Please join us in welcoming two new members of the OPSBA team! Alicia Cameron joins OPSBA as our Indigenous Trustees’ Council (ITC) Liaison and Michelle Rodney Bartalos joins OPSBA as our Black Trustees’ Caucus (BTC) Liaison.
Michelle’s vast experience as an educator, vice-principal, and principal at the Toronto and Hamilton-Wentworth DSBs, and most recently as the K-12 System Principal of Equity at the HWDSB, will ensure OPSBA is well-positioned to support the BTC, which has been meeting virtually and in-person since the 2022 OPSBA Annual General Meeting. Michelle is currently working as an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Consultant, and offers skills in the areas of leadership and collaboration in system initiatives, curriculum development and implementation, improvement of student and staff success and educational practices, and supporting colleagues and leadership in their own professional growth. She will be a strong advocate for Ontario’s public education system, in addition to supporting and facilitating strong connections between the BTC and OPSBA using anti-racist and anti-oppression frameworks and guidance.
Alicia brings more than 15 years of experience in a diverse range of Indigenous educational settings, including on-reserve, off-reserve and urban community settings. Her professional career has concentrated on the advancement of Indigenous-focused educational priorities and initiatives that in turn, result in tangible benefits that make a difference in the lives of current and future Indigenous students. A key tenet of Alicia’s educational philosophy is that improving the educational outcomes of Indigenous students leads to the building of strong and healthy communities. As an OCT-qualified educator, she has served in roles at the elementary, secondary, post-secondary and adult education levels. Previous roles include work with the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, Georgian College, Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, Simcoe County District School Board, and most recently, the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body of the Anishinabek Education System as the Anishinabek Education Services Manager. Alicia will be a strong advocate for the inclusion of Indigenous cultures, histories and perspectives in Ontario’s public education system, in addition to supporting and facilitating strong connections between the ITC and OPSBA in its advocacy work on behalf of Ontario’s many First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.
A sincere and hearty welcome to Michelle and Alicia, who will be beginning their roles on April 14th and 17th respectively.
