Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is a committee of the Children and Youth Planning Table that provides leadership, vision, and strategic direction to the overall work of the collaborative. They have responsibility for considering the interconnectedness of the work of the CYPT, as well as the work of the Table in relation to the bigger broader system/landscape. The Steering Committee is comprised of the CYPT Co-Chairs, Past Chair, Chairs of any active Working Group and Nested Group, 1-2 Voting Members and Backbone Staff. Chairs of Support Groups participate as requested and representation from prenatal, early years, middle years and adolescent years is ensured. See the Steering Committee Terms of Reference section for further details.


Currently, our Steering Committee includes the Chairs of any Working Group, Nested Group, Children and Youth Planning Table Co-chairs and Staff. The Steering Committee provides leadership, vision, and strategic direction to the Children and Youth Planning Table.

Goranka Vukelich head shot
Goranka Vukelich

Co-Chair - Children and Youth Planning Table

Photo of Barb Cardow
Barb Cardow

Co-Chair - Children and Youth Planning Table

Heather Fedy – Lead Agency for Mental Health

Stacey McCormick – Early Years Steering Committee Co-Chair

Sanjay Govindaraj – Well-being Waterloo Region Social Inclusion Working Group & Immigration Partnership Belonging Pillar
Kathilee Porter 
– Early Learning & Literacy Alliance of Waterloo Region Chair

Karen Spencer – Pandemic Working Group Chair

Rania Lawendy – Voting Member at Large

Scott Miller Waterloo Region District School Board

Grace Birmingham – Early Years Steering Committee Co-Chair

Jo-Ann McComb Voting Member at Large

Hilary Sudar – Parenting Alliance of Waterloo Region Co-Chair

Wanda Kampijan Parenting Alliance of Waterloo Region Co-Chair
Debbie Engel – Brain Story Mobilization Working Group Tri-Chair
Alison Pearson  CYPT Manager