LL.B has been the Registrar & Chief Executive Officer of the College of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario since 2016. Called to the bar of Ontario in 2002, the majority of her career has focused on professional regulation and governance. Her experience includes leadership roles and provision of professional advice to regulatory bodies at both the provincial and national level. Beth is a regular writer and speaker on governance trends and best practices, as well as regulatory matters. She obtained her Chartered Director designation from the Directors College (DeGroote School of Business) in 2013 and has experience as a board member in both regulatory and non-profit organizations.
Kim Hiscott, RECE
Executive Director, Andrew Fleck Children's Services
Kim Hiscott is a registered Early Childhood Educator living in Ottawa, Canada and Executive Director of Andrew Fleck Children’s Services, a large not-for-profit multi-service, multi-site organization that includes licensed early learning and care, special needs resourcing and support for parents. She is passionate about outdoor play, learning about intergenerational programming, inspired by collaborative, reflective Educators and keen to investigate non-traditional partnerships for system building that respects all children and families.
Resources
Member Housing and Homelessness Initiatives Discussion
August 18, 2023
10:30AM to 12:00PM
This session will bring together OMSSA Members to discuss the initiatives they've designed to address the current challenges in housing and homelessness. We'll hear from a spectrum of Members on, but not limited to, the following issues:
- How has homelessness changed since the pandemic, as well as in the last year?
- How has the Waterloo encampment decision changed the approach to homelessness in your area?
- What work are you doing to connect housing and health?
Please see our invited speakers and presenters.
Registration is now closed.
Moderator: Al Fletcher, Manager, Investment in Affordable Housing/Neighbourhood Development at the City of Hamilton
Abigail Bond
Executive Director of the Housing Secretariat, City of Toronto
Nicole Cortese
Manager of Homelessness Operations, Regional Municipality of Niagara
Lisa McIntosh, Director of Income Employment and Homelessness, Regional Municipality of Durham
Tyler Venable
Manager, Housing Services, District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board
Continuing the Local Municipal Champion Conversation
August 24, 2023
10:00 to 11:30AM
Building on our conversation at OMSSA's 2023 Exchange Conference, four of this year's Local Municipal Champion award recipients will tell the story of the programs that were developed for their communities, with particular emphasis on the successes they have seen and the challenges they have overcome. They will also answer the many questions attendees had as part of the discussion.
Please see our invited speakers and presenters.
Registration is now closed.
Moderator: Brian Marks, Chief Administrative Officer, Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board
Kelly Goz
Coordinator, Housing Administration & Development, City of Windsor
Kelly Goz is a Manager of Housing and Homelessness Support for the City of Windsor’s Housing & Children’s Services Department.
In her current role, Kelly’s primary responsibilities include overseeing Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, co-leading the Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4) and continues to monitor the implementation and ongoing delivery coordination of: the Windsor Essex 10 Year Housing and Homelessness Master Plan; Windsor Essex Housing Connections, the regions housing first program, Windsor Essex By-Names Prioritized List and is the community lead in Windsor Essex for Built for Zero – Canada.
Kelly remains committed to fostering relationships through implementing homelessness programs that will contribute to the end of chronic homelessness.
Kristine Haines-Chiarello
Manager (A), Employment and Social Services Central, Community and Social Services, City of Ottawa
Kristine Haines-Chiarello is a Manager with Employment and Social Services in the Community and Social Services Department in the City of Ottawa.
Kristine has over 30 years experience within social services and is passionate about person-centred service, relationships and breaking down barriers to empower clients in achieving their goals.
This passion grew from her time working front line in the City of Ottawa’s childcare centres and working with Ontario Works as a Case Worker then Employment Specialist. She continued her career in other roles such as a Partnership Coordinator, Supervisor, Coordinator of the Child Care Fee Subsidy program and a Child Care and Program Development Specialist.
Recently, Kristine led the department’s Human Services Integration project to research, examine, engage, and test integration opportunities to guide the development of the City of Ottawa’s first Human Services Integration Roadmap. The Roadmap is a plan of action to advance human services integration and deliver outcomes for the residents of Ottawa.
Today, Kristine is managing one of four Employment and Social Services offices where she is committed to breaking down barriers to increase access to services, build capacity to deliver responsive services and strengthen a shared commitment across services through approaches such as outreach, colocation, integrated information sharing and teams.
Ian Hanney
Supervisor, Homelessness Prevention and Social Planning, County of Lambton
Ian Hanney is the supervisor of homelessness prevention and social planning at the County of Lambton. He graduated from Western University with a Masters in Public Health in 2017. Ian is a leader of the Lambton County homelessness prevention system transformation including the implementation of the community By-Name List, coordinated access and HIFIS, in addition to front-line programming including community outreach, and co-leading the County of Lambton integrated team. He has experience in front-line, research and policy analysis roles across issues including housing, homelessness, pediatric critical care and problem gambling, leading such initiatives as the Peel Alliance to End Homelessness and the Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness. His passion for poverty reduction, community health and healthy public policy drives his work to harness evidence-informed practices for creating positive system change.
Whitney Kitchen
Coordinator, Housing Administration & Development, City of Windsor
Whitney Kitchen is a Registered Social Worker who graduated from the University of Waterloo with an MSW in 2021. Currently Whitney is a Coordinator of Housing Administration and Development with the City of Windsor responsible for co-leading the Housing Hub project which currently provides housing, health and support for over 100 unique individuals daily. Whitney has an extensive history of frontline social work experience in justice, mental health, addictions and homelessness. She has led a number of local initiatives including: chairing the local situation table which collaboratively addresses risk mitigation, providing mental health training for law enforcement and seminars on justice involvement and its impact on disenfranchised populations. Her passion for underserved populations drives her work for advocacy and system change.
Jennifer Lible
Manager, Social Assistance Programs, District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration BoardJennifer Lible (pronounced Libley) is the Manager, Social Assistance Programs for the Integrated Social Services Division of The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board.
Jennifer’s education and experience in Social Work saw her climb through the ranks of the DSSAB from a front-line caseworker, supervisor positions and now Manager whose role is to over see the delivery of Ontario Works Financial and Employment Assistance in the District of Thunder Bay.
She has been in her current role for 11 years. Prior to this she was a front-line caseworker for Ontario Works. She has 10 years of experience as a supervisor as well as the initial Supervisor of Intake when TBDSSAB integrated its front door services. In this position she built the intake team and over saw the integration of the unit across OW, Housing and Children’s services.
Jennifer is an active member of many Provincial tables and brings a Northern perspective to service delivery, and currently is the lead of the Ontario Works table of the Northern Ontario Social Services Delivery Association