LISA DEL COL, President

When Lisa's 14-year-old child came out as transgender / nonbinary in 2015, she joined her local Pflag chapter in Oklahoma for support and education. The next year she became a board member and meeting facilitator, serving until early 2020.

Returning to Canada that same year, she joined Toronto Pflag where she continues to channel her passion for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Currently serving as board president, Lisa has also chaired the Education and Support Committees. She continues to conduct school and corporate workshops, assist with support meeting facilitation, and participate in various Toronto Pflag activities and initiatives.

David Deslauriers, Treasurer

David is retired after a 30-year career in investment banking in Toronto and New York and is focused on personal pursuits in volunteering, consulting and mentoring. As a seasoned financial executive, David brings considerable expertise in client relationship management, finance and risk management, and as a trusted advisor on strategic and governance matters. David is currently volunteering on several community boards in a variety of capacities. David lives in Toronto with his husband, Nicolas Burbano Diaz.

Kathy O’Connell, Secretary

Kathy’s background is in Cognitive Neuroscience. After learning she has a transgender family member, she discovered the huge positive impact that family support has on trans young people. She learned that on average, the mental health of trans youth with strong parental support does not differ from their cisgender peers. She is involved in online support groups that help parents of trans youth and kids understand how to provide that support.

Kathy is the Webmaster for TorontoPflag.org. She is also Toronto Pflag’s Secretary, and the tech host for our online meetings.

Giselle Bloch, Vice President

Giselle and her spouse Alan are the proud parents and vocal allies of three unique adult children, two of whom are LGBTQ2S+. One is trans and one is gay. They also have two precious grandchildren (so far).

Giselle is the former chair of the Support Committee. Through Toronto Pflag, she focuses on keeping families together by offering her experience, support, and compassion to LGBTQ2S+ folks and their families, and by educating people on LGBTQ2S+ issues.

Giselle is a regular facilitator of Toronto Pflag’s general support meetings, and she often takes that further and meets/speaks with parents one-on-one. Giselle also co-facilitates TRANSceptance, a monthly peer support group for parents of trans folks, hosted by CTYS. When Giselle is not volunteering and advocating for the LGBTQ2S+ community, she runs a personal training business and spends as much time as possible with her precious family.

Brenda Whitell

Brenda will be taking the lead on the Volunteer Committee, matching up folks who are interested in volunteering with tasks that need doing.

Jaden Peng

Jaden (Hsin-Yun Peng) was born in Taiwan and moved to Toronto in 2015. Jaden devotes her time to the LGBTQ+ movement in Taiwan since 2004 and in Canada she continues her work in building a community for migrant queer families. Jaden works to connect newcomers with local resources and provide them with support.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she understands how important it is for parents and LGBTQ+ members to support one another and share life together. By joining Toronto Pflag's board, she hopes to provide resources to people in need and to create resources that are accessible to LGBTQ+ people and their families.

Drew Scott

Drew has been a part of the Pflag support group for just under three years now. He has been a co-facilitator of Dads Night as a trans/pan sexual representative since April of 2022. He also volunteered and helped with Pride this past summer at the booth.

Drew has worked at the Ministry of Community and Social Services for over 7 years, with a background in Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). He works with a variety of populations (youth, adolescents, adults, with developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities and more). Drew has helped to create a safe space, to help individuals on the spectrum who also are LGBTQ2S+ build connections, and to support individuals who are non-verbal and verbal. 

Drew continues to build paths between his field of ABA and LGBTQ2S+, focusing on equality, diversity, and inclusion. Drew serves on two committees within his work organization:  EDI ( Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) committee and the Pride Collective Committee.

Chris T

Chris is a proud Pflag parent and volunteer committed to equality and justice, and has been a regular at Dad’s Night since early 2020.

Chris loved the return to an “in person” Pride in 2022, cheering on the Trans March, and working at the Pflag booth. Pride 2022 brought back warm memories of performing at Pride 1984 and of many friends past and present.  

Chris will be focusing on governance, and supporting the board and the LGBTQ2S+ community generally.

Joanne Cavan

Joanne is technology leader and software engineer with almost 30 years of experience in several different industries. When she’s not playing video games or learning ballet, she focuses on her community as a mentor and coach in several women’s business organizations and as a co-founder for Toronto Pflag’s transfemme and non-binary support group. 

Her past support for her community includes being a founder of the Gift the Code charity hackathon (later Digital for Good) as well as being a leader in several ERGs for women, women in tech, and 2SLGBTQ+ associates.

Jo chairs Toronto Pflag’s Support Committee and Media Committee.

Monika Gontarska

Monika joined Pflag shortly after her child came out as a non-binary at the age of 8. First, she attended support meetings when she discovered an amazing community of 2SLGBTQAI+ allies that helped her understand her unique child and create supportive environment around them.

Monika spent almost her whole professional life in academia so education is very close to her heart. Since 2022 she has been part of Pflag’s education team sharing her story during workshops for students, school staff and parents, participating in advisory committees and representing Pflag in different school events around Toronto. After joining the Board in 2024, she became chair of the Education Committee.