Meet Our Board of Directors
Frances Shamley
Chair
Mark Hacon
Vice-Chair
Jean-Pierre Cantin
Treasurer
Katherine Englander
Secretary
Frances Shamley
As a community-oriented person, I believe that when we work together and collaborate with one another, amazing things happen.
Projects that may have seemed impossible happen because of our partnerships and community -driven initiatives. This requires of us that we listen to one another and recognize the skills and energies that each partner brings to the table. When we utilize these strengths in developing our programs in innovative ways, all of our communities benefit.
The Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board works to bring our diverse partners together in as many ways as possible, to try to sustain a healthy and active labour force that works to provide employment and employment-related services for our community members.
As a mediator and an educator, I fully support that work. As a Board member, I am proud to be a member of this organization and work with such talented people.
Dan Fish
Dan was an Automotive Vehicle Technician prior to working for the Thames Valley District School Board.
He has worked for the Thames Valley District School board for the past 29 years.
Currently Dan is serving as a Learning Coordinator for Tech, Co-op and SHSM.
He takes great pride in offering excellent support for schools, programs and teachers to support the learning opportunities for students.
Jean-Pierre Cantin
Jean-Pierre Cantin is the current Executive Director of Carrefour communautaire francophone de London, a community organization serving the Francophone community in London and surrounding areas. Previously, he was the Programs and Services Director for Central South-West Region for Collège Boréal in charge of Employment and Immigration Services.
John Mombourquette
John is the Associate Dean of Fanshawe College’s School of Access Studies and Regional Delivery. Access Studies is responsible for adult upgrading at the London campuses; the School-College-Work Initiative; and Fanshawe’s post-secondary program delivery in Huron and Bruce Counties. Prior to joining Fanshawe College, John was a Superintendent of Education with the London District Catholic School Board.
John J. Palach, BA, CMP, CHRP, CHRL, CRSP
John is currently employed at Marwood International Inc. in Tillsonburg as the Director of Human Resources.
John was also employed at Pal-Tech Consulting Services in Woodstock as President and Consultant.
From 2001-2018 he was employed at Fanshawe College in Woodstock and Tillsonburg as an instructor for part-time courses.
John is currently a member of the following groups/committees:
- CSA – Z1002 – Injury Risk Assessment and Management, Z434 Industrial Robotic – Safety
- W117.2 Welding and Cutting Health and Safety
- CME – Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters 2011 – Member of Occupational Health and Safety, WSIB, HR – Committees.
- ACGIH – American Conference Government Industrial Hygienists – Associate Member.
- ANSI/AWS – American Welding Society Z49.1- 2012 “Safety in Welding, Cutting, American Welding Society Z49.1 – SH1 sub-committee standards
- WDCC – Woodstock and District Chamber of Commerce – Member
Jack Smit
Jack is very pleased to join the Workforce Planning board as an ex officio member representing the City of London Social and Health Development. As the Manager of Employment Strategies, Life Stabilization for the City, Jack’s work focuses on strategic responses, community involvement, partnership development and on attaining employment outcomes. As part of this role, Jack works with community partners related to employment and supports for individuals on their path towards employment.
Prior to joining the City, Jack has worked for many years in Employment; as a career counsellor at Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a business advisor at the Small Business Centre as well as Business Manager at Family Service Thames Valley promoting positive mental health in the workplace.
Jack received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and a designation as Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA – CMA).
Mark Hacon
Mark’s professional career began as a manager of operations at one of the largest commercial H.V.A.C. companies in the industry. After 25 years, he transitioned into a management role with a national residential H.V.A.C. company. Mark spent a couple of years in retirement and returned to the business world when he joined the Oxford County Land Division Committee.
Mark is currently in his 7th year of service with this organization, and also sits on the Board of Directors for The Ontario Associate of Committee’s of Adjustment. Over seven years ago, looking for an additional challenge, he accepted a Director’s position with the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board.
Highlights for Mark include a glimpse into investigative analytics while working at the forensic building in Toronto, his 15 years with the Scouting organization, a flight in a WWII Harvard, and his five grandchildren.
Doug Butler
Doug currently volunteers with various community groups in the Elgin-St. Thomas area. He previously worked with the United Way Elgin Middlesex as a Community Impact Coordinator after volunteering on the Board of the United Way Elgin-St. Thomas including two terms as President.
Doug has worked in the automotive manufacturing sector, for the Southwest Economic Alliance as an outreach coordinator, and with the United Way Waterloo Region as a Workplace Development Officer.
As a Hermie Kreuger Memorial Award winner, Doug’s passion to better the lives of our communities is recognized. As an honours graduate of the Addictions and Community Services Program at London’s Everest College, Doug is familiar with the needs of various populations. His community commitment was established through two decades of volunteering with a wide range of groups, and on various projects that supported community building.
Lance Ceaser
Lance is a two-time graduate of Western University (Honours B.A. in English, 1992; LLB, 2002) and has a Master’s Degree in English (Creative Writing) from the University of New Brunswick (1995). At Western, Lance was recognized with a number of awards in labour, employment, corporate and income tax law, and was named the Gold Medallist of his graduating class.
Lance was an Associate lawyer in a boutique labour and employment law firm for a number of years, and held the position of Senior Legal Counsel – Employment Law at BlackBerry (formerly “Research In Motion”) for 4 years. In March 2014, Lance “returned” to London and opened his own labour and employment law practice, Ceaser Work Counsel, advising and representing employers in all types of employment-related matters including union organizing and certification proceedings, collective bargaining and labour arbitration, wrongful dismissal and ESA claims, WSIB and Occupational Health and Safety proceedings, and in human rights matters. He has published papers and presented seminars on a variety of labour and employment law topics, and offers regular updates on these subjects through LinkedIn.