2025 Annual Conference - Program and Speakers

Paul Pedersen started his role as Executive Director with the OACP on June 24, 2024. He has more than 40 years of exceptional experience in policing having served in senior leadership positions with York Regional Police and Chief of  Police of the Greater Sudbury Police Service.

Paul holds a Master of Public Administration from Western University along with a Diploma in Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University and is a graduate of Executive Leadership programs from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Business, the National Police Improvement Agency in the United Kingdom and the Senior Management Institute for Police through the Police Executive Research Forum in the United States.

Paul is a proud Officer of the Merit of the Police Forces and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal and the Police Exemplary Service medal as well s being invested as a Member in the Order of St. John.

Paul is passionate about community engagement serving on the Board of St. John Ambulance as the Vice-Chair, the Chair of the Sudbury Food Bank, the Chair of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, and a past President of the Cambrian College Board. He participates in a wide variety of community events connection with diverse and multicultural communities all thorough the year. 

THOMAS CARRIQUE became the 15th Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police on April 8, 2019. Commissioner Carrique commenced his policing career with York Regional Police in 1990. He worked in a variety of roles including Uniform Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Investigative Services, Traffic, Marine, and Public Order. He progressed through the ranks and served as Deputy Chief of the Administration Branch, the Operations Branch, and the Investigations and Support Branch.

Commissioner Carrique holds a Master’s degree in leadership and training, with a specialty in justice and public safety, from Royal Roads University, and a certificate in terrorism studies from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is a graduate of the National Policing Improvement Agency’s International Commanders Program in the United Kingdom and the United States Department of Justice Drug Unit Commanders Academy.

He is currently the elected President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. He serves as a co-chair of the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada National Executive Committee and on the board of directors for the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. He is an appointed member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Division of State and Provincial Police Executive Committee. In addition, he is a member of the Ministry of the Solicitor General Executive Mental Health Steering Committee and co-chairs the Mental Health Collaborative Police Table.

Commissioner Carrique is a recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He is also a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces as well as a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John Ambulance.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Peggs
Regional Commander – Central Region
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Assistant Commissioner Peggs began his policing career in F Division (Saskatchewan) in 2000.
His early career included postings at rural general duty detachments, isolated and limited duration postings, as well as Proceeds of Crime, Border Integrity, and Economic Crime.

In 2015 he was commissioned to the rank of Inspector and transferred to G Division as the Officer in Charge of Yellowknife Detachment.

In March of 2018, Assistant Commissioner Peggs was promoted to the rank of Superintendent and transferred to O Division (Ontario) Headquarters in London as the Officer in Charge of the Federal Operations Support Branch.

In May of 2020, Assistant Commissioner Peggs was promoted into the role of Criminal Operations Officer where he directed and provided oversight for all criminal investigations for the RCMP in Ontario.

Assistant Commissioner Peggs was promoted as O Division’s Commanding Officer in October, 2023. He will work to provide the organizational structures that allow the RCMP to work both efficiently and effectively with our domestic and international partners, within the ever-evolving Federal Policing environment.

Myron Demkiw, a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (M.O.M.), joined the Toronto Police Service in 1990, and became Chief in December of 2022. As head of the largest municipal police service in Canada, and the fourth largest municipal police service in North America, Chief Demkiw oversees 5300 police officers, 2200 civilian Members, and a budget of $1.2 billion.

Over the course of his career, he has served as the Unit Commander of Intelligence Services and the Officer in Charge of Strategy Management Corporate Projects, the Second in Command of 32 Division, Duty Senior Officer, and fulfilled several supervisory roles in various units throughout the organization. He has also participated in several Service-wide initiatives, including as an integral member of the Police and Community Engagement Review (PACER) Team, since its inception in 2012.

An alumnus of the University of Toronto, Chief Demkiw earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in his twenties, majoring in both Criminology and Political Science. He later returned to attend the Faculty of Law and completed the Global Professional Master of Laws program. He is also a graduate of the Rotman School of Management’s Police Leadership Program. Chief Demkiw is a married father of two and a proud member of Toronto’s Ukrainian community. 

Inspector Andrea Torrie began her policing career in 1998 with the Hamilton Police Service.  She has over 25 years of experience in operational, investigative and administrative roles.

Throughout her career she has worked in Uniform Patrol, Criminal Investigative Division, Professional Standards, Chief’s Office, Investigative Services Division, and recently Field Support. 

Inspector Andrea Torrie emphasizes collaborative strong partnerships with affiliate organizations across the country.  Throughout her career she has been an advocate for creating inclusive work environments and prioritizing member wellness with a strong focus on members trying to navigate motherhood and balancing policing as a career.

Beyond her operational duties, Inspector Torrie has been involved in community work with non profit organizations such as Kiwanis, YWCA, Cancer Society, and the International Association of Women Police.  She currently holds the position of the IAWP Region 11 Co-Ordinator, and in 2022 she was the Co-Chair for the IAWP Niagara Falls Conference which hosted over 800 delegates from all over the world.

Inspector Torrie is most proud of her role as a mother to two sons, Nathan and Owen.  Her husband, son, and brother are all police officers and serve proudly in the Hamilton community.

In January 2025, Andrea took over as the Chair of the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement (OWLE) has been involved with the organization as a board member in 2015.  

Inspector Val Gates serves with the Barrie Police Service, where she oversees Investigative Services. With nearly three decades in policing, she has worked in a variety of roles including frontline, investigations, and community engagement. Inspector Gates is currently spearheading 30Forward, a national initiative focused on advancing the representation, retention, and leadership of women in Canadian policing. She has also contributed to the development of national frameworks on trauma-informed policing and collaborative responses to sexual violence.

 About Heather Clayton

Heather is an Executive Leadership and Team Coach, passionate about transforming conversations one leader and team at a time. With degrees in Education (BA, BEd) and Leadership (MA), and as Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) with International Coaching Federation, she understands how important it is to integrate current research and clear strategies with everyday leadership challenges in policing.

For over 10 years, Heather has worked with many Police Services in Ontario and beyond, her work includes 1:1 executive coaching with Senior leaders; Systemic Team coaching (Supporting Senior teams); Leadership development support; use of tools like Type Coach (https://www.typecoach.com/)  to support communication for individuals, teams and throughout organizations.

Most recently, she and her team have partnered with OACP and OWLE, to bring the Leading Women Program for Senior Female leaders, to Ontario. This program’s first 3 cohorts (next one starting fall of 2025) have reached 30 law enforcement agencies across the province and is being looked at to bring into other provinces. She believes deeply in the power of collaboration, and strong leadership and finds it a privilege to help leaders to leverage the best of themselves and others in the complexities of our current world.

Ontario Women in Law Enforcement (OWLE) plays a crucial role in assisting police organizations in developing female leaders in their respective services. This session will highlight some of the ways that OWLE is collaborating with police leadership in Ontario to achieve this and invite new partnerships to support our female police members:

• Organic Mentorship
• Training and Development
• Networking Opportunities
• Promoting Equality and Inclusion
• Encouraging Confidence and Empowerment
• Supportive Policies and Advocacy.

Inspector Gates will introduce 30Forward, a Canadian initiative aimed at advancing women in policing through research, dialogue, and actionable change. The session will explore current representation trends, key findings from national focus groups, and the development of a pledge designed to support recruitment, retention, and inclusive leadership across police services.

Drawing on his personal experiences of change, he himself changed to pursue his dream of entrepreneurship by founding Peak Performance Leadership. His solopreneur efforts help others grow into their best version of themselves. Leveraging his career and life experiences, he shares his successful Change Growth Formula to thousands through his speaking, coaching and consulting.

Rick is a sought-after keynote speaker and renowned coach.

Rick’s philanthropic efforts as an amateur boxer and triathlete raise funds to end cancer in our lifetime.

In a world where change is constant and challenges are inevitable, true leaders rise by embracing uncertainty with confidence and empowering those around them. Join Rick in this transformative keynote as he unveils the keys to navigating change and leading with authenticity.

Through compelling insights and actionable strategies, attendees will learn to: 

 ✔ Embrace change with confidence, adapting to both planned and unexpected transitions to drive success as effective leaders. 

 ✔ Prioritize people and culture, cultivating growth opportunities that fuel passion, motivation, and organizational excellence. 

 ✔ Lead with courage and vulnerability, fostering a culture of trust, empathy, and inclusivity that builds high-performing, engaged teams.

This session is more than just theory—it’s a call to action. Discover how to turn obstacles into stepping stones, inspire your team to thrive, and redefine leadership with purpose. If you’re ready to lead boldly, build resilience, and elevate your impact, this is a talk you won’t want to miss!

Are you prepared to transform the way you lead? Let’s make change work for you.

Colin Stairs is the first Chief Transformation Officer of the Toronto Police Service. In this role, Colin oversees Information Management, Information Technology Services, and Strategy & Transformation. He is responsible for strengthening organizational capacity and alignment towards the vision of the Community Safety and Wellbeing.

Colin has led digital transformations as the CIO in private and public healthcare and worked in organizational transformations addressing culture change and strategy.  Colin was also a founding member of start-ups in software development and management consultancy.

Colin holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.  He has been a guest lecturer in Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. 

 About Deputy Chief Paulo Da Silva

Deputy Chief Paulo Da Silva is entering his 30th year of policing, having begun his career in 1997 and has extensive experience in all aspects of operations and administration. He has a proven track record of leveraging innovation and technology in delivering effective and efficient policing services.

Currently, he is in charge of the Operations Branch of the organization, which includes overseeing operations at all five district stations across York Region.

His previous command was in the Administrative Branch, where he managed People, Wellness and Talent, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Financial Services, Corporate Development and Infrastructure Services.

Throughout his career, Deputy Da Silva has led a number of continuous improvement and innovative police initiatives, including the transformation of the People, Wellness and Talent Bureau. He leverages evidence-based policing practices through the use of data, one result being the launch of the Community Safety Data Portal, allowing residents to access information about crime in their communities from their own devices.

He was the lead in several other technology-related initiatives at YRP, including the P25 Voice Radio System, the Connected Officer Program, the Digital Evidence Management System and the Strategic Technology Framework for the organization.

His past assignments have included the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Community Oriented Response, Cyber Crimes, Business Continuity, Operational Command and Infrastructure Services.

Deputy Da Silva is actively engaged and dedicated to community service, partnerships and volunteerism. He is past president of the Board of Directors for the Richmond Hill Welcome Centre (Catholic Community Services of York Region), sits as co-chair for United Way York Region and is the Chair of the Be A Hero Campaign, which raises funds for pediatric oncology at Southlake Regional Health Centre.

Deputy Da Silva is the recipient of the Governor General Exemplary Service 20-year medal, a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Quantico and the University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management Police Leadership Program. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. Deputy Da Silva is a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and the FBI National Academy Associates New York State/Eastern Canada Chapter (FBINAA).

 About Bill Payne

Bill has held technology and business leadership roles in various industries developing strategies, technology, and high performing teams. His past roles include; Service in the Canadian Airforce in critical communications and technology roles, data center outsourcing, travel industry as well as Financial Services and online Marketing tech start-up companies.

With prior experience in the private sector, Adam offers a unique blend of hands-on technical expertise and strategic leadership. He is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies to enhance public safety in the community where he is proudly raising his family.

Deputy Chief Mark Dapat began his career with the Peel Regional Police in 1997. He worked and held lead roles throughout the organization including Uniform Patrol, Special Enforcement Bureau, Intelligence Services, Internal Affairs and Criminal Investigation Bureau. He was a Crisis Negotiator Team leader and is a certified Critical Incident Commander. His most recent assignment was in Community Safety and Well-being Services. This branch of Peel Regional Police oversees Regional Community Mobilization, Road Safety Services and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

In June 2020, he was assigned to develop initiatives to support Peel Regional Police and the Police Services Board’s strategic vision of modernizing policing by applying a Community Safety and Well-being planning framework. Mark has led the development of the Peel Regional Police – Community Safety and Well-being Strategy. This strategy establishes a foundation for action and is a critical step in the commitment to operate as a progressive, innovative and inclusive public safety organization. 

Mark represents Peel Regional Police on several Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police committees including the “Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee” and the “Community Safety and Crime Prevention” committee. He also participates on several advisory tables and committees that relate to mental health and addiction programming. 

About Connie Dejak

Connie Dejak has been President of Runnymede Healthcare Centre since 2006, overseeing a dynamic and growing rehabilitation and complex continuing care hospital in Toronto’s west end. Her visionary leadership shines through her advocacy for Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) services, where she is driving the establishment of a groundbreaking PTSI Centre of Excellence for First Responders. Connie's dedication to addressing critical healthcare needs reflects her commitment to improving the well-being of those she serves and her role as a catalyst for positive change in the community. Connie's dedication to community enhancement is evident through her roles as former Chair of the Board of Directors of Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation and as a former Director on the Boards of Governors for Ontario Place Corporation and Exhibition Place. 

About Dr. Candice Monson

Candice M. Monson, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University and Founder and CEO of Nellie Health. She is one of the foremost experts on traumatic stress, and specifically individual and conjoint therapies for PTSD and the interpersonal aspects of traumatization and recovery. Dr. Monson has received numerous awards for her clinical, teaching, and research contributions, including Fellow status in the Canadian and American Psychological Associations, Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies. She has been inducted into the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. In 2025, Dr. Monson won the Canadian Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Science. Dr. Monson has published over 200 publications and co-authored 8 books, including the treatment manuals Cognitive Processing Therapy: A Comprehensive Manual and Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD. Dr. Monson is well-known for her clinical training and therapy dissemination efforts.

About Chief Mark Campbell

 About Deputy Chief Cecile Hammond

Appointed to Deputy Chief of Police in July 2020, Cecile Hammond is a progressive and visionary senior leader with extensive operational experience driving innovation and growth.

Currently, Deputy Chief Hammond oversees the People & Culture Branch, which includes People, Wellness & Talent, Corporate Development, and the Professionalism, Leadership & Inclusion Office. Throughout her 27-year career, she has had a diverse range of assignments including the Crimes Against Children, Sexual Assault and the Intimate Partner Violence Units, the Practical Skills Unit and the Real Time Operations Centre. Prior to her appointment to Deputy Chief, she was the superintendent and commander in charge of Corporate Development Services, overseeing the Training and Education Bureau and the Uniform Recruiting and Staff Development Units.

Deputy Chief Hammond holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from York University and Masters Certificate in Leadership from the Schulich School of Business. She is the recipient of the Governor General Exemplary Service 20-year Medal and a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. Through collaboration and partnerships, she has also made contributions to policing initiatives through her involvement with numerous police associations.

Internationally, she is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Nationally, she is a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and its Ethics Committee. Provincially she is the Zone 3 Director with the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. Deputy Chief Hammond is dedicated to community service and enhancing partnerships with the community. She sits on the Board of Directors with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel-York and is the Co-Chair of the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement Advisory Committee. She is actively engaged in her role as the Executive Sponsor for Canadian Blood Services.

As policing evolves, the need for sustainable wellness frameworks has never been more critical. Future-proofing police services requires a proactive focus on member wellness—not just as support but as a strategic foundation for resilient adaptive organizations. This panel will explore innovative wellness strategies, partnerships, and their role in recruitment, retention, and operational sustainability. 

Topics: 

• The Role of External Partnerships in Wellness Ontario police services have strong internal wellness programs, but external partnerships provide specialized care that enhances internal efforts. Runnymede’s Rehabilitation Centre for First Responders offers trauma recovery and resilience-building programs tailored for first responders. These partnerships are critical for addressing PTSI and helping officers recover, reintegrate, and maintain long-term mental health. 

• Building a Culture of Wellness Fostering a culture of wellness requires more than programs— it’s about shifting organizational culture to normalize mental health support. This session will explore critical incident response, early intervention systems, and reintegration programs that focus on continuous wellness throughout an officer’s career. Reducing stigma and building supportive environments will be key themes. 

• Wellness as a Recruitment & Retention Strategy The next generation of recruits places a high priority on workplace well-being, mental health resources, and work-life harmony. By expanding wellness offerings, police services can attract a more diverse talent pool and reduce burnout, absenteeism, and premature departures. Investing in wellness creates a competitive advantage in recruitment while strengthening organizational resilience.
• Why? With the rising prevalence of PTSI in policing, this panel will provide leaders with practical strategies to integrate wellness, enhance recruitment, foster sustainable organizational health, and be prepared for the future.

Lisa is currently in her 30^th year working in the policing sector and is the Co-Chair of Advancing WE in Policing-Ontario (AWIP-ON). 

In 2018, Tammy Fryer and eight of her colleagues from services around the province joined together to form AWIP-ON, “a collective voice on equity, inclusion and diversity in Ontario policing”. AWIP is a volunteer-based working group comprised of leaders, regardless of rank, that is committed to cultivating work environments founded on safety, belonging and connection, where everyone has equal access and opportunity to thrive.  Lisa was one of the original members in 2018 and has continued to work alongside Tammy and the team ever since. 

In addition to her role in AWIP, in May of 2022, Lisa was hired into the position of Executive Director with the OAPSB (Ontario Association of Police Service Boards). In this role, she is responsible for steering the organization and managing the day-to-day operations.  Lisa brought with her to this role, a wealth of knowledge and strategic leadership experience from her 27 years of exemplary service with the OPP. During the last 10 years of Lisa’s career with the OPP, she held uniform executive leadership roles, with a focus on leading and working in diverse collaborative teams. Prior to her position as Superintendent of West Region, Lisa was Commander of the Northumberland and Peterborough Detachments.  Lisa is a graduate of WLU, the Executive Development in Policing Program from CPC and a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces.  

With over 35 years in the policing sector, Tammy is committed to fostering safer, authentically inclusive workplaces within policing.  In 2018, she formed Advancing WE in Policing-Ontario (AWIP-ON) as a response to working in an unsafe, toxic work environment. Over the years, AWIP ON has continued to evolve creating a new vision, “A future where policing cultivates psychological safety, equity, and belonging, providing the skills and support for every individual to feel that they matter and are empowered to awaken their potential within a connected and inclusive community of police professionals.” 

From January 1990 until July 2020, Tammy was a proud member of the Windsor Police Service, retiring at the rank of Inspector, the 3^rd highest achieved by a woman over 150 years.  Tammy’s police career highlights center around oversight of many top priority organizational initiatives, maintaining community safety and wellbeing, building public trust by collaborating with community partners on multiple initiatives to address social justice issues, recruitment outreach, organizational gender equity awareness, and cultivating wellness within the Service. Tammy has always considered herself to be an agent of change and welcomes the opportunity to introduce a new, modern way of leading within the culture of policing. One that will foster a sense of safety, belonging and connection benefiting not only the membership but enhancing community service and safety overall.

His passion is rooted in a desire to sell ideas to Canadians and connect their values to a client’s mission. And the right idea combined with a deep understanding of how paid media, creative, and market research work together is how he moves target audiences to action and helps them arrive at the AHA! moment when the pressure’s on and the stakes are real.

Zubin’s expertise is regularly sought after by progressive causes across the country and around the world. He’s worked inside campaign war rooms at every level of government – including internationally. He co-founded and managed the small dollar donor program for the Ontario Liberals and transformed Prime Minister Trudeau’s digital strategy in 2021 to earn him a third mandate with Canadians. 

Zubin’s dedication to his craft was recently recognized by The Peak – Canada’s fastest growing business media company. He was named a Peak Emerging Leader as part of their 2023 cohort.

Zubin holds a joint honours degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Ottawa. He is also a Youth Mentor with Youth Assisting Youth and regularly supports local businesses with pro-bono advertising and marketing support to get their message out to the public.

Megan is President, Data, Digital and Design at Earnscliffe Strategies, overseeing opinion research, digital and creative services for the firm. For the past several years, Megan has built and led digital and public affairs teams that specialize in digital campaigns and tools, including the integration of AI and advanced audience targeting methodology through paid and organic media.

In her current role, she helps clients translate challenging policy solutions and brand stories into effective digital marketing and advertising campaigns that support advancing government relations efforts and moving public opinion. She has advised and executed national advertising campaigns for clients in a range of industries and sectors from defence and telecommunications to life sciences and unions.

In her political career, she worked for Cabinet Ministers of International Trade and Innovation, Science and Economic Development in both issues management and parliamentary affairs capacities.  More recently, she has provided digital and research expertise to provincial and federal election campaigns.

By combining her knowledge of politics and strategy with a commitment to using research, she helps craft narratives that establish successful advocacy strategies and powerful public affairs campaigns.

Megan is the former President of the Government Relations Institute of Canada (GRIC). She is currently an instructor with the Carleton University Masters of Political Management (MPM) program.

Roselie LeBlanc is a communicator with a passion for public affairs. She began her career as part of the public relations and marketing team for a Vancouver start-up that quickly rose to the forefront of its industry. For the past several years she has worked in digital communications, advising national associations, charities, and public and private sector clients on how to build narratives that will resonate with key audiences.  

Roselie combines her knowledge of digital marketing, traditional advertising, and communications to build integrated approaches to advocacy and awareness campaigns. From producing television commercials to organizing national press conferences to copywriting advertising campaigns, her wide-ranging experience allows Roselie to find the best places to tell your story. 

Roselie has a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Relations from Humber College and a master’s degree from the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University. She is an active member of the Urban Horse Project board. 

1. Call to Order 
2. Appointment of Secretary
3. Notice of Meeting
4. Constitution of Meeting
5. Approval of 2024 AGM Meeting Minutes
6. 2024-2025 President's Report
7. Secretary-Treasurer's Report
8. Appointment of Auditors
9. 2025 Resolutions
10. Election of 2025-2026 Board Executive
11. Swearing in of the Board Executive
12. Adjournment

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