Our team

Hanna Holmes

Program Director

Hanna Holmes is the Program Director for the Public Legal Education Association of Canada. Hanna was onboarded in January 2020 and oversaw a 4.5 year project funded by the Department of Justice of Canada until its completion in 2024

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Jessica Reekie

President

Jessica Reekie is the president of the Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC) and the Executive Director of Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO). CLEO is a non-profit organization that develops clear, accurate, and practical legal rights education and information to help people understand the law and exercise their legal rights

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Jeff Surtees

Vice-President

Jeff grew up on the Canadian prairies, attaining his Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and later a Masters in Law from the University of Calgary. Jeff has been an active member of the Law Society of Alberta since 1991, practicing as a civil litigation lawyer for fifteen years. Outside of private practice, Jeff has worked extensively in the non-profit sector as a fundraiser, a manager and as corporate counsel

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Michelle Thompson

Treasurer

Michelle worked in public legal education for almost 10 years before joining the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) as its Executive Director in 2022. PLEIS-NB is the only sole-purpose PLE organization in New Brunswick, answering over 3000 legal questions from the public each year, distributing an average of 40,000 copies of print resources, and serving more than 200,000 visitors to our websites.

Joel Gordon Janow

Secretary

Joel Janow, BA, LLB, is the executive director of the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (PLEA), which was established in 1980 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. PLEA creates resources to help people understand the law in their lives

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Ellen Mullally

Director

Ellen Mullally is the Executive Director of Community Legal Information (CLI) on Prince Edward Island. CLI is a registered charity that helps PEI residents understand the law and navigate the justice system.

Andrea Bailey

Director

Andrea is Executive Director and Lawyer with the Yukon Public Legal Education Association. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto law school. Prior to taking the position at YPLEA, Andrea was counsel to the Yukon Supreme and Territorial Courts and with the Government of Yukon

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Kevin O’Shea

Director

Kevin O’Shea has been the Executive Director of the Public Legal Information Association of NL (PLIAN) since 2014. PLIAN is the only organization in Newfoundland and Labrador solely dedicated to public legal education and information work

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Heather de Berdt Romilly

Director

Heather de Berdt Romilly is the Executive Director of the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS). She is a lawyer with extensive experience working in the public and private sectors and over a decade in PLE. LISNS is the public’s trusted voice for legal information providing high quality information and tools to help people find answers to their problems

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Thomas Wallwork

Director

Thomas E. Wallwork is a seasoned legal professional with extensive experience in civil law matters, family law, and child protection. Holding a J.D

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Joanne Smith

Director

Joanne Smith, LL.B., LL.M., is a staff family lawyer at the Legal Services Board of Nunavut ("LSB"). The LSB delivers the territorial legal aid plan for Nunavummiut in criminal, family, and civil practice areas

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Patricia Byrne

Director

Patricia is a lawyer with 25+ years of experience in senior roles in public and professional legal education in Toronto and Vancouver. Prior to these roles, Patricia was a practicing business lawyer. As Executive Director of People’s Law School, Patricia's priority is to use her legal and business management skills to guide the society toward fulfilling its mission and long-term strategic goals

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Rebecca Schur

Director

Rebecca creates legal information and legal education content at Éducaloi. Rebecca is a lawyer and has degrees in rhetoric and communications as well as in civil and common law. She is passionate about furthering Éducaloi’s mission to explain the law to the population in Quebec in everyday language and enhance their legal competencies.

Nora Bergh

Director

As Assistant Director of BC and Digital Programs at JES, Nora oversees program and project operations, managing staff, deliverables and budgets. She ensures project achieve measurable impact, supporting JES legal education and legal information initiatives in BC

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Alex Peel

Director

Alex Peel is the Manager of LABC’s public legal education and information program. LABC provides legal information, as well as advice and representation services, to low income British Columbians in legal distress

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Kristy Pagnutti

Director

Kristy Pagnutti is the executive director of the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN). She is responsible for strategic direction and oversight of day-to-day operations at OJEN. Before being appointed as ED, she served as director of OJEN's Capacity Building and Engagement and has worked in all 3 of OJEN's departments

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Mary Christine Troszko

Director

Mary Troszko, B.A. LL.B., has been Community Legal Education Association's Executive Director for over twenty years. CLEA is the only sole-purpose plei organization in Manitoba

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