Homelessness Partnering Strategy 2014-2019
Community Advisory Board 2015/2016 Membership
1. Michelle Bilek is a social activist and policy creator. Michelle is also on the Board of Directors for
the Regional Diversity Roundtable of Peel, and previous Vice Chairwoman of SAVIS, the Sexual
Assault and Violence Intervention Services. She also sits on the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Committee of Peel, the Food Security Taskforce of Peel, the Peel Poverty Action Group, many
political based advocacy organizations, and on the executive of the NDP. She has also been a
Federal and Provincial Candidate in 4 elections. Michelle’s passion for poverty advocacy comes
from her personal experiences. Once homeless and with an ongoing disability, Michelle has an
understanding of the core issues and need for sincere action on policy, funding and overall
priorities of poverty eradication.
2. Richard Brown was born and raised in Brampton. Following his graduation from York University
he was offered the position of Midnight Man at St. Leonard's Place Peel in 1975. He became the
Executive Director in 1977 and remained in that position until his retirement in 2014. During his
tenure the home increased residential capacity from 21 beds to over 100 beds. His passion has
always been providing a home and building capacity in those individuals in greatest need in our
community. He has remained active within the Brampton community as a member of the Rotary
Club of Brampton. Some of his accomplishments include a Paul Harris Fellow nomination, a
founding partner of the SharED membership, and participation in the Region of Peel 10 year
Homelessness Strategy. He is married to his childhood sweetheart and is a father to 3 amazing
children and a grandfather to two Princes and one Princess.
3. Lana Burchett is the Executive Director of Victim Services of Peel and has over 12 years of
experience in leading not-for-profit agencies. Her educational background includes Corporate
Communications, Fundraising Management, and Senior Leadership & Management in the not-forprofit sector. Lana is a Board Member of Victoria Park Community Homes, a private non-profit
housing corporation, and is also a member of the Brampton Rotary Club. She has been an active
volunteer in many ways for over 25 years.
4. Edward Kiwanuka-Quinlan oversees Street Soccer Canada’s Social Enterprise Initiative, which
seeks to broadly develop inclusive strategies to empower and instill hope; to improve team spirit,
communication, and overall health. An avid soccer player, coach, and referee, he was Team
Canada’s flag-bearer, and MVP, at the Homeless World Cup in Mexico City in 2012. Edward can
be found enforcing FIFA’s Laws of the Game all over south west Ontario.
5. Khatija Laloo has extensive experience working in a therapeutic setting with men and women
who are in conflict with the law, facing homelessness, and struggling with addiction issues,
suffering from mental health disorders. She has been working closely over the years with
community agencies in order to find a sustainable solution to the issues faced by the individuals
she sees on a regular basis. She joined the Peel Region CAB as she is a passionate supporter of
the Housing First Strategy and is determined to go the extra mile to support initiatives geared
towards that end.
6. Kris Noakes is an Anishinaabe citizen of Nipissing First Nation. She is active in the community as
a member of the Region of Peel’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy’s Community Advisory
Board (CAB) and the City of Mississauga’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. In a First
Nations advisory role she sits on the First Nation, Metis and Inuit Advisory Circle for the Peel
District School Board (PDSB), the First Nation, Metis and Inuit Toronto Area Education Leads for
the Aboriginal Education Office of the Ministry of Education and Legal Aid Ontario District Advisory
Committee. In addition, she is a member of a School Parent Council for the PDSB and has joined
Mississauga’s new chapter of 100 Women Who Care.
7. Jyll Norris has been a long-time resident of Mississauga. She has a vibrant career as a special
education teacher with the Peel District School Board. Jyll was instrumental in facilitating the
opening of the Compass Outreach Centre in Port Credit and has volunteered there in many
capacities over the years. Jyll is married and has four children and a dog.
8. Kim Paumier is in an exciting new role for the Brampton and North communities as a Systems
Co-ordinator for transitional aged youth age 16-24 with complex mental health and addiction
concerns. This new role is to help those youth and families that are struggling with navigating the
“System”, finding services, or staying within a service. Kim brings to this role 19 years of
experience in a clinical setting working with all ages in recovery of mental health and addiction,
and is very excited to now “be the change” in a system role for a growing community.
9. Anju Rajan works in the field of health promotion with Toronto Public Health. When she is not at
work, she spends her time volunteering with her grass-roots group called ‘Renee Community
Services’; this group helps women, children and the elderly living in the Brampton area face daily
survival challenges. They help them find work, safe shelter and access to health care services.
Anju feels that the fast growing Brampton area is extremely under resourced in basic community
services like food banks, shelters and community guidance and settlement services. Her dear
wish is to bring more services within the reach of her fellow Bramptonians.