About Our Board

Kristin works for The Salvation Army Community and Family Services in Oshawa as the Thrift Store Manager. Initiating community partnership programs with CCRW, Youth The Future, Northern Light, DDSB, Durham College’s CICE program, integrating individuals with exceptionalities, experience in the workplace. She has a background in Retail Management, Business Development in Healthcare as well as Public Relations experience.

Over the last 20 years she has been an active volunteer within the Oshawa community, in the past, sitting on local school SCC and co-managed for eight years Play Café, an outreach program for caregivers and children. At present she sits as a Board member on The Salvation Army Oshawa Youth and Children’s Board, which she has been on for the past nine years.

Kristin and her husband have been married for 24 years and have 5 children; two of which have directly benefited from Grandview’s services and one having been a Grandview School student. “I am overjoyed to be serving on the Grandview School Board. I feel it is so important to be able to give back to the Grandview community for the years that Grandview Kids and Grandview School services benefited our children and our family!”

Andrea Belanger is the Program Manager of the Family Engagement Program at Grandview Kids. Her portfolio includes the Family Leader Program (including the Youth Advisory Council and Family Advisory Council), Grandview’s online parent support pages, the Teen Transition Program and the Family Engagement Team. Prior to holding this position, Andrea was an Early Childhood Educator for many years.

Andrea holds an Honours Degree in History and Child Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. She also has her Early Childhood Education Diploma from Loyalist College and is a member of the College of Early Childhood Educators Ontario. She is an active Grandview Kids Foundation Family Ambassador.

Andrea is married with 2 children, both of whom took their first steps in the halls of Grandview Kids. Her daughter is now a Grandview grad and sits on the Youth Advisory Council. Her son is a CCS grad and is actively involved with the services offered by Grandview’s School Years Programs.  In her free time, Andrea enjoys crafting, reading and watching movies.

Wayne works with the federal government as a tax auditor. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree in Accounting from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa. He is currently working toward his Chartered Professional Accountant designation from CPA Ontario.

Prior to his current position, Wayne held an accounting role auditing public and not for profit companies on behalf of KPMG, one of the four largest auditing, tax, and consulting service firms in the world.

Wayne is pleased to be part of the Grandview Children’s Centre community, as a parent since 2005 and as a member of the Grandview School Board of Trustees since 2015. He is the proud father of four, with three of his children having benefited directly from Grandview Services in the past and/or present.

Michael Barrett has been involved in “education” as both as a passion and as a foundation. Michael served as a Durham District School Board (DDSB) Trustee representing the City of Oshawa for 19 years, seven years as Chair. He served as President of the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) for four years and served on the Executive for over a decade.

Michael recently retired from the role as President & CEO at Gay Lea Foods Co-operative – the largest Dairy Co-operative in the province of Ontario. He was with Gay Lea for over two decades. Michael served in many different roles within Gay Lea Foods and within the broader co-operative sector both nationally and internationally.

Michael recently was elected as Director to the Co-operators Insurance Board, the Lakefield Historical Association and serves on a number of charitable Boards. Michael holds an honours B.A. and his Bachelor of Education (Western) and recently completed his studies at the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) designation.

Michael, in his spare time, besides helping to parent his now grown family of six children, grand parenting eight, he likes to play with his “big boy toys” and spends anytime that he has left enjoying his farm located in the rolling hills of Selwyn Township.

Janet is presently the Principal of Grandview School. Prior to holding this position, Janet was the Liaison Teacher at Grandview School.

Janet holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education from Ryerson University. Janet started her career in education working as an Educational Assistant with the Durham District School Board. She held this position for nine years before pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Medaille College.

While working as a Primary Teacher with the Durham District School Board, Janet completed her Intermediate Qualifications, Masters of Education at Niagara University and Principal Qualifications. Throughout Janet’s career in education she has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to learning and encouraged her colleagues to continue their education. Janet lives with her family in Oshawa.

Valerie is a retired Educational Assistant from Grandview School. She has been involved with the school since 1984, driving a school bus and supplying as a classroom educational assistant for 5 years.  She was subsequently hired as a full-time educational assistant at Grandview School in 1989. 

Valerie retired in 2012 and was asked in 2015 to join the Board of Trustees to continue to help with this “wonderful school” as she describes.

Valerie has been married for 42 years. She has a daughter and a son who each have a son and daughter, and she is very involved with them.

Monika is a Career Coach and HR professional with multi-industry experience spanning 2 decades. She leverages her Business, HR and Career Development education and experience to help organizations and individuals achieve their business and career goals through customized coaching and advising.

Currently, as a Student Employment Advisor at a local college, Monika helps individuals recognize their unique value proposition and teaches them how to market their skills, education and experience through various employment strategies to gain meaningful employment. Monika is passionate about helping individuals and organizations perform at their highest level, and brings a proven track record of building effective, trusted, and collaborative relationships. She enjoys working with individuals and teams from diverse backgrounds, at all career stages who possess varied educational and professional experiences.

Monika is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), Certified Career Strategist (CCS) and Certified Resume Strategist (CRS) who is currently pursuing her CCDP. Most recently she has completed her “Career Development and Academic Advising” certificate through the University of Calgary.

Monika was the first HR professional to join Grandview School’s Administrative team and fell in love with the school through her work as a trusted HR Officer, a role she held for just over 2 years. She is pleased to continue to support the school and sit on the Board as a Trustee.

As part of the Grandview Family Engagement Team, Brad Sexton is the Team Lead for the Grandview Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Brad’s role as Team Lead is to give feedback regarding support, services and initiatives from the youth’s point of view. As a former Grandview client for many years, Brad is well equipped to provide advice based on his perspective and lived experiences. Brad also gives updates to the Grandview Team regarding ongoing YAC projects and directions. 

Brad attended Grandview School when he was younger and recalls the impact it made on him as a student. Brad understands that many of the students at Grandview School will eventually come to rely on Grandview services as teens and young adults. This is part of the reason why he has chosen to become involved with the Board. As the YAC representative on the Board, Brad is excited to help students at Grandview School reach their full potential.

Corrie Dixon is the Clinical Manager of the School Years Program, Central Region, at Grandview Kids. Her portfolio includes the Grandview School Therapy team. Prior to holding this position, Corrie was a physiotherapist who worked on the Grandview School’s team for many years.

Corrie holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Physiotherapy from Queen’s University. She has spent most of her career at Grandview Children’s Centre, and has worked with children and youth of all ages to achieve their full potential. Corrie also spent two years helping to open a school for children with special needs in Bermuda; the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy. She is involved in many of Grandview Foundation’s fundraising initiatives, and helped facilitate the partnership and participation of the Grandview School students in Grandview Kids’ annual Golf Fore Kids event.

Corrie is married and has 3 wonderful children, one of whom has benefited from Grandview Kids’ services in the past, and all of whom have volunteered at Grandview Kids at various events. When she’s not at Grandview, you can usually find her at a hockey rink, a baseball diamond, or a rugby pitch!

Melissa works for the Durham Regional Police Service as a front-line police officer.  Prior to policing, Melissa obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Criminology and Justice Studies at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

While at university, Melissa played on the Varsity Women’s Hockey Team and volunteered with Grandview Kids and Grandview School for 3 years, continuing to volunteer after graduating.

Melissa has an extensive history of volunteering with youth in her community and looks forward to serving her community in a different light as a member of the Board.