Board of
Directors
Black Creek Community Health Centre is governed by ten volunteers, as representatives of the community, who act together as the organization’s Board of Directors.
The Board acts in the best interests of the community, providing oversight, which includes approval of budgets and ensuring the health centre’s leadership team has what’s required to lead the organization it serves.
The Board’s directors for 2023-2024 are reputable and engaged members of communities throughout Toronto’s northwest.
Fatema Ali –
Vice Chair
As a member of the community, Fatema Ali has experience with community-engaged projects regarding chronic diseases, health systems and policies impacting people’s lives. Fatema has her MSc in Medical Anthropology with a collaborative specialization in Women’s Health from the University of Toronto. Her graduate research project focuses on understanding the experience of Black women, living with diabetes, by studying the intersection of health, race, gender, and socioeconomic status.
Fatema has worked and volunteered in various Jane & Finch community settings for over ten years. She is the coordinator for network activities and research at the University of Toronto’s Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations. Also, she is the Chair of the Research Advisory Committee at Black Creek Community Health Centre.
Evelyn Ascencio
From a young age, Evelyn was aware of the barriers faced by newcomers to Canada. As a lifelong resident of northwest Toronto, and as the daughter of Salvadoran refugees, she witnessed her own refugee parents’ struggles to access health and social services.
Evelyn graduated from University of Toronto with her Masters of Public Health. Her education, along with experience working on issues such as poverty, mental health, and housing offers the opportunity to blend her policy and public health expertise with her personal lived experience, to support real and impactful change for Black Creek CHC’s community of clients.
Freddy Bisimwa
Freddy Bisimwa is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is bilingual (French and English), with extensive experience in the fields of finance, accounting, and health.
He worked for 13 years with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, where he gained valuable experience in healthcare by providing care to the vulnerable and those injured by gunfire. He also gained experienced addressing mental health issues, primarily among victims of sexual violence.
Freddy served for 5 years as an internal auditor for the French humanitarian organization, ACTED. His professional journey was built on a solid educational foundation, having earned a degree in economics and finance, followed by advanced finance training in Lyon, France.
Dr. Oghenowede Eyawo – Vice Chair
Dr. Oghenowede Eyawo is an Associate Professor of Global Health Epidemiology at the York University School of Global Health, where his research focuses on precision-based global health. He applies epidemiological methods to analyze disease patterns and their effects, with the goal of improving the health of populations across diverse geographic and socio-economic contexts. As a faculty member at York University, located within the catchment area of the Black Creek Community Health Centre (BCCHC), Oghenowede feels deeply connected to the community served by the Centre.
By spending much of his work time within the community, he has gained invaluable firsthand insight into the challenges faced by the individuals and populations supported by BCCHC.A strategic thinker committed to improving population health and well-being, Dr. Eyawo is particularly passionate about community-based initiatives and research that empower historically disadvantaged groups.
In this context, he serves the Board of Directors of BCCHC, where he applies his expertise and leadership in research, knowledge translation, and mobilization to help the organization achieve measurable impact on the health of its clients. Dr. Eyawo’s work is driven by a commitment to advancing health equity through innovative, evidence-based approaches.
LaToya Hinds
(She/Her) Is a daughter, mother and community member. She holds a BA in Global Health from York University and is completing her Masters in Public Health Education. Her research takes an intergenerational and transnational approach toward improving Health outcomes for equity-deserving groups in Canada and shares those findings through education and health communication initiatives.
Her research is not confined to academia. She believes in the power of knowledge mobilization and health communication to translate research findings into tangible improvements in healthcare. By engaging with community organizations, healthcare providers, and policymakers, she ensures that her work has a direct impact on the lives of those it seeks to serve.
Carolyn Khalil – Secretary
Carolyn volunteers her time and expertise with multiple organizations in Ontario, Canada, and Tanzania as a passionate advocate for equity, education, and sustainability.
She holds a Bachelor or Science in Chemistry and Math, as well as a Bachelor of Education, and an MBA. She is currently a secondary school teacher. As a specialist in operations, Carolyn enjoys problem solving. Her expertise is a welcome addition to Black Creek CHC’s Board of Directors.
Sayem Khan –
Treasurer
Sayem has been a resident of the Jane & Finch community for more than a decade. He is an Accountant by profession and he is currently serving as the Treasurer at the Black Creek Community Health Care Centre. He is also a graduate of local educational institutions including CW Jefferys Collegiate Institute and York University -Schulich School of Business, where he obtained his Bachelors in Business Administration and his Masters in Accounting.
Sayem enjoys meeting new people and he has been involved in many community initiatives supporting his community. He has been a beneficiary of Black Creek CHC’s programs and has previous experience as a volunteer with the centre, including his work with a vaccine clinic at a local mosque.
Laura Lavallee –
Board Chair
Laura is the Chief Executive Officer at Evergreen and also holds a role as an executive coach for a community health consulting firm, specializing in supporting healthcare leaders to embed quality and risk mitigation strategies within their organizations through change management strategies and building a performance culture. With a strong background in leadership and a proven track record in enhancing statistical compliance, quality, and best practice standards across the health sector in various Directorships, Laura brings invaluable expertise to her role.
Her experience in driving the implementation of RNAO’s champion standards and Accreditation Canada’s Exemplary Practice standards has resulted in highly regarded programs, which are consistently praised by funders, agency partners, and communities. Laura’s deep knowledge of the healthcare sector, along with her understanding of organizational dynamics, allows her to help organizations achieve sustainable improvements while delivering outstanding value to their clients.
Laura is proud of her role as board President.
Danavan – Samuels
Danavan is a systems navigator and strategic thinker. As a proud resident of Black Creek CHC’s community, Danavan brings more than three decades experience from his work with all levels of government, as well as United Way, Community Housing, and grassroots organizations such as North York Community House and Eva’s Initiative.
Throughout his career, Danavan has advocated for equity-seeking populations. Most recently, in his role with the federal government, as Manager, Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, he worked to build a national ecosystem of Black-led non-profit organizations, and a funding mechanism to support organizational capacity.
‘As a proud father of five children, health, mental health, and community wellbeing are extremely important to me. I am humbled to get the opportunity to serve my community in this capacity”.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. Black Creek CHC serves clients in Toronto’s Northwest, bordered by Steeles & Wilson Avenue; Keele Street & the Humber River.
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