Our Directors

Victim Services of York Region is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors are citizen based in approach and are community volunteers that act in a governance capacity rather than in a front line, direct service capacity. The Board develops policies that define and establish desired organizational aims and outcomes (mission and objectives). It is the responsibility of the Executive Director to implement the means for achieving them.

Jason C. Ladd
Board President
Jason is a resident of Markham, and has been proud to call it home for the past 25 years. Currently he is the Senior Funeral Director at the new Highland Funeral Home - Markham Chapel. Jason has a diploma in Funeral Services Education, from Humber College, and has been a licenced funeral director for 10 years. He is a parishioner of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Markham, and enjoys the satisfaction of being able to give back to his community. Jason has been involved with Victim Services of York Region for the past 6 years.

Yvonne Hall, B.Math, CA
Board Treasurer
After obtaining her Chartered Accountant Designation in 1987, Yvonne was employed by Magna International Inc., York Region's largest employer, for 8 years in various capacities, including as corporate controller of one of its subgroups, Atoma International Inc., in Newmarket. In 1995, Yvonne joined TRIAM Automotive Inc., a publicly traded automotive parts manufacturer, and was appointed CFO in 1997. She left TRIAM to establish her own financial and management consulting practice in 1999, through which she provides services to several client companies in York Region and the GTA, including Magna and its subsidiaries. Yvonne and her husband of 20 years reside in Aurora.

G. Paul Renwick, B.A., LL.B.
Board Secretary
After graduating from the University of Toronto, Paul attended Osgoode Hall Law School. Upon his graduation from law school in 1993, Paul was awarded the Dean's Award and the Student Honour Award for contributions to the school. He articled at a law firm on Bay Street before joining the Ministry of the Attorney General, first with the Peel Crown Attorney, and in 1998, with the York Crown Attorney's Office. His duties have included the Lead for domestic violence prosecutions (2003 to 2005), the Lead for traffic prosecutions (2001-2003) and hiring summer and articling students. Paul is interested in assisting victims as they wind their way through our justice system.

Inspector Paul Pedersen
York Regional Police
Director
Inspector Paul Pedersen has been a member of York Regional Police since 1980 when he began his career as a cadet. His current assignment is the Officer-in-Charge of Community Services and oversees, among other things, the Victim's Liaison Program. Previously, he was assigned to uniform patrols, Old Clothes, Criminal Investigations, Training and Education, Hold Up, and Homicide. He is a graduate from the University of Western Ontario with a Master Degree in Public Administration and graduated from the Police Leadership Program with the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Paul is the chair person for the Youth Committee and a member of the Community Policing Committee with the Ontario Association Chiefs of Police. He lives in York Region with his wife of 23 years and two daughters and is active in the community.

Frank Giordano, B.A., L.L.B.
Frank Giordano obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Toronto in 1986, his L.L.B from the University of Windsor in 1989 and was called to the bar in 1991. Frank has worked in many different capacities since graduation including, the Durham Crown Attorney's Office as an Assistant Crown Attorney, Crown Counsel on the DNA Databank Retro Team in Toronto and is currently working as the Counsel to the Director of Crown Operations for the Central East Region. Frank enjoys lecturing for Crown Training and Conferences. Topics for these trainings include but is not limited to; Secrets of the Trade and Code, Accident Reconstruction, Demonstrative Evidence and Aids, Domestic violence and bail hearings and the DNA databank. In 2002 Frank was presented with the Ministry of the Attorney General Employee Recognition Award in the Category of "One of a Kind". The Ministry of the Attorney General's Office recognized Frank again in 2006 by honouring him with the "Excelsior Award" in the category of "Excellence in Teamwork" for work done in the Central East Region Web Group.

Constable Dave Woodford
OPP Board Liaison
Dave Woodford has served as a Police Officer for 22 years. He started his career on a Municipal Force in Cardinal Ont. He then joined the Napanee Force which was then contracted to the OPP. Dave has been on various units within the OPP from Traffic duties to the District Criminal Investigations unit. In 1993 Dave Transferred to Aurora where is was their Court Officer for 8 years before becoming their Community Services Officer. David is Married and has 3 daughters and also runs a Restaurant in Barrie.

Designate Captain James A.Houston
Director
James has served as a Fire Fighter for over 20 years. He started as a volunteer Fire Fighter in 1981, worked as a Fire Technician at Paramount Canada,s Wonderland and then as Fire Inspector York University Fire Marshals Office. He joined the Markham Fire and Emergency Services in 1986. James sits on various community committees with Fire Service, York Region Critical Incident Stress Management ("CISM") Team, Chair Markham Fire and Emergency services CISM/EAP Committee and Town of Markham CISM Steering Committee. As the Chair of the Markham Professional Fire Fighters Association Public Relations Committee he has worked with the "FIRE FIGHTERS OF YORK REGION CALENDAR" raising funds for the Canadian Breast Cancer Society and three Local Hospitals.

Lori A. Pearson, Assistant Crown Attorney, B.A., L.L.B
Director
Lori Pearson (née Thompson) obtained her Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree from McMaster University in 1994, and worked at the Legislature of Ontario from 1994-1995. She received her L.L.B. from the University of Windsor in June 1998, and was called to the bar in February of 2000. Lori joined the Newmarket Crown Attorney's Office in April of 2000 and was named to the two-member Youth Court team in October of 2003. She currently chairs the York Region Youth Justice Committee Steering Committee and sits on the Ontario Justice Education Network Committee for York Region. Lori helped implement and organize the York Region High School Mock Trial Tournament known as The Judge's Cup, now in its' third year. She has spoken to the Ontario Bar Association and to her fellow Crown Attorneys on the topic of Youth Justice and founded the York Region Youth Issues Committee in 2005. Lori regularly visits high schools in York Region to speak about criminal law and careers in the legal field and sits on the Board of Directors for The Rose of Sharon.