Board

Hadiya Roderique is a researcher, consultant, lecturer, speaker, broadcast commentator, intersectional feminist and former Bay Street employment and human rights lawyer. Hadiya is a frequent contributor to newspapers, magazines and panels on issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion. An award-winning writer, she has bylines in The Walrus, The National Post, This Magazine, and Elle, and is most well known for her piece “Black on Bay Street” for the Globe and Mail, which outlined her experiences as a young Black woman working in a Bay Street firm. She has M.A. in Criminology, where she focused on judicial decision making and sentencing of sexual assault offences, and a J.D. both from the University of Toronto. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Organizational Behaviour at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, where her research focuses on gender and parental bias in the workplace. She has a history of volunteerism, having served on the boards of Ultimate Canada, the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and the Toronto Rape Crisis Center/Multicultural Women Against Rape. In 2018, Hadiya was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyers’ Magazine, and in 2019, received the Clarkson Laureateship in Public Service from Massey College.

Koren Lightning, Blue Thunderbird Woman, is Cree from Samson Cree Nation. She is the Legal Director of Wahkotowin Law and Governance Lodge. She is a Board Member for First Nations Caring Society, Acting Commissioner for Alberta Utilities Commission and Board Member for Peace Hills Insurance. She was President of the Indigenous Bar Association for 6 years. Koren graduated from Law School in 2007 at the University of Alberta. She was called to the bar in February 2009 and had the honour of having her Bar Call in her First Nation Community, Samson Cree Nation. Koren received her Master of Laws in 2018 from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, her concentration was Alternative Dispute Resolution. Koren’s work focuses on working with Indigenous clients and supporting the revitalization of Indigenous Laws. Koren advises in the areas of Indigenous Governance, Indigenous Child Welfare, Indian Act matters. She was recently awarded the “Pringle/Royal sessional teaching excellence” Award from Faculty of Law, University of Alberta for 2021/2022. She was awarded “Tomorrow’s Leader” Award from Women in Law Leadership Awards in 2019. She was also awarded the Alumni Horizon Award from the University of Alberta in 2017. Koren is alumni of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, she participated in the 2017 NWT Tour. She is a sessional instructor at Maskwacis Cultural College and University of Alberta, Faculty of Law.

Alana Robert is a litigation associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Toronto, where she practices class actions, public law, and commercial litigation. Her practice focuses on representing Indigenous peoples and nations in their claims against governments. Alana regularly works with Indigenous-led organizations to develop action and implementation plans to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. She has also advised national non-profit organizations on their work to advance gender equity. Alana is on the board of directors for the Ontario Native Women’s Association and the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto. She has a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Political Science and Economics from the University of Manitoba and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. In 2022, Alana was named one of Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers.

Sharon Tse holds a designation as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and is a Senior Manager in the Accounting Advisory Services group of BDO Canada LLP, specializing in assisting not-for-profit and public sector clients. An underlying theme in her professional career has been an unwavering commitment to upholding the quality and ethical standards of the accounting profession. She has spent over 25 years in various facets of public accounting (assurance, professional standards) and in the regulatory side of the profession. Sharon had previously served as Treasurer at the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and is currently a member of LEAF’s Finance and Audit Committee. 

Rebecca Meharchand is an employment lawyer and workplace investigator with Seabrook Workplace Law, where she takes an equity-based approach to helping clients create and maintain exceptional workplaces. She received her J.D. from Queen’s University Faculty of Law. Rebecca’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion stem from her degree in Women’s Studies from Western University, where she graduated top of her class. This background knowledge in feminist theory led her to get involved with numerous grassroots and community organizations dedicated to helping vulnerable populations, including: the Sexual Assault Centre of London, Bereaved Families of Ontario, jack.org, and the Prison Law Clinic at Queen’s University, where she represented incarcerated clients at an institution’s Disciplinary Court. She has a strong commitment to intersectional feminism, anti-racism, LGBTQ2S+ inclusion and human rights, and has worked to incorporate these values in her academic work, her legal practice, and her volunteer initiatives.

Kerry Lynn Okita is a litigation partner at Bishop and McKenzie in Calgary, Alberta. She has a broad civil litigation practice with specialties in the areas of employment law, immigration, and property. In particular, Kerry Lynn focuses on human rights as well as sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace. From 2010 to 2012, Kerry Lynn took a leave of absence from her practice to work on human rights internationally. Kerry Lynn moved to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to work with a women’s rights organization on law reform and strategic litigation with a constitutional challenge. Kerry Lynn then relocated to Kabul, Afghanistan to work with the United Nations as a legal officer. Closer to home, Kerry Lynn sits on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Centre of Calgary, a feminist organization that provides basic needs, connection, and change making for women in the community. Kerry Lynn was named one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2018 in honour of her work impacting women.

Jessica is an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Office of the Premier of British Columbia. She was Chief of Staff to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould. During her time in Ottawa, Jessica worked on a number of issues directly impacting gender equality rights, including the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and sexual assault law reform. Jessica began her career on Bay Street as a litigator at two different boutique law firms. During her time in Toronto, she volunteered as duty counsel at Pro Bono Law Ontario’s walk-in clinic and served as member-at-large for the Toronto chapter of LEAF. Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University and a law degree from the University of Oxford. In 2016, she was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyers’ Magazine. In 2021, she was named one of Business in Vancouver's Top Forty Under 40.

Meaghan Ross (she/elle) works as the Sexual Violence Response Coordinator at the University of Waterloo where she supports survivors and others impacted by sexual violence to determine which supports, resources, accommodations, reporting options and safety planning strategies are good fits. In this role she also provides guidance to those on campus receiving disclosures regarding best practices for responding well and on their roles and responsibilities under university policy and applicable legislation. Meaghan facilitates education and training (via her role and on a barter basis) on unpacking rape culture from an intersectional, trauma-informed, survivor centered framework; engaging with folks to challenge their biases and to learn skills needed for creating a consent culture. Meaghan has a Master of Arts in Globalization Studies, a BA in Labour Studies, and a BSW. She has worked in social services and community development for almost 20 years and has been a longtime community activist in Hamilton. She and her partner aspire to become good aunties and are working on creating the best apartment-sized craft room!

Yola Ventresca is the Managing Partner at Lerners LLP, practicing in London Ontario. She received her B.A. (Honours) from Huron University College, her LL.B. from Western University and her LL.M. from the University of Toronto. She was called to the bar of Ontario in 2006. 

Ms. Ventresca is engaged in a diverse litigation based practice. She is a member of the firm’s education, health law, and labour and employment practice groups. To this end, Ms. Ventresca has represented clients at all levels of court in Ontario. Ms. Ventresca is also the founder and chair of the firm’s workplace investigation team. In this capacity, she is called upon to investigate highly complex and contentious matters arising from conflicts in the workplace, both unionized and non-unionized. 

Both peers and members of the London community recognize Ms. Ventresca as a leader. Some of her accolades include: Top 20 under 40 award (Business London, 2016), Lexpert Rising Star designation (2017), Inclusion in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (professional regulation) (since 2017) and Best Lawyers in Canada (since 2018). Ms. Ventresca is also a two time awardee of the “Female Trailblazer Award” (Canadian Lawyer). Ms. Ventresca was also recognized by her local Member of Parliament through inclusion in the North London Honour Roll. This honour recognizes Londoners whose actions have inspired others to a build a strong, supportive and inclusive community. Ms. Ventresca’s inclusion on this list reflects, among other things, her significant advocacy to support, mentor, sponsor and retain women in private practice. 

Outside of her practice, Ms. Ventresca is engaged in a myriad of activities and initiatives aimed at bettering the profession, and, specifically, championing female lawyers. Ms. Ventresca is a past Chair of the 10+ Standing Committee of the Advocates’ Society. In this capacity, she represented all mid-career advocates across Ontario. She is also the founder and Chair of the Advocates’ Society mentoring dinner for women in London. She is a prolific speaker and writer on a variety of topics, frequently contributing to peer reviewed publications. Committed to legal education, Ms. Ventresca has chaired numerous conferences and has held the role of adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law, Western University (Civil Procedure). At Lerners LLP, Ms. Ventresca has supported a variety of initiatives aimed at supporting women in private practice. She is a member of the firm’s Strategic Planning Committee and founded the Lerners Women’s Symposium, an initiative aimed at promoting collaborative and supportive networks for professional women. 

Ms. Ventresca is also committed to a variety of community initiatives. She is the current Chair of Handbags for Hospice, in support of palliative care at St. Joseph’s Hospice in London. She is also a member of the Huron University College Board of Governors and the Dean’s Advisory Council at Western Law. 

In her spare time, Ms. Ventresca enjoys musical theatre, travel, spinning and spending time with her family. She is also a long suffering member of #LeafsNation.