Michael A. Braithwaite has over 30 years of senior management experience, and is a strong advocate on housing, and for the reduction of poverty and homelessness. He is currently the CEO of Blue Door, an organization in York Region that works to rapidly rehouse individuals in need of housing and supports. Under his leadership, Blue Door developed an Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression plan and opened the first 2SLGBTQI+ housing program for youth in York Region. He also developed a partnership with Na-Me-Res, an Indigenous organization, to bring supports to Indigenous people experiencing homelessness. To help prevent homelessness, he developed and launched a new social enterprise called "Construct" to provide meaningful and well-paying work for those in the trades fields, and with the help of the Home Depot Foundation, created a national program called "Tradeworx" around this concept. He is the host of On the Way Home Podcast.
Before joining Blue Door, he was the CEO at Raising the Roof, a national organization dedicated to evidence-based and innovative solutions to prevent and end homelessness, Executive Director at 360°kids (formerly Pathways) and held senior positions and different chapters of the YMCA.
Currently, Mr. Braithwaite is a Board member and past Chair of the A Way Home Canada Board of Directors, Secretary of the Board for the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association and a member of the Human Services planning Board York Region.
Leslie Woo CRE®
Leslie Woo is a respected leader with over 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban development in the Greater Toronto Area. Ms. Woo is the CEO at CivicAction, a premier civic engagement organization that convenes established and rising leaders from all sectors, backgrounds and experiences to catalyze actions and impactful solutions to address pressing challenges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and beyond. Before joining CivicAction, Ms. Woo was the Chief Planning Officer at Metrolinx, and Chief Development Officer with Infrastructure Ontario.
Ms. Woo serves on the board of the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, where she Chairs the Governance Committee, and is a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy providing her knowledge and expertise to students and faculty.
An accomplished leader, Ms. Woo was the recipient of the 2023 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award, named Bisnow's 2019 Toronto Power Women in Commercial Real Estate, one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017 by WXN, Spacing Toronto's Transit Changemaker in 2016 and received Canada's Women's Infrastructure Network's 2015 Outstanding Leader award. Ms. Woo is the Founder of shebuildscities.org, Ms. Woo uses her voice and platform to amplify and celebrate other women city builders.
Drew Fagan
Drew Fagan is a professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, where he teaches in graduate degree programs and leads other initiatives.
He is also a senior advisor at McMillan Vantage, a public affairs firm affiliated with the national business law firm McMillan LLP.
Mr. Fagan previously spent 12 years in leadership positions with the governments of Ontario and Canada. With the Province of Ontario, he was a long-time Deputy Minister. His portfolios included the Ministry of Infrastructure, where he oversaw development of the province's first 10-year infrastructure plan, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, where he was responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. Prior to these roles, Mr. Fagan was Assistant Deputy Minister for strategic policy and planning at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada). Before becoming a public servant in 2004, he worked at The Globe and Mail, including as parliamentary bureau chief and Washington correspondent.
Mr. Fagan serves on numerous other boards, including Palette Skills and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
Rahul Bhardwaj
Rahul Bhardwaj is the President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, leading an organization of more than 17,300 members committed to improving national outcomes by growing the board leadership and governance capacities within Canadian businesses, agencies and not-for-profits. Prior to joining the Institute of Corporate Directors, Mr. Bhardwaj was President and CEO of the Toronto Foundation where he focused on engaging in philanthropy to improve the quality of life for Toronto residents. He provided leadership on a variety of city-building initiatives including the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Fiscal Review Panel, served as Chair of the 2012 Ontario Summer Games, and Co-Chair of TO2015 IGNITE Pan/Parapan Am Games. Additionally, Mr. Bhardwaj was Vice-President of the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid. Prior to these roles, Mr. Bhardwaj was a corporate lawyer at a leading Canadian law firm in Toronto.
Mr. Bhardwaj currently serves on the boards of Waterfront Toronto, the Institute of Corporate Directors, the Canadian Foundation for Governance Research, and the Leader Council at the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at Ivey Business School. He is also a Director Emeritus of the Rideau Hall Foundation. Other past board commitments include Metrolinx, the Stratford Festival of Canada, George Brown College, United Way of Toronto, among others. He also served as Chair of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival and Chair of Community Foundations of Canada.
