Petrusia Hontar, Executive Director

Petrusia Hontar is the newly appointed Executive Director of the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board. She comes from the St. Thomas Elgin Local Immigration Partnership, building community capacity to better support immigrant integration and build awareness of local diversity and its strengths. 

Petrusia is currently a Board Member for the Central Community Health Centre, has served on the executive for the Elgin Business Women’s Network, served as a board member for the St. Thomas Environmental Stewardship Committee, the Horton Market Board and established the St. Thomas community garden.

She holds a B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering from Western University, and an M.Sc. in Economic History: Demography, and an M.Sc. Society, Science, and Technology from Lund University in Sweden.

Petrusia strives to maintain strong ties to her Ukrainian culture, and is an active member of the Ukrainian Youth Association London Branch.

Jane Kempe, Office Administrator (part-time)

Jane has worked with the EMOWPDB since 2005 and is a valued member of our team. In her role, Jane manages the administrative and bookkeeping tasks, ensuring the smooth operation of our daily functions. Additionally, Jane serves as the Project Coordinator for the annual Oxford Invitational Youth Robotics Challenge.

During her leisure hours, Jane enjoys spending time with her husband and family, and going for walks, and relaxing by the water in Port Stanley and Grand Bend.

Fiona Murray, Project Coordinator

Fiona Murray is the project coordinator for EMOWPDB. She brings her background in communications and project management to this role, ensuring projects progress effectively and smoothly. She holds a Bachelor’s of Environmental Studies in International Development from the University of Waterloo and a postgraduate certificate in Communications and Professional Writing from Centennial College. She is passionate about building connected and inclusive communities. She also enjoys volunteering, as a mentor to newcomers and as a technical writer for an amateur writing archive. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and getting outside. 

Somayeh Rajabi, Data Analyst & Coordinator

Somayeh Rajabi is a data analyst and coordinator for EMOWPDB, where she applies her expertise in data analytics and visualization to turn raw data into meaningful and actionable insights. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from the University of Tabriz, along with a postgraduate certificate in Data Analytics from Fanshawe College. She is committed to developing sustainable solutions that support and strengthen the workforce, improve employment outcomes, and enable evidence-based decisions related to workforce planning, development, and policy. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family.