A highly seasoned board
The leadership and experience to open the doors of Eli’s Place.
Dr. Howard Hamer
MD, FCFP, MSC(A), FCBOM
Chair
Howard is a Family & Occupational Physician; now semi-retired, he works part-time as an industry consultant in worker health and safety. Past leadership roles include: Board Member of the Humber Memorial Hospital (now Humber River Hospital), past president of the Occupational & Environmental Medicine Association of Canada and the Medical Director of the Function & Pain program at Altum Health, a division of the University Health Network.
Dr. Deanne Simms
PHD, C.PSYCH
Vice-Chair
As a clinical psychologist, Deanne has a wealth of experience in both public and private mental healthcare delivery. As the Clinical Director of CMHA – York South Central, Deanne’s expertise in digital health tools is evidenced in her oversight of two Provincial Mental Health resources – Bounce Back Ontario, and the Bibliotherapy Centre of Excellence. In this role she also manages a number of community health management programs. In private practice, Deanne is the President and CEO of TriveSpace Health & Wellness.
Matt Cappellucci
BSc, MBA
Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
Matt has over 15 years of corporate experience in both the transportation and financial sectors. Matt has experience working and building relationships with clients across many different industries including CPG, Technology and Automotive. With a passion for data analysis and marketing, he always enjoys working with customers and businesses alike to solve their complex problems. He is currently a Senior Business Coach at Amazon.
Carol Cowan-Levine, C.M.
BA, MSW, RSW, RP
Secretary
Carol is a Registered Psychotherapist in private practice, and a passionate advocate for excellence in healthcare. Her investment in community is reflected in her work on the numerous Boards on which she has served: Past President of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), Past Chair and Honorary Member of the Board at Women’s College Hospital, Past Chair and Member of the Advisory Board of the Child Development Institute, Chair of the Advisory Council of Women’s College Hospital Foundation, an elected trustee of the Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital (Children) and a worker bee invested in making a difference.
Carol was named to the Order of Canada in December 2024, for her exemplary work in the field of mental health.
Brendan Brooks
CFA
Director
Brendan is a CFA Charterholder with an extensive background in real estate investment, mainly with Revera Inc. where he oversaw the development and operations of high-end assisted living and memory-care facilities in Canada, the USA and UK. Brendan is currently Director, Real Estate Management at Forum.
David L. Cooper
Founding Director Emeritus
David, Eli’s father, is a retired business owner with extensive corporate and non-profit experience. Founder of STUFF Canada, a non-profit created in 1999 to reduce homelessness and poverty in Toronto, David was the 2004 recipient of the New Spirit of Community Award, Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, and the Peter F. Drucker Award for NFP Innovation in 2003. David, a suicide loss survivor, is the co-author of Bridge over the River Why, a guide for parents who have lost children to suicide, and is currently a volunteer grief facilitator for the Toronto Distress Center. David is a Founding Board Member of Eli’s Place.
Deborah Cooper
BScN, RN
Founding Director Emeritus & Co-Chair Fundraising Committee
A community volunteer and advocate for over 50 years, Deborah retired from the family business in 2015. Earlier in her career Deborah worked as a Toronto Public Health Nurse & Nurse Educator at Seneca College with a special interest in maternal and child health. Deborah is the co-author of Bridge over the River Why, a guide for parents who have lost children to suicide. A suicide loss survivor, following her son, Eli’s death, Deborah is a Founding Board Member of Eli’s Place.
Jasmine Godfrey
MA, JD, MBA
Director
Jasmine is a lawyer at Bennett Jones LLP in their intellectual property litigation group. A fierce advocate for women’s empowerment, she previously served on Lean In Toronto’s sponsorship team. Jasmine’s undergraduate studies were in psychology, and she is passionate about the importance of mental health.
Erin Johnston
CA, CPA
Director
Erin is a CA, CPA with over 12 years of experience in both Corporate and Operational finance roles, with the majority of her experience in corporate controllership roles at George Weston Limited and Loblaw Companies Limited. Erin is currently the finance lead for Loblaw Digital.
Kate Kostandoff
BA, B.ED
Director & Chair of Communications Committee
Kate is a retired secondary school teacher with the York Region District School Board. Her leadership experience includes many years as a department head of the library learning commons. She is currently a facilitator with the Children of Inmates Reading Program (a program of Book Clubs for Inmates). Kate believes in the moral imperative to create treatment programs for young adults with serious mental illness.
Rachel Lebovic
BS, MHS, PhD Student
Director
Dr. Joel Shapiro
MD, FRCP(C)
Director & Chair of Model & Program Evaluation Committee
An outpatient psychiatrist with the Medical Clinic for Person-Centred Psychotherapy in Toronto, Joel has a special interest in long-term psychotherapy and educating physicians about mental health. His interest in psychotherapy motivated Joel to complete specialized training and supervision in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy & Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
Brian Zeiler-Kligman
MA, LLB
Director
Brian is the Vice President of Ontario Government Relations at Sussex Strategy Group. A member of the Ontario Bar, Brian has spent his career at the intersection of government, politics, business and the law. Brian works to ensure the public, private and non-profit sectors understand each other’s respective priorities and to create effective public policy solutions that can be supported by all actors. Brian is passionate about mental health and excited to contribute to achieving Eli’s Place’s vision.
