Cathy Taylor

Executive Director

Cathy is the founding Executive Director of the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington, and has been working in the sector for 20 years. Cathy has been an active member of the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (OVCN) Steering Committee, and has served many terms as Co-Chair.  She has recently led provincial projects on “building stronger organizations through volunteer centre services, and engaging new Canadians as volunteers,” as well as strengthening the relationship between Volunteer Centres and 211.  Cathy comes from the environmental sector and has been active in municipal politics. She holds a degree in political studies and history from Queen’s University, and is an attendee of the Maytree Executive Directors Leadership Network. Cathy also serves on many local advisory and steering committees related to community well being, leadership development and community engagement. She has a passion for collaboration in the nonprofit sector.

Heather Laird

Policy and Engagement

Since August 2011 Heather has been working with the Ontario Nonprofit Network to develop policies from the ground up — by our sector, for our sector. Through her involvement with the McGill Middle East Program, she worked in Jerusalem, supporting community advocacy to build neighbourhoods across conflicted communities, in Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Prior to that she created an international internship program for the MMEP’s Montreal office. She holds a Joint Honours Degree in Middle Eastern Studies and English Literature from McGill University. Heather is also an advisor to Laidlaw’s Youth Social Infrastructure Program and a co-founder of Connect the Sector, a convenor of younger nonprofit professionals in Toronto.

Kim Gignac

Operations
At the ONN since August 2010, Kim has a strong commitment to the nonprofit sector. Prior to relocating to Toronto, Kim worked in southwestern Ontario for the Ontario Environment Network as a project manager, overseeing a two-year initiative that focused on enhancing collaboration among environmental groups. She has also worked as a project manager for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, and as an instructor at St. Clair College, where she taught Business Communications and Advanced Computer Applications. A systems thinker, Kim holds a Masters of Arts in Political Science from the University of Windsor, where she studied the restructuring of provincial health care systems. Kim enjoys repairing electronics in her spare time.

Lynn Eakin

Policy Advisor
Lynn has been providing consulting services to the nonprofit sector since 1989. Currently Lynn, one of the founding members of ONN, is involved in better positioning the sector to address the cross-cutting policy issues it faces. She continues to engage in sector research and is involved with ONN in identifying, developing and advocating for systemic reforms to improve the ability of the sector to undertake its important work.  For more on Lynn, see her website: www.lynneakin.com

Sarah Matsushita

Communications and Network Engagement

Sarah has worked for over nine years in the nonprofit sector at local, regional and international organizations. Most recently she managed communications and advocacy for the leading women’s rights network in Asia Pacific and marketed an innovative social enterprise for women entrepreneurs on the Thai-Burma border. Her nonprofit sector experience in Canada includes building strategic partnerships and individual giving for the Toronto International Film Festival, and capital campaign fundraising for the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. She holds a degree in political science from McMaster University and a public relations post-graduate certificate from Humber College. Sarah has been an avid volunteer for refugee organizations, engaging communities to hear the diverse voices and stories of refugees in conflict areas.