We are excited to announce Achev’s new Board of Directors and Non-Director Committee and extend a warm welcome to all new members joining this year. Their expertise, advice, and diverse perspectives will help in shaping Achēv’s Vision 2025 strategic plan and put a renewed focus on our clients and future growth opportunities.

Please meet our new Board and Non-Director Committee members:

Board of Directors

Marlon Blake, MBA, CPA, FCCA
Board Member, Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee

Marlon has over 15 years of experience working in senior level leadership roles in financial services, not-for-profit and consulting industries. He is currently the CEO of Optimal Growth Financial, responsible for crafting the strategic direction and long-term vision of its start-up investment fund.  Before that, Marlon was the Director, Finance at ICES, where he provided financial and operational leadership, accounting expertise and guidance to the organization. He was also the Director of Finance at ACT, where he provided strategic leadership and vision for the financial functions of the organization. In addition, he worked in senior roles at Optimal Growth Consulting, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, and the Government of Bermuda.

Marlon has strong leadership experience in financial reporting, strategic planning, analytics, risk management, process automation, governance, project management, mentoring and coaching people.

Marlon holds a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University, CPA, CGA designation from CPA Ontario, and he is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant.

Ruth Woods
Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee

Ruth Woods has more than 35 years executive experience in professional services management, investment banking and consulting. She has held the position of Chief Operating Officer of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, where she was responsible for Finance, IT, HR, Facilities and Administration. Prior to Osler she was a founding partner of Hugessen Consulting Inc, Senior Vice President; Global Head of Human Resources at Scotia Capital; and a Founding Director of Women in Capital Markets.

Ruth is currently on the board of Scarborough Health Network and has served on the Bishop Strachan School and Royal St. George’s College Boards of Governors as Vice-Chair and Chair respectively, and on the board of Kinross Gold Corp.

Ruth graduated from the University of Toronto with a Masters of Business Administration, and from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics.

Non-Director Committee Members

Akshat Jhaveri
Non-Director Member of the Strategic & Risk Management Committee 

Akshat Jhaveri (AJ) has over 18 years of experience in serving Fortune 500 clients as a trusted advisor for their critical Business and Technology initiatives. AJ is currently a Director at Accenture where he focuses on partnering with Crown corporations in helping them realize their vision to modernize the way they do their business and serve their communities better. He does so by advising them on critical components that drive success for such a vision like Target operating models, Data and Analytics strategy, Change Management and Technology Transformation. He also partners with them in execution of that strategy enabled through robust governance and controls.

Before Accenture, AJ was with Cognizant where he served as the lead Partner for one of the largest Global Financial services serving them in their technology and operations transformation journey across various Insurance, Group Benefits and Wealth/Asset management. Prior to that, he has spent years as a management consultant in advising some of the Top Financial services companies to improve their business results as well as customer and community relations.

Through the years, AJ has been involved in several fundraising initiatives that support causes related to ending Hunger, Blood Donation, Breast Cancer research and participating in initiatives aimed at supporting youth in receiving support needed to be successful.

Megan has her undergraduate degree in Industrial Relations from McGill University and her Masters in Industrial Relations and Human Resources Management from Queens University and holds an advanced certificate in trust management.

AJ holds a MSc in Software Engineering from a Top Engineering university in India.

Darrell Pinto, MBA
Non-Director Member of the Governance & Nominating Committee

Darrell Pinto is a senior executive who has honed his strategic consulting and people-focused leadership in Toronto, New York, London and Shanghai at companies spanning private and public financial markets, pharmaceuticals, media and non-profits. He thrives in situations where he can combine solving big problems through design thinking. Through his commitment to volunteerism and community building he believes that we are all stronger if we can find ways to help each other be our best. He co-chairs along with Senator Ratna Omidvar the national Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable, a working coalition of 100 Canadian organizations collaborating to find meaningful jobs for refugees. He is also host of a national talk show on New Canadians TV.

In his spare time, his adventurous streak has driven him to hike to Mount Everest base camp, cage dive with Great White sharks, plant 50,000 trees, teach improv, and work on an alpaca farm.

Darrell earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy/History from the Western University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management.

Leo Gomes, LL.M, MBA, CFE
Non-Director Member of the Finance & Audit Committee

Leo Gomes is a trusted advisor who has been involved in the business advisory, internal audit, and risk management areas for close to 20 years. With solid international and multi-cultural work experience, Leo held leadership roles at different organizations and industries, such as lead National Oil & Gas in Qatar, and Fortune 500 Energy & Utility company in North America and Caribbean, most recently Capital Infrastructure and Transit Development Government company in Canada. Leo serves as Board Vice-Chair for Re-Imagine Ontario in the non-profit sector.

Leo holds Master of Laws from York University – Osgoode Hall Law School, and Master in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Bellevue University. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Catholic University of Minas Gerais – Brazil. He is a Member of The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).

We also want to congratulate and welcome Epsit Jajal as the new Chair of the Board.

Epsit Jajal brings 25+ years of senior leadership experience from a range of diverse industries including banking, consulting services, insurance, mining, construction, telecom, high tech, retail, software, energy, and various levels of the public sector.  Mr. Jajal specializes in implementing organizational transformation initiatives designed to dramatically improve organizational profitability and enterprise value by leveraging innovative and strategically important digital solutions.  His areas of expertise include leading global teams responsible for digital strategy, technology services, finance, professional services, and business operations.

Combined with his globally recognized academic credentials in business (MBA from Western University’s Ivey School of Business), finance (CPA, CMA) and outsourcing certification (University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Business), Mr. Jajal provides insightful perspectives to Achēv that help the management team continuously enhance its operational effectiveness and positive impacts on clients.

Under this evolving leadership, we will continue to position Achēv as a sustainable, inclusive and client-focused organization that successfully delivers youth, employment, newcomer and language services across the GTA.

Achēv’s CEO Tonie Chaltas and senior leadership team look forward to working together with all Board of Directors and the Non-Director Committee members over the next term.

As we welcome our new members, we’d also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our outgoing members: Lawrence Eta and Aneesa Mohammed. Thank you for your dedication and contributions in our work.

Thank you to all who serve on the board. We can’t wait to see how our highly experienced board members will further our vision of helping people discover their potential and achieve their purpose.

To view all of Achēv’s Board Member profiles, visit our Meet The Board page.

We are excited to share that Achēv has been featured on the September 15 edition of the Toronto Star as part of the “Supporting Canada’s Newcomers and Refugees” campaign. As a hub of newcomer services, we discussed how we make sure that our clients are primed and ready to apply for jobs by providing them with the support they need to successfully transition into their new lives. The article also explains how newcomers get one-on-one settlement and career support at Achēv and can also improve their English and French skills through language assessments, our online language classes and class referrals.

Here is the full Toronto Star campaign with our article: http://project.mediaplanet.com/26422.pdf

RBC Meeting Place Opens at Achēv’s Newcomer Information Centre

August 15, 2022, Mississauga, ON – Newcomers living in Mississauga now have more support than ever, through a new partnership between Achēv and RBC that provides helpful services and timely advice to those who are establishing new lives in Canada.

Representatives of both organizations, government officials and newcomer clients came together at Achēv’s Newcomer Information Centre at 50 Burnhamthorpe Road to celebrate the opening of RBC Meeting Place, a unique resource centre for new Canadians. This location will be staffed by expert RBC Newcomer Advisors who will help people of all cultures with their banking and financial needs as they settle into their new community. In addition to one-on-one advice and support, RBC Newcomer Advisors will host group seminars ranging from careers in finance to networking and personal brand building, with a special emphasis on youth. The addition of RBC Meeting Place rounds out Achēv’s robust newcomer services, which include employment, language assessment, youth programs and newcomer settlement and referral services. Together, Achēv and RBC are helping newcomers get to know their new community and navigate their settlement journey.

“There are so many barriers that can hinder the growth and success of new Canadians. It’s important to never forget about the journey that newcomers face,” shared Shorouq Alkayyali, Assistant Branch Manager, RBC as she recalled her own challenges when she arrived in Canada. “Achēv and RBC can play an integral part in helping newcomers understand the Canadian landscape while providing the support needed to set them up for success.”

“Achēv is pleased to collaborate with RBC. Our two organizations have come together based on shared values and a common approach to serving our clients and community. We are both committed to putting each client at the centre of what we do,” said Tonie Chaltas, CEO, Achēv. “Together, we are providing clients with an integrated and seamless settlement journey, helping them access the services and advice they need to find meaningful employment and establish new lives in Canada.”

RBC has been providing advice and solutions to newcomers for over 150 years across Canada and offers phone services in up to 200 languages. More recently, RBC’s Newcomer teams have brought their expertise, resources, products, and services to new Canadians through community partnerships and in RBC Meeting Place locations nationally.

“We’re committed to making it easier for new Canadians to get established, succeed and thrive in Canada,” said Tom Parisi, Regional Vice President, RBC. “That’s why we’re so pleased to be co-located with Achēv here in Mississauga – so we can continue to support newcomers with their financial needs and more, as they adapt to life in Canada.”

Media Contact:

Kristen Neagle, Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Achēv
Kneagle@achev.ca
416-559-8660

We are pleased to share that Achēv has been featured in the National Post. The article discusses how we empower diverse newcomers and Canadians to achieve their career goals and build successful futures. It also features one of our clients, Mohit Mundra, who shared how Achēv was able to help him find meaningful employment and smoothly transition to life in Canada as a newcomer. To read the full article on the National Post, click here.

We are pleased to announce that starting March 21, 2022, Achēv and RBC are launching an exciting new partnership that will help bring more services and advice to newcomers in the Mississauga area.

RBC has opened a Meeting Place within our Mississauga-City Centre location. This inviting space will be staffed by expert RBC Newcomer Advisors, who are dedicated to helping people of all cultures with their settlement needs, including banking, engaging their new community, and introductions to community partners who can help them get settled.

RBC has been providing advice and solutions to newcomers for over 150 years and offers phone services in up to 200 languages. Over the last few years, these RBC Newcomer Advisor teams have been bringing the people, resources, products and services of RBC remotely to newcomers to help them thrive as they create a new life here.

Achēv and RBC share common goals aimed at connecting people to opportunities that help them achieve their full potential. Both our organizations have teams of highly skilled and dedicated staff, and we continue to work with partners, businesses and government to help our clients through the pandemic and their settlement journey in Canada. Ultimately, our shared hope is that through partnerships like this, we can help more newcomers receive the support and services they need to succeed.

We look forward to sharing a space with RBC and a long and successful collaboration!

Mississauga, Ontario – February 25, 2022 – In February 2021, Achēv received a $144,400 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to identify digital solutions to enhance its resilience and capacity in serving clients and the community. The project was completed in November 2021 and will support the organization’s digital transformation journey for years to come.

“I am thrilled with the announcement that Achēv, a cornerstone organization of my community, is benefitting from support offered by the OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund,” said Natalia Kusendova, Mississauga Centre MPP. “These funds, which have been used to help their organization recover from the impacts of COVID-19 with an increased emphasis on digitizing service provision, will be sure to increase accessibility and efficiency and, in turn, better serve vulnerable communities in both Mississauga and beyond.”

Achēv used this grant to research options and develop digital solutions, such as a client relationship management (CRM) tool, to better engage clients and improve their service experience. “It is critical that we understand the evolving needs of our clients in a timely, centralized way and use technology to connect them with the services they need, when they need it, and in a format that works for them,” said Tonie Chaltas, CEO of Achēv. “The impact of this OTF funded project cannot be underestimated as it has allowed us to develop a customized solution to better support our clients.”

Achēv aims to change people’s lives as they discover their potential and achieve their purpose. It is one of the largest non-profit providers of employment, youth, newcomer and language services in the Greater Toronto Area, serving over 91,000 clients in 2020-21. During the pandemic, the organization quickly adapted tools and processes to provide more online services in record time, providing essential community supports to job seekers, women, newcomers and youth. Further information can be found at www.achev.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

Media Contact:

Kristen Neagle
Government Relations & Strategic Partnerships, Achēv
kneagle@achev.ca

Mississauga, Ontario – November 5, 2021 – Achēv, a leading charitable organization that delivers employment, newcomer, language and youth services with locations across the Greater Toronto Area, announced today that it was named the Diamond Winner of the 2021 Mississauga News Readers’ Choice Awards in the Best Non-Profit category. The Diamond Award is the highest ranked category, followed by Platinum and Gold.

The Mississauga News Readers’ Choice Awards are the most respected and reputable consumer awards in Mississauga. This distinction is a reflection of an organization’s commitment to its clients and its achievement throughout the year. Each year, thousands of people from the community are invited to nominate and vote for their favourite organizations in Mississauga. This is the 26th year since the inception of this awards program and more than 275,000 ballots were cast. This year’s Mississauga News Readers’ Choice Awards recognizes businesses that have experienced challenges during the pandemic but have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional services to their clients.

“Being recognized by our clients and the community we serve is the greatest honour Achēv could receive. We are thrilled to be chosen as the Diamond Winner of the 2021 Mississauga News Readers’ Choice Awards in the Best Non-Profit category,” said Tonie Chaltas, CEO of Achēv. “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the needs of the communities we serve have evolved and the challenges they face are more significant. As a result, we worked quickly to pivot our programs and services online to ensure all of our clients have the support they need. Winning this award is a true testament to our staff and volunteers’ dedication, commitment, compassion and empathy in serving our communities. They make a difference in the lives of our clients every day.”

For nearly 30 years, Achēv, formerly the Centre for Education & Training, has dedicated itself to helping newcomers and Canadians achieve their full potential. Today, Achēv is one of the largest providers of employment, newcomer, language and youth services in the Greater Toronto Area. Achēv’s wide range of high-quality and personalized programs and services provide people from diverse backgrounds with the resources and guidance needed to achieve their goals.

Women, newcomers, youth, people with disabilities and people from racialized communities have been most negatively affected by the pandemic. As the economy begins to rebound, Achēv is committed to continuing its work in fostering a more equitable recovery and developing innovative programs that address the evolving needs of the community, especially those who are most vulnerable.

To learn more about Achēv’s programs and services, visit www.achev.ca.

About Achēv

Achēv is a leading charitable organization that delivers employment, newcomer, language and youth services. We offer comprehensive and personalized programs of the highest quality to help people achieve their full potential. Each year, our dedicated team of nearly 400 staff serves over 100,000 clients through virtual services and multiple in-person locations across the Greater Toronto Area. We are committed to making a positive and lasting difference in the diverse communities we serve.

Media Contact

Joy Qiu
Marketing Manager, Achēv
jqiu@achev.ca
416-518-8410

Mississauga, Ontario – October 21, 2021 – Achēv, one of the largest non-profit providers of employment, newcomer and language services in the Peel Region with locations across the GTA, is pleased to announce it has been awarded $804,700 from the Ontario government in partnership with Project Liftoff. This funding will support youth facing barriers in Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto with digital skills training to prepare them for technology sector jobs.

“There has never been greater urgency for programs like Career Pathways for Youth and the work we do at Achēv,” said Ms. Tonie Chaltas, Achēv’s Chief Executive Officer. “Youth in the GTA, particularly racialized youth, continue to face numerous barriers to meaningful employment, and those barriers have been greatly exacerbated by the pandemic. Those barriers include lack of work-related networks, lack of job experience, challenges accessing learning and mental health needs.”

Career Pathways for Youth (CP4Y) is funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development through the Skills Development Fund. The program is in response to a growing need to fill the growing digital skills gap in the Technology Sector, which is expected to grow to 305,000 jobs by 2023.^[1] Employers in the technology sector who are using Salesforce’s CRM need entry-level skilled talent, but they are struggling to find job seekers with the right skills. This program responds to that need and provides career opportunities for youth facing barriers in our communities. 

“With nearly 150 projects so far, the Skills Development Fund has been a tremendous success, helping 260,000 workers and job seekers around the province take the next step in their careers,” said Minister Monte McNaughton. “However, we know employers are still having difficulty finding the talented workers they need to stay competitive and grow their businesses. That’s why I’m so pleased to see organizations like Achēv stepping up and breaking down barriers to employment for young people in Mississauga and Brampton.”

Career Pathways for Youth is a collaborative partnership with Project Liftoff to create and implement a seamless job training and placement experience for youth facing barriers to successfully launch careers in the digital economy. Youth will have placement opportunities at multiple employers that use Salesforce’s technology. The program includes digital skills training and certification, hands-on training, job placements, employability skills training and career coaching. 

”As enterprise tech giants like Salesforce, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft continue to bring the worlds of business and technology together, ‘Working in tech’ will soon become, simply – Working”, said Marcus Bernard, Founder of Project Liftoff. “At Project Liftoff it’s our mission to prepare young underserved job seekers for that opportunity by providing the digital skills training and recruitment services needed to launch meaningful business and technology careers in the digital economy.”

As one of the largest providers of employment services, newcomer settlement and language services in the GTA, Achēv makes it easy for clients to get the support they need — all under one roof. Last year, Achēv served over 91,000 clients.  We provided 1-on-1 job assistance to over 3,000 job seekers and helped over 12,000 youth gain employment skills. Over 11,000 newcomers used our services to help them settle into the GTA.

To learn more about the Career Pathways for Youth Program, visit: Career Pathways for Youth – Achēv (achev.ca)

Contact:

Program information: Gwendolyn Fluker, CP4Y@achev.ca

Media inquiries: Kristen Neagle, kneagle@achev.ca

^[1] Canada’s digitally skilled talent demand to reach 305,000 by 2023: ICTC Outlook to 2023 – Information and Communications Technology Council (ictc-ctic.ca)

We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to the newest members of our Board of Directors and Non-Director Committee Members. Each of them brings a wealth of experience and leadership expertise from diverse sectors. Achēv’s CEO Tonie Chaltas, Board Chair Andrew Gall and the senior leadership team, look forward to working together to support the delivery of exceptional youth, employment, newcomer settlement and language assessment services across the GTA.

The new Board Members are:

Ana Nunes, ICD.D, CFA, FCIA, FSA
Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Strategic & Risk Management Committee

Ana Nunes brings more than 20 years’ experience as a senior executive in the retirement savings industry. She held various leadership roles during her 10+ years at OMERS, including Senior Vice President of Plan Risk, Senior Vice President of Pension Services, and President of OMERS Investment Management. During her consulting career at Mercer, she advised clients on the full spectrum of pension plan issues.

Ana is a strategic thinker who is known for deep analytical skills and an ability to clearly communicate key issues. She has led multiple strategic initiatives that grew assets under management by over $2 billion. She brings extensive experience supporting Boards with the oversight of risk management, pension funding, large-scale administration operations and cybersecurity.

Ana is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees of the MoveUp/ICBC Pension Plan. She has been a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Benefits and Pensions Monitor and has volunteered her time to various charitable causes through the years.

In addition to being a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and Society of Actuaries, Ana is a CFA charterholder and holds the ICD.D designation.

Lawrence Eta, eMBA, MM, BSc
Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Finance & Audit Committee

Lawrence Eta is the Chief Technology Officer for the City of Toronto. As a transformative leader and business partner, he provides vision, strategy and execution to modernize and deliver innovative technology solutions to enhance the customer service experience.

Over the span of his 20+ career Lawrence has been involved in a wide range of technology industries, holding various senior leadership positions including, Global Director of Customer Success within the Internet of Things (IOT) sector, Vice President of Technical Architecture and Director of Business Technology Solutions for an international business process outsourcing organization and Director of Information Services for one of Canada’s top 60 pension and benefits plans. Lawrence holds an Executive MBA from Lansbridge University, Master of Management from American Sentinel University, and Bachelor of Science in Technology Management from Staffordshire University

Lawrence is a TEDX speaker and member of Coalition of Innovation Leaders against Racism (CILAR). He is a passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion and creating equity and prosperity for communities. He has served on not for profit committees and boards including Canadian Cancer Society (BC and Yukon Division), Langley Hospice and Arizona Children’s Association.

Megan MacRae, M.I.R.
Board Member, Vice-Chair of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee

Megan MacRae is the Executive Director of Human Resources at the TTC. As a member of the TTC Executive Team she oversees the provision of all Human Resources services throughout the Organization.

Megan began her labour relations career in the Canadian airline industry and moved towards public transit first at GO Transit before joining the TTC in 2008. In her time at the TTC, Megan has held a variety of positions, including Employee Relations Consultant, Director of Compensation Services and Director of Employee Relations, and has led multiple rounds of collective bargaining.

Megan has been a Board member on the TTC Pension Plan since 2013 where she serves on the Governance Committee as well as the Investment Committee. Megan has contributed as a Board member previously with the Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association as well as Big Brothers and Sisters of Ajax Pickering.

Megan has her undergraduate degree in Industrial Relations from McGill University and her Masters in Industrial Relations and Human Resources Management from Queens University and holds an advanced certificate in trust management.

Melissa Qi, LLM, MFAc
Board Member, Member of Governance & Nominating Committee

Melissa Qi is an experienced professional specializing in risk, governance, policy, strategy and project management. With close to a decade of experience in the public sector, she has worked for the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, City of Markham, Region of York, Ontario Energy Board, and currently the City of Brampton. Melissa has advised elected officials and senior leaders on dozens of Boards and Committees.

Melissa is a member of York Regional Police’s Community Liaison Committee, and has served on York University’s Graduate Students Council and the Community Safety Council.

Kim Warburton
Board Member, Member of the Strategic & Risk Management Committee

Kim Warburton is a strategic communications and public affairs executive with extensive, broad experience building corporate reputation and brand, stakeholder relationships, and employee engagement. She has held senior global and national positions in the multinational, financial, telecommunications and advertising sectors, including roles with TD Bank Group, GE and Bell Canada. She has worked in the Ontario government focusing on workforce skills and economic development. Kim is a respected leader and trusted advisor known for managing complexity, coaching to unlock potential, and creating initiatives that inspire and motivate. She is currently an independent strategic communications advisor.

Kim is an inclusive, community builder. She is passionate about “joining the dots” to build perspective and create meaningful outcomes. Her interests include navigating the changing nature of work, economic participation and opportunity, and life-long learning. She recently served as Chair and Director of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and is a Director of Actua a national organization engaging youth in STEM to build employability skills and confidence. She has also served as advisor on Mississauga’s Economic Development Advisory Board, and as Chair and Director of the Trillium Health Partners Hospital Foundation.

Andrea Swinton
Non-Director Committee Member of Strategic and Risk Management Committee

Andrea Swinton is a not-for-profit CEO known for leading at the national and provincial levels, bringing a business focus to charities and building platforms that have doubled revenue in three years.

She serves on the board of directors for Hazel Burns Hospice and Endeavour Consulting for Non-Profits and is the Chair of their respective Governance and Fundraising Committees. She’s also been a panelist at a global health symposium held in Vienna, Austria, workshop moderator, conference speaker, and acted as a spokesperson in the national media.
Prior to transitioning to the not-for-profit sector, she worked in brand marketing for Canada’s leading loyalty program, and in direct marketing for a national home and auto insurance firm.
A graduate of Queen’s University, Andrea holds a B.A. in Sociology and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Marlon Blake, MBA, CPA, FCCA
Non-Director Member of Finance and Audit Committee

Marlon Blake has over 15 years of experience working in senior level leadership roles in not-for-profit, consulting, and financial services industries. He is currently the Director, Finance at ICES, responsible for providing financial and operational leadership, accounting expertise and guidance to the organization. Before ICES, Marlon was the Director of Finance at ACT, where he provided strategic leadership and vision for the financial functions of the organization. He also worked in senior roles at Optimal Growth Consulting, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, and the Government of Bermuda. He has strong leadership experience in financial reporting, strategic planning, analytics, project management, process automation, governance, risk, IT, mentoring and coaching people.

Marlon holds a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University, CPA, CGA designation from CPA Ontario, and he is a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant. 

Ruth Woods
Non-Director Committee Member of Human Resources and Compensation Committee

Ruth Woods has more than 35 years executive experience in professional services management, investment banking and consulting. She is the Chief Operating Officer of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, where she is responsible for Finance, IT, HR, Facilities and Administration. Prior to Osler she was a founding partner of Hugessen Consulting Inc, Senior Vice President; Global Head of Human Resources at Scotia Capital; and a Founding Director of Women in Capital Markets. Ruth is currently on the board of Scarborough Health Network and has served on the Bishop Strachan School and Royal St. George’s College Boards of Governors as Vice-Chair and Chair respectively, and on the board of Kinross Gold Corp.

Ruth graduated from the University of Toronto with a Masters of Business Administration, and from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics.

To view all of Achēv’s Board Member profiles, visit our Meet The Board page.