2026 CCHC Board Member Candidates

Centretown Community Health Centre
3 days ago
10 min read

Candidates will be voted on during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, June 24 from 5:30PM - 6:30PM at 420 Cooper Street.

Mo Kasrawi

The Bylaws of the CCHC require that at least two of the twelve elected members of the

Board of Directors be Francophone. A Francophone is defined as someone whose first

language is French or who speaks French and is culturally sensitive to the needs of the

French-speaking community.

Do you identify as a Francophone?

Yes.

Language: Multi-lingual

Fluent in: Other, please specify: Arabic, German

Based on Centretown CHC’s goals and values, how would you help the organization as a Board Director?

Supporting the centre's management in the development, implementation, and evaluation of needed policies, especially in relation to organizational resilience and anti-oppression efforts. This includes a willingness to support management in stakeholder consultations and to approach inclusion as an ongoing learning journey.

CCHC helps people who are Francophone, 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, Indigenous, or from other racial groups, immigrants, refugees, people without homes or with unstable housing, seniors, and young families. How do you think the Board can support this work and create change?

Board Directors can enhance representation through community consultation, while keeping in mind the specific needs of different communities when considering the outcomes the centre aims to achieve. This is especially important as a way to mitigate the absence of these services among mainstream and more established service providers, such as hospitals, housing corporations, and others.

By supporting management, Board Directors can contribute to developing and upholding accountability for multi-year strategic planning and policy frameworks. Tackling discrimination and unconscious bias is an ongoing learning process that requires collective commitment to addressing systemic racism and improving equitable access to services.

The CCHC Board follows a policy governance model. What do you know about policy governance, and have you had any experience with it? If you don’t know much about it, would you be willing to learn?

Our role is to support management in defining where we want to go, not prescribing how to get there.

The board's authority rests with the collective body, not individual directors. Management and board members are accountable only to decisions formally approved and recorded in board policy.

The board serves as a trustee and servant-leader for the organization's moral owners, rather than staff or special interest groups.

Evaluation is evidence-based: the board reviews management data to confirm operations remain within Executive Limitations and advance the Ends.

CCHC is committed to fighting racism and oppression. What do you understand about anti-racism and antioppression?

Taking responsibility for our privileges with compassion rather than shame, while recognizing our complex histories of both harm and harm endured;
Learning about experiences different from our own with humility, without expecting emotional labour from those most impacted;
Challenging marginalizing or exclusionary behaviour in ways that prioritize relational safety and avoid punitive harm;
Acknowledging how oppression and privilege shape interactions with curiosity rather than judgment;
Practicing accountability through repair, consent, and the agency of those impacted; and
Integrating anti-oppression principles into daily life, according to capacity, lived experience, and relationship to power.

Thinking about the qualities needed for a Director in a policy governance model, how does your knowledge, skills, or personal experiences make you ready for this role on the Centretown CHC Board of Directors?

I arrived to Canada on a permanent residency as a gay, Arab, stateless cancer survivor, after refusing to be stigmatized with the refugee status in Central Europe.

I also arrived to Canada as a high-skilled express entry married man, middle class, and who received quality private education and went on to develop executive professional experience.

I participated in the development and implementation of policies and strategic plans to advance equitable services for stakeholders, while balancing financial equilibrium and institutional sustainability, whether when I was managing private high schools in the mornings, or educational and social non-profits in the evenings.

Brief biography

Mo is a trilingual socio-educational programs director based in Ottawa, whose background also includes school administration, community engagement and partnerships development. His work is focused on the intersections of newcomer services, education, governance, settlement and queer community, where he works, organizes and collaborates with local non-profit organizations in Ottawa.

Furthermore, his experience in policy-making combined with his lived experiences has deeply shaped his passion for creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and connected. He is continuously involved in organizing and coordinating community development spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, using the magic of art and food to bring people together around conversations and shared cultural memory.

Obey Albaini

The Bylaws of the CCHC require that at least two of the twelve elected members of the

Board of Directors be Francophone. A Francophone is defined as someone whose first

language is French or who speaks French and is culturally sensitive to the needs of the

French-speaking community.

Do you identify as a Francophone?

Yes.

Language: Trilingual

Fluent in: Other, please specify: L'Arabe

Based on Centretown CHC’s goals and values, how would you help the organization as a Board Director?

Je suis médecin résident en santé publique et médecine préventive. Je souhaite mettre mes compétences au service du CSCC en contribuant à :

- une expertise clinique

- une vision santé publique axée sur la prévention

- l'amélioration continue

- l'évaluation des programmes et de leur impact

- une approche équitable, anti-stigma et trauma-informée

- des soins 2SLGBTQIA+ affirmatifs et sécuritaires

- l'analyse de données (indicateurs, tableaux de bord)

- la surveillance des tendances et besoins émergents

- le renforcement des partenariats communautaires

- une communication claire et l'éducation sanitaire

- advocacy pour l'accès, l'inclusion et la justice sociale.

CCHC helps people who are Francophone, 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, Indigenous, or from other racial groups, immigrants, refugees, people without homes or with unstable housing, seniors, and young families.

How do you think the Board can support this work and create change?

- Ensure that the mission focuses on equity and inclusion and accommodate that in the annual budget.

- Focus on outreach to and representation of marginalized groups like members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, black people, indigenous people...

- Embrace anti-discriminatory policies and review frequently as needed

- Explore paths for diversified and sustainable funding

- Retain personnel and people of experience

The CCHC Board follows a policy governance model.

What do you know about policy governance, and have you had any experience with it? If you don’t know much about it, would you be willing to learn?

As a Public Health and Preventive Medicine resident, I am trained to think at the system level. I am comfortable with policy governance: using clear policies to define outcomes, ensure equity and safety, and track performance. I have applied similar approaches in program planning and evaluation work, using measurable indicators and structured accountability.

CCHC is committed to fighting racism and oppression. What do you understand about anti-racism and antioppression?

Racism and oppression are detrimental structural and social determinants of health that drive inequities across populations.

Combating them requires a multi-level approach: establishing anti-racist policies, empowering those most affected, strengthening supportive communities, and reorienting health and social services to actively address discrimination and its impacts.

As a public health and preventive medicine resident physician, I am trained to think at the population and systems level. I am trained to consult with stakeholders to identify community-specific needs, assess organizational capabilities, explore political will to change, and evaluate impacts of change ensuring accountability through measurable indicators. My background in health promotion, disease prevention, equity, and program evaluation equips me to help translate values like access, inclusion, and cultural safety into clear governance direction and meaningful, measurable change.

Brief biography

I was born in Syria and grew up in Lebanon. As a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, my lived experience shaped my commitment to equity, inclusion, and culturally safe care. I completed my medical training in Lebanon before immigrating to Canada at the age of 26, an experience that deepened my understanding of barriers faced by newcomers and marginalized communities in accessing health services.

I later completed a Master of Public Health at McGill University, where I developed strong skills in population health and research. My research background includes hepatitis C screening and care in Canadian prisons, providing me with experience working with incarcerated populations.

I am currently in my third year of residency in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Last summer, during my rotation at the CISSS de l'Outaouais, I contributed to STBBI prevention, screening, and health promotion initiatives. I have also been involved in health promotion work with military personnel, including health advocacy for 2SLGBTQIA+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I am currently involved in research related to substance use and mental health, and I have previously worked on health literacy research, strengthening my ability to communicate health information in clear, accessible ways.

Outside of public health and clinical work, I speak three languages and enjoy staying active through CrossFit. I also have a passion for photography, and I'm a proud pet parent to my dog Jesse and cat Scratchy.

Timeea Enache

The Bylaws of the CCHC require that at least two of the twelve elected members of the

Board of Directors be Francophone. A Francophone is defined as someone whose first

language is French or who speaks French and is culturally sensitive to the needs of the

French-speaking community.

Do you identify as a Francophone?

Yes

Language: Trilingual

Fluent in: Other, please specify: Roumain et espagnol (débutant)

Based on Centretown CHC’s goals and values, how would you help the organization as a Board Director?

En tant que professionnel de la santé (nutritionniste) et maintenant travaillant comme gestionnaire dans le système de santé public depuis bientôt 5 ans, l'accès équitable aux soins de santé et services sociaux est pour moi une mission qui me tient beaucoup à coeur. J'avais 5 ans quand mes parents ont immigré à Montréal et redonner à cette population est un devoir de citoyen qui m'est très important. Aussi avoir une bonne connaissance du système de santé peut aider à apporter des idées d'innovation et d'amélioration continue pour les programmes existants du Centre de santé communautaire du Centre-Ville.

How do you think the Board can support this work and create change?

Adopter une vision équitable, sans jugement et faire preuve d'ouverture est une excellente première étape pour augmenter le soutien à ces différents groupes de personnes. Par contre, selon moi ce qui aide le plus est d'impliquer ces groupes à parler de leurs besoins et comment ils peuvent se sentir plus en sécurité d'accéder les services du Centre de santé communautaire. Je trouve aussi que pour certains de ces groupes faire la promotion, prévention et l'éducation sur certains sujets peut diminuer l'appréhension et les mythes qui les distance des services. Certains services sont des premières expériences pour eux.

The CCHC Board follows a policy governance model.

What do you know about policy governance, and have you had any experience with it? If you don’t know much about it, would you be willing to learn?

Je suis bien sur intéressée à apprendre plus à ce sujet. Je peux dire que j'ai déjà fait part d'un conseil d'administration pour un club de basketball pour les enfants entre 5-17 ans et nous nous concentrions sur le quoi (objectifs du club, mission, valeurs) et les entraîneurs et gérant de l'équipe s'occupait du comment. Aussi, quand je travaillais dans un CLSC comme gestionnaire à Montréal, nous devions mettre en opération plusieurs programmes de santé publique qui avait le cadre mais comme gestionnaire nous devions l'appliquer et adapter à la réalité de notre population/quartier. J'ai donc eu les deux expériences.

CCHC is committed to fighting racism and oppression. What do you understand about anti-racism and antioppression?

Ma compréhension de la lutte contre le racisme et l'oppression inclue la reconnaissance qu'il s'agit de réalités systémiques qui influencent l'accès aux soins, aux ressources et aux opportunités. Ces formes d'injustice sont ancrées dans des structures historiques et institutionnelles, et ne se limitent pas à des comportements individuels. Les combattre implique une remise en question continue, l'écoute des personnes concernées et la mise en place de politiques et de pratiques équitables. En santé communautaire, cela signifie agir intentionnellement pour réduire les inégalités, favoriser l'inclusion et assurer des services sécuritaires, accessibles et respectueux pour toutes les communautés.

Je pense être une bonne candidate en raison de mon statut d'enfant immigrant qui est arrivée au Canada à 5 ans et a dû s'intégrer et apprendre le français et anglais tout en gardant sa culture roumaine. Je travaille comme gestionnaire de la santé et j'ai été gestionnaire dans un Centre de santé communautaire à Montréal dans deux quartiers défavorisés avec plusieurs réfugiés et immigrants ou je gérais des programmes jeunesses et de périnatalité/petite enfance. De plus, j'ai travaillé directement avec ces populations lorsque j'étais nutritionniste offrant des services à domicile pour les mêmes quartiers.

Brief biography

Comme mentionné dans mes réponses, je suis une femme d'origine roumaine de 29 ans. Je suis parfaitement trilingue (français, anglais et roumain) avec des bases en espagnol. Je suis diplômée de l'Université d'Ottawa au baccalauréat de nutrition et de l'Université de Montréal avec une maîtrise en gestion des services de santé. J'ai travaillé 4 ans comme nutritionniste avant de commencé à occuper des postes comme gestionnaire clinique dans différents institutions de santé.

J'ai travaillé dans un Centre de Santé communautaire à Montréal, ensuite à l'hôpital Sainte-Justine et depuis mai 2025 je travaille à CHEO au département de santé neurodéveloppementale. J'ai souvent travaillé pour améliorer l'accès aux soins de santé pour les populations vulnérables (immigrants, personnes à faible revenu, enfants avec problèmes de santé neurodéveloppementale comme l'autisme).

J'ai également ma Green Belt Six Sigma qui est un diplôme professionnel en amélioration continue, car je pense que l'innovation et ne pas rester dans le statu quo sont deux aspects primordiales en santé. Je désire amener les voix des personnes qui sont mis de côté par la société à une place égalitaire et ou ils se sentent en confiance et sécurité de s'exprimer sur leurs besoins et amener la société à répondre à ces besoins. Je veux aussi trouver une façon de redonner à la société et m'impliquer dans mon devoir de citoyen d'un autre manière autre mon travail. J'adore voyager et apprendre sur différentes cultures, religions et apporter ces connaissances dans mon quotidien.