Welcome from the Dean
In her law practice, Véronique represented clients in specialized youth, mental health and Gladue courts. In her criminal defense work, and representing clients from diverse, equity-deserving communities and populations, she has worked closely with social workers and social service workers, educators, mental health and addictions treatment providers, health and allied health practitioners, and law enforcement (police officers, probation and parole officers, and bail officers). Véronique first joined Centennial in 2013 as a faculty member, progressing to Academic Coordinator, Department Chair, and a four-month role as Acting Dean of The Business School.
Véronique’s professional background extends well beyond criminal law to intersect closely across numerous health and community services arenas. In her role of Chair, Legal and Administrative Studies, Véronique led the Office Administration Health Services program, and has significant experience successfully leading external accreditations and regulatory reporting to meet academic program requirements and rigorous quality standards. Véronique has made an impact through her work on anti-human trafficking, increasing education and awareness in this area and leading to two meaningful FLIP experiences to Nepal and Atlanta, Georgia to study the international crisis and response. The latter FLIP was developed and implemented in collaboration with Social Service Worker program colleagues in SCHS. For the past five years she has facilitated a partnership between Centennial College and Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, and in 2016 she launched the Centennial Legal Information Centre (CLIC) to improve access to justice by providing free legal information services to the community. Véronique is currently co-chair of Centennial’s Anti-Black Racism Taskforce, and has sat on a number of committees to improve outcomes for historically marginalized students, women’s leadership, and anti-oppressive practice.
Véronique brings to her new role an exemplary track record of public service and voluntarism. She is a Director on the Board for Lumenus Community Services, one of Toronto’s largest community agencies focusing on children’s mental health. In her role, she works closely with healthcare leaders on initiatives relating to health sector systems integration, diversity, equity, and inclusion, human resources, and fundraising. Véronique is also past Secretary for Scarborough Women of Philanthropy, an organization focused on fundraising for hospitals within the Scarborough Health Network. The last campaign she was involved with led to the purchase of breast cancer screening equipment for one of our local hospitals.
Véronique will commence her new role as Dean of Centennial’s outstanding School of Community and Health Studies on April 5, 2021.
