Board of Directors

Ena Chadha was originally appointed as Chair of the Human Rights Legal Support Centre Board of Directors from 2019 to 2020 and reappointed in August 2021, after completing a term as Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

Previously, Ena was Director of Litigation with ARCH Disability Law Centre from 2000 to 2007 and Vice-Chair with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario from 2007 to 2015.

Her litigation background involved human rights challenges before various administrative tribunals and trial and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and as a human rights adjudicator she has rendered precedent-setting decisions.

Ena is actively involved in legal education and frequently writes and presents on equality rights issues.

She is a graduate of the College of Law of the University of Saskatchewan, holds a Master of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.

Ena is recipient of the 2022 Canadian Law Awards Female Trailblazer Award, the Ontario Bar Association’s 2022 Distinguished Service Award and 2023 recipient of the Law Society Medal.

Appointment August 19, 2024 to August 18, 2026. 

Michelle Tan studied business at the University of Western Ontario and obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Calgary. During law school, she worked as the Director of Pro Bono Students Canada at the University of Calgary regional branch. Initially starting her legal career in Calgary, including serving Legal Aid clients, she moved back to her home province of Ontario and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2011. Since then, Ms. Tan has practiced primarily in litigation, advocating for the severely-injured and vulnerable.

She has appeared at all levels of the Ontario Courts and various tribunals, primarily resulting from accident and medical malpractice claims.

She is also an entrepreneur and has operated an organic grocery delivery business in Wasaga Beach and Collingwood.

She will be opening her own firm in 2020.  Appointment May 26, 2025  to May 25, 2028.

Sandi Bell identifies as a Black Indigenous woman with disabilities. With more than 30 years of experience in the areas of human rights, anti-racism, anti-oppression, and equity, she has worked closely with many different equality-seeking communities.

As a school Trustee in Hamilton, with the passing of Bill 82, she spearheaded initiatives to ensure that children with disabilities previously denied public education were provided the required support. She also served as Chair of the AODA Health Care Standards Development Committee, which recommended accessibility standards to the Province to reduce and prevent barriers in health care in Ontario hospitals. She has additionally served as a member of the Canadian Mental Health Commission’s Mental Health & Law Advisory Committee and two terms as a part-time Commissioner for the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The entirety of Sandi’s professional and volunteer endeavours have, in one way or another, been in pursuit of equality, human rights, social justice and inclusion for diverse and marginalized communities.

Sandi Bell is cross appointed as a Commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

Appointment March 23, 2025 to March 22, 2028.

Tamar Witelson is Director of Legal Services at the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic which provides trauma-informed legal and counselling services and multilingual interpretation to survivors of gender-based violence.

She is the former Legal Director at the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC) and former staff lawyer at Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF).

She has practiced in the areas of social justice, human rights and union-side labour law in more than 20 years since her call to the Bar.

Her community involvement has included membership on the Family Law Advisory Committee for Legal Aid Ontario, the Toronto Police Services Sexual Assault Advisory Committee, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Advisory Committee, and Toronto Region Domestic Violence Court Advisory Committee.

Ms. Witelson is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, a former clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada, holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University, and Master of Arts degrees in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario and English from the University of Ottawa.

Appointment February 20, 2025 to February 19, 2028.

Bryan Beatty is an accomplished commercial lawyer and risk manager, with extensive experience in legal practice and senior management roles. Bryan currently serves as Senior Legal Counsel at Schneider Electric Canada Inc., a global energy management company, where he provides strategic legal advice, negotiates complex commercial agreements and leads initiatives in policy, compliance and risk management. Bryan is called to the Bar in Ontario (2012) and admitted to practice in Queensland, Australia, holding advanced degrees in law and risk management from Bond University and McMaster University.

Bryan is deeply committed to community service, having served on the boards of the Museums of Burlington and the Burlington Museums Foundation. Through these roles, he has championed local arts, culture and heritage initiatives, and supported greater accessibility and inclusion in the community.

As a member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community (he/him), Bryan is passionate about advancing safer, more inclusive spaces for all equity-seeking people.

Appointment: September 8, 2025 to September 7, 2028

Kraymr Grenke is a Northern Ontario leader whose work sits at the intersection of governance, public policy, institutional leadership, and community development. Across his public-sector, governance, and consulting roles, Kraymr has built a reputation for helping organizations navigate complexity with clarity, discipline, and a strong understanding of the realities facing government, communities, and service delivery organizations.

His leadership experience spans healthcare, policing, postsecondary education, human rights, economic development, quasi-judicial appeals, and community infrastructure. Across these roles, Kraymr has worked directly with provincial ministries, municipal leaders, Indigenous partners, senior executives, and community stakeholders to advance major institutional priorities, secure government support, strengthen governance practices, and position organizations for long-term sustainability.

Kraymr has extensive experience leading and supporting complex public institutions through periods of change. His governance work has included oversight of multi-year capital planning, executive leadership transitions, enterprise risk management, labour relations, strategic planning, regulatory compliance, public accountability, and major advocacy efforts. He brings a practical understanding of how public institutions operate, how decisions are made, and how to align organizational priorities with the expectations of funders, boards, government, and the communities served.

As President and Founder of MLG Consulting, Kraymr supports organizations across Northern Ontario with strategy, governance, funding, business planning, government relations, and organizational development. His consulting has helped clients secure funding approvals, develop stronger business cases, prepare for growth, strengthen board and operational structures, and translate complex ideas into clear, actionable plans. His approach is grounded in practical execution, strong writing, political and community awareness, and a clear understanding of how to move projects from concept to approval.

Kraymr holds a Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management from York University and is studying Business and Economics at Laurentian University. He will begin pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Health Leadership in 2026.

Appointment: May 25, 2026 to May 24, 2029

Rachel Aarons is a strategic leader committed to social impact. She serves on the Premier’s Council on Equality of Opportunity, a nonpartisan advisory body that provides recommendations to provincial ministries on policy to support youth employment and entrepreneurship in Ontario.

Her governance experience includes serving as a 2024 board member and as the 2025 President of the Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals (CAUFP), where she led nine teams across three Canadian provinces, launched four new programs, and hosted fourteen engagements. In this role, she advanced fundraising, community impact and professional development initiatives through collaborations with organizations including the RBC, SickKids Foundation, TD Bank, EY, and Dentons.

In her full-time capacity, Rachel leads partnerships and resource development at a local charity. Her work has contributed to key strategic initiatives, generated new funding, and strengthened relationships with corporate partners including CBC, The Globe and Mail, Scotiabank, Staples, the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and other entities.

With a background in finance, strategy, governance, and stakeholder engagement, Rachel is deeply committed to advancing equitable access to opportunity for all.

Appointment: May 26, 2026 to May 25, 2029

Born and raised in M’Chigeeng First Nation, Linda Debassige currently serves as the Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation. She is a mother to two children and grandmother to one. Linda graduated with honours from Civil Engineering Technology in Thunder Bay and she holds a Certificate in Negotiations from Osgoode Hall Law School. First elected to M’Chigeeng First Nation Council in 2013, Debassige was Chief from 2015-2023. During her tenure within the governance of M’Chigeeng, she participated in numerous portfolios, committees and boards locally, regionally and nationally and across many sectors. She was elected Grand Council Chief of the Anishinabek Nation in 2024. Debassige is often called upon to provide advice and advocacy for Indigenous communities, organizations and leadership and is known for her strong leadership style, knowledge, dedication and passion for all First Nations People.

Appointment: June 11, 2026 to June 10, 2029

Sarah Colman is from Stratford, Ontario. She loves the Stratford Festival Theatre, volunteers for the annual Kiwanis Festival of Performing Arts and the Bruce Trail Conservancy, and serves on the Boards of Family Services Perth Huron and the Stratford General Hospital Foundation. Sarah worked for many years as General Counsel for the Ontario Principals’ Council, a professional association representing principals and vice-principals working in Ontario’s English public school system. During that time, she also provided legal support to l’Association des directions et directions-adjointes des écoles franco-ontariennes (ADFO) and continues to work on maintaining her French-language skills. She was called to the Bar in 1999 and retired from the practice of law in 2023.

Appointment: July 21, 2026 to July 20, 2029