Toronto, ON – OECM, the not-for-profit collaborative sourcing partner for Ontario’s education sector, broader public sector, and other not-for-profit organizations announces the appointment of three new members, Dilhari Fernando, Julia Hanigsberg, and Patricia Li, to its Board of Directors, effective October 10, 2023. With these new additions, OECM’s Board will comprise 12 independent directors, six of whom have been appointed in the past three years.
“The appointments of Dilhari Fernando, Julia Hanigsberg, and Patricia Li add depth and strength to the OECM Board of Directors, particularly in the domains of ESG (environmental, social, governance), healthcare, and government services,” commented Dr. F. Haider Alvi, OECM’s Chair of the Board. “Each of them brings specialized expertise to our diverse board, and we look forward to the unique perspectives that they will add as we work together to guide OECM, strengthen its industry positioning and support its trajectory of growth and sustainability.”
Dilhari Fernando is a seasoned strategist and communicator of value-creating ESG initiatives that achieve organizational objectives. With tri-sector leadership experience in government, NGO and commercial sectors, she has been driving transformation, partnerships and performance for over two decades. As Founder and Principal Advisor at the SITKA Group, Dilhari empowers businesses and investors with efficiencies and advantages gained through ESG and sustainable finance. Dilhari holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Forestry Economics from UNB, a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) from Western University, and multiple certificates in sustainability.
Julia Hanigsberg is a champion for cultural transformation, innovation, excellence and social justice and has spent her career in government, post-secondary education and healthcare. She has been the President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital since January 2015. Julia holds law degrees from McGill University and the Columbia Law School, is a four-time Women’s Executive Network Most Powerful Women Top 100 honouree and was inducted into the Women’s Executive Network Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame.
Patricia Li is an accomplished senior executive in the public and broader public sectors. In her role as an Assistant Deputy Minister with the Government of Ontario, Patricia was responsible for delivering a diverse portfolio of front-line government services, ranging from consumer and business services to health care, and leading reform initiatives to improve many programs within Ontario. Patricia is a graduate of the Ivey Business School and Western University and holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and the Institute-Certified Director (ICD.D) designation.
OECM’s Board of Directors plays a key role in governance, policy formulation, and decision-making activities that help OECM achieve its strategic objectives by providing oversight and approving policies to ensure operational excellence. More details, including complete biographies of all current Board Members, are available on the OECM website.
