Our Board of Directors

Kelly-Anne Salerno, President

Kelly-Anne Salerno is a long-time supporter and advocate of woman’s issues specifically relating to ending violence against women. Kelly-Anne has specialized in human and social services and has been employed with the Region of Peel for over 28 years.

Kelly-Anne is currently the Manager of Housing Operations and Tenancy Management for Peel Living. Kelly-Anne has vast program experience in the area of chronic homelessness and has held various positions supporting our most vulnerable populations in our community. Kelly-Anne has been responsible for emergency shelter portfolios, homelessness prevention and housing first programs. One of Kelly-Anne’s area of passion and expertise is in the delivery of emergency social services to residents in Peel that experience emergencies such as fires, flooding or explosions. Kelly-Anne serves on several volunteer boards in her spare time and is dedicated to addressing the diverse needs and supports of vulnerable residents in Peel.

Ripika Kapoor, Vice-President

Ripika is a University of Toronto graduate with an Honors Bachelors of Science, double major in Health Care Ethics and Psychology and also has a Masters in Public Health and Health Promotion from Brunel University in England. Her research thesis was focused on the motivations and perspectives of volunteers (previous survivors) who offer support to other survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape. She is passsionate about women's rights, and has previously been a volunteer counsellor at the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre. She eagerly joined the Interim Place to continue to be an advocate for women's rights and work towards supporting the journey against violence directed at women.

Luxmi Jeyavel, Treasurer

Luxmi is an MBA graduate of the Smith School of Business Queens University, and has her Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University. During the last five years, she has been actively involved as either a supporter, volunteer, or organizing committee member of several organizations, including Women in Capital Markets and Ascend Canada. She holds dear to her heart issues facing women and children, as well as challenges around diversity and inclusion. Luxmi has held various roles over the past fifteen years at RBC Royal Bank of Canada, where she is currently a Director in Customer Relationship Management.

Josie Cancilla, Secretary

Josie graduated from York University with an Honours Double Major Bachelors of Psychology and Social Sciences. Josie continued her education and completed a Post Graduate in Human Resources Management and Certification as an Executive and Career Coach. Josie is passionate about people, recognizing that everyone has a story to share. She joined Interim Place to advocate for women facing violence creating change and a movement to awareness. Josie currently works as the Director, Human Resources for HMS Host.

Jenny Li, Board Member

Jenny is a medical student with an interest in women’s care. Her experiences through several regional health programs have given her the opportunity to work directly with disadvantaged populations and gain insight into some of the unique problems they face. These experiences also reaffirmed the pervasiveness of violence against women and the importance of community support for assisting women living in abusive situations. She joined Interim Place to work with her fellow members in improving the quality and accessibility of the programs, and to become a better advocate for violence against women. She is passionate about women’s rights and autonomy in the healthcare system. She is also involved in research on sexually transmitted infections and women’s cancers. Jenny’s hobbies include cooking, hiking, gaming and crocheting.

Anne Smith, Board Member

Anne has 20+ years of varied and progressive fundraising experience then shifted to community development work. Working in the non-profit sector has fueled her passion to help make a difference in the lives of people in her community, particulary women and children. She is a strong feminist and mother of three who believes that all people should be treated fairly regardless of their race, gender or sexual preference. She was drawn to Interim Place for the incredible supports they offer to women and children in the most vulnerable situations. She holds a Marketing Management Diploma as well as a Business Administration Degree. Anne is currently the Director, Stakeholder Engagement at United Way Halton & Hamilton.

Samantha Maharaj, Board Member

Samantha is a lawyer currently employed in the public sector. After completing her undergraduate degree in Criminology and Psychology at York University, she went on to attend law school. She has always been interested in working with and helping marginalized groups. Part of her current role allows her to work directly with women who have experienced domestic violence and assist them in attaining the proper legal and social remedies. She is committed to a career in social justice advocacy and her employment and volunteer history reflect this. Samantha conducts various outreach throughout the City of Toronto visiting shelters and other locations to inform vulnerable groups of their legal rights and options under the law. She joined Interim Place to work with an organization committed to ending violence against women.

Akosua Alagaratnam, Board Member

Akosua Alagaratnam is a University of Toronto graduate with an Hons. Bachelor of Science. Akosua is passionate about women's issues and has worked for over 10 years through the capacity of UofT's women's centre, UTM's Health Centre and Interim Place on issues pertaining to women as well as the promotion of healthy sexuality and relationships. Currently Akosua works as a senior policy advisor for the Minister of Finance.