Leadership Team
In 2022, Reza became the fifth Executive Director in the 49-year history of Community Centre 55, bringing fresh ideas, dynamic leadership, and a wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors. Before joining Centre 55, Reza served as Director of Operations at Earth & Glam, a startup specializing in eco-friendly solutions. Prior to that, he worked as an Equity Trader at Tower Research Capital, a major financial services firm. Reza also spent several years as a franchise development and operations executive working for multinational brands in Canada and the United States.
In the public sector, Reza worked at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as an advisor to the Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation, where he provided counsel on legislative affairs and issues management, helping shape policies and initiatives that drove innovation in the province. After leaving Queen’s Park, Reza led stakeholder relations and outreach for the Ontario College of Trades, the regulatory body overseeing skilled trades in Ontario. In the 2018 Toronto municipal election, Reza was a candidate for City Councillor (Ward 25), motivated by his dedication to building stronger communities and fostering meaningful change for the residents of his neighbourhood.
A dedicated community leader, Reza is President of the West Rouge Community Association, serves as a field director for Toastmasters International, and is actively involved with Scarborough United Neighbourhoods (SUN), a public policy group. He lives in West Rouge, Scarborough, with his wife Mona and their two sons, Royce and Romeo.
Reza holds an Advanced College Diploma in Business Administration from Humber College, a Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management and Law from Ryerson University, and dual Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of Manitoba, graduating magna cum laude.
Pat brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as Finance and Business Director at Community Centre 55. With 45 years of experience in financial management and accounting, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring the financial health and sustainability of the Community Centre.
Having spent 5 years as an independent financial and tax consultant, Pat honed her skills in budgeting, forecasting, and strategic financial planning. Her independent expertise has equipped her with the flexibility and resourcefulness necessary to navigate the unique challenges faced by our community centre.
Pat also has a passion for the arts, particularly the music industry, where she spent 19 years as a Finance Director, working with artists, publicists, and record companies.
Outside of work, Pat enjoys indulging her creative side through baking and quilting. Her culinary creations and intricate quilt designs are a testament to her attention to detail and dedication to craftsmanship. Additionally, she has a passion for travel, exploring new cultures and cuisines whenever she has the opportunity.
Jade joined Community Centre in 2017 as the Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator and was promoted to Program Director in 2024. Jade is a passionate community organizer with over 15 years of experience in the areas of Gerontology, Event Management, Recreation and Community and Volunteer Engagement.
Jade is always striving to create fun and inclusive events that contribute to the thriving Beaches/East York community. She is passionate about helping to enrich the lives of others through meaningful events, programs and volunteer opportunities.
She was born, raised and resides in the community as well and is involved with several other organizations in various capacities.
In her free time Jade enjoys spending time with her family, attending live theatre, events and travelling.
Narni is a Registered Early Childhood Educator with over 20 years of experience working directly with children in early years and then leading child care professionals in developing intentional programming for children in licensed full day and before and after school environments in Toronto. As the Manager of Children’s Licensed Programs, Narni is passionate about empowering child care practitioners in their work with children, families, and co-educators through reflective practice, collaborative inquiry, and authentic relationships.
Teresa began working at Centre 55 in 2010 in various roles and has experience with all age groups from 18 months-12 years of age. Working with children and families has always been very rewarding for Teresa as creating a positive and safe environment for children, staff and families is always her main priority.
Paula joined Centre 55 in 2023 as our Office Manager, bringing over 20 years of diverse experience across administrative roles, family law mediation, publishing, accounting, film, and both non-profit and corporate sectors. She has honed unique skills in respected multicultural organizations, gaining valuable industry knowledge and proficiency in multiple languages.
In her spare time, Paula enjoys spending time with family and friends, is an avid Wonder Woman collector, and has a passion for learning new languages. She also stays active by participating in city-run programs, charitable events, and workout classes.
Paula holds a Diploma in Business Administration and Desktop Publishing from the Academy of Computer & Employment Skills.
Tamara Mehdinejad is the Program and Fundraising Coordinator at Centre 55. She is a dedicated individual driven by her passion for helping people and making a difference in her community. She first discovered her calling for community engagement when volunteering for Centre 55’s Share-A-Christmas program in 2017. During her time at UofT, Tamara immersed herself in various sociological theories and research methodologies. She actively participated in student-led discussions, research projects, and community outreach programs. Her dedication and hard work led her to graduate with honors in 2022, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a specialization in sociology. Throughout her undergraduate years, Tamara conducted research projects exploring the impact of socioeconomic factors on educational outcomes and the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in shaping individual experiences within society. Tamara remains committed to using her knowledge and skills to contribute positively to society. Through her work at Centre 55 and beyond, Tamara is always eager to lend her support wherever it is needed.
A BA and MA graduate of the University of Toronto, Jennifer has worked in the non-profit sector for over 20 years, with a focus on special events, project management, fundraising and communications. Jennifer is a resourceful advocate for Canadian history and social policy who is committed to engaging the public through innovative methods and experiences. She’s also an enthusiastic storyteller who loves to engage with the community and help make a positive impact for the population Centre 55 serves!
Sheilla Bunting is a part time bookkeeper with Centre 55 since May 2021. Her work background has mainly been in a variety of accounting positions from small to large businesses. Sheilla enjoys the outdoors, animals and crafting of all kinds but her main love is her family. She loves to spend time as much as possible with her granddaughters.
Samuel is a bookkeeper at Community Centre 55. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Business Management. Samuel has over 5 years of experience working in the financial industry and brings a wealth of financial knowledge to the team. Samuel’s dedication to excellence and interest in community initiatives align with the values of Community Centre 55. Beyond his professional duties, he is passionate about sports and activities that contribute to societal betterment.
Jenni is a receptionist, but deep down is much more. She has been a part of the Centre 55 family for 11 years as staff but volunteered a number of years with the Centre prior to that. She worked in long term care as Activationist prior to joining the team. She is beach born and bred having attended a number of local schools (Gledhill, Glen Ames, and Malvern) She is a member of a First nations family and fully bilingual (Eng/French). She is very active participant in the community belonging to a number of community organizations and having participated in a number of community events over the years. Her father who was the First Native on the Metropolitan Toronto Police force worked at 55 division when the Centre was 55 division and just prior to her being born. So, you could say in a sense she is second generation Centre 55 employee. She is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher having done a few sessions with the Centre via Zoom during Covid as well as been one of our presenter/exhibitors for our Active Living Fairs. She hopes to be able to offer some sessions in person at Centre 55 in the near future. She is a wealth of knowledge and a valued member of our Centre 55 family/team.
Anne McNamara is one of Centre 55’s Receptionists. She is both a staff person and a key part of our Volunteer Team, assisting members as needed with our day-to-day programs and special events.
She enjoys meeting and greeting Centre members and visitors; and helping them to find the information and services they are interested in.
Before her previous retirement, Anne’s experience as Manager of Membership Services at U of T’s Department of Athletics & Recreation laid a good foundation for the fine work she does here.
Anne is also a Forever Maple Leaf Fan.
Biography Coming Soon.