Meet the Board
Introducing the dedicated volunteers who make up our esteemed board of industry leaders at Ernestine's. With a shared commitment to our mission and values, these passionate individuals contribute their diverse expertise to steer us towards innovation and success.
Gena Argitis
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Gena is Vice President and Chief Administration Officer at Tarion, a non-profit organization providing consumer protection to new home buyers in Ontario. Gena leads the Human Resources, Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Relations departments. Previously, Gena was Assistant Vice President and Associate General Counsel in the Law department, and started her legal career in litigation at McCarthy Tetrault LLP in Toronto.
Gena graduated with a silver medal from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and also holds a Master’s Degree in clinical psychology from the University of Waterloo.
Gena is committed to advocating for women and children. She is proud to be part of Ernestine’s Board of Directors and to support the shelter in delivering its important mission of helping women and children survivors of violence.
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Annamaria Di Cesare is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Volkswagen Group Canada. As a member of the Canadian Management Board, she leads the development and execution of human resources strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization. Prior to her role at Volkswagen, Annamaria held HR leadership roles in various industries such as Food Services, Financial Services and Hospitality. Annamaria holds a Specialized Honors BA in Philosophy, as well as a Certificate in Practical Ethics, both from York University. She also attained her Certificate in Human Resource Management from Humber College and received a Certificate in Advanced HR Law for Senior HR Executives from Osgoode Hall Law School. Annamaria has always been passionate about giving back to the community and has made it a priority to support multiple not-for-profit organizations, both within the workplace and on her personal time. She is honored to be a Board Member at Ernestine’s as well as a member of the Governance Committee, to advocate for such an important cause.
Annamaria Di Cesare
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Laverne Blake is the Executive Director of Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter, bringing more than 20 years of experience supporting survivors of gender-based violence and strengthening community-based services. Having served in a range of frontline and leadership roles at Ernestine’s throughout her career, Laverne brings deep institutional knowledge, a strong commitment to equity, and a survivor-centered approach to her leadership.
Before her formal appointment as Executive Director in February 2026, Laverne served as Acting Executive Director intermittently over the previous three years, providing steady leadership during key periods of organizational transition. Her work has helped guide the organization through complex challenges while ensuring that Ernestine’s continues to provide compassionate, trauma-informed support to the women, children, and gender-diverse individuals who rely on the shelter.
Throughout her career, Laverne has been a passionate advocate for survivors and has played an important role in strengthening Ernestine’s programs, supporting staff teams, and advancing the organization’s trauma-informed and anti-oppressive approach to service delivery. She is deeply committed to fostering environments where survivors are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.
As Executive Director, Laverne works closely with staff, the Board of Directors, and community partners to advance Ernestine’s mission of providing safety, support, and advocacy for those fleeing violence. Her leadership continues to guide the organization as it responds to the evolving needs of survivors and works toward a future free from gender-based violence.
Laverne Blake
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Michelle is a business professional with broad experience in human resources and leadership coaching. She serves as a member of the Human Resources Leadership Council, Global Diversity & Inclusion Council and Sr Global Director, Human Resources with Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. Michelle helps companies build business and people capability by developing integrated strategies in the areas of human resources, leadership development and organizational culture. She is passionate about fostering environments where people feel empowered and free of barriers to living and contributing at their full potential. In her spare time, she coaches women and leaders in navigating and building meaningful careers. Advocating for women and families is of tremendous importance to Michelle, and she is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of Ernestine’s Board of Directors and contribute to the incredible support they provide to the community
Michelle Edwards
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Barika brings over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, having held progressive roles at TD Bank and Royal Bank of Canada. In 2022, she joined the startup team at Tims Financial (a division of Tim Hortons), helping launch its first product. Most recently, she joined Optimus SBR, where she consults with organizations to drive customer experience transformation and operational improvements.
Known for her strategic thinking, client-focused approach, and ability to turn insight into meaningful action, Barika is also deeply committed to advancing women in leadership and fostering inclusive workplaces. She has actively contributed to Women in Leadership and Diversity & Inclusion committees across multiple organizations, championing equity, mentorship, and representation.
Barika’s connection to Ernestine’s began in 2016, when she first volunteered through her employer. That experience sparked a lasting commitment to supporting women and children facing violence. Today, as a board member, she is proud to advocate for survivors, raise awareness about the shelter’s vital work, and contribute to creating safe spaces where hope, healing, and empowerment are possible.
Barika Gada
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Anya Klimbovskaia is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Diversio, an AI company specializing in workforce optimization. Since 2018, she has helped build Diversio into a trusted partner to leading corporations and public institutions, delivering data-driven insights and solutions that improve team performance, engagement, and inclusion. Anya has led strategic workforce initiatives across sectors including venture capital, financial services, energy, and government. She also served on the selection committee for the Government of Canada’s Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (VCCI), helping to allocate $50 million through the Inclusive Growth Stream to funds focused on advancing equitable access to capital and opportunity in Canada’s innovation ecosystem.
Earlier in her career, Anya served as Director of Research in the Office of the CEO at the Royal Bank of Canada. There, she led the bank’s national thought leadership on the Future of Work, producing one of the first comprehensive strategies to help Canadian workers adapt to automation and AI. Her work continues to inform both public policy and private sector innovation. Anya has co-authored industry reports with the Canadian Venture Capital Association, BDC Capital, and the Investor Leadership Network, and previously advised Canada’s national K–12 Computer Science Education Framework.
Anya Klimbovskaia
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Julia is a diversity & inclusion leader passionate and effective in how companies mobilize inclusion with proven results in 15+ years of experience. She is an internationally published author on Diversity with extensive experience in Diversity & Inclusion, Adult Learning & Transformative Initiatives, Culture Building, Executive & Leadership Development, Employee Engagement and Organizational Excellence. My career, in both the private and public sector, start up, scale up and M&A, spans the industries of academia, legal, finance and tech. A national award winner for Outstanding Achievement in Organizational Development, a finalist for Ally of the Year 2020 Women Tech Network and most recently CIO Views Top 10 DEI Inspiring Leaders to Follow in 2023. She taught business executives at the University of the West Indies, have guest lectured at Schulich & York U and keynotes nationally and internationally in various forums. She sits on the Board of Directors for Ernestine's Women Shelter, is Co-Chair & Strategic Advisor to UNITAR CIFAL York, EDI Committee, and is currently the Global Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Litera.
Julia has a degree in Philosophy, a Masters of Education, a Law Clerk Diploma, and Certificates in: Professional Ethics (2012), Data-Driven Decision Making (2018) and a Certificate in Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2023)
Julia Satov
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I am currently working as an Audit manager at KPMG Canada and have been working in the field of Audit and finance for 10+ years. I am a qualified CPA (Canada), ACCA (UK), B.Sc. (UK) and B.Com. (Pakistan). My 10+ years of career involves working as an Auditor and finance professional within Pakistan, Canada and Australia.
While professionally pursuing my goals within Audit and Finance, I am simultaneously working with organizations like ACCES Employment (in the capacity of career coach), ACCA (acting as an Accountant Panel member), TRIEC Mentoring partnership (working as a mentor) and Ernestine’s Women’s shelter (As a Board Member- finance committee). I have had an honor to be invited as guest speaker by ACCES Employment to address concerns faced by new immigrants.
I am grateful to be a small part of these big organizations that help us shape our society in a positive and better way.
Nimra Syeda
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Julia currently works in the mergers & acquisitions tax practice of one of the Big4 firms in Toronto. Over the last decade she held various positions in other tax and assurance-focused practices in the professional services sector. Julia's expertise spans tax compliance, tax advisory, accounting, and financial reporting, and she has been exposed to working with both domestic and international clients of various sizes across a plethora of industries.
Julia holds a CPA, CA designation, a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, and has successfully completed the CPA In-Depth Tax Program. In her personal life, Julia enjoys spending time with family and friends, getting out of town with her husband, being a good dog mom, and staying true to her foodie self by trying out new recipes at home, as well as discovering new restaurants.
Julia is honoured to sit on the Board of a purpose-lead organization such as Ernestine's. She is passionate about promoting women's rights and helping provide women and children affected by violence with support needed to rebuild their lives. Julia is honoured to contribute her skills to the Finance Committee and help further Ernestine's mission.
Julia Nicoara
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Jennifer is the head of segment marketing at Reckitt Canada, a consumer packaged goods company with powerhouse brands across hygiene, home and health. Jennifer has spent her career leading and building beloved mega brands across an array of categories at Johnson & Johnson and Mars. Jennifer is a strategic marketer, a passionate people leader, and an avid participant in giving back to her community. Prior to joining Ernestine’s, Jennifer sat on the board for another well-respected organization based in York Region supporting youth in crisis.
Jennifer Xu
Interested in joining the board?
Join Ernestine's transformative journey by becoming a vital part of our dedicated board, where your passion, expertise, and commitment can make a profound difference in saving and empowering lives
