Ottawa-Carleton Lifeskills is led by a strong and dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. Our Board members bring many years of business and non-profit experience, which have proved invaluable to the growth and success of the agency.
Board of Directors
Chair – Robert Dupuis
Education: BA Communications, University of Ottawa
Employment: Regional Director, Eastern Region, Labour Market Programs, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities; Manager, Municipal Services, Eastern Region, Ministry of Community and Children’s Services; Manager, Apprenticeship Branch Eastern Region. Robert has also held a variety of management and policy positions in the provincial government in Toronto, primarily in training and employment programs.
Fun Fact: Robert enjoys riding his motorcycle, especially on long trips, and enjoys cooking for family and friends.
Meghann Darroch (Vice Chair)
Meghann Darroch is a Population Health Lead with the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team. She has developed a wealth of experience across several sectors over the past 20 years with strong relationships and ties within Eastern Ontario. She has worked on initiatives in the homelessness, community development, and mental health, addictions, and substance use health sectors, among others. Her background is strongly rooted in community development and social determinants of health work within community services and regional systems planning. She is an active volunteer, low maintenance nature lover, partner to a superhero and mother to two beautiful boys.
Christine Lund (Secretary)
Education: Diverse array of post secondary education and background in Human Services, Project management, and Information Technology.
Employment: Senior Policy Analyst and Business Planning and Enablement Manger with Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, a not-for-profit organization for Inuit women.
Fun Fact: Christine is from a large family of nine. Several of her siblings and family members are Nunavumiut (Inuit from Nunavut) and several siblings have various cognitive disabilities or physical disabilities. Christine enjoys activities with her family, connection to the land, and working on traditional women’s crafts.
Madhu Nagpal (Treasurer)
Bio coming soon.
Members at Large
Miriam Fry
Education: B.A. French Literature, Carleton University, M.A. Public Administration, Carleton University, Certificate, Fundraising Management, Ryerson University
Employment: Previous Executive director of Families Matter Co-operative. Miriam was one of the authors of “Ending the Wait”, which led to the province’s Housing Task Force. Before that, Miriam spent over 25 years at the CBC, as a journalist and journalistic manager. Volunteer activities include Committee Development Chair and a Vice President of the Council on Aging of Ottawa and Board Member. In addition to President of OCL’s Board, Miriam sits on the Advisory Committee of Doors Open Ottawa and was a long-time volunteer English language tutor.
Fun Fact: Green eyes, left-handed and very nosy. That probably makes Miriam part of a very small percentage of Canadian women.
Susan Bihun
As a Principal with the Toronto based Osborne Group, Susan has worked extensively with not for profit agencies in a range of projects across Ontario specializing in agency amalgamations. She has a Masters in Public Administration which has greatly enhanced her ability to work effectively with the many agencies she has assisted. Prior to her work with the Osborne Group, she was the Director (East Region) Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Susan and her husband Gordon live in Ottawa (Orleans) and enjoy an active life at their cottage during the summer and skiing in the winter. Her volunteer experience has included United Way Ottawa, Hire Immigrants Ottawa, Nepean Ottawa Diving Club and the Canadian Amateur Diving Association (Ontario). She is very committed to Ottawa Carleton Lifeskills mission of supporting adults who have a developmental disability.
George Jacobson
Education: MBA Finance John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Certificate in Business Intelligence – Montreal Technical College.
Employment: Thomson Reuters Inc. – Quality Assurance, Montreal, Quebec, Consultant – Business Intelligence / Investment, Montreal, Quebec and Denver, Colorado, Project Manager, Soluxions Inc., Denver, Colorado and Miami, Florida
Fun Fact: Antique Map collector, avid walker (preferably on the beach).
Jack Stilborn
Education: Ph.D. (political philosophy) from the University of Western Ontario, degrees from Oxford University (Politics and Philosophy) and the University of Saskatchewan (Political Science, English Literature).
Employment: Retired Principal Analyst, the Library of Parliament Research Service following a career working with parliamentarians on issues of constitutional politics, public administration and parliamentary governance. Previously worked at Treasury Board Secretariat, Public works and Government Services, Ministry of the Solicitor General and with the Ontario Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Fun Fact: Keeps busy cycling, kayaking and trying to write the great Canadian novel.
Kate Agyemang
Education: Honours B.A., Psychology (magna cum laude), Honours B.Soc.Sc in Human Rights & Conflict Studies (cum laude), and Juris Doctorate – Common law (cum laude), all from the University of Ottawa.
Employment: Senior Associate Lawyer, Labour and Employment Law – Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) LLP. Kate’s bilingual practice is devoted to providing real-world advice to a broad range of Canadian and international businesses seeking to effectively manage workplace issues from contract to courtroom, in a responsive and pragmatic way. She has a particular focus on healthcare, non-profits, and specialized technology and legal environments. Before pursuing a career in law, Kate also worked with various national non-profits, municipalities, and healthcare organizations in disability program delivery and management, including front line programs dedicated to supporting people with developmental and cognitive disabilities.
Fun Fact: Kate is mother to two young boys, and met her husband abroad while volunteering in a respite home in Ireland. She embraces having no free time at this busy phase of life but tries her best to get the family outside to ski whenever her kids will tolerate her excitement for winter, the cold, and snowpants.
Fahad Sami
Bio coming soon.
Robert Froom
Bio coming soon.
