Glen Adams - Secretary
Glen’s professional experience in the Enterprise IT sector spans almost 30 years across manufacturing, supply chain, visual effects and most recently, financial institutions. In addition to designing infrastructure architectures, Glen has experience with IT governance frameworks.
Studying at the University of Waterloo and Queen’s University, Glen graduated with a Bachelor of Education, selecting teachable subjects in Computer Science and English Literature. His technical background is balanced by his interest in the humanities. Inspired by his love of the outdoors, Glen’s volunteer experience includes several leadership roles with Scouts Canada, at the section and group administration levels. An avid cyclist, he has been participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, benefitting Princess Margaret Hospital, since 2011.
Glen has two sons in Lower School who began their Waldorf journeys in Parent and Tot classes. He actively supports the community by volunteering for festivals, organizing fundraisers and chaperoning class trips. Glen has a passion for education and looks forward to building on his experience as a voting member of the MOC to deepen his contribution to the school as a member of the Board.
Mahima Brown - Board Chair
Mahima Is a CPA, CA with over 15 years of accounting policy and leadership experience with Canadian financial institutions. Mahima has two children progressing through the early childhood and lower school classes, and has enjoyed the benefits of both the child-centric approach and parenting guidance that the school offers. Mahima has volunteered at the school in various capacities, including serving on the Finance Committee for several years. She wishes to contribute and give back to the faculty, community and next generation of Waldorf students that give the school life and meaning. Mahima is a superlative organizer and researcher who is adept at explaining complex concepts to the uninitiated. In her down time, Mahima loves to share her cooking with family and friends.
Warren Cohen - Grade 6 Class Teacher, Woodwork Teacher, Board Member
Warren has been the Codirector and Director of Waldorf Teacher Education of the Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto. Warren has a background in both Physics and in Sculpture. His dedication to scientific inquiry and his love of creating art come together harmoniously in service of the development of others. Warren founded the Summer Festival of Arts and Education, which for the past seven summers has welcomed people from around the world to Toronto to be inspired by Waldorf pedagogy and the arts. His publications include Raising the Soul; practical exercises for personal development, Baking Bread with Children and Dragon Baked Bread.
Mirella Costa - Board Member
Mirella is a registered nurse with 19 years experience in Emergency medicine, Pediatrics and Neonatal ICU. She is currently also the VP of Occupational Health and Safety for her hospital’s local union.
Her family’s experience with Waldorf education started when she began Joyful Beginnings with her oldest in 2008. She has three children, a daughter in grade seven and twins (boy and girl) in grade two that attend TWS. She previously served two consecutive terms on Parent Council. The first as secretary and then as Vice President.
Personal interests include fitness, nutrition, music and outdoor activities.
Krishan Doodnauth - Board Member
Krishan joined the Toronto Waldorf School in Grade 4 in 1983 and graduated from Grade 12 in 1992. Krishan continued at TWS as part of the inaugural OAC class for an additional semester. Krishan received his B.A. (Hons) and M.A. in Political Science from York University and Law Degree from the University of Ottawa. Krishan was called to the bar in Ontario in 2002 and has been practising family, criminal and employment law in York Region for nearly 20 years. In his professional capacity he has been an executive member of several law associations.
Krishan has remained living in the Richmond Hill area with his family and has previously served on TWS’s tuition assistance committee. Krishan has remained connected to the school through various alumnae functions, attendances at the market and even walking the beautiful school grounds with his family from time to time.
Helene Gross - ex-officio – Pedagogical Chair seat
Helene has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of South Africa, and has completed Waldorf teacher-training at TWS. She has also completed courses in Waldorf Education and Social Development and Leadership at the Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto, Chicago Waldorf School, Sunbridge College (New York), and Rudolf Steiner College (California). Helene’s three children attended Waldorf schools from Kindergarten through graduation in Johannesburg, Chicago and Toronto. After serving on the TWS Board for eight years, Helene has recently rejoined and currently holds the position of Pedagogical Administrator.
Pasha Mohsenin - Treasurer
Pasha has over 25 years of experience as a Program/Project Management consultant working with infrastructure programs in the field of Oil & Petrochemical programs, Power Plants, Power Transmission and Distribution systems, and other government sector capital asset sustaining and expansion programs. For the last 20 years, he has been involved in the Power sector of Ontario working for both client and vendors’ side.
Pasha has one child at TWS and joined the Waldorf community in 2010 when his daughter enrolled in playgroup.
Pasha graduated in Applied Mathematics and completed his Project Management program at Ryerson University here in Toronto. He is enthusiastic to serve the board and share his knowledge and know-how to assist TWS in expanding its goals and maintaining the great atmosphere of Waldorf Education.
Brad Wilson - Vice Chair
Brad has 20 years of experience in business and finance, working early in his career in finance then starting and building a successful food and beverage company in Australia. He has actively invested in start-up companies for a number of years and now heads business development for a retail strategy and design firm in Toronto.
Brad has four children at TWS. The family has attended the school since 2016 and Brad has been a member of the TWS Board since 2019.
Patricia Steger - Vice Chair
Patricia is a faculty member at Centennial College in the School of Business. After a 2-year secondment as department chair, she returned to faculty and began splitting her teaching time with labour relations support. She is currently the OPSEU chief steward for Centennial, handling primarily grievances, employment stability, and workload issues for all full-time and contract faculty.
Prior to transitioning to teaching, she spent 20 years in the private sector in supply chain management. She currently serves as a board member of the Bach Children’s Chorus.
Patricia is looking forward to returning to the TWS board to work collaboratively with faculty and board colleagues in support of the school.
Patricia’s niece is thriving in her 12th year at TWS and her family has been part of the community since 2010
Marlene Sturm - Board Member
Marlene was born and raised in Austria, where she had her first experience with Waldorf education. Marlene leads the Canadian location of a foreign company specializing in capital goods and technology. Given her successively senior roles within her company, she hopes to use her skills and experience to contribute to TWS’s continued success.
Marlene’s two children have been attending TWS since childcare and notes that the school has allowed them to enjoy learning. Marlene spends most of her free time with her kids, however, enjoys running, travelling, and drawing.
Angelo Zaccheo - Director of Finance & Administration
Prior to his role at TWS, Angelo served in the role of Business Operations Manager at the Waldorf Academy for the 5 years. Before that, he held the role of Director of Finance and Administration at Bishop Strachan School in downtown Toronto. As a result of serving in these two roles, he brings with him a wealth of school administrative experience in both the Independent and Waldorf school settings.
Angelo is a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) with over forty years of senior financial and corporate experience.
Oscar Montoya - Board Member
Originally from Spain, I am an Engineer (geomatics) with many years of experience in surveying with Engineering and Construction companies, responsible for the surveying team supporting construction and design in medium size roads, land development and other projects. In 2012 I had the opportunity to come to Canada with Marta, we landed in Edmonton, Alberta, where I learnt the Canadian and Albertan ways around surveying, engineering and construction and truly enjoyed the Prairies winter. In 2017 I received my P.Eng. accreditation.
In 2015 our son Alex was born bringing a new meaning to our life.
This year we moved to Vaughan, Ontario, where my wife and I worked on some of the most significant infrastructure projects in Toronto, like the Eglinton Crosstown LRT where both of us had roles and the Advance Tunnel for the Eglinton West Extension and now the GO expansion project.
During the first years living in Vaughan Marta was looking for activities that we all three could share and we’re lucky to get a spot on the TWS Parent and Tot program where we enjoyed having a break in our busy lives while sharing time with Alex and learning more about Waldorf’s ways and education.
Kanchen Sandhu - Board Member
I am a Computer Engineer by training who has been working in the automotive industry for the past 25 years. I was born and raised in India, but have had the opportunity to live in a variety of countries, such as the erstwhile Soviet Union (where I completed my engineering), Singapore where I worked in the late 90s, the US where I worked in and around 2000 and of course Canada where I have been since 2002.
Since I moved to Canada I have been working for General Motors of Canada as an embedded controls engineer. In my leisure time, I enjoy reading, bicycling, gardening and travelling with my family. I can speak Hindi, Punjabi and Russian besides English.
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kanchen-sandhu-b8083a14
Stacy Sugar - Board Member
Stacy is a Behaviour Therapist and is the founder and director of Connect the Dots Child Development Services Ltd. CTD provides ABA therapy and behaviour therapy programs to children with ASD and other developmental disabilities. Stacy has been working in the field of behaviour therapy for over 20 years and has extensive experience working with children with ASD, various special needs, and severe behavioural challenges.
Stacy is also a part-time professor and Field Placement Coordinator at Seneca College in the Behaviour Science program. Stacy’s son is a current student at TWS. Stacy has been actively involved in the school over the years, including a term as co-president of the parent-council.