People for Education is a unique organization in Canada: independent, non-partisan, and fuelled by a belief in the power and promise of public education. We create evidence, instigate dialogue, and build links so that people can see — and act on — the connection between public education and a fair and prosperous society.
Govind Deol
Youth Network Coordinator
Annie Kidder
Executive Director
Annie Kidder is the Executive Director and a founder of People for Education. Formerly a theatre director, Kidder became involved in public education in Ontario in the late 1990’s and since then has become an expert on education policy and funding. She regularly provides advice to policy-makers and government, and her writing on education has been published in a range of media. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Ontario Principals’ Council 2004 Outstanding Contribution to Education Award, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation 2005 Public Education Advocacy Award, and in 2018, an honourary doctorate from York University. She has spoken at conferences in Canada, the United States, Europe, Africa and South America. She is regularly quoted in the media as an expert on education issues. She lives in Toronto.
Kymberly Reid
Communications and Design Coordinator
Kymberly is a creative professional passionate about using her skills in design and communications to advocate for a more inclusive world. She is particularly interested in supporting equity in education as well as poverty alleviation through financial inclusion.
Kymberly has an interdisciplinary educational background, including a BA in Anthropology with minors in Communication Studies and Social Entrepreneurship from McGill University. She also completed an MA in Design for Social Impact from Paris College of Art (Formerly, Parsons Paris).
Outside of work, Kymberly loves to dabble in creative hobbies like painting, ceramics, and creative writing. She is also an avid traveler, ever curious about cultural differences and seeking to immerse herself in unfamiliar environments.
Sharon Ferdinands
Communications Manager
Sharon is a passionate communication professional who believes that words have the power to motivate and inspire people to take action and that’s what drives her work. She is keen about working towards creating a more equitable society, be it promoting access to education for children of marginalized communities in India or advancing women-owned businesses in Canada through supplier diversity.
Sharon has a Masters degree in Communication from Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and learning more about food and recipes from other countries. Luckily her husband is a big eater! She loves to write (mostly inspired by her own life growing up in a small town in India), go on walks and explore the neighborhood with her family.
Alexis Wise
Alexis is Director of Health and Human Services for Sidewalk Labs and is based in the Toronto office. Most recently, Alexis worked at MaRS, North America’s largest urban innovation hub, where she lead the Centre for Impact Investing’s health practice and supported the Health Systems Innovation team.
Born and raised in Toronto, Alexis is an experienced management consultant. Alexis has first-hand experience as an entrepreneur in her role as co-founder of a Canadian employee support and education company. Alexis has also worked as a civil servant in the role of Pricing Strategy Lead for Monitor, the regulators for the National Health Service in England.
Alexis is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and completed her MBA at London Business School, both with distinction. She is also a proud mother to three awesome kids. In her free time, Alexis enjoys downhill skiing, yoga, and exploring new places and cities.
Alicia Cameron
Alicia Cameron is Anishinaabe from Saugeen First Nation, but currently resides in Sturgeon Falls, ON with her husband and four daughters.
She has a background focused strongly in Indigenous education and holds a BA/BEd from Lakehead University, and a Master of Education from OISE/University of Toronto. Professionally, she has considerable experience in public education, First Nations education, elementary, secondary and post-secondary teaching and learning, student success, curriculum writing, and education policy.
At the current time, she is employed as the Executive Director of the Ontario Native Education Counselling Association (ONECA). She also works with the Indigenous Trustees’ Council (ITC) of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), on a consultant basis.
She truly believes that every student is unique with their own set of strengths and gifts. She has always admired the work that People for Education has engaged in, that contributes to making it possible for all students to be successful in an ever-changing society. She is committed to contributing her skills and experience to an endeavor that advocates for the well-being and success of all students in public education.
Anne-Marie Armstrong
Anne-Marie Armstrong is an architect and educator. She is a co-founder and principal of architecture and design practice, AAmp Studio, and an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. Anne-Marie is also a founding member of BAIDA (Black Architecture and Interior Designer’s Association) where she focuses on mentorship and education within the organization.
Anne-Marie holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University, where she studied on a Fulbright Scholarship, and an Honors Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo. She is a registered architect in California, Ontario and Maine.
Social Media:
@aampstudio
Diavin Miller
Diavin is a people leader with over 20 years of experience in the networking, telecom and financial services industries. He is passionate about finding inclusive ways to deliver profitable growth. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer for BPTN, where his focus is on creating opportunities for their 60,000+ Black tech and professional members across North America via networking, skill building and barrier elimination. His consulting teams also work with BPTN’s corporate partners to embed inclusive practices into their organizations and help them deliver on their DEI commitments.
Diavin is most proud of the work he does volunteering and advocating for his communities. He is the coordinating chair and OHTN primary investigator for the Black Gay Men’s Network of Ontario. He is also a board member of HQ, Canada’s first community health centre focussed on the holistic health needs of queer men and trans people. Diavin is also the board vice-chair and a volunteer mentor with Stepstones for Youth, a non-profit focussed on improving success rates for young people exiting foster care in Ontario. He has also previously served as the co-chair of the Rogers LGBTQ+ employee resource group.Helen Davies
Helen Davies is currently Vice President Talent Management for TD Bank. Prior to moving to Canada in 2013, Helen was Vice President, Human Resources, TD Wealth International in the UK, where she led the HR, Learning, Communications, and Corporate and Social Responsibilities programs.
Helen holds a BA in Human Resources from the University of Stirling, Scotland and has a Diploma in Employment Law. She lives with her husband and their two young children in Toronto. Helen is an active contributor with ACCES employment, mentoring professionals who are new to Canada, helping them to find employment in their professional field.
Jack Luong
Jack Luong is currently Head of Asset Liability Management within the Treasury Department for TD Bank. Where he is responsible for structural interest rate hedging and deposit investment strategies on TD’s large and complex balance sheet. He is a seasoned banking executive with over 17 years of experience in Risk Management, Finance and Treasury. Jack holds a Master of Finance Degree from Queen’s University, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Toronto. Additionally he is an Ontario designated Chartered Professional Accountant since 2010.
Jack resides in GTA Toronto with his wife and two young boys, they enjoy giving back to the community through different programs in their personal time. He is passionate about contributing to the vision of a strong, equitable and prosperous Canada where universal public education is enhanced.
Michelle Mak
Michelle Mak is currently Director, Western Communities Foundation, for Western Financial Group, leading the company’s community investments and employee engagement efforts. Prior to this role, she managed the operations and employee giving campaigns for BMO. Michelle also has experience working for national charities such as Community Food Centres Canada, where she served as their corporate fundraising lead, and Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations as their Director of Stakeholder Experience.
Michelle is an educator and an experienced social impact professional with 18 years of global experience working across the public, private, and social sectors. Her work experience features roles in corporate philanthropy and partnerships, nonprofit management, community outreach, donor stewardship, and impact reporting.
She has a Master of Education in Comparative and International Education and Development, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from the University of Hong Kong. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Arts and a TESOL Certificate from York University. Currently, she is pursuing her Certified Professional Impact Analysis (CPIA-I) designation from Queen’s University.
Michelle was born in Hong Kong, China, and grew up in Toronto, Canada. She spent over a decade in Asia from 2006 to 2017 before returning to Canada where she now resides with her fiancé and three cats. Michelle is a regular volunteer and currently dedicates her time to Abbey Cat Adoptions as a volunteer Adoption Screener.
Book a Speaker
Our speakers can join you online in a webinar. Speaker fees* include preparation, presentation time, and materials for participants.
If you would like to book a speaker, please complete a speaker booking application.
For more information, contact us by emailing [email protected]
*Please note that speaker fees are negotiable.
“Your presentation really informed everyone there – and helped us to focus on the key issues in a connected way – that felt grounded in both the facts and heartfelt common sense.”
—Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
Our strategic plan
Our vision
A strong, equitable, and prosperous Canada where universal public education fulfills its role as a cornerstone of our society.
Our mission
To strengthen a universal public education system that graduates all young people with the skills and competencies they need to contribute to a fair and prosperous society, and to live happy, healthy, economically secure, civically engaged lives.
Our strategic priorities
People for Education will:
- Instigate a dialogue, both in Ontario and nationally, about the purpose, value, and future of public education.
- Build links among key constituencies both inside and outside the education sector to enhance a shared understanding of goals for public education.
- Provide evidence and use research to advance public education’s promise, and to ensure that all young people have an equitable chance for long-term success.
Our funding
People for Education is a registered charity. We are funded through generous donations and grants from individuals, corporations and foundations.
Thank you to the many individuals and organizations who support our work.