Meet the Moderator
Julia Deans, Chief Executive Officer, CivicAction
Julia is the CEO of the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (formerly the Toronto City Summit Alliance), a coalition of senior business, non-profit, government and community leaders formed to address challenges to the Toronto region’s social and economic future. CivicAction projects have involved over 7000 people and currently include: a major regional environmental campaign, Greening Greater Toronto; DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project, aimed at accelerating the racial and cultural diversity of Toronto’s leaders; and the Emerging Leaders Network, connecting and developing 300+ up and coming city leaders.
At CivicAction, Julia has also been closely involved in the development and launch of the Toronto Region Research Alliance, the “Time for a Fair Deal” report of the Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults Task Force, Luminato – Toronto’s festival of arts and creativity, and the Greater Toronto Summits – major gatherings of hundreds of leaders from every walk of life to create responses to challenges facing the Toronto region.
Julia began her career as a litigation and environmental lawyer with Torys LLP, working in its Toronto and Hong Kong offices. From 1997-2001, she lived in Singapore, where she established the South East Asian operations of a major UK-based legal recruitment firm. Julia has a BA (Hons) from Queen’s University, a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University, and an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is qualified to practice law in Ontario, Hong Kong, and England and Wales. Julia serves on the Board of Luminato, on the Advisory Councils of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and the Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation, and is an advisor to the Hague Process on Refugees and Migration.
Meet the Panelists
Remo Agostino, M.Sc.Pl., MCIP, RPP, LEED AP – Director of Development, The Daniels Corporation
Remo Agostino joined Daniels in 2003 after 7 years with a private planning consulting firm, specializing in land use development. Remo is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Masters in Planning program, a Registered Professional Planner and is LEED accredited.
Remo’s responsibilities include analyzing land acquisition opportunities, taking developments through the development approvals process, managing the municipal permits process and condominium registration. Remo has managed the development approvals for a number of Daniels developments including all phases of Kilgour Estate, First Home Markham, WRP Neighbourhood Housing (an affordable housing development constructed for a charitable organization), The Woodlands etc. In addition, Remo Agostino oversees all development related matters and the Regent Park Employment Initiative as part of the Regent Park Revitalization development
Julie Dzerowicz, Co-Chair, Project Neutral
Julie is the co-founder of Project Neutral, an ELN initiative that is aiming to create urban carbon neutral communities.
She is passionate about the environment and a big advocate of civic engagement. For the last 15 years, she has worked in the corporate, public and non-profit worlds and she jumped at the chance to work on a project that would see neighbourhood leadership take ownership of their carbon footprint and lead the way towards achieving carbon neutrality.
Julie’s past experiences include working as Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor to a Cabinet Minister in the Ontario government, Executive Director of a non-profit organization that was committed to public discourse and engagement. She also serves as the Ontario Liberal Party Vice President Policy and was the Platform Co-Chair for the 2011 campaign.
Julie has also worked in the private sector holding senior positions in business development, marketing, public relations and product development in both the financial services and biotech industries.
Finally Julie has been involved in mobilizing her Downtown West Toronto neighbourhood around local issues.
Julie is a big believer that every single person can play a role in reducing his or her carbon footprint and thinks that when we come together as a neighbourhood and put our hearts and minds into our efforts, the result is nothing short of transformational.
Alison Loat, Executive Director, Samara
Alison previously worked at McKinsey & Company and co-founded Canada25, an organization that successfully involved thousands of Canadians under 35 in the development of public policy. For her public service work with Canada25, Alison was chosen as one of Canada’s Top 25 under 30 by Maclean’s magazine and in 2005 she received the Public Policy Forum Young Leaders Award. Alison is a graduate of Queen’s University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She is also an associate fellow and instructor at the School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Toronto.
Louroz Mercader, Founder & President, Mississauga Youth Games
Louroz Mercader is the President of the Mississauga Youth Games (MY Games), a grassroots non-profit that provides free sporting and artistic programs to young people.
He presently serves as a director on the Civic Action Steering Committee, GO Transit Customer Service Advisory Committee, Safe City Mississauga, Toronto 2012 Ontario Summer Games Organizing Committee, United Way of Peel Region and Chair of ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education.
In addition, Louroz is a Global Shaper with The World Economic Forum – Toronto Hub and is a proud member of the inaugural DiverseCity Fellows. In 2001, Louroz was awarded the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
Louroz also ran in the 2010 municipal elections for Ward 7 Mississauga City Councillor, placing 2nd with 34% of the vote. He is preparing to make another run in 2014.
