Sheila Cranmer-Byng ([email protected]) will be the interim PTF Coordinator while Randalin is on maternity leave.  Sheila has over 20 years of experience working on issues related to poverty and social justice.  She began her career working for the Association for Community Living and Reena Foundation in Toronto and then went on to work as the Volunteer Coordinator at Daily Bread Food Bank where she established a successful volunteer, events and community engagement program.  Sheila worked for 10 years in the employment field, coordinating employment and CED programs for street involved youth and homeless and low-income communities.  She also has experience in disability field and in community literacy and working as the Director of Community Support and Service at United Way/Centraide Ottawa. Sheila moved to Guelph in 2004 and worked as the Housing Analyst and Acting Housing Programs Manager at the County of Wellington.  Her experience coordinating committees and work groups includes strengthening and expanding a grassroots freedom of expression network in Southeast Asia and overseeing the implementation of a common assessment tool in the community mental health sector.  Sheila has a strong interest in social justice issues and is very excited to be part of the PTF.

Laura Parsons ([email protected]) joined the PTF as the Assistant Coordinator in December. She completed her undergrad in Sociology at the University of Guelph and moved to Toronto to get a diploma in Community Work at George Brown College. There she interned with FoodShare, working on a youth food justice summit, and with Parkdale Community Legal Services in the Immigration Division, working on the Drop the Fee Campaign for refugees. She also worked for the college’s student union, advocating for students in academic appeals and on broader student/worker rights campaigns. Laura spent several years working for a labour union at the University of Toronto and volunteering with the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture. She also sat on the board of the housing co-operative that she and her family lived in. After 10 years of living and working in Toronto, Laura is happy to return to Guelph to raise her family and is excited to support the work of the PTF.