Anna oversees the administration and management of all of RHO’s activities. She has a Masters degree in Social Work and over 25 years experience as a front-line worker and manager in community based health and social services in Ontario. She has worked with women, youth, young parents and newcomers to Canada.

Anna has done extensive professional and volunteer work in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities – facilitating groups and workshops, writing articles, consulting on program development and serving as a Board member for several organizations. Over the past seven years, Anna developed and managed Sherbourne Health Centre's comprehensive primary health care program for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people before moving on to become the Director of RHO.

Bio coming soon.

Loralee is responsible for supporting the development of LGBT health research in Ontario and for encouraging public policy that supports LGBT health. Before coming to RHO, She worked as the manager of Research and Evaluation at the Association of Ontario Health Centres, the umbrella organization of Community Health Centres in Ontario. In that role she acted as Principal Investigator on a number of large research grants and supported research capacity building in the sector.

Loralee has also worked as a front-line service provider in street outreach and needle exchange services. She is currently completing her Master’s degree in Social Anthropology at York University. Her Master’s research explores the lives and experiences of Women in Southern Ontario who are living with HIV/AIDS.

In addition to having a long history of political activism, Loralee is one of the founders and co-organizers of the Toronto Women’s Bathhouse. Over the last decade she has spent lots of her spare time fighting legal battles which ensued after the Toronto Police raided the Women’s Bathhouse in September 2000. Loralee grew up in Peterborough, Ontario.

Devan coordinates all of RHO’s training and education initiatives. He has been working in the gay/MSM and HIV sector for 20 years. In 2002, he was presented with an honor roll award by the Ontario AIDS Network and in 2006 he was the recipient of the Canadian AIDS Society Leadership Award.

In his previous position as a Treatment Educator at the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, Devan worked with the PHA community, health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, governmental agencies and AIDS service organizations for 10 years. He is co-author of two national publications, A Practical Guide to Complementary Medicine for PHAS (CATIE, 2004) and A Practical Guide to Herbal Therapies for PHAS (CATIE, 2004) as well as contributing editor of Practical Guide to Nutrition for PHAS,(CATIE 2007) and and contributing author of Managing Your Health (CATIE, 2009)

He currently serves on the HIV Research Ethics Board, University of Toronto and Steering Committee of the Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment.

Matt coordinates all communications, initiatives and resources serving LGBT francophones and those who serve them in Ontario. He has a Masters in Education with a particular interest in community based education and learning within language minority environments. He has a decade's experience in healthy sexuality education.

He has a strong background working in the HIV/AIDS sector including his involvement with Action Positive and Getting Primed. Recently, he was involved in the planning committees for Research With Pride and ORAD's trans deaf conference. Prior to that he was involved for a number of years at Planned Parenthood of Toronto.

Sarah is a freelance photojournalist, social activist, and proud mother of one living in Chatham, Ontario. She has volunteered with the Chatham-Kent Gay Pride Association since she came out in 2006 and co-founded Chatham-Kent Women Living OUT Loud in 2008.

Sarah has a Photojournalism diploma from Loyalist College and is working towards her degree in Sociology and Political Science at the University of Windsor. She also works as well as a digital photography teacher. Her passion for social justice is the same passion infused in her photography: a celebration of the differences and common bonds of all humanity, regardless of ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, age, or gender.

Melissa is a graduate of Brock University’s Women’s Studies program and also holds a Diploma from St.Clair College’s Child and Youth Worker Program. Her employment history includes working with Niagara Family and Children’s Services in the Niagara Region. Melissa’s advocacy work began at Brock University where she served on the Positive Space Committee to promote a safe and equitable campus for fellow students and faculty. She also spent time working with Niagara Pride Support Services to assist with the implementation of community and outreach programs for sexually and gender diverse youth including Niagara’s first Pride Prom.

Melissa has recently moved to London and continues to use her passion and past experiences to promote activism and equality for the sexually and gender diverse communities. She is committed to learning and expanding her knowledge of the services and opportunities available to LGBT communities in her area.

Blair has over 20 years experience working in community and social services. A strong focus of his work has been based in the (dis)ability community for the inclusion of people into community life. He has provided consultation, community development, and training to numerous organizations through Ontario from a human rights and asset-based perspective. Blair has considerable expertise in issues facing LGBT people living in rural areas, as someone who lives in farming communities himself. He is acutely aware of the dynamics of Queer parenting and has assisted in raising recognition of diverse families. Blair is personally committed to any effort where ALL citizens are recognized for their inherent worth and people are free from discrimination and marginalization.

Alana is employed as a Health Promoter with the Dufferin Area Family Health Team. The focus of her work has been prevention and management of chronic disease. She has a special interest in the determinants of health and the role of social factors in the formation of chronic disease and health inequities.

Alana completed her Masters Degree in Human Kinetics & Women’s Studies from the University of Ottawa. Her research was grounded in critical cultural studies, which examines the production and intersection of health, power and sport. Her work aims to complicate our understanding of the factors that shape social inequalities and to look at the effects of everyday cultural forms, like sport, on gender and sexual identities.

In her personal life, Alana is an avid runner. She’s a keen golfer and also enjoys skiing, tennis, cycling and weight training.

RHO is currently recruiting for this position.

Phyllis is the Equity Representative on the Steering Committee of the Rainbow Health Network (RHN), a volunteer-run organization which is a founding partner of Rainbow Health Ontario. In addition, as Chair of the RHN Education Committee, Phyllis has developed and presented workshops for health and social service workers on LGBTQ access issues. She has also built connections with diverse communities through RHN’s Anti-Racism / Anti-Oppression initiative.

Phyllis’ hospital work experience includes six years coordinating the volunteer program at Toronto Western Hospital (TWH), from 2001-2007. She was a member of the TWH Diversity Council and was Chair of the 2007 Rainbow Pride subcommittee. She received the 2006 Champion of Diversity Award.



A long-time activist in social justice movements, Phyllis has worked on issues including sexual orientation and gender identity, labour, women’s equality, and anti-racism. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from York University.

RHO is currently recruiting for this position.

Kirsten Schmidt-Chamberlain has been living and working in the CE LHIN for the past four years. Prior to this, she lived in downtown Toronto and was an active member of the Rainbow Health Network. Kirsten and her spouse Liz live with their three boys in Pickering. They are out-and-proud and very eager to ensure that their community is LGBT friendly.

In her 'day-job', Kirsten is the Coordinator for The Central East Hospice Palliative Care Network. In this role, she works to create an integrated, coordinated hospice palliative care services across the region - including hospitals, community-based agencies, educational institutions, long-term care, and home care. Her work informs the policies and direction of the LHIN with regard to this important health care issue. Her work takes her to meetings with people from Haliburton to Scarborough - something that comes naturally to Kirsten having worked in both rural and urban settings in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland.

Kirsten has a Master's degree in Community Health Promotion. She is passionate about the inclusion of marginalized communities in all spheres of life. When she's not working or running after children, Kirsten dreams of doing a triathalon - and is currently working on the biking part of this dream.

RHO is currently recruiting for this position.

Charles Nathan Hoo has been an advocate for LGBT health concerns in his communities from a formative age. With an interest in peer education, he has worked with the 519 Community Centre and Planned Parenthood of Toronto with various projects, such as Getting Primed and T.E.A.C.H. An experienced workshop facilitator, Charles has provided accessible community education both in french and in english, with harm reduction, sex positivity and gender based social justice in mind for over 6 years.

Currently, he resides in Ottawa, where he continues to act as a community leader in his personal and professional life.

In 1998, Andrew began to work within the LGBT community as a volunteer and a member of the AIDS Committee of Simcoe County’s Youth Outreach H.O.P.E. Theatre troupe. He has facilitated presentations, workshops, and seminars on personal growth, diversity, leadership, empowerment, holistic health, wellness, indigenous traditions, and LGBT culture throughout Ontario, Europe, and Upper New York State since 2000. Currently, Andrew is completing a diploma in Native Community & Social Development in Barrie at Georgian College where he is the Vice President of Public Relations for the student-run Georgian LGBTQA Association. In this position, Andrew is a student coordinator of the LGBTQA Safe Space and Awareness through Education campaigns at Georgian College, including the development of an LGBT Sensitivity Training Manual.

Shannon Elissa Palmer grew up in Southern Ontario before moving North, and is a graduate of Nipissing University's Social Welfare and Social Development Studies and Gender Equality and Social Justice Studies programs. Living in North Bay, ON, Shannon has spent many years working in the fields of social justice and advocacy, spending much of her time working in women's shelters, jails, high schools, and Aids Service Organizations. In addition to Rainbow Health Ontario, Shannon is currently coordinator of the Hepatitis C program at the AIDS Committee of North Bay & Area. When not working, Shannon spends a great deal of time reading, walking her dog, and scoring points on her roller derby team.

David Belrose has been active in the gay community in Thunder Bay for over 30 years. As the Education Coordinator of AIDS Thunder Bay (ATB) for seventeen years, he was involved in outreach throughout Northwestern Ontario. A founding member and past board chair of ATB, he has been involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and education work since the mid-1980s. A long-time member of the gay community, he has been involved with community development since the 1970s. He helped found the community group Gays of Thunder Bay in 1980. He has presented workshops on various aspects of sexual orientation and sexual health, facilitated support groups, and been active in efforts to achieve equal rights for all sexual minorities.