Ontario Labour Relations Board - Staff and Adjudicators

Catherine Gilbert
Catherine Gilbert has been the Director/Registrar of the Ontario Labour Relations Board since 2014. She joined the Board as a Senior Mediator in 2004 and was the OLRB's Deputy Registrar from 2011-2014. Before joining the Board, she practiced labour law for a decade. Catherine has an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1988.

Deputy Director / Registrar

Ursula Boylan
Ursula Boylan joined the Ontario Labour Relations Board as a mediator in 2012 and has been its Deputy Director/Registrar since November 2014. She has a law degree from McGill University and was called to the Ontario bar in 1993. Ursula previously worked in private practice for 10 years, specializing in labour relations, and later acted as a private mediator.

Solicitors

Andrea Bowker

Board Solicitor
Andrea returned to the Board in 2021 after nearly 25 years as a labour lawyer, in private practice, as in-house counsel and previously as Board Solicitor. Her practice has included regular appearances before the Board, private arbitrations and other tribunals. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto Law School and McMaster University.

Aaron Hart

Board Solicitor
Aaron Hart has been at the Board since 2017. Prior to joining the Board, he worked in private practice at a prominent labour law firm where he appeared regularly before the Board and other tribunals including the Human Rights Tribunal, in labour arbitrations and acted as counsel in collective bargaining. In addition to his law degree, Aaron has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy.

Orders in Council

Chair

Brian O'Byrne
Brian O’Byrne was appointed Chair of the Board commencing in February 2022. He was formerly a partner at two prominent firms practicing in the areas of labour relations, including collective bargaining, employment and workplace human rights law. Mr. O’Byrne has been recognized over the years as a leading labour law practitioner and was a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars. He has acted for both public and private sector clients and appeared on their behalf in proceedings before arbitrators and tribunals, including the Board. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School.

Rishi Bandhu

Vice-Chair
Rishi Bandhu practiced labour and employment law exclusively since his call to the Ontario Bar in 2004. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Bandhu maintained a diverse litigation and solicitor practice representing employees and employers in matters relating to employment, human rights and labour law. Since 2018, Mr. Bandhu has served as an instructor at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Education for Industrial and Labour Relations. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.

Thomas Black

Vice-président
Thomas Black was called to the Ontario Bar in 2006 and has previously worked for two construction trade unions as in-house counsel. Originally from Manitoba, he has an undergraduate degree from Brandon University, a Master of Arts degree and Bachelor of Education degree from Western University, and a LLB from the University of Windsor.

Geneviève Debané

Vice-Chair
Geneviève Debané is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2002. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Concordia University in Montreal and was formerly a partner at a prominent management law firm practising labour, employment and human rights law. Prior to her appointment with the Ontario Labour Relations Board, she was a full-time Vice-Chair at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario for five years. VC Debané is fluent in both French and English.

Alan Freedman

Vice-Chair
Alan Freedman is an alumnus of McMaster University, received his law degree from the University of Toronto and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1999. Mr. Freedman practiced labour and employment law for 25 years with a focus on labour board proceedings, collective bargaining and labour arbitrations. Prior to his appointment to the Board, he was a partner at a prominent labour and employment law firm and frequently appeared at the Board, often in construction industry proceedings. He was also counsel in cases in the Ontario courts and the Federal courts.

Mireille Giroux

Vice-Chair
Ms. Giroux was called to the Ontario Bar in 2013 and has spent her entire career at a prominent union side law firm practising labour law, mainly in respect of the construction industry. As a practising lawyer, she regularly appeared as counsel before the Board as well as numerous Arbitrators. Ms. Giroux has also been an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School where she taught a course on collective bargaining law. She is fluently bilingual in French and English.

Neil Keating

Vice-Chair
Neil Keating became a Vice-Chair in 2021 after practicing law as in-house counsel for a construction industry trade union and at a firm specializing in labour and employment law. During his time in practice he regularly appeared before the Board and acted as counsel in private collective agreement arbitration matters. Originally from Newfoundland, he has an undergraduate degree from St. Thomas University and a law degree from the University of New Brunswick.

John D. Lewis

Vice-Chair
John D. Lewis was appointed a full-time Vice-Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board in March 2009. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1991 and is a graduate of the University of Western Law School (LL.B.). He has both a Master of Industrial Relations degree (MIR’85) and a Bachelor of Commerce degree (B.Com’84) from Queen’s University.

Tim Liznick

Vice-Chair
Mr. Liznick is an experienced labour lawyer who brings a broad range of experience in labour, employment and education law to the Board. A graduate of Queen’s University (B.Comm. Hons, MIR) and the University of Western Ontario (LLB), he practiced before various tribunals and courts for over 30 years with a prominent management-side law firm. As a practicing lawyer, Mr. Liznick regularly appeared as counsel before the Board.

Michael McCrory

Vice-Chair
Michael McCrory was appointed to the Board as a Vice-Chair in 2019. He is a graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Law (B.C.L/ LL. B 2002). Upon being called to the Bar in 2004, he began his legal career working in the Labour & Employment Law practice groups of two law firms before becoming in-house counsel with Air Canada, with a particular emphasis on labour-related litigation. In 2014, Mr. McCrory was appointed Director, Labour Relations, Air Canada. He is fluent in both French and English.

Michael McFadden

Vice-Chair
Michael McFadden spent his entire legal career as a lawyer in private practice with an exclusive focus on labour relations and employment law, initially for trade union clients and, latterly for employer clients. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen`s University.

Roslyn McGilvery

Vice-Chair
Roslyn McGilvery practiced labour and employment law at a boutique law firm prior to joining the Board as a full-time Vice-Chair. She holds an LL.B from the University of Western Ontario as well as a Bachelor of Journalism degree. She has written on various topics in the field of labour and employment law, including co-authoring a text on the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and serving as contributing editor to a labour relations law reporter.

Maheen Merchant

Vice-Chair
Maheen Merchant was called to the Bar in 2012. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and holds an LLB from the University of Leicester. She completed her Master of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2020, specializing in constitutional law. Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Merchant practiced labour law exclusively since joining a trade union as in-house counsel in 2015, focusing on the construction industry. She previously worked in private practice in commercial, real estate and construction-related litigation.

C. Michael Mitchell

Vice-Chair
C. Michael Mitchell practiced law at a prominent law firm for his entire legal career. He appeared regularly in many cases before the Ontario Labour Relations Board. He also co-authored the leading textbook on the Labour Relations Board. Michael together with the Hon. J. C. Murray were appointed by the Government of Ontario to lead the Changing Workplace Review from February 2015 to March 2017. He co-authored the interim report and final report of the Review.

Danna Morrison

Vice-Chair
Danna Morrison was called to the Ontario Bar in 2010 and has previously worked as a partner in a boutique law firm in Toronto specializing in labour law, as a mediator with the Ontario Labour Relations Board specializing in construction labour law, and as in house counsel with a construction trade union. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Queen’s University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Peigi Ross

Vice-Chair
Peigi Ross was called to the bar in 1996 and practiced labour and employment law exclusively throughout her career. She was an associate of a prominent management firm from 1996 to 2003, when she joined the Scotiabank Group of Companies as in-house employment law counsel. Before joining the Board, she was a partner at a prominent labour law firm (2006-2019) where she represented both employers and employees in labour, employment and human rights matters.

Caroline Rowan

Vice-Chair
Caroline Rowan was appointed to the Board as a Vice-Chair in 1999. She graduated from the University of Toronto (Honours B.A. in 1986) and from Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B. 1989).

Jack Slaughter

Vice-Chair
Jack J. Slaughter is a Vice-Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Prior to joining the Board, he had extensive experience in the construction industry as General Counsel for a number of construction unions. In 1995, he was Legal Counsel to the Railway Commissions under Mr. Justice George Adams, a Mediation-Arbitration Commission established by Parliament to resolve 13 collective agreements amongst CN, CP and the various railway unions. Jack is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, where he received the Ivan C. Rand Award in Constitutional Law, and the University of Toronto where he graduated with High Distinction with a Major in Economics.

Johanne Cavé

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Johanne Cavé received her law degree from the University of Ottawa in 1996. She is also a certified mediator. Until 2018, Ms. Cavé worked as in-house counsel for large Canadian companies, practicing labour, employment, human rights and privacy law, including litigation. She received the Order of Merit from the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa in 2016. VC is fluent in both French and English.

Jason Hanson

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
W. Jason Hanson is a lawyer who was formerly a partner at a major Canadian law firm. A past Chair of that firm's Labour Relations and Employment law group, he represented clients before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, a wide variety of other employment related tribunals, collective agreement arbitrators, and the courts, including the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. His practice focussed on labour relations, employment, health and safety and human rights law. He has written on a broad range of employment and labour relations topics and is a co-author of two books on workplace issues. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto (BA) and the University of Windsor (JD).

Allan Kaufman

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Allan M. Kaufman holds Bachelor of Arts and LL.B. degrees from the University of Manitoba, and a Masters of Law degree (B.C.L.) from Oxford University. Prior to joining the Ontario Labour Relations Board, he practiced employment law in Toronto, primarily representing employees. Mr. Kaufman also has extensive management experience as Vice President, Legal, for the Canadian subsidiary of the world's largest transportation company, and as Director of Legal Affairs for an Ontario supermarket chain. He has served since 1997 as an examiner for Canada's National Committee on Accreditation for foreign lawyers, and as a labour adjudicator for Canada's Ministry of Labour from 2010 to 2020. Mr. Kaufman was a visiting professor at McGill University and a lecturer at the University of Ottawa law schools. He currently teaches Advanced Business Law at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Patrick Kelly

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Patrick Kelly was appointed to the Board as a Vice-Chair in May of 1999. He is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Arts (B.A. 1980) and Faculty of Law (LL.B. 1983).

Jesse Kugler

Vice-Chair
Jesse Kugler obtained his law degree from Queen’s University in 2007 and was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2008. He thereafter practiced labour and employment law in one of Canada’s premier boutique labour and employment firms. He resigned his partnership in that firm in 2021 to accept an appointment as Vice-Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

John Martelli

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
John Martelli was called to the Ontario Bar in 1998 and practised labour and employment law both in private practice and as in-house counsel for Bruce Power for over 20 years.

Archana Mathew

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Archana Mathew was educated at McGill University and Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2005. She comes to the Board after working in-house for eighteen years at a leading union, with a focus on labour and human rights law. She is a frequent public speaker and taught the course "Rethinking Procedural Justice: Human Rights and Fairness in Adjudication" at Osgoode Hall.

Heather Ann McConnell

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Heather Ann McConnell was called to the bar in 2007, after receiving her Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School. She also holds two degrees from the University of Toronto – a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) and a Master of Arts from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Prior to her appointment to the Board, Heather Ann was a partner in a leading labour law firm in Toronto, where she regularly appeared before boards and tribunals in the areas of labour, human rights, occupational health and safety, education, professional regulation, and administrative law.

Brian Mulroney

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Brian Mulroney attended Harvard University and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He practised law with two prominent employer-side labour and employment firms from 1981 until 2022. He has been a director of a number of charitable agencies in the Greater Toronto Area.

Derek Rogers

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Derek Rogers was a partner and head of the Toronto Labour & Employment practice group at a prominent law firm until his retirement in 2012. For many years he served as the General Editor of the Employment and Labour Law Reporter, and contributed to the second edition of Canadian Labour Arbitration. He holds a law degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations from the New York State School of Industrial & Labor Relations at Cornell University. While in practice Mr. Rogers spoke frequently on employment matters, and appeared in proceedings before provincial and federal labour relations boards, human rights tribunals, trial and appellate courts, and labour and employment arbitrators.

Brian Smeenk

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Brian Smeenk has over 40 years of experience in employment and labour law, across the broader public sector (both Ontario and federal) and the private sector. He began his career at a leading labour and employment boutique law firm before becoming a partner at two different national law firms. He frequently appeared before many employment-related tribunals as well as all levels of the courts. Brian also frequently led collective bargaining teams for his clients. He retired as a partner of a national law firm in January 2020. He was inducted as a Fellow of the tripartite College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in 2015. Mr. Smeenk also serves as Chair of the Public Service Grievance Board.

Scott G. Thompson

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Scott G. Thompson recently retired as a senior partner from a prominent labour and employment law firm and has been regularly recognized as a leading labour and employment lawyer across Canada. He graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1980 and was in house counsel for the British Columbia Labour Relations Board from 1982 to 1984. In 1991 Scott published the book Managing Under The Electrical Contractors’ Collective Agreement and has extensive experience in construction industry labour relations, as well as all aspects of labour and employment law.

Paul Young

Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
Paul Young was called to the Ontario Bar in 1984. He practiced exclusively in the labour and employment law field from his call to the bar until his retirement from private practice in 2022. Mr. Young was a partner in a leading labour and employment law firm for over 30 years and acted as the firm’s managing partner for eight of those years. During his career, Mr. Young acted for both public and private sector employers, appearing before many labour and employment-related tribunals. He also regularly represented clients at collective bargaining negotiations. Mr. Young holds a law degree from Queen’s University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto.

Lori Bolton

Member (Management)
Lori Bolton is Director of Human Resources, City of Orillia. Her responsibilities include collective bargaining, grievance procedures, administration of payroll and human resource policies. She is a member of the Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association Board of Directors.

William S. Cook

Member (Management)
William Cook is a former partner of Mathews, Disdale & Clark LLP. His practice included negotiation of collective agreements and extensive counsel work at the Ontario Labour Relations Board. He is an Honorary Member of the Law Society of Upper Canada and holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto.

John Dowding

Member (Labour)
John Dowding was employed as a full-time Officer, Administrator and Labour Relations Consultant with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for over 24 years. He has been a regular participant in litigation (arbitration and settlements) at the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Mr. Dowding holds a 309A Construction and Maintenance Electrician licence.

Brian MacDonald

Member (Labour)
Brian MacDonald is President of Teamsters Local Union No. 91 based in Ottawa, and the Assistant Freight Director for Teamsters Canada. He has sat on various Labour Panels and Committees, inclusive of currently sitting on the Board of Directors for the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and a Graduate Studies diploma in Conflict Resolution from Carleton University.

William Nicholls

Member (Labour)
William Nicholls has been a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) for the past 40 years. He has served in many leadership roles of the IUPAT negotiating collective bargaining agreements, as an organizer, health & safety representative, administrator, and mentor to IUPAT leadership. He has served as a member of the Minister of Labour Construction Industry Panel, on the board of the Ontario Construction Secretariat, was past President of both the Construction Safety Association of Ontario and the Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario.

Heino Nielsen

Member (Labour)
Heino Nielsen graduated from Laurentian University. He was Ontario Liquor Boards Employees' Union (OLBEU's) provincial Business Agent. In 2003 he became the Executive Assistant to the President of the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) where he negotiated the merger of OLBEU and OPSEU; and later was Division Administrator. He retired in 2015 and is now a part-time member of the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

David St. Louis

Member (Management)
David St. Louis is Executive Director of the Terrazzo Tile and Marble Guild of Ontario. He is also a former Senior Mediator with Dispute Resolution Services, Ministry of Labour. He. holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from York University.

Margaret Taylor

Member (Management)
Margaret Taylor is the Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Demolition Contractors (OADC). She sat on OADC's negotiations committee for the 2013 and 2016 rounds of bargaining and led the negotiations team in the 2019 round. Ms. Taylor took part in lobbying at Queens's Park on behalf of the industry to pass Bill 142- The Construction Lien Act, otherwise known as the Prompt Payment Legislation.

Wayne Zachar

Member (Management)
Wayne Zachar is the former Director of Employee Relations with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto.

Mediation Services

Manager, Mediation Services

Travis Kearns
Travis Kearns joined the Board in September 2005. He is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg (B.A. Honours, 1995) and Osgoode Hall (LL.B., 1999). After his call to the Ontario bar in 2001, he practiced labour law as an associate of a Toronto law firm, acting on behalf of trade unions at the Board and in grievance arbitrations.

Assistant Manager, Mediation Services

Jennifer Norman

Paul Bozzo

Senior Mediator
Paul joined the Board in 2015. He brings extensive experience in the labour and employee relations field, having previously consulted at one of Canada's largest banks and managed a team of employee relations professionals at a publicly traded company in Ontario. Paul is passionate about alternative dispute resolution. He started his public service career as a mediator with the Government of Canada’s Labour Program and served as a member of the teaching team in Osgoode Hall Law School’s Lawyer as Negotiator course . He holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and certificates in Advanced ADR from the University of Windsor Faculty of Law.

Carrie Clynick

Senior Mediator - Construction
Carrie Clynick began working as a Labour Relations Officer/Mediator at the Board in 2017. She graduated with distinction from the University of Toronto in 2000 (Hons. B.A.) and received her law degree from Queen’s University in 2003 where she was also the recipient of the course prize for Criminal Procedure. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2004 after which she practiced labour and employment law as a partner of a Toronto law firm, representing unions and employees at the Board and at various levels of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Laurie Eisenberg

Senior Mediator
Laurie Eisenberg has been with the Board as a Labour Relations Officer since January, 2007. Immediately prior to coming to the Board she worked at the Ministry of Labour-Legal Services Branch as a Provincial Prosecutor and a Case Manager with the Crown Law Office-Civil Division.

Michelle McPhee

Senior Mediator - Construction
Michelle McPhee joined the Board's Field Services as a Labour Relations Officer in 1998. As a Labour Relations Specialist (Construction) her primary responsibility is to mediate issues in the construction industry. Ms. McPhee is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (LL.B., 1984). Prior to joining the Board, she held a variety of positions with trade unions.

Luiza Monteiro

Senior Mediator - Construction
Luiza Monteiro graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours degree in Political Science, and obtained her law degree from Queen’s University in 1992, followed by her call to the Ontario Bar. She practiced labour law as an associate of a Toronto law firm, acting on behalf of trade unions at the Board and in various other labour and employment-related settings. She commenced work for the Board in June 2002 as a Senior Mediator (Labour Relations Specialist), Construction.

Lynne Segedin

Senior Mediator
Prior to joining the Board in June 2018, Lynne worked in the automobile sector for almost 20 years holding various positions in Labour Relations and Human Resources. She has a Bachelor of Commerce Honours undergraduate degree from the University of Windsor and a Master of Industrial Relations and Human Resources (MIRHR) from the University of Toronto.

Karima Shamji

Senior Mediator
Karima Shamji has been with the Ministry of Labour for 18 years. Prior to joining the Board, she was with Legal Services as a Provincial Prosecutor prosecuting Occupational Health and Safety and Employment Standard Cases. To add to her experience with the MOL, she also worked for the Office of the Children's Lawyer and had her own private paralegal practice involving family law, civil litigation, real estate and criminal law.

Eden Tefferi

Mediator
Eden Tefferi has worked with the Board since May 2012 and joined Mediation Services in February 2013 as a bilingual mediator. She graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours B.A. in Employment Relations (2009) and an M.A. in Labour Studies from McMaster University (2011). Prior to joining to the Board, she was with the Ministry of Government Services.

Carolyn Tysoe

Senior Mediator
Carolyn Tysoe joined the Board's Field Services in January 2008. She has a B.A. Honours from Dalhousie University (2002) and an LL.B. from Queen's University (2006). During law school she was awarded the Reuben Wells Leonard Prize in Alternative Dispute Resolution (2005). Prior to coming to the Board, Ms. Tysoe worked in policy at another Ministry and articled with a law firm in Ottawa.

Donna Beal

Mediator
Donna Beal joined the Board's Field Services in December of 1997 and has been a Labour Relations Officer since 2004. Prior to coming to the Board, Ms. Beal was with the Ministry of Labour's Employment Standards Branch. She graduated from Carleton University with a B.A in Labour Studies.

Leila Handanovic

Senior Mediator
Prior to joining the Board in 2018, Leila was a mediator at the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Previously she was a Member of the Social Security Tribunal, and a Mediator in the Federal Labour Program, Employment and Social Development Canada. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Schulich School of Business at York University..

Gaetano Iacono

Mediator

David Loney

Mediator
David was a Staff Representative/Negotiator for OPSEU and a Grievance Officer with the Liquor Board Employees’ Union for 15 years. He was involved in bargaining in both the Public sector and Broader Public Sector. He has also worked as a mediator in the small claims court for more than 15 years, as well as mediating a variety of workplace disputes. David has an LLM in Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall.

Vincent Martins

Mediator
Vincent Martins first served the Board in the year 2000 as part of a shared services unit for the Ministry of Labour. In 2015, he returned to the Board as a Labour Relations Officer after a career as a Legal Worker for the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, Human Rights Officer at the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Employment Standards Officer for the Ministry of Labour and Senior Review Officer at the Pay Equity Commission. He is trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution and Interpersonal Mediation.

Jennifer Norman

Mediator

Sharan Sodhi

Mediator

Ryan Gilhooly

Conciliator
Ryan Gilhooly has worked at the Board since October 2010 and joined Mediation Services in January 2012 as a Labour Relations Conciliator. As a Conciliator, Mr. Gilhooly is responsible for conducting certification and termination votes across the province and ensuring that votes are fairly and properly held. Mr. Gilhooly graduated from Brock University with an Honours degree in Political Science in 2008.

Michel Perrier

Conciliator
Originally from Timmins, Ontario, Mr. Michel Perrier has been working at the Ontario Labour Relations Board since February, 2001 as a Bilingual Labour Relations Conciliator. Travelling across the province, Mr. Perrier is responsible for the conduct of certification and termination votes in accordance with the Board's rules and procedures. Before working at the Ontario Labour Relations Board, Ms. Perrier was employed as a union business representative.