Who We Are
CSC's management team is an experienced group of professionals from varied backgrounds working together to make CSC the leading Pan-Canadian standards agency.
CSC Management Team
Executive Director (on leave)
Amy Coupal
Amy joined CSC in 2006 as the Director of Professional Learning Services. She became the Executive Director of CSC and its affiliate — The Curriculum Foundation — in 2009. Amy began her teaching career at the Toronto District School Board and also taught with the Osaka school board in Japan. Amy came to CSC from the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO), where she oversaw the development of multiple teacher-training programs (both online and face-to-face) while simultaneously completing her Masters of Education in Workplace and Adult Learning. Amy applies her broad education background to her role as Executive Director and ensures that CSC's high standards are upheld in all its service areas.
Interim Executive Director
Michael Simmonds
msimmonds@curriculum.org
Michael Simmonds has over 20 years of professional experience to draw from in his role as Interim Executive Director of CSC. Having worked both in the K-12 and post-secondary educational systems, Michael's perspective on education is broad in scope. Before moving to Toronto in December of 2010, Michael was the Head of island Pacific School--an IB-MYP World School--located on Bowen Island, British Columbia. He also worked at Vancouver's York House School as a math/science teacher and as the Director of the Senior School for 14 years. Michael earned his first master's degree in biomechanics from McGill University and his second master's degree from Columbia University as a Klingenstein Fellow in the Private School Leadership program. He recently completed his doctoral studies in Educational Policy and Leadership at the University of British Columbia.
Director, Program Design and Resource Development Services
Pauline Beggs
pbeggs@curriculum.org
Pauline is a former teacher who has worked for more than 35 years in the area of learning resources development and implementation across Canada. Pauline is responsible for the development of learning resources and for recruiting and training various subject experts to be evaluators. Pauline has been with CSC since 1997.
Manager, Professional and Organizational Learning Services
Susan Howell
showell@curriculum.org
Susan has more than 35 years of experience in education in both the private and public sectors. She has a proven track record leading educational projects and publications in both print and digital formats at some of the most respected publishing companies in Canada. Susan has been an author, publisher, sales and marketing executive, professional learning consultant and an elementary and secondary teacher in Ontario and British Columbia. She joins CSC as the Manager, Professional and Organizational Learning Services. Her strong knowledge of national curricula and current pedagogical trends and initiatives contribute greatly to her success in the development of all types of resources.
Manager, Media Production Services
Danijel Margetic
dmargetic@curriculum.org
Danijel was born and raised in Croatia, and relocated to Canada with his family in the mid-1990's. Diverse in his choice of projects, he has produced, written, directed, shot or edited over 30 films of various lengths and genres. His projects have been broadcast on OMNI, TVO and Bravo, as well as screened at festivals around the world.
Director, Operations
Gina Melvin
gmelvin@curriculum.org
Gina joined CSC in October 1999 as Business Administrator. She is now Director, Operations and is responsible for the management of internal operations for CSC and its affiliate, The Curriculum Foundation. Gina has 25 years of business experience in the corporate and public sectors. She came to CSC from the Ontario Ministry of Education. Her responsibilities include Human Resources, Finances, and Office Management.
Manager, e-Learning and Data Management Services
Byron Patchett
bpatchett@curriculum.org
Byron joined CSC in April 1999 as manager of operations. He is now the Chief Operating Officer for CSC. Byron has held many key management positions with organizations such as TVOntario, where he was a business manager and producer. Byron's extensive experience in multimedia production helps him contribute to Professional Learning Services.
Director, Standards and Evaluation Services
Anita Sherwin-Hamer
ashamer@curriculum.org
Anita joined CSC in February 2008 after more than 30 years of service in education including teaching at the elementary and secondary levels in three different school boards and at the Ontario Science Centre, followed by 10 years as a principal in the Durham Catholic District School Board. She has also worked extensively across the province of Ontario with CPCO (Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario) developing and delivering professional learning programs and resources. Anita's responsibilities include the evaluation process for the Ontario Trillium List of approved resources for English-language schools and the administration of the Grants for Teachers Program of CSC's affiliate–The Curriculum Foundation.
Board of Directors
John Crocco, Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers
John Crocco is the Director of Education for the Niagara Catholic District School Board and represents the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers. Prior to his appointment as the education director for Niagara Catholic, John was Superintendent of Education providing leadership to a team responsible for Program ? Early Years to Graduation; School Effectiveness; Student Success and the new Specialist High Skills Major programs. He was also responsible for supporting 22 schools as a Family of School Superintendent, both elementary and secondary. Additional system responsibilities included representing the Board on the Business Education Council (BEC), Early Years Niagara Planning Council, Niagara Workforce Planning Council, Ministry of Education Regional Curriculum Superintendent Council, Catholic Curriculum Consortium Board of Representatives and the Niagara Regional Police Community Committee. Most recently John Chaired the Board's Accommodation Review Committee for Niagara Falls, Emergency Response Committee, School Year Calendar Committee, Pandemic Planning Committee and was the Senior Staff liaison with the Student Senate, which he continues to be directly connected with as Director of Education.
John was a Secondary Principal of Lakeshore Catholic High School in Port Colborne and Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls. Prior to his Principalships, John was Vice-Principal at four secondary schools, Program Chair of Students Services, Program Chair of Religious Studies, a guidance counselor and classroom teacher. He has both secondary and elementary experience as prior to moving to Niagara he was an intermediate teacher for the Catholic Board in New Liskeard, Ontario.
Howard Goodman, Ontario Public School Board Association
Howard Goodman comes to the CSC Board via the Ontario Public School Board Association, where he has served on the Executive Committee since 2004. He is the co-chair and founding chair of the OPSBA ad hoc IT committee which is focussing on what is needed to prepare for the coming transformation of schools through the introduction of connected technologies. He has been a Trustee on the Toronto District School Board since 2003, representing a central Toronto riding the includes both high-income professional neighbourhoods and communities comprising recent immigrants and public housing. Howard has chaired a number of TDSB committees (including Governance, FSL Advisory, and HR) and was very involved in the development of the ground-breaking TDSB Student Census (which connects details on the attitudes, backgrounds, and needs of 200,000 students with each students academic performance).
As the primary parent of two sons (one a secondary student and one elementary), Howard is a direct observer of the changing needs of students. A Geophysical Engineer by training (Eng Sci, UofT), he has had a varied career including management consultant (computers, production systems, marketing, etc.), software entrepreneur (robotics vision systems, videotext/Telidon, graphics software, software for the ICON), and paint manufacturing. He has served as the Vice-Chair of the Toronto Foundation of Student Success and the Toronto Adult Student Association.
Nelly Kelders, Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario
Nelly Kelders has been the coordinator of member services at the Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario (CPCO) since 2003 providing support to the membership including: coordination of the Long-Term Disability program; organizing the CPCO conferences; providing support for professional learning and the Principal's Qualification Program. Nelly is responsible for communications including the publication of the award winning magazine The Principal Connection, with the weekly electronic magazine (ezine) for all CPCO members and monitoring of the CPCO website.
Raised in the Grand Bend area, Nelly began her teaching career as an elelmentary teacher in 1979 with the Lambton Separate School Board. She became a vice-principal in 1982 and a principal in 1990. In 1999 she joined the provincial executive council as the treasurer and served as the president of CPCO in 2002-03. Nelly seized the opportunity to continue to serve the membership by applying for the program and member services coordinator position in the fall of 2003. She has been with CPCO ever since. Service to the membership is her number one priority. When she is not working, Nelly likes to spend time in her garden. She enjoys playing golf with her friends and finds time to read books that do not relate to work!
Nancy Kirby, OCSTA
Nancy Kirby is in her 12th year as a school trustee with the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario. Currently the Vice-Chair of the Board, Nancy has also served four terms as the Board's Chair. She is serving her second term as a director on the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association. Nancy has just completed a three-year term on the Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education representing the trustees in Ontario. Nancy and her husband, who have a son and daughter in university, reside in Carleton Place, where they run their own accounting business.
Linda Knight, Council of Directors of Ontario
Linda Knight is the Director of Education for District School Board Ontario North East and represents the Council of Directors of Ontario. Prior to the appointment as the Director, Linda was a Superintendent of Schools providing leadership to a team of Principals in the Southern Region of the Board, as well as district-wide responsibilities for Curriculum, Special Education and Technology. Additional system responsibilities were Special Education Advisory Committee, Transportation Committee, School Year Calendar, Emergency and Pandemic Planning Committee with two Health Units and numerous communities. Linda was president of Tri-Town/Northern of the Arthritis Society, ten years helping raise funds for research.
Linda was Principal of several schools before becoming a Superintendent of Schools. She was also in private business for over 10 years while teaching. As a teacher, she was an Associate Teacher helping to support new teachers from Nipissing University. In 2010 Linda received the Distinguished Leadership Award 2009-2010 from the Ontario Public School Supervisory Officers Association. Linda has enjoyed her profession and career for over forty years.
Peter Levesque, Knowledge Mobilization Works
Peter Levesque is the President and CEO of Knowledge Mobilization Works, an Ottawa-based consulting and training company. He has over ten years of experience working with governments, research institutes, and professional associations on issues of knowledge mobilization, including exchange, management, social media, transfer and translation. His career has included serving as Deputy-Director of Knowledge Products and Mobilization at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, as Knowledge Exchange Specialist at the Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health, and as Chair of Knowledge Mobilization at the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation. His early career included success as an entrepreneur and community developer.
He holds a diploma in Pure and Applied Sciences from Heritage College, an Honours BSocSc in Sociology with studies in Biochemistry and a MA in Sociology from the University of Ottawa. He has also studied at the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine at the University of Oxford; the University of Seville; the Canada School of the Public Service; and other colleges and institutes in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Peter is a Fellow at the British Columbia Law Institute. He is an Associate Practioner of Social Innovation at the University of Waterloo. He is a scholar at the Monieson Centre at the Business School at Queen's University at Kingston. Peter lectures at the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Ottawa.
William Mugford, Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP
Bill Mugford is a partner in the law firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and brings extensive education and business knowledge and experience to the CSC Board. He practises in the Business Law Group in the Toronto office and is involved in a wide variety of corporate and commercial matters. Before beginning his career in law, Bill was a high school teacher in Thunder Bay. He holds undergraduate and M.A. degrees from the University of Toronto and an LL.B. from the University of Windsor. He was called to the bar in 1985.University.
Suzanne Shawbonquit, Youth Innovation.ca
Suzanne Shawbonquit is a business leader, entrepreneur, community builder, educator and philanthropist. She is the founder and Executive Director of Youth Innovation.ca a recently incoporated not-for-profit in the Greater City of Sudbury. Prior to her role as Executive Director she worked for Canada’s largest broadcaster, CTV as the only Aboriginal Relations staff in the country. She is also the President and CEO of Sage Management Solutions that focuses on change management, leadership development and corporate relations. Based out of Atikameksheng First Nation, her work in the region and province spans over 20 years working in both the private and public sector. She is a moderator for various film and music panels as well as a speaker on issues relating to business, diversity, and aboriginal people in the media.
Lincoln Simmons, RBC
Lincoln Simmons currently manages a team of Small Business account managers for RBC in Southwestern Ontario. In previous roles he was directly involved in the management of mid market commerical client relationships in Owen Sounds and Stratford Ontario where he is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Straford and Area Chamber of Commerce. Lincoln holds a Masters of Science degree from the University of Guelph and a Masters of Business Administration degree from Dalhousie University.
Ardeth Staz, OPSOA (President and Chair of the Board)
Ardeth Staz is a Superintendent recently retired after 34 years with the District School Board of Niagara and now working as an independent Educational Leadership Consultant. She has been a member of OPSOA for 11 years. Portfolios during her years as superintendent have included Curriculum and ICT Services, Managing Information for Student Achievement (MISA), School Councils, School Growth Planning, and Student Success as well as Superintendent of Schools. Ardeth held the position of Chief Assessment Officer at EQAO in 2000 – 2002, working with teams of Education Officers and teachers to support administration of all of EQAO's assessments and co-authoring EQAO's Guide to School and Board Improvement Planning, 2002. Ardeth has worked with a team of Consultants and Literacy Support Teachers to support Literacy Coaches in 46 elementary schools and two secondary schools. Ardeth has engaged teachers, parents, principals and superintendents in staff development in many areas of focus, most recently in relation to the LNS Effective Schools Framework and School Self Assessment. Ensuring that excellent staff development and resources are available to teachers and principals so they can effectively improve student achievement has been a career long focus for Ardeth.
Helmut Tinnes, OPC (Vice-President)
Helmut Tinnes has been an educator for 27 years. He is currently the Principal at Mary Johnston Public School in the Waterloo Region District School Board. The school has 485 students and offers two area programs: French Immersion from Grades 1 to 6, and a Developmental Education Class. Helmut is also an elementary councilor for the Ontario Principals' Council (OPC), the professional association representing 5,000 principals and vice-principals in Ontario's public schools. With a keen interest in curriculum, Helmut has taken on a leadership role in curriculum initiatives at both the school and system levels. Currently, Helmut resides in Kitchener.
Member Organizations
Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario (CPCO)
Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)
Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA)
Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officials' Association (OCSOA)
Ontario Principals' Council (OPC)
Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA)
Ontario Public Supervisory Officers' Association (OPSOA)
Honorary Patrons
Dr. Michael Fullan
Dr. Michael G. Fullan is the former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. He has participated as researcher, consultant, trainer, and policy advisor on a wide range of educational projects with school systems, teachers' federations, research and development institutes, universities, and government agencies in Canada and internationally.
Dr. Fullan has published widely on the topic of educational change. His most recent books are Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform and Change Forces: The Sequel.
Dr. Fullan was awarded the Canadian Education Association's Whitworth Award for Educational Research, was named a Laureate Chapter Member of Kappa Delta Pi (the international honour society in education), and received an honorary degree of Doctor of Education from the University of Edinburgh. Read more about Michael Fullan on his website
Rick Hansen, C.C., O.B.C.
Rick Hansen has been an inspiration to youth around the world through his outstanding achievements as a wheelchair athlete.. He was the first physically disabled graduate in Physical Education from the University of British Columbia. He has won 19 international wheelchair marathons, including three world championships, and competed for Canada in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
From 1984 to 1986, he successfully completed the "Man In Motion World Tour" in his wheelchair. This tour raised awareness of the potential of people with disabilities and inspired many to have the courage to pursue their own dreams. He established the Rick Hansen Foundation, which since its creation in 1988 has raised millionsof dollars for spinal cord injury research, awareness and rehabilitation.
Rick visits many schools, some of them bearing his name. He has co-authored two books: Rick Hansen - Man In Motion and Going the Distance: Seven Steps to Personal Change.
Visit Rick Hansen's website
Roberta Jamieson, LL.B, LL.D, C.M.
Roberta L. Jamieson, a Mohawk from the Six Nations of the Grand River, is a leader and communicator. With more than 20 years' experience in conflict resolution involving governments of all levels, she is a skilled mediator who possesses a unique ability to succeed in complex political environments.
Roberta has developed and led change initiatives that exemplify the highest standards of accountability and transparency in public institutions. Furthermore, she has collaborated with legal and political experts in Asia, Africa, Europe, South and North America to advance democracy through institutional change.
Roberta was appointed in January 2002 to serve as a member of the Advisory Board of CH Television in Hamilton, Ontario. She is also the Co-Chair of the President's Committee on Indigenous Studies at McMaster University.
In December of 2001, Roberta was elected to serve as the Chief of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, the first woman to ever have held the position. Also in 2001, Roberta was awarded the Indigenous Peoples' Council Award (IPC) by the Indigenous Bar Association, its highest award given.
In 2000, Roberta became the founding chair of "ImagineNATIVE", an international Media Arts Festival that showcases the work of indigenous artists from around the world working in film, television, video, radio and multimedia formats.
From 1989 to 1999, Roberta served the Legislative Assembly as Ombudsman for the Province of Ontario. During this period she became the founding president of the Canadian Ombudsman Association; a member of the board of directors and vice-president of the International Ombudsman Institute; and a founding board member of the Centre for Research in Women's Health, a University of Toronto and Women's College Hospital partnership.
From 1986 to 1989, Roberta served as the Commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario. She was appointed by complementary federal and provincial Order-in-Council and by agreement of the First Nations in Ontario to facilitate the resolution of issues regarding mutual concern.
Roberta attained her LL.B. in 1976 and was the first woman from a First Nation in Canada to achieve this degree. She has also received numerous honorary LL.D. degrees and awards in recognition of her service to the community. Roberta is a Member of the Order of Canada, a recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and currently holds a number of board seats both within Canada and internationally. She is Executive Director of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.
Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Senator
Rose-Marie Losier was born in Tracadie, New Brunswick. She was educated at the Académie Ste-Famille in Tracadie, the École normale in Fredericton (Teaching Certificate) and the University of Moncton (Bachelor of Education). She taught in New Brunswick schools for 33 years, the last 20 of which at the École secondaire Népisiguit in Bathurst. She has been married to Wilbrod Cool since 1959. They have two sons, Jacques and Denis, and three grandchildren, Vincent, Céline and Clara-Rose.
In 1983, Rose-Marie Losier-Cool became the first woman president of the Association des enseignantes et enseignants francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick. She has sat on the board of directors of the Canadian Teachers Federation and has been a member of the Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française and the Commission de la langue française. She has sat on a number of committees working to promote the role of women in education. In May 1992, the government of New Brunswick gave her its Teacher of the Year Award for non-sexist teaching. In 1994-95, she was vice-chair of the New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women. She was a member of the New Brunswick Museum from 1990 to 1998. Active in the local community, she has been on a number of hospital foundations and boards, and is currently honorary chairperson of the Bathurst College Foundation.
Rose-Marie Losier-Cool was appointed to the Senate on March 21, 1995. She was its Deputy Speaker from November 17, 1999, to October 7, 2002, and the very first woman to be its Chief Government Whip from January 15, 2004 to January 23, 2006. On April 6, 2006, she was re-elected Deputy Speaker. In the Senate, she has also chaired the Standing Committee on Official Languages and the Standing Committee of Selection, and has been a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Standing Committee on Human Rights. As well, she was the founding co-chair of the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development. A very active member of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (“APF”, the international association of French-speaking parliamentarians), she became a Knight of the Ordre de la Pléiade on March 20, 2002. She was promoted to the rank of Officer of the Ordre on June 7, 2007, and was elected Chair of the Réseau des femmes (women's network) of the APF on July 6, 2007. She also is a member of three parliamentary associations : Canada-Africa, Canada-France and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Share: 
