Board of Directors

(he/him/il)
Board Chair: April 2022 – present

Steve Pengelly has extensive experience advising government decision-makers and both not-for-profit and private sector organizations on everything from policy-making to governance to operations.

Steve served as executive director and counsel at the Ontario Bar Association for more than a decade and more recently as Interim CEO of the Canadian Bar Association. He has also served as chief of staff to both the Premier of Ontario and the Ontario Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier.

Additionally, Steve has served as chair of the Kingston Police Services Board and as a board member of the Greater Napanee Police Services Board.

Steve has an Honours B.A. from York University and a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Queen’s University.

(he/him/il)
November 2022 – November 2025

Bryn Gray is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault, where he specializes in corporate/commercial disputes and Aboriginal law. He has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, the Supreme Court of Canada as well as administrative tribunals. He has particular expertise in Aboriginal law and regularly advises clients on relationship building, consultation and negotiating agreements with Indigenous groups. He is a member of McCarthy’s Tétrault’s Pro Bono Committee and the Ontario regional lead for its Pride Action Group.

(she/her/elle)
November 2022 – November 2025

Deborah Moriah is a Licensed Paralegal, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Professional and Technical Writer in Toronto. She owns Moriah Paralegal: Legal & Administrative Services which she has operated since 2018. Deborah has also worked as an EDI Consultant since 2020, providing systems reviews and developing EDI education workshops for a variety of agencies and organizations within the public and private sectors.

Licensed by the Law Society of Ontario since 2016, she has practiced in a wide variety of areas including personal injury, provincial offences, small claims, and consumer protection. In addition, she has a wealth of experience in social justice tribunals, including human rights and social benefits. She is Co-Founder of the Ontario Association of Black Paralegals, an organization committed to EDI education and awareness, and an elected Law Society of Ontario Bencher.

Deborah received her Paralegal Education Graduate Certificate from Centennial College in 2015 and a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Communications Studies from York University in 2009.

(she/her/elle)
July 2023 – July 2024

Erin Betts is a partner at Epstein Cole LLP, where she specializes in family law matters. She is a panel member of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer in Ontario, representing children in custody and access disputes as well as child protection matters.

Erin is a dispute resolution officer with the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto and a contributor to continuing legal education programs throughout Ontario. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor.

Erin is a public member of the Council of the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, where she sits on various committees and is a former Chair of the discipline committee. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Family Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts – Ontario Chapter, and the Advocates’ Society.

(she/her/elle)
November 2022 – November 2025

Jennifer Gold is a partner of Wood Gold LLP and practices family law, mediation and wills.

She graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in English and Psychology and holds an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the bar in 2002. Ms. Gold serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario and is a member of the Peel Law Association. She formerly served on the board of directors for North York Women’s Shelter.

Ms. Gold is a mentor to other lawyers in the family law bar, and an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. In 2017, she was the recipient of the Lexpert Zenith Awards celebrating the advancement of women in the legal profession.

(she/her/elle)
March 2023 – March 2026

Julia Bailey is an Orillia-based lawyer, practicing all areas of family law. Julia worked as duty counsel in the Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, a panel lawyer for victims of domestic violence and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. She is currently a panel member for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, Personal Rights Division.

Until recently, Julia was director and past chair of Community Legal Clinic Simcoe, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes and of Seven South Street, an addictions treatment centre in Orillia. Julia is a member of the Simcoe County Law Association and the Simcoe County Family Law Lawyers Association.

(she/her/elle)

September 2022 – September 2024

From a career spanning almost 50 years in both the private and public sectors, Louise brings expertise in policy implementation, strategic planning, human resources management, stakeholder management, decision-making and communications.

From 2010 to 2018, Louise served as a full-time board member on the Parole Board of Canada, where she independently made decisions regarding conditional release for federal offenders. For five years, she was the Director of Public Affairs at the Ontario Bar Association. Prior to that, she held several positions as Chief of Staff to multiple ministers and members of parliament throughout her decade at the Government of Ontario. Earlier she served as the Director of HR and Franchising at the TDL group.

(She/her/elle)

January 2023 – January 2025

Melanie Debassige, MBA, ICD.D is an Anishinabek Kwe from the M’Chigeeng First Nation. She currently serves as the executive director of the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation. She also serves on the Ontario Provincial Sectoral Audit Committee, Community Services.

Melanie completed the Director’s Education Program at the Rotman School of Management and is a certified corporate director, which complements her Master’s in Business Administration. Melanie has held many senior positions within multiple boards across Canada. Of her most recent roles, in March 2018, she was appointed to the Board of Reconciliation Canada, where she holds the position of director/treasurer. In August 2019, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Canada Energy Regulator.

In 2019, Melanie was recognized in Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100.

(he/him/il)
November 2022 – November 2025

Peter Johnson is a former immigration lawyer who practised with Rekai LLP. He has also worked as a government lawyer as senior counsel with the Ontario Realty Corporation and as policy analyst for Management Board of Cabinet. He lectures on immigration law for the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario.

(he/him/il)
President and CEO

David has served as Legal Aid Ontario’s president and CEO since 2016 and prior to that was vice president of Strategic Planning and Compliance. He has extensive experience working within the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG), previously serving as director of Business and Fiscal Planning branch, Corporate Services Management division and manager of program support, Family Justice division. Prior to that he worked as a senior analyst in the Social and Justice branch at the Management Board Secretariat. David studied at St. Jerome’s University and completed an MBA at Schulich School of Business, York University.