Our team

From classical arts, and business/entrepreneurship, to community development, my professional journey has been unique as it has been fulfilling. Before beginning the SAAAC Autism Centre, I held senior roles in controllership and operations. My training and love for dance pushed me to establish the NarthanaI havelaya Centre for South Asian Dances in 1985, training hundreds of students across the Greater Toronto Area, which helped me forged deep ties with my community. It was at Narthanalaya that I first came across students who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Touched by these students’ commitment to dance and learning of the cultural, financial, and social difficulties their families experienced, I established the SAAAC Autism Centre in 2008.

I specialize in enhancing educational and social service programs for people with disabilities. With over 25 years in education and disability sectors, my leadership focuses on organizational priorities and governance.

I am Dr. Biruntha Sritharan, a Child and Adolescent psychiatrist at the Hospital for Sick Children and Ontario Shores. With a background in Developmental Psychology and Medicine, I’m passionate about equitable healthcare, curriculum development, and enhancing Child and Adolescent Psychiatry programs.

For over 25 years, I have been in leadership positions in the academic and not-for-profit sectors. As Chair of Humanities and Social Sciences at Centennial College, I am passionate about providing access to education for all and student success. In support of this value, I have developed a myriad of diverse programs and established many industry and academic partnerships.

I was the Co-Founder and CEO of a start-up Fin-Tech called Wiser Investments which was acquired by RBC in 2017. Now I head an innovation lab for RBC Global Asset Management focused on most of the same Wiser goals with the benefit of having access to millions of customers to learn, test and iterate our products.

I began my career with Halton Police in December 1995 serving in a variety of assignments throughout my career including front line policing, specialized investigations and Diversity and Community relations. I was promoted to Deputy Chief of Halton Police in 2015 leading front line policing, community mobilization as well as innovation and technology. In October 2019, I was appointed to Chief of Peel Regional. I arrived with a mandate for change and the strategic goal of becoming the most progressive police service in Canada. I am proud to champion a re-emphasis on front line policing; to modernize traditional community policing; and to seek multi-sectoral collaborative partnerships to reduce risk in the community. I am proud to be part of this esteemed board, and look to provide my knowledge and experience to creating a community that is open, respectful, and accessible to individuals of all abilities.

I am a Professor at York University in the Department of Psychology, and a Clinical Psychologist. Most of my work involves doing research to understand and promote mental health in autistic people and people with intellectual disabilities. I am interested in ways of helping individuals, families, and broader systems of support.

Currently, I am the President of Lastman’s Bad Boy Furniture. I am a designated CMA with over 30 years of experience in finance management with a specialization in the furniture and appliance industry. As a SAAAC board member, I oversee outreach efforts in the community with a special focus on developing relationships with fundraising capacity.

I am a neurological surgery resident at the University of Toronto. I earned my medical degree from the University of Western Ontario before moving to Toronto for residency. I am enrolled in the Surgeon-Scientist Training Program and have been the recipient of multiple awards including: American Association of Neurological Surgeons Robert J. Dempsey resident award, Brain Aneurysm Foundation Ellie Helton Chair of Research, and the Canadian Institute of Heath Research Fellowship.

My first role at the SAAAC Autism Centre is that of a parent. I am proud to be the father of an energetic, kind-hearted young man. As a parent representative on the board, I look to articulate the needs of caregivers and work hard to support programming that increases access for more families to receive support.