Our Leadership Team
Strides Toronto has talented, passionate, committed staff supporting the diverse needs of our clients and their families. We employ experienced child and youth workers, child therapists, child and family therapists, speech and language pathologists, communicative disorders assistants, social workers, psychologists, behaviour therapists and family home visitors. Our staff are often able to provide services in languages other than English. If we don’t have someone that speaks your language, we will use interpreters to help us work with you and your family.
Janet McCrimmon
she/her
President and Chief Executive Officer
Janet McCrimmon is a strategic, transformative leader with over 20 years of senior leadership experience in not-for-profits.
Paul Van de Laar
he/him
Vice-President, Service Excellence
Paul is a strategic and collaborative leader with more than 25 years of management experience in the healthcare and social services sectors.
Robert Royer, MHSc, CHE
he/him
Vice President, Strategy
Robert is a strategic and passionate systems leader with a strong record of successful program planning, monitoring and evaluation in various sectors.
Darryl Nurse
he/him
Director, Autism and Developmental Services
Darryl Nurse joined Strides Toronto (then Aisling Discoveries) in January 2002. Since then he has lived and worked with children and families living with autism in Scarborough and East York.
Tammie Orifa
she/her
Director, Community Services
A leadership professional with over 15 years of experience working in community-based organizations that support children, youth and adults, Tammie Orifa joined Strides Toronto in 2022.
Erin Physick
she/her
Director, Mental Health Services
Erin began at Strides Toronto in 2011 (then East Metro Youth Services) as a core staff in our What’s Up Walk-in clinic.
Sabrina Samsudeen
she/her
Director, Mental Health Systems
Sabrina has been a Strides Toronto employee since 2011, holding multiple positions over the years including Individual and Family Therapist, Youth Engagement Manager, Manager of Community Outreach Services and most recently, Manager of System and Service Access.
Elizabeth Rogers Salvaterra
she/her
Director, Strategy and Quality
Elizabeth is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in strategy development, quality improvement, and operational excellence in the health and education sectors. Elizabeth has held senior leadership roles, including Vice President of Operations at Lifework Education and key positions at Ontario Health, the Ministry of Health, and two Local Health Integration Networks.
Karen Mann
she/her
Director, One Stop Talk / Parlons Maintenant
Karen is a collaborative leader with more than 25 years experience in health and social services and has held leadership roles in the provincial and municipal governments, in the hospital sector and in the community-based mental health and substance use and supportive housing sectors.
Michelle Thompson
she/her
Director, Finance and Administration
Michelle is a trusted finance and administration leader recognized for delivering financial clarity, strategic insight, and operational excellence across the charitable sector. She has steered multimillion-dollar budgets, strengthened internal controls, and led transformative system implementations that enhanced transparency and impact.
Karamat Husain
he/him
Director, Human Resources
Karamat is a strategic and forward-thinking HR professional with over 15 years of progressive experience in people strategy, organizational culture and equity. Karamat holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) as well as a Professional in Human Resources – International (PHRi).
Suzanne M. Charles Watson
she/her
Director, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA)
Suzanne M. Charles Watson is an experienced IDEA Strategist, living and working to create a world of collective liberation, authenticity and joy! She holds a BSc (Hons) in Sociology, a graduate Diploma in International Relations and a Master’s degree specializing in Gender Equity Studies and Social Policy.