Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Term ends: September 2027
Please give a brief biography, including your education, licensure or certification level and employment history:
I hold a MSW and a Master’s in Applied Environmental Studies. I am a RSW and Psychotherapist with more than 30 years of experience in social work, community services, government and professional regulation. I currently serve as Director of Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion with the City of Waterloo. I recently completed two years as Chair of the Ontario College of SW and SSW. I have also supervised social work students at Wilfrid Laurier University and maintain a private clinical practice.
My regulatory experience includes governance, professional standards, public protection, complaints and discipline, strategic planning and organizational oversight. I have contributed to ASWB committees, including Regulation and Standards and DEIJ. I believe I bring ASWB a unique combination of regulatory leadership, clinical experience, public sector governance and a Canadian perspective.
As the son of an Air Force officer, I grew up moving frequently, changing schools and learning four languages. As a father of two teenagers and an avid gardener, I also value community, relationships and lifelong learning.
Give a synopsis of your regulatory and professional experience. Please emphasize your involvement with ASWB:
I recently completed two years as Chair of the OCSWSSW, working with a 21 member Council and staff on governance, public protection, professional standards, complaints, discipline and strategic priorities.
At ASWB, I have served on the Regulation and Standards Committee, contributing to the Model Social Work Practice Act, regulatory reform, licensure and emerging regulatory issues. I have also contributed to the DEIJ Committee, supporting the roll-out of the Equity Tool and re envisioning the committee’s current role.
My role with the City of Waterloo provides additional experience in organizational leadership, managing budgets affected by tariffs, policy, governance and systems change, including working effectively with a divided Council.
Finally, make a brief statement on the major issues you see facing ASWB, and how you would address them:
We need to modernize regulation while keeping public protection at the center.
AI and emerging technologies will fundamentally affect clinical practice. ASWB should help regulators establish clear expectations for ethical, competent and accountable use of AI, including privacy, documentation, informed consent and professional responsibility.
Supervision requirements vary significantly across jurisdictions. I would support developing stronger, evidence informed standards for supervisor qualifications, competencies, documentation and evaluation, while allowing jurisdictions appropriate flexibility.
Pressure for deregulation and removal of examinations requires thoughtful leadership. We need to address legitimate concerns about access and equity without compromising public protection or abandoning objective measures of competence. I support exploring multiple evidence informed approaches to demonstrating competence while ensuring that any changes are fair, valid and defensible. Trade tensions between Canada and U.S and anti DEI environment can be problematic. I would bring a valuable cross jurisdictional perspective on how the ASWB board can navigate these changing environments.