Our 2020-2021 Board of Directors
The 2020/21 CWNA board is a group of dedicated volunteers who live and work in the Church Wellesley Village. The Board meets via Zoom on the morning of the second or third Saturday of each month. Church Wellesley community members may attend or present at these meetings.
Connie Langille
President; Placemaking Committee Chair
Connie has lived in the Church Wellesley neighbourhood for over 30 years and is proud to have raised her family in this vibrant community. Her interest in community advocacy was ignited when development threatened the historic buildings at Church and Gloucester. The push-back from local residents resulted in the proposal being withdrawn.
As Chair of the Placemaking Committee Connie believes the CWNA should address issues relevant to the whole of our diverse community, with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people's health, happiness and well being. As president Connie is honoured to represent a dedicated volunteer board and works to foster a greater compassion for community involvement.
Connie has lived in the Church Wellesley neighbourhood for over 30 years and is proud to have raised her family in this vibrant community. Her interest in community advocacy was ignited when development threatened the historic buildings at Church and Gloucester. The push-back from local residents resulted in the proposal being withdrawn.
As Chair of the Placemaking Committee Connie believes the CWNA should address issues relevant to the whole of our diverse community, with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people's health, happiness and well being. As president Connie is honoured to represent a dedicated volunteer board and works to foster a greater compassion for community involvement.
Donald Altman
Governance Committee Chair
Donald Altman is a long-time active member of Church Isabella Residents Co-operative. He currently sits on the boards of Home Ownership Alternatives (funding arm of Options for Homes) and the Social Planning Toronto. In the past he has served as a director of the Co-operators Insurance Company, Alterna Savings and Credit Union, and the former Ontario Natural Food Co-op (warehouse for food co-ops) and has been active in various food and housing co-ops in Toronto
Donald is retired after a 35 year managerial career in City of Toronto Finance, where he worked on the City’s long term fiscal plan and the City Budget as well as City Planning where he was a policy planner responsible for assessment reform. He also taught urban & economic geography at Ryerson – 5 years full-time; 20 years part-time.
Don holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Toronto, Masters of Science in Geography from Northwestern University and is ABD from the Geography Department at Queens. Don is a graduate of the Credit Union Director Achievement Program. Don has received the Co-operative Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Cooperative Association, the Gary Gillam Award for Social Responsibility from the Credit Union system and is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto.
Donald Altman is a long-time active member of Church Isabella Residents Co-operative. He currently sits on the boards of Home Ownership Alternatives (funding arm of Options for Homes) and the Social Planning Toronto. In the past he has served as a director of the Co-operators Insurance Company, Alterna Savings and Credit Union, and the former Ontario Natural Food Co-op (warehouse for food co-ops) and has been active in various food and housing co-ops in Toronto
Donald is retired after a 35 year managerial career in City of Toronto Finance, where he worked on the City’s long term fiscal plan and the City Budget as well as City Planning where he was a policy planner responsible for assessment reform. He also taught urban & economic geography at Ryerson – 5 years full-time; 20 years part-time.
Don holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Toronto, Masters of Science in Geography from Northwestern University and is ABD from the Geography Department at Queens. Don is a graduate of the Credit Union Director Achievement Program. Don has received the Co-operative Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Cooperative Association, the Gary Gillam Award for Social Responsibility from the Credit Union system and is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto.
Paul Farrelly
Development and Heritage Committee Co-chair
Paul helped found the association after working with the adjacent Bay Cloverhill Community Association, with whom the CWNA shares a kilometer of long-neglected Yonge Street. Paul has been engaged in a variety of heritage campaigns and socio-cultural enterprises over the years.
Paul has had an active role on behalf of CWNA in planning studies and in the review of development applications and site plans through all phases of consultation and approval.
Paul was an active participant in the start up of the Church Wellesley Safety Network that engages the service providers and city agencies.
Paul helped found the association after working with the adjacent Bay Cloverhill Community Association, with whom the CWNA shares a kilometer of long-neglected Yonge Street. Paul has been engaged in a variety of heritage campaigns and socio-cultural enterprises over the years.
Paul has had an active role on behalf of CWNA in planning studies and in the review of development applications and site plans through all phases of consultation and approval.
Paul was an active participant in the start up of the Church Wellesley Safety Network that engages the service providers and city agencies.
Neil Gibb
Affordable Housing Committee Chair
Trevor Hennig
Secretary; Communications & Membership Committee Chair
Trevor grew up on a farm in Southern Saskatchewan. Having lived in progressively larger centres -- Toronto for the past 30 years -- he has come to believe in the vital importance that parks and green spaces play in dense urban environments. Trevor contributes to the CWNA by applying information management skills to an enriched and regularly updated website and news e-blast and by working with the Placemaking team to bring local greening projects to fruition.
Trevor grew up on a farm in Southern Saskatchewan. Having lived in progressively larger centres -- Toronto for the past 30 years -- he has come to believe in the vital importance that parks and green spaces play in dense urban environments. Trevor contributes to the CWNA by applying information management skills to an enriched and regularly updated website and news e-blast and by working with the Placemaking team to bring local greening projects to fruition.
Kyle Iannuzzi
Government Relations Committee Chair
I have been passionate about social justice and advocacy for as long as I can remember. That passion led me to governance and representation at a young age. In addition to working alongside politicians like Kristyn Wong-Tam, Kathleen Wynne and Olivia Chow to advocate for and create change, I've spent over 15 years in representative roles. As a young closeted queer adolescent growing up in the northwest corner of Toronto, Rexdale, I frequented the Village often. This community is where I formed a lot of my identity and found a place of safety. Living here as an adult, I understand the various systemic challenges that are facing the Church-Wellesley Neighbourhood.
In my free time, I enjoy walks in and around our neighbourhood and visiting our waterfront. I have a keen passion for plants, and the environment and my professional background is in hospitality/tourism and film and television. I am an associate member of the Director’s Guild of Canada’s assistant director caucus. It is my hope to continue focusing on systemic changes for our community.
I have been passionate about social justice and advocacy for as long as I can remember. That passion led me to governance and representation at a young age. In addition to working alongside politicians like Kristyn Wong-Tam, Kathleen Wynne and Olivia Chow to advocate for and create change, I've spent over 15 years in representative roles. As a young closeted queer adolescent growing up in the northwest corner of Toronto, Rexdale, I frequented the Village often. This community is where I formed a lot of my identity and found a place of safety. Living here as an adult, I understand the various systemic challenges that are facing the Church-Wellesley Neighbourhood.
In my free time, I enjoy walks in and around our neighbourhood and visiting our waterfront. I have a keen passion for plants, and the environment and my professional background is in hospitality/tourism and film and television. I am an associate member of the Director’s Guild of Canada’s assistant director caucus. It is my hope to continue focusing on systemic changes for our community.
Sam Katz
Fundraising Committee Chair
Sam Katz (He/Him) is the Director of Development and Communications at Fife House Foundation, the largest provider of supportive housing and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto. Sam has over 13 years of fundraising and communications experience and received his Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2019. He currently sits on the board of two non-profit organizations: Community One Foundation and the LGBT Giving Network. Sam is an animal lover, reader, gamer and enjoys traveling across the world.
Sam Katz (He/Him) is the Director of Development and Communications at Fife House Foundation, the largest provider of supportive housing and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto. Sam has over 13 years of fundraising and communications experience and received his Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2019. He currently sits on the board of two non-profit organizations: Community One Foundation and the LGBT Giving Network. Sam is an animal lover, reader, gamer and enjoys traveling across the world.
Robert Packham
Development and Heritage Committee Co-chair
Robert has lived in the downtown area on and off for the last 30 years. He is currently practicing landscape architecture as well as architectural and interior design. He comes to CWNA with eight years of experience in the City of Toronto Planning Department, working in the Urban Design Group. He was urban designer on the Saint Lawrence/Old Town of York, the Bloor/Yorkville BIA , as well as the planning area of Midtown which the CWN lands within. Development planning, open space design, and infrastructure design are the particular experiences he adds to the Development Committee.
Robert has lived in the downtown area on and off for the last 30 years. He is currently practicing landscape architecture as well as architectural and interior design. He comes to CWNA with eight years of experience in the City of Toronto Planning Department, working in the Urban Design Group. He was urban designer on the Saint Lawrence/Old Town of York, the Bloor/Yorkville BIA , as well as the planning area of Midtown which the CWN lands within. Development planning, open space design, and infrastructure design are the particular experiences he adds to the Development Committee.
Tara Schorr
Safety Committee Chair
Tara s a mission-motivated fundraising and engagement professional with over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Much of her career has been spent fostering lasting, impactful relationships with donors, volunteers, artists, hospital staff and other key stakeholders. Mission motivation extends to her personal life as well, as Tara enjoys participating in positive community building endeavours and has volunteered her time as a board member of the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association (CWNA), a member of Toronto Bi+ Network’s planning committee, on the screening committee of Inside Out Festival, with Pride Toronto, Out of the Cold and other important non-profit organizations. She currently sits on three CWNA committees that best align with her skills and interests: Safety, Placemaking and Membership/Communications.
Tara s a mission-motivated fundraising and engagement professional with over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Much of her career has been spent fostering lasting, impactful relationships with donors, volunteers, artists, hospital staff and other key stakeholders. Mission motivation extends to her personal life as well, as Tara enjoys participating in positive community building endeavours and has volunteered her time as a board member of the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association (CWNA), a member of Toronto Bi+ Network’s planning committee, on the screening committee of Inside Out Festival, with Pride Toronto, Out of the Cold and other important non-profit organizations. She currently sits on three CWNA committees that best align with her skills and interests: Safety, Placemaking and Membership/Communications.