Our Story

Nour utilizes her 13 years of experience as a workforce advisor, mentor, and influencer to inspire youth to make informed career choices that challenge the status quo. Her experiences are not just limited to the workplace. Nour watched her mother struggle and persevere as she started and grew a successful auto parts company in a male-dominated field. Through her work with other non-profits, she dreamt of the idea of Build A Dream and decided to go full force with the organization to bring it to life. She is a passionate force of nature and a workforce disruptor, challenging ideas and companies views of women in the workforce and how we can improve them. 

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Masters in Business Administration

Jennifer has had an exciting 20+ year career, working in various roles such as Reception, Cost Analysis, Purchasing, and Software Administration. However, she found her true passion as an Executive Assistant, a role in which she has thrived for over 15 years.

Throughout her journey, Jennifer has worked in a wide range of industries—automotive, construction, wineries, bulk transportation, landscape design and construction, and health & wellness supplements. You name it, she’s done it!

As the Executive Assistant to the President, Jennifer is involved in nearly every aspect of the organization. Whether it’s keeping things running smoothly or jumping in to help wherever needed, she has it covered. She loves being part of such a dynamic team and making a difference every day!

Patricia, our extraordinary Director of Grants, is the luminary force that graces our organization with unparalleled dedication and a spirit that radiates positivity throughout our office. Her patience is a virtue akin to that of a saint, providing a steady and calming influence that transcends the challenges of the grant landscape.

In the often intricate world of grants, Patricia stands as a beacon of unwavering commitment and expertise. Her ability to navigate the complexities of grant applications and funding opportunities is nothing short of remarkable, earning her the well-deserved admiration of both colleagues and partners alike.

Justine is the Director of Events here at Build a Dream, and is a bit of a Jill of all trades. She has a birth doula certificate from CAPPA, a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Guelph, and an End of Life Doula certificate from Douglas College. When she is not organizing amazing events, you can find her supporting new and growing families through her business, Love the Bump.

Justine is a spreadsheet enthusiast, a boy mom, an ice cream addict, and self-professed birth nerd. She loves spending her down-time watching bad television, hanging out with her sister, and failing pretty hardcore at pub trivia.

Ginelle is an experienced policy and program development professional who believes there is enough space, resources, and creativity for us to build communities where we all thrive. After 15 years in the public service, she is joining Build a Dream as the Manager of Education and Training, where she combines her passion for dreaming with collaborative systems change initiatives to advance gender equity.

She is a lover of random acts of kindness and passionate about honoring the stories and lessons of our elders as we build the future.

Ginelle has a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University and a Master of Social Work from York University.

Brandon holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, accompanied by a minor in Human Resources.

Outside the professional sphere, Brandon‘s enthusiasm for the Miami Dolphins, an NFL team, is truly infectious. You might catch him in the act of passionately discussing plays with the TV, as if the players could hear the cheers and advice. When not engrossed in football, Brandon finds solace in the company of friends, sharing laughter and creating memories. A self-professed Netflix aficionado, he is no stranger to immersive binge-watching sessions of any series that captures his interest.

Nothing brings people together like an event! Creating unforgettable experiences, one event at a time is Claudio’s undeniable passion. Big or small, he loves to make ideas come alive.

Claudio is committed to excellence as the Event Manager for Build a Dream through team collaboration and to sharing his knowledge with others in creating incredible, awesome events. Build a Dream, Claudio feels privileged and excited to work with such a talented and passionate team to focus on that special niche that will inspire, motivate and connect all the right synergies for a winning and meaningful event.

Pinky is a dedicated Project Manager with a passion for bringing ideas to life. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology Honors with thesis, as well as minors in Business Administration, she thrives on understanding human behaviour and optimizing processes.

When she is not immersed in project timelines, you’ll find her engrossed in the world of books or exploring new coffee shops. She runs a TikTok account where she delves into the captivating universe of books, sharing her thoughts, and humour.

When it comes to all things tech, Jay’s our guy! He graduated from the Data Analytics program at St. Clair College acquiring several skills, and talents which help to turn data into actionable insights, unlocking the potential for groundbreaking solutions and is eager to continue helping us all dream big together! He’s also the unsung hero of our coffee corner, ensuring that our coffee machine is kept clean and stays in top-notch condition.

While off the clock, Jay likes to spend time watching his favorite sports like soccer and Formula 1. When he’s not crunching data or cleaning coffee machines, you’ll find him sharing the excitement of the game with his friends.

Chloe studied at Brock University graduating in in 2022 with a bachelor’s in applied science. She then changed paths and went to Niagara College’s Social Media Management graduate program and graduated from that in 2023.

Chloe owns her own social media boutique called 89 Social Club and a wedding content creation business called 89 Wedding Club. She is also a social media nano influencer and I have the time to dedicate to it!

Chloe likes to spend her downtime watching her favourite shows like Gilmore Girls and Gossip Girl. She also likes to spend her spare time trying out new cafes and taking her dog Freya on adventures. Before she moved to Windsor she would spend her free days in Toronto hanging out with her best friend.

Stacey brings a wealth of experience in public affairs and advocacy, honed over a decade in the Federal Public Service.

Notable accomplishments include national campaigns to advance Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy and a digital recruitment campaign that targeted women within the energy sector’s workforce. Stacey has been the recipient of a Government of Canada Award for her role in facilitating the recruitment and retention of a representative public service.

Her passion for empowering marginalized groups is driven by her experiences as a woman, a member of a racialized community, and an immigrant. As Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee at Dress for Success Ottawa, she works to create spaces that embrace diversity and equity. From her role at the Senate of Canada to her involvement with federal party politics and Equal Voice, she is also committed to facilitating women’s access to the political sphere.

Stacey believes that together, we can build a better, more equitable Canada.

McKenna is our Career Coach! McKenna is a Red Seal Endorsed General Carpenter with 6 years of experience working in the construction industry. She strives to improve the recruitment, retention and experiences of women and equity-deserving groups in the skilled trades. McKenna started her apprenticeship at 16 years old through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and received her Red Seal Endorsement at age 21.

McKenna’s work with CSA Group on the groundbreaking Z301 Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility in Apprenticeship Programs standard has greatly shaped her career goals. She started as a technical committee member contributing content and feedback for the standard development and was then elected as vice-chair of the committee. This allowed her to take on a larger role in the standard and content development process.

In her free time, you’ll probably find her sipping a chai latte, watching a Hallmark movie or listening to Taylor Swift. McKenna loves to connect with fellow tradeswomen and participates and volunteers with a variety of organizations that help foster this community.

Rebecca began her career in the skilled trades six years ago through a WEST (Women’s Enterprise Skills Training) and St. Clair College program for Industrial Millwright Mechanic. From there she acquired a job at Centerline as a machinist apprentice. She took on the apprenticeship as a single mom with three kids, working full time, and balancing school at night. She completed her 3 year apprenticeship, developing many skills along the way, and is now a Red Seal Machinist. Amid the pandemic she started working at the college at night as a teaching assistant for the apprenticeship programs. Although happy in her career with Centerline, when an opportunity arose to become a mechanic at Hiram Walkers, she couldn’t resist the exciting career change. She is currently transitioning into this new role, and is a master at tackling big life changes. Her goal is to simply let women know these careers exist and are available to them. And to be a resource, as needed, to those just starting out or considering a career in the skilled trades.