Director, General Investigations

• Feb 2023 - Present

Team Lead, Investigations & Resolutions

• Nov 2020 - Feb 2023

Senior/Ombudsman Investigator

• May 2015 - Nov 2020

Ombudsman Toronto is an indepedent office that investigates complaints about the City of Toronto. This includes investigating complaints about decision, actions or recommendations made or ommitted in the course of implementing city policies and administering city services.

Investigations Trainer

• Jan 2018 - Jan 2023

In partnership with the Workplace Institute, I delivered training on how to plan an investigation, how to conduct fair and thorough interviews, how to ensure investigations adhere to the principles of procedural fairness and are ethical, how to gather investigative documents, and how to assess evidence. In partnership with the Workplace Institute, I delivered training on how to plan an investigation, how to conduct fair and thorough interviews, how to ensure investigations adhere to the principles of procedural fairness and are ethical, how to gather investigative documents, and how to assess evidence.

Investigator, Special Ombudsman Response Team

• May 2009 - May 2015

As a member of the SORT, I have participated in over ten large scale systemic investigations of provincial government organizations, including: Local Health Integration Networks; the effectiveness of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU); services for adults with development disabilities; excessive use of force in Ontario's correctional facilities; and non-urgent patient transportation services.I was the Lead Investigator into the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services'​ (MCSCS) handling of operational stress injuries affecting police officers. I was also the Lead Investigator on the MCSCS direction to Ontario police services on the de-escalation of situations that could potentially result in the use of force. This investigation was launched in the wake of the death of Sammy Yatim. As the Lead I have drafted detailed investigation plans setting out investigative aims, identifying potential sources of evidence, and establishing timelines. I was responsible for facilitating the gathering of substantial amounts of electronic and physical evidence involving sensitive and confidential subject matter and coordinating a review of the evidence by a team of investigators. I have coordinated, prepared for and conducted hundreds of in-depth and detailed interviews with government officials, complainants, academics, medical professionals, law enforcement officials, interest groups and community service organizations. I have delivered multiple presentations on investigative planning and principles of effective investigations at various functions, including the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman 'Sharpen Your Teeth' Advanced Investigative Training, the Tema Conter Memorial Trust Common Threads Education Day in Toronto, the Public Safety 411 Mental Health of Public Safety conference in Kingston and Halifax, to staff and students at Humber College, and Canadian and Australian police officers at Algonquin College. Show less

Investigator, General Investigations

• Apr 2008 - May 2009

As a General Investigator I was responsible for managing a caseload of files dealing with a diverse range of issues involving the services provided by the provincial governmental. These included issues involving the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Government Services, the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.The position required the use interpersonal skills on a regular basis in order to gather the facts of a complaint to ensure fair outcomes. This often took the form of conducting intake interviews with an individual or group of individuals to understand their complaint issues, and speaking with and obtaining documentation from various government officials. It was an expectation that I would exercise sound judgment and operate in an independent manner in order to manage complainant expectations and to act as a liaison between the Office and government organizations.With emphasis on thoroughness, accuracy, and timeliness, I was required to write detailed case reports setting out the facts of the complaint, the steps undertaken in the review of the complaint, an analysis of the issue based on the facts and the evidence assessed, and recommendations on next steps for the handling of the file. At the conclusion of a review of a case, I was required to to communicate the findings to the affected individual. Depending on whether the individual believed the outcome was favorable or not, this could involve having difficult conversations in emotionally charged situations. This required the use of a variety of communication and conflict resolution skills, including rapport building, active listening, reframing/rephrasing, empathetic responses, and courtesy. Show less

Early Resolution Officer

• Apr 2007 - Apr 2008

My primary role as an Early Resolution Officer was to conduct the intake of complaints against public and private sector organizations through telephone, e-mail, mail, and in-person. I would provide individuals with detailed information about the Ombudsman's role and function, impartial advice and referral information, and assist in the rapid resolution of complaints. Often, this would include making inquiries to private and public stakeholders to gather the facts of the complaint in an effort to develop cooperative resolution strategies. A regular part of this position was the interaction with a diverse range of complainants, including individuals impacted by poverty, homelessness, illness, family breakup, and physical, mental and developmental disability. Often, individuals would contact the Office in distressed, hostile, agitated or in some cases suicidal states. I was required to use a variety of interpersonal and de-escalation techniques in order to respond to complainants in an effective, safe and professional manner.As an Early Resolution Officer I had the opportunity to participate in the SORT investigation into Legal Aid Ontario's role in the funding of the Criminal Defence of Richard Wills. My primary responsibility was to conduct a jurisdictional scan of Canadian provinces to learn their procedures for handling scenarios similar to the one under investigation. Show less