Board of Directors
Elaine Moore
Chair
For 29 years, Elaine Moore served the Brampton and Peel community, first as a Peel District Public School Board Trustee, followed by both a City and Regional Councillor. Since retiring from politics in 2018, Elaine has continued to make a difference in her community as an active and engaged community volunteer on several Boards of Directors, bringing her experience and expertise to the table.
Armando Minicucci
Treasurer
Armando joined the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation Board in 2009. He was drawn to the organization by its dedicated team and passionate board. The following description from some of the staff resonated with him, “Peel Children’s Aid Society saves children’s lives, and the Foundation helps give them a life.” Armando is a partner in Grant Thornton’s tax practice and a member of its national business succession and estate planning team.
Nav Shokar
Secretary
Nav Shokar is pleased to be a member of the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation Board. She is currently a director and secretary for the Board. In addition, she also sits on the Fund Development Committee and the Fierce and Fabulous planning committee. Nav Shokar is a Partner at STS Lawyers and Mediators. Nav advises on all matters related to divorce, child support, parenting time, decision making, spousal support, the division of property and domestic contracts. She thoroughly enjoys giving back to the community and to children.
Ray Lessard
Governance Committee Liaison
Ray Lessard spent over 30 years with BMO Financial Group in Wealth Advisory and Senior Management Roles as a Senior Vice President and Managing Director. He has helped raise funds for Credit Valley Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes, BMO Fountain of Hope, the Baystock Foundation, Legends Row (Mississauga’s Walk of Fame) as a director, Peel Children’s Aid Foundation as the Governance Committee Liaison of the Board of Directors, and the Community Foundation of Mississauga where he served as President of the board and created the R. Lessard Family Fund which grants annually to children’s organizations in Mississauga.
John Digby
Past Chair
John Digby has over 35 years in financial services and has become very knowledgeable about retail & business services and the real estate industry. Skilled in analyzing a wide range of business needs he has acquired this expertise through previous responsibilities in branch management, financial planning and commercial account management. John has been with RBC Royal Bank since 1991. John is currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors with Peel Children’s Aid Foundation. Previous board positions with the Rotary Club of Brampton and Brampton and Caledon Community Foundation.
Cliff Silveira
Director
In 2001, Cliff founded the Mississauga Convention Centre Foundation and chaired the Kathy A. Drury Rainbow Ball from 2002 to 2012. Cliff furthered his commitment to the city with his involvement in various charitable organizations. Above all, Cliff is an enthusiastically proud father of four beautiful children; and loving husband to Lisa Silveira. Cliff believes that a strong family core is supported by a healthy and prosperous community. Such as the African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” Cliff believes it takes a united community for a child to prosper.
Beryl Ford
Director
Beryl Ford has been actively involved with the Peel CAS and the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation Board for over 20 years. Beryl was Chair of the Steering committee for the formation of the Foundation and has been a Board Member since its inception. Beryl was a Public School Board Trustee for 30 years which included five terms as Chair of the school board.
Kerry Gaetano
Director
Kerry Gaetano is the Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications at BMO Financial Group. In this role, Kerry leads a dynamic team and oversees the development and execution of strategic communication initiatives across BMO’s North American operations, including the bank’s Digital First, Winning Culture, Social Impact, and growth priorities. With over 20 years of experience, Kerry is a compelling storyteller, trusted advisor, and seasoned communicator. She is a resident of Peel and is passionate about giving back by paying it forward to future leaders and driving positive change in her own community and beyond.
Stephen Bald
Director
A highly experienced leader in banking, finance, and consulting, including senior-level roles, Stephen has held leadership positions in the UK and Canada. Stephen has assisted small to large entities to grow, advised non-profits on governance and strategy. A resident of Mississauga for over thirty years, Stephen has held roles on various business and non-profit Boards, including past President of Peel Children’s Aid Society Board. Stephen is honoured to be a part of the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation Board.
Tania Kolar
Director
Tania Kolar is a dynamic leader with a passion for philanthropy and community service. As the former Chair of the Fierce and Fabulous Committee, she played a pivotal role in supporting initiatives that empower children and families. As a real estate professional and mindset coach, Tania leverages her expertise to inspire and guide others toward success, both in their personal and professional lives. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and passion for helping others thrive extends beyond her work, as she continues to champion meaningful causes that make a lasting positive impact in the community.
Debbie Cosic
Director
Debbie Cosic, CEO and Founder of In2ition Realty, has over three decades of experience in the real estate industry, achieving over $25 billion in sales. Renowned for her expertise and fearless approach to innovation, she previously served on the BILD Board of Directors and has actively been involved in numerous philanthropic ventures for decades. Committed to giving back, she has been a passionate advocate in her community for over the past five years, raising awareness and driving donations in support of Peel Children’s Aid Foundation. A powerhouse and self-made success in her own right, Debbie is also passionate about finding and fostering genius and new talent in the real estate industry. The result is In2ition’s multi-disciplinary team packed with experience and expertise you won’t find anywhere else.
Maqbool Walji
Board Liaison
Maqbool Walji is an entrepreneur, a strong advocate for Youth engagement, Mental Health Awareness, Affordable Housing, Crime Prevention Awareness and Public Safety. He is actively involved with the Peel District School Board’s Faith Forward committee, interfaith Council of Peel and food banks. Over the past few years, Maqbool has worked with newcomers and refugee families to help them with settlement in Peel. Maqbool has also been engaged within political and civic engagement and has worked diligently to ensure all voices are heard and all people are at the table when it comes to decisions made about them.
Mary Beth Moellenkamp
Peel CAS CEO, Ex-officio
Mary Beth is the CEO with Peel CAS, and has been with the organization for 25 years. Mary Beth has led a variety of innovative initiatives, including the development of Kinship and Family Finding programs. She was instrumental in developing and leading the Ontario-wide Syrian Refugee Response Project to help ensure timely services and supports for Syrian newcomer families. As a result of that successful program, Mary Beth led Peel CAS to form the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence. Mary Beth is leading the development of the Agency’s Youth Success strategy.
Mary Beth has a dual role as Director of CWICE, and leads a large multi-disciplinary service team supporting reunification and permanency planning for children and youth in care.