Board of Directors

The Durham Rape Crisis Centre’s Board of Directors is composed of a group of dedicated professionals that span a diverse array of professional backgrounds and personal life experiences relating to the needs of the organization and its clients.

The DRCC’s current Board of Directors includes the following individuals:

President — Adryan Bergstrom-Borins

Adryan (she/her) is a white settler of mixed Euro-Scandinavian and Jewish descent, and her maternal ancestors are Anishinaabe/Ojibway and Red River Métis. She holds a Master’s of Public Policy and Sexual Diversity Studies and Bachelors of Public Policy & International Development Studies from the University of Toronto. Adryan has worked in the Indigenous well-being sector for the past six years in government and non-profit, and in the women and gender and sexual diversity sector for almost a decade. Adryan is currently the Indigenous Health Policy Manager at the Ontario Ministry of Health. Adryan joined the DRCC Board of Directors in September 2020 and previously served as Secretary and VP. Adryan is passionate about social justice issues and supporting the healing of survivors of violence.

Vice President — Stephanie Ehret

Stephanie Ehret, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Sociology Department at Trent University. Prior to working in academia, Stephanie spent time in community justice, first as a diversion counsellor and then as a resource developer and volunteer coordinator at an agency focused on violence against women issues. Stephanie also has experience working in the financial industry. Her research focuses on meanings of justice and she is interested in a range of social and institutional modalities for doing justice. Her current research examines criminal justice from the perspectives of Autistic adults in Canada.

Treasurer — Chelsea Desrochers

Chelsea is a strategy and operations consultant at a Series B start-up managing customer accounts and productizing insights for global GTM teams. She has been involved with other non-profit institutions focused on social justice research and restorative justice initiatives. Chelsea joined the DRCC Board of Directors in September of 2020.

Secretary — Lexa Cutler

Lexa (she/her) is a labour and employment lawyer. Lexa’s written work has been published by the Lawyer’s Daily and the Ontario Bar Association. She received her JD from Queen’s University in 2020 where she was awarded the Queen’s Law Prize in Trial Advocacy and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2021. During law school, Lexa volunteered with Queen’s Legal Aid and Pro Bono Students Canada. Before law school, Lexa completed her Honours Specialization in Global Development at Huron University College at Western, where she gained her passion for feminism and social justice. Lexa joined the DRCC Board of Directors as Secretary in June 2022.

Director — Chanelle La-Fleur

Chanelle La-Fleur is a Womens Transitional House Coordinator and Personal Support Worker. With over a decade of rewarding experience collaborating with youth and families of low income communities and diversed backgrounds. Chanelle has graduated from the Assaulted women’s and children’s counsellor/ advocate program. Chanelle is passionate about providing services and supports to women who have survived abuse and trauma. Including one on one counselling, employment & financial coaching, health care references and eviction prevention. Chanelle has volunteered and trained with several community organizations throughout her journey, focusing on violence prevention, sexual harassment, workplace health and safety and much more! Chanelle joined the DRCC board of directors in August of 2019.

Director — Claudia Cammisa

Claudia Cammisa is passionate about working with vulnerable children and youth. She has worked within the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services for 3 years. During this time, Claudia’s roles have included provincially assessing the safety, permanency and wellbeing of children in extended society care, as well as, inspecting foster and group homes to assess quality of care and legislative compliance. Claudia’s previous experience at the Ministry of the Attorney General has provided her a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and barriers victims of crime face navigating and engaging in the criminal justice system. Claudia joined the DRCC Board of Directors in September 2019.

Director — Teresa Avvampato (she/her)

Teresa Avvampato has worked in the Durham Region since 2005.  She is a professor, an occupational therapist, and a Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership candidate. Teresa’s teaching and research focus on best practices and education relating to improving quality of care outcomes, collaborative and professional practice, addressing service gaps through innovation, and teaching theory and skills for entry-level clinical practice. Her clinical background includes tertiary mental health, and she has worked with clients across the lifespan. Teresa is competent in both clinical and educational program development, evaluation and oversight, and in developing national competencies, leading accreditation submissions and audits, and is a national accreditation reviewer. Teresa has provided crisis intervention as a volunteer since 1998 and is passionate about volunteering and community engagement. Teresa joined the DRCC Board of Directors in June 2022.

Director — Hillary Di Menna (she/her)

Hillary Di Menna (she/her) is a gender justice advocate and writer. Her survivors first approach is shaped from her beginnings in grassroots feminist organizing, her work in various sexual assault centres across Ontario (such as Durham Rape Crisis Centre, Toronto Rape Crisis Centre, and Chatham-Kent Sexual Assault Crisis Centre) and in working with the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC). Hillary currently works as the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator at Seneca Polytechnic.

A lifelong scribbler, Hillary has been published in over 50 publications (including Now Magazine, multiple Demeter Press collections, and her zine/MRP Strega: an autoethnography); both online and in print. She has interviewed rebel nuns, explored Spanish caves in search of witches, and slept in an Italian tarot museum; but most of her time is spent with her three black cats, cool teenager, a drummer, and little black dog. 

Hillary holds a master of arts in gender, feminist, and women’s studies from York University, where she worked as a bystander intervention facilitator for The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education.

Director — Nivedita Misra (she/her)

Nivedita is a mother of two young kids. She is also a lawyer, practicing in the area of Insurance defence law. Nivedita completed her B.A(H) in Sociology from the University of Windsor and LLB from England. Since her law school days, Nivedita has enjoyed Mooting & Negotiation. She is skilled in oral advocacy and problem solving. Nivedita joined the Durham rape crisis centre Board of Directors in July of 2023. Nivedita is a first-generation immigrant and understands the struggles some of us face as a woman of colour. With her diverse experience she hopes to add value to the team of Board of Directors here at the DRCC.

Former Board Members

Past President — Olga Marques

Olga Marques, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at Ontario Tech University (University of Ontario Institute of Technology) in the Criminology and Justice program. Her teaching and research focus on the intersections of sex, gender, sexuality, and race, with justice, regulation, and criminalization/victimization. She has previous employment experience in the criminal justice field, including victim support worker, program assistant in a social housing community, and as a behavior counselor in a women’s federal correctional facility.  Olga is currently the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Student Sexual Violence Prevention and Support at Ontario Tech University. Olga joined the DRCC Board of Directors in February 2013.

Past President — Lindsay Wyers

Lindsay has been the President of the DRCC for 10.5 years.  Prior to her experience on the Board, she was a crisis line volunteer for 2.5 years.  Lindsay has an under graduate degree is Medical Anthropology and Health Studies and a Masters in Health Sciences, with a focus on Community Health. Lindsay has a wide variety of healthcare experiences, specifically in project management, data analysis, accountability and performance metrics.  She is currently the Director of IT, Decision Support, Health Information and Privacy for Peterborough Regional Health Centre.  Lindsay joined the DRCC Board of Directors in March 2010.

Past Director — Denise Williams

Denise is a corporate lawyer with over 10 years of experience.  She completed her undergraduate, law and graduate school studies at York University, Osgoode Hall Law School and University of Toronto respectively.  Denise has a wide variety of experience as a board member for various other charitable organizations.  Denise joined the DRCC board of directors in September of 2020.