Be part of the movement to make learning opportunities possible for all adults in Ontario by joining the OLC’s Board of Directors. Made up of 12 members, OLC Directors are committed, energetic and willing to share their experience and expertise in shaping the future of the OLC and literacy in Ontario.
Being a Director will give you a chance to meet and work with people from across the province. You will be able to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully to adult literacy and related issues in Ontario. Working with the values and goals of the OLC, you will help guide its direction and maintain its standard of excellence. The OLC will train and support you in carrying out your board work, and we will provide you with educational opportunities at face-to-face meetings.
The Role of the OLC Board:
- The board creates and maintains the link between the OLC and the moral ownership - the people in Ontario interested in literacy issues.
- The board creates and maintains the link between the OLC and the moral ownership - the people in Ontario interested in literacy issues.
- The board writes policies that govern how the OLC does business and makes decisions. The governing policies work within these four broad categories:
- Ends: Ends statements define work of the organization. The Board writes policies that give direction to the Executive Director. It sets out what good will be done, for which people and at what cost.
- Executive Limitations: These policies constrain or limit what the Executive Director of the OLC can do. They establish ethical and prudent boundaries for the way that the Executive Director carries out the work of the organization.
- Governance Process: These policies state how the board carries out and monitors its task of governance. It contains ethical guideline and describes the role of board members.
- Board-Executive Director Linkage: These policies describe how power is delegated to the Executive Director, how it should be used and how it is monitored. They clarify how much authority and accountability the Executive Director has.
- The board makes sure that the Executive Director does their job by evaluating performance compared to the policies in 2A and 2B, above
The OLC Board of Directors in committed to and operates according to the Carver Policy Governance Model.
If you would like to contact a member of the OLC Board of Directors, please call the OLC office at 416-963-5787 or email olc@on.literacy.ca. To take a complaint forward to the board, visit Membership Complaints.
Get Involved
Nominations for the Board of Directors is now closed.
The Board of Directors provides leadership in the development and implementation of the Vision and Mission (Ends) of the Ontario Literacy Coalition.
The Board aids the organization in addressing strategic planning, program evaluation, secession planning fiscal oversight and risk management, public relations, marketing, communications, advocacy, operations, project management and membership.
Nominations for the Board of Directors is now closed.
The Board of Directors provides leadership in the development and implementation of the Vision and Mission (Ends) of the Ontario Literacy Coalition.
The Board aids the organization in addressing strategic planning, program evaluation, secession planning fiscal oversight and risk management, public relations, marketing, communications, advocacy, operations, project management and membership.
Board Profiles
The OLC Board of Directors is made up of directors nominated from the OLC membership. Currently, these directors are:
The OLC Board of Directors is made up of directors nominated from the OLC membership. Currently, these directors are:
Anne Ramsay - President and Chair
Anne Ramsay has worked in the adult literacy field since 1989 starting as a tutor and program coordinator in community-based literacy. Joining Project READ in 1994, Anne has worked on provincial and national literacy projects and initiatives. Anne holds Certificates in Adult and Continuing Education from University of Victoria, Voluntary Sector Management from University of Guelph and Volunteer Management from Conestoga College.
Deb Hotchkiss - Vice-President
Deb Hotchkiss has been the Managing Director of Partners in Employment, a not for profit, employment support organization, for 15 years. Deb’s education is in Social Services, Volunteer Management and Not for Profit Management. She has joined the Ontario Literacy Coalition, Board of Directors to enhance the link between literacy and employment services.
Anthony White – Governance Officer
Anthony is an insurance broker and owner of Aurora/York Travel Insurance Inc. He is presently Chair of the Literacy Council of York/Simcoe and has been a board member for six (6) years. Professionally, he works extensively with not-for-profit organizations, and brings a business perspective to the OLC Board of Directors. He and his family currently reside on rural property outside Cobourg.
Richard Knudson – Treasurer
Richard Knudson has had a 30 year career in consumer packaged goods marketing and senior management positions. He is currently President of Knudson Consulting Group. He was President/C.O.O. of Sleeman Breweries Ltd., Canada’s third largest brewery, from 2003-2008 and past Chairman of The Brewers Association of Canada. Rick’s background includes competing domestically and internationally, with hands on experience leading teams on strategic planning, operations, marketing/sales execution and new product innovation.He holds an ICD.D designation.
Ed Shiller - Secretary
Ed Shiller has earned distinction as a journalist, public relations consultant, workshop leader and media trainer. His journalism career spanned 15 years, during which he held senior editorial positions with The New York Times News Service, Reuters News Agency, Radio Denmark and The Toronto Star. Since entering public relations, Ed has developed and implemented communications strategies and programs, acted as spokesperson and conducted communications training sessions and public workshops for thousands of senior executives, spokespersons and communications professionals. He is the author of The Canadian Guide to Managing the Media, a widely used media relations manual.
Patricia Ashie
Patricia’s story is one of growth, strength, courage, achievement, adventure, freedom and love. She is a full time volunteer in the community of literacy at local, provincial, national and international levels and believes the key to the development of society is equal opportunity education. She believes it is an essential foundation for learning through life, and must be valued as a human right.
Lise Hansen
Lise Hansen is a Marketing Executive with TELESCOPE. Through her work with the OLC, she learned about the magnitude of the need for literacy tools for those struggling with being employable in this new, modern society. She has a strong desire to help get the tools out there and offer a business perspective to the OLC board.
Michael Shaughnessy
Michael Shaughnessy is a learner on the OLC Board and also sits on the Program Read Board of Directors, his local community-based program in Sault Ste. Marie. Michael serves on a number of committees for both Program Read and the OLC. He is in the process of starting up a Learner Association of Ontario along with others, who formerly sat on the Adult Learners Network of Ontario. Michael serves as co-chair of the new association.
Annemarie Wesolowski
Annemarie is the Executive Director of the Literacy Northwest Network, and holds affiliations with the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, North Superior Workforce Planning Board and the Thunder Bay Employment Ontario Service Delivery Network. Annemarie has served on the OLC’s Board of Directors in the past, including President and Chair, and served for 20 years as a school board trustee in which she held numerous positions including Board Chair, Finance Chair, and Hiring and Contract Negotiations Chair. She also brings 15 years of business experience, as a joint partner in a family business.
Bernadette McKenzie
Bernadette brings over 20 years of experience working in human resources, primarily in large Canadian organizations including Hudson’s Bay Company, Canada Life Assurance Company and Mercer HR Consulting. This experience will support the OLC in building strong human resource management, accountability practices and policy. Bernadette belongs to several networking groups that support people in job transition.
Marsha Josephs
Marsha brings a thorough understanding of public policy development, legislative process and strategic issues management at both the provincial and federal levels of government. As a Manager of Government Relations for Colleges Ontario, Marsha will be contributing knowledge of the college system and a provincial perspective on the need for literacy and essential skills. Marsha will also be able to contribute to the OLC with research, strategic planning and facilitation skills.
Michael Donsky
Michael brings a legal background that will contribute to rounding out the skills and knowledge of the Ontario Literacy Coalition Board of Directors. For him, literacy is a family matter as well as his wife is a literacy specialist with the Toronto District School Board and a Teacher Librarian. Michael has also worked with the Ontario Justice Education Network, which develops and delivers justice education in collaboration with educators, judges, community members and other justice sector volunteers around Ontario.
OLC AGMs
The OLC is a membership organization, which grants each member of the organization voting power at the Annual General Meeting. Each year, members are sent an AGM Notice, Board Candidate Profiles, a Proxy Form and any By-Law Changes, which may be voted upon that year. At each AGM, the OLC also presents its Annual Report and the Francis Lever Memorial Award. Information on the most current AGM and access to the most recent Annual Reports can be found below.
