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Leadership & Board

Supporting complex challenges requires collaborative leadership. We believe that we are stronger when diversity in thought and experience is prioritized and integrated in leadership. Our leadership team brings years of expertise, passion, and commitment to inspire innovative solutions in mental health and addiction care. Our board of directors strengthens LOFT’s leadership by providing sound governance and strategy through their combined experience in both corporate and healthcare sectors.

Leadership Team

Heather McDonald

CEO

A senior staff of LOFT since 2005, Heather was appointed CEO in 2017. Heather’s career has included work in the fields of harm reduction, community health care and street outreach. Heather has a Master of Social Work (Wilfrid Laurier University, 1998) and has achieved her Institute of Corporate Directors Designation, ICD.D, (October 2023) from the Institute of Corporate Directors, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Known as an enthusiastic and hopeful leader, Heather is a partnership builder. Heather has helped build LOFT into one of the largest multi-service, accredited, award-winning organizations in the Greater Toronto Area.

Heather has been awarded Wilfrid Laurier University’s Award for Community Impact in 2023, the 2022 National Changemakers Award by the Globe and Mail, the North American Heart of Social Work Award in 2016, and the National Terry Fox Humanitarian Award in 1992.

Amuna Baraka-Clarke

People and Culture

Amuna is passionate about access. In her role, she has the privilege of helping to foster an environment of continuous improvement, learning, and employee engagement. She has spent three decades strengthening organizational structures and practices through strategic human resources interventions and policy engagement in homelessness, financial literacy, mental health, social justice, and legal advocacy.

Rosa Galluzzo

Finance

Having a strong interest in the not-for-profit and charitable sector, she joined LOFT Community Services in 1998 as its financial analyst with progressive roles in the organization. Rosa holds both a C.G.A. and C.P.A. designation.

Negin Zebarjad

Operations

Negin is committed to supporting impact-driven organizations as they bring ambitious strategies to life and adapt in the face of emerging challenges and opportunities. At LOFT, she is focused on ensuring that staff have access to secure and reliable systems, suitable and safe facilities, and data-driven insights so that they can continue to provide hope and dignity to clients in accordance with the highest standards.

Debra Walko

Client Care and Experience

With over 30 years of experience in providing community based services focused on supporting people holistically with their mental health, substance use, behavioural and social drivers of health needs, Debra oversees all LOFT programs.

Board of Directors

Mary Jo Smith

Chair

Paula Schipper

Vice Chair

Ted Reeser

Treasurer

Jamie Manson

Secretary

James Anok

Member

Simone Atungo

Member

Christine Elliott

Member

Matthew Flynn

Member

Hargun Kaur

Member

Peter Nesbitt

Member

Dipti Purbhoo

Member