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 has been involved with Victim Services of York Region for the past 8 years. First introduced to the organization with a training role to new volunteers on a component of funerals and death & dying. Jason also sat in another executive role on the Board as Secretary. Jason is a resident of Markham, and has been proud to call it home for the past 27 years. Currently he is the Senior Funeral Director at the new Highland Funeral Home - Markham Chapel, which is in its fourth year where he has been serving many families of Markham, Richmond Hill and surrounding areas.  Jason has a diploma in Funeral Services Education, from Humber College, and has been a licensed funeral director for 12 years. He is part of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church community in Markham, and enjoys the satisfaction of being able to give back to his community and advocating for such a great organization.

 

Yvonne Hall, B. Math, CA, Board Treasurer

After obtaining her Chartered Accountant Designation in 1987, Yvonne was employed by Magna International Inc. One of York Region’s largest employers 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 25 years reside in Aurora.

 

G. Paul Renwick, B.A., LL.B., LL.M. (cand.), Board Secretary

Paul attended Osgoode Hall Law School after graduating from the University of Toronto.  Upon his graduation in 1993 Paul was awarded the Dean's Award and the Student Honour Award for his contributions to student government and the life of the law school.  He articled at a small Bay Street law firm before joining the Ministry of the Attorney General. Paul has worked as an Assistant Crown Attorney in Peel and York Regions and in December 2005 Paul joined the Attorney General’s Guns and Gangs Office in Toronto.

 

Paul has been involved in various community initiatives, including sitting on the Domestic Violence Court Advisory Committee, the York Region Judge’s Cup (high school mock trial tournament), the Deputy Attorney General’s Security Advisory Committee, and the York Region Inclusivity Summit.  Currently, Paul is a mentor for both the Law Society of Upper Canada and Osgoode Hall Law School, as well as sitting as a member of the Board of Directors of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations.  Paul has recently been published in a peer-reviewed academic journal and has contributed a chapter in a national legal text for secondary school students.  Paul is interested in education and the promotion of youth against violence initiatives.

 

Lori Thompson Pearson, Director

Lori A. Pearson obtained her B.A. (Hons.) from McMaster University and attended the University of Windsor Law School from 1995-1998, obtaining her L.L.B.  She articled with a boutique labour law firm in Toronto before joining the Newmarket Crown Attorney’s Office in 2000 after her call to the bar.  From 2003-2007 she was one of two team leads for the Newmarket Crown’s Office Youth Court Team.  She is currently a member of the Case Management Team at the Crown’s Office. She founded the York Region Youth Issues Committee and sits on the Judge’s Cup Mock Trial Tournament Committee, currently in its seventh year.  Lori has also been a Director for the Rose of Sharon since 2005.

Frank Giordano, Director 

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 been an assistant crown attorney since 1991 and  in worked in  many different capacities 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. Frank has worked as counsel to the Assistant Deputy Attorney General and is currently the Central East Region Guns and Gang coordinator, along with counsel to the Director.

 

Salim Bheriani, Director

Dr. Salim Bheriani has served the community for the past 25+ years in various provinces of Canada.  Dr. Bheriani received the Outstanding Volunteer Award and Recognition pin from two Mayors (Winnipeg and Hamilton).  Professionally, he has a Medical background with two PhDs; one is in Clinical Psychotherapy and second in Clinical Psychology. In addition he has MBA Degree from Tulane University and MSW from University of Toronto.  Dr. Bheriani travels all around the world to lecture on the topic of Post Traumatic Stress - PTSD and Grief and also for his Steel Industry business.  He has been instrumental in developing many successful programs for Seniors and Children’s Mental Health of Canada.  He has a successful private clinical practice in Ontario.  Dr. Bheriani became a member to the Victim Services of York Region Board in 2008 and he brings a wide range of expertise and diversified experiences to the Board and to the agency.

 

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 Marshal’s 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.

 

Paul Pedersen, Director Appointed

Superintendent 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 Integrated Domestic Violence Unit and the Victim’s Assistance Program.  Previously, he was assigned to uniform patrols, Criminal Investigations, Training and Education, Hold Up, and Homicide.  He is a graduate from the University of Western Ontario with a Masters Degree in Public Administration and graduated from University of Toronto’s Police Leadership Program with the Rotman School of Management. Paul is the Chair Person for the Youth Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Community Policing Committee, both with the Ontario Association Chiefs of Police. 

 

Zenobie Loach, Director Appointed
Zenobie  was born and raised on a hobby farm in Temiskaming District (New Liskeard and area). Her family comes still live in that community. Zenobie first learned about Victim Services from her mother who sat of the Board of  the local Victim Services in Temiskaming. Zenobie graduated from the University of Ottawa with a major in Human Kinetics and a minor in French and English. She then  went on to l'Université Laurentienne and graduated from teacher's college. Zenobie taught in a small French school in Haileybury (Temiskaming district) for 2 years.

She left  teaching and worked as a Health Promoter for a local public health unit , while applying for a position with the Ontario Provincial Police.  She was successful in her application and Zenobie has been a OPP Constable for over a year and a half.  During her  spare time, Zenobie referees men's, women's and minor hockey leagues. She  has participated in a number of National Championships and a few  international competitions. Zenobie aspires to officiate at a World Championship and possible even the Olympics.