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Meet the team at Planned Parenthood Ottawa!

Our passionate team at Planned Parenthood Ottawa is here to support our community’s sexual and reproductive health needs. Composed of experienced, trauma-informed and caring individuals, we are committed to providing low to no-barrier access to education, referrals and counselling services. 

Together, our team at Planned Parenthood Ottawa is united in our mission to advocate for reproductive rights, promote comprehensive sexual health, and create a community where everyone has access to the care they deserve.

Get in touch with us

Our Staff

Jaisie Walker (they/them)

Jaisie Walker (they/them)

Executive Director

Jaisie is a queer, non-binary social impact leader, researcher, and social justice advocate raised in the highlands of Scotland and living on unceded Algonquin territory. Jaisie brings a grounded perspective to their leadership from almost a decade of experience in gender-based violence prevention and crisis response, community research and education, and harm reduction. Jaisie is a passionate intersectional feminist researcher with a Master of Arts in Gender Studies and internationally recognized scholarship in gender and sexuality studies, as well as experience leading national research relating to First Nations, Metis, and Inuit sexual and reproductive health priorities. They are dedicated to visionary, empathetic, and collaborative non-profit governance that centers the knowledges and lived experiences of marginalized communities- a commitment they also amplify through their current role and as a board member of Interval House Ottawa. 
Steph Mar (she/her)

Steph Mar (she/her)

Options Line Coordinator

Steph (she/ her) is a mixed race 3rd generation settler residing here on unceded, unsurrendered, occupied Algonquin Territory but raised in Edmonton on Treaty 6 territory. Her understanding of reproductive justice, gender based violence, and embodied autonomy is rooted in abolitionist care systems that interrogate the punitive logic of colonial institutions. This extends to the support she strives to offer community members at Planned Parenthood Ottawa (PPO), led by reciprocity, informed consent, and free from coercive assumptions or a prescriptive approach to care. 

Steph currently co-coordinates the Options Program, which offers sexual and reproductive health information, time sensitive community referrals, emotional support (incl. immediate counselling, trauma-informed safety planning, crisis de-escalation etc.), and peer-counselling.  She loves to buy books and never read them, day dream of revolution, paint for her friends, thrift, overthink and take naps.

Ceara McIntyre (she/her)

Ceara McIntyre (she/her)

Education Coordinator

Ceara, a white-passing, mixed race, cisgender queer woman, was born and raised on unceded Algonquin Territory in Ottawa. Since 2016, she has been involved with Planned Parenthood Ottawa and holds a social work degree from Carleton University. In her work, Ceara adopts an anti-oppressive, post-modern, and client-centered approach that promotes individual autonomy while challenging oppressive systems. She is deeply committed to understanding the social, political, and economic forces that impact the lives of those she serves. With experience in non-profits and the Ottawa school system, Ceara excels in system navigation, crisis counseling, and providing educational support, particularly to youth. During her free time, Ceara enjoys turning down her teacher’s voice, playing video games, and cuddling with her cat Lucy.
Mariam Dakdouki (she/her)

Mariam Dakdouki (she/her)

Options Counselling Coordinator

Born and raised in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal) on the unceded territory of the Kanien’keh:ka, Mariam now lives on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishnaabe Algonquin People. Mariam has been involved with Planned Parenthood Ottawa since 2018 and is passionate about supporting all people in their sexual and reproductive health journey. Through her role at Planned Parenthood Ottawa since 2018 and is passionate about supporting all people in their sexual and reproductive health journey. Through her role at Planned Parenthood Ottawa, Mariam is focused on providing emotional and system navigation support to all community members and ensuring that everyone feels informed, supported, and advocated for. Her priorities are ensuring that people are able to access comprehensive and compassionate care, making informed decisions about their bodies and lives and supporting individuals’ well-being and autonomy! Mariam is fluent in English, French, Arabic, and Creole and is dedicated to providing supporting, non-judgmental, client-centered care. She holds respect, understading, and compassion for all in her care and is committed to empowering others in reclaiming their self! 
Seth Wobensmith (they/them)

Seth Wobensmith (they/them)

Gender Affirming Care Navigator

Seth is a trans-masculine genderqueer person living in unceded Algonquin territory. Originally from Philly, they are excited to use their professional background in client advising, system navigation, and peer support to make a positive impact in their role assisting people with accessing gender-affirming healthcare.  Finding and creating spaces that foster queer and trans communities have been crucial for them in their own journey as a queer non-binary person, and they hope to bring that same energy to their work at Planned Parenthood Ottawa. As a drag King, their love of sequins, glitter beards, and inflatable “air guitar” solos allows them to feel pure queer and trans joy every time they have the opportunity to take the stage.

Léa Gareau (they/she)

Léa Gareau (they/she)

Curriculum Developer

Born and raised on unceded Algonquin territory, Léa brings years of grassroots community engagement to their work in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) education. With extensive experience in the field, they take a youth-focused, trauma-informed, and anti-oppressive approach to fostering inclusive spaces. Léa is passionate about developing educational resources and workshops that support learning and unlearning around gender-based violence and sexual health, striving to make this essential knowledge accessible to all. They are deeply committed to transformative justice and the power of community interconnectedness to challenge and reshape the realities of gender-based violence. For the past five years at PPO, Léa has contributed to gender-based violence prevention education for youth, publishing two research papers that document this work, available here and here. Fluent in French and English, with intermediate proficiency in Spanish, Léa thrives in multilingual environments. Outside of work, they enjoy immersing themselves in video games, exploring nature through hiking, tending to their garden, and sharing their love of cooking and baking with friends and community members.

 

Our Board of Directors

 Our board of directors (BOD) is a governing body responsible for overseeing the organization’s high-level activities. Composed of talented individuals known as “directors” they play a vital role in shaping our strategic direction and ensuring our success. 
The BOD includes an executive committee made up of officers, who take on specialized roles; president, co-president, treasurer and secretary.

Our board meets monthly to engage in meaningful discussions and make informed decisions that drive Planned Parenthood Ottawa forward. Through collaborative efforts, we ensure that our initiatives align with our mission and values.

Become a part of our Board of Directors and help shape our future!

Kate Headley (she/her)

Vice-President

Kate is a senior communications manager with the Ottawa Real Estate Board. With extensive experience in writing, media relations, issues management, and social media, she is passionate about giving change a voice. Born and raised in Ottawa, she holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Ottawa and a public relations diploma from Toronto’s Humber College. Follow her on Twitter: @mscommunikate. #abortionishealthcare

Rotbah Nitia (she/her)

Secretary

Rotbah is a feminist development professional with expertise in program quality, evaluation, and research. She immigrated to Canada from Bangladesh and has worked in various countries in Asia and Africa. Currently, she is the program impact manager at Oxfam Canada in Ottawa. Rotbah holds degrees in health and international development and public policy and administration. She is passionate about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and is excited to contribute to Planned Parenthood Ottawa. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Bengali food.

Caitlin Spears (she/her)

Treasurer

Caitlin is an experienced accountant, born and raised in Nova Scotia- Mi’kma’ki territory. She has a degree in Accounting and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) Candidate, supporting our board with expertise in finance, policy making, process improvement, and financial analysis. Caitlin is always looking for ways to have a positive impact on the world and is passionate about anti-oppressive approaches to sexual health equity and reproductive justice.

Vandonna Budhai (she/her)

Director

Vandonna is a performance measurement, evaluation, and research advisor for the Canadian government, specializing in skills development programs for the labor market. With a combined honors degree in communications and women & gender studies, as well as a masters in public administration, she brings expertise in sexual health research, gender-based violence, and internal management practices. Originally from Toronto and now residing in Ottawa since 2011, Vandonna is a proud Guyanese and devoted dog mom.

Kathryn LeBlanc (she/her)

Director

Kathryn is a communications consultant and founder of LeBlanc (& co.) Communications, specializing in guiding non-profits, grassroots organizing, and political campaigns. With a background in Parliament Hill and Enchanté Network, she has extensive experience in communications, campaigns, and policy work. She is passionate about 2SLGBTQI+ community issues and sexual health rights, having worked on campaigns like comprehensive sex education and securing funding for 2SLGBTQI+ organizations. She currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario on Algonquin territory.

Katherine Muldoon (she/her)

Director

Dr. Muldoon is an Assistant Professor specializing in social epidemiology and sexual reproductive health at the University of Ottawa. With a background in psychology and extensive expertise in sexual and gender-based violence, she collaborates with organizations such as OHRI, ICES, the United Nations, and the Public Health Agency of Canada. She also serves on the Ottawa Police Service Violence Against Women Advisory Board.

Corina Crawley (she/her)

Director

Corina, a cis-woman, hails from Montreal, known as Kenien’kehaga (Mohawk) territory. With a Masters in Social Work from Carleton University, she has spent two decades in Ottawa as a researcher and educator, learning from workers. Her current work revolves around resisting privatization, conflict resolution, equity, leadership development, and organizational design. As a parent to two remarkable teenagers, Corina finds valuable lessons in her everyday interactions with them.

Tara Henderson (she/her)

Director

Tara is a Director of PPO’s board of directors. Bio forthcoming

Lyra Evans (she/her)

Director

Lyra is an environmental chemist, long-time LGBTQ, homeless, and education activist, and the first openly trans school board trustee in Canada. She has experience on the Audit committee at the OCDSB, as well as having worked and volunteered for local non-profits including Ottawa Dyke March, *Kindspace, the Youth Services Bureau, and Etc. Youth.

Courtney Rock (she/her)

Director

Courtney is a community builder and storyteller with extensive fundraising experience. As the Director of Development for the Perley Health Foundation, she focuses on highlighting the impact of donors on the lives of individuals connected to Perley Health. Courtney is also proud to contribute to Planned Parenthood Ottawa, an organization she finds highly impactful within her community.