Speaker Series of 2014 event: Catalyzing a Sustainable Society
Presenters:
Sandy Houston - President and CEO
Andre Vallillee - Environment Program Director
Adriana Beemans - Inclusive Local Economies Program Director
The discussion will explore:
- Metcalf's repositioning of its strategic areas of focus;
- The role that policy, practice and collaboration play concurrently in building a new economy; and
- Learning alongside community partnerships.
When: Wednesday, April 9th, 2013.
Time: Noon - 1:30 pm.
Where: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (U of T) 252 Bloor St. West, (St. George Subway Station),
Room: 3-104 *No registration required. To watch online: click here:
Presenter Bio's
Sandy Houston - President and CEO
Sandy Houston is the President and CEO of the Metcalf Foundation. Over the last ten years, Sandy has steered the development of Metcalf into a leading private foundation engaged in helping Canadians imagine and build a just, healthy and creative society. Prior to joining Metcalf, Sandy worked as a litigator before becoming a founding partner in Stitt Feld Handy Houston, Canada’s first law firm to focus predominately on alternative dispute resolution.
Much of his current work is focused on creating opportunities for innovation and collaboration and in advancing new thinking and policy approaches. Sandy has been instrumental in the establishment of a number of Canadian not-for-profits. He was the founding chair of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, an arms-length, public foundation created by the Government of Ontario to support the environmental and agricultural integrity of province’s new Greenbelt. He is currently the Chair of Community Food Centres Canada and Philanthropic Foundations Canada, and is also a member of the board of the Tides Canada Foundation and the Toronto Community Foundation. He also serves as advisor to a number of charitable organizations, including CivicAction, Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation, Imagine Canada, the Ontario Not-for-Profit Network, the Literary Review of Canada, and The Walrus.
Andre Vallillee - Environment Program Director
Andre joined Metcalf in 2014 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, where he worked as a program manager overseeing the province-wide environmental portfolio and serving as the Foundation's strategy lead for the environment sector. Andre has also held positions with Smart Growth BC, UVic's Centre for Co-operative and Community-Based Economy, and UBC's Centre for Human Settlements. He brings extensive experience in environmental philanthropy, environmental planning, and capacity building strategies to his new role at the Foundation. Andre received his Bachelors in Environmental Studies and Political Science from the University of Victoria and his Masters in Planning from the University of British Columbia.
Adriana Beemans - Inclusive Local Economies Program
Adriana Beemans joined the Metcalf Foundation in 2013, bringing extensive experience in community development, capacity building, and program innovation. Most recently she spent five years as the Director of Programs & Services at Working Women Community Centre, overseeing community engagement and settlement programming. As the Social Investment Fund Manager at Toronto Community Housing, she spent four years as a grant-maker working with community leaders in low-income communities. Before moving to Toronto, Adriana worked overseas with the Aga Khan Development Network in Pakistan and UN-Habitat in Afghanistan. She holds a graduate degree from the University of Toronto in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from Trent University.
Webcast: This event will be webcast live. View the webcast here. To be sure you can view the webcast, please review these instructions for preparing your browser