About Community One

Pia Schmidt- Hansen

Board Co-Chair

Pia (she/her) is a senior leader with over 17 years of experience in financial services, specializing in innovation and automation, strategic transformation, risk management, and process optimization. As a Senior Manager at TD Bank, she is known for designing and leading large-scale change initiatives, with a passion for turning big-picture ideas into sustainable impact.

A committed people leader, Pia is deeply invested in fostering inclusive, high-performing teams and has served as a planning member, leader, and occasional speaker with 2SLGBTQ+ and pan-diversity employee resource groups across multiple organizations.

Outside of work, Pia brings the same energy and passion to her community. She is a longtime supporter of Toronto’s vibrant arts and culture scene, with over two decades of engagement with organizations like the National Ballet of Canada, the TSO, the AGO, and TIFF. She has also participated in a wide range of community fundraising events, including Jack Ride, Cycle for Sight, Friends for Life, and the Toronto Pride & Remembrance Run.

Shyan Mirhassani

Board Co-Chair

With an educational background in Urban and Regional Planning and a graduate certificate in International Development, Shyan (she/her) brings a diverse skill set to her role at Community One.

Her experience in nonprofit development, fundraising and project management reflects a commitment to social impact, as showcased through her work with 2SLGBTQIA+ youth experiencing homelessness, and women experiencing gender based violence.

Pru Girme

Board Director

Pru Girme (she/her) is a Queer South Asian professional and community advocate based in Toronto. With a Master’s in Painting and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Pru’s diverse background underscores her commitment to intersectionality and equity. Her work is driven by the intersection of her identity, community, and a passion for fostering inclusivity.

Pru currently manages the Supplier Diversity program at CGLCC (Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce), where she has proven her proficiency in building strategic partnerships and cultivating meaningful relationships within the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Her previous roles at Pride at Work Canada, the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, and the Toronto International Film Festival have equipped her with invaluable skills in business development, community engagement, and program management.

Her creative vision is focused on uniting diverse communities through meaningful engagement and dialogue. With her commitment to equity and a proven track record of impactful initiatives, she is well-positioned to make a significant contribution to Community One’s goal of empowering the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

Curran Stikuts

Board Director

Curran (he/him) is an experienced leader in the community service sector and a seasoned 2SLGBTQ+ activist. With 15 years of experience in community-driven organizations, stakeholder relations, issues management, program and community development, and advocacy, Curran centres the power of community-based action in his work. Having begun his career in the cooperative housing and community health sectors, he is committed to improving the social and health outcomes of communities who have been marginalized through advocacy and building opportunities for connection.

Currently serving as the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications at the 519, he has held a variety of frontline and leadership roles – including Acting Director of Philanthropy – since he joined the organization in 2016. He is responsible for the 519’s organizational communications, stakeholder and government relations, government and large foundation grants, and works with staff across the organization and external partners to coordinate The 519’s advocacy work. He has raised millions of dollars in support of The 519 and Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

Curran has worked on and led a number of labour and political advocacy campaigns and is active on issues affecting 2SLGBTQ+ communities as well as neighbourhoods in Toronto’s Downtown East.

Curran has a BSW from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master’s in Labour Studies from McMaster University.

Brien Wong

Board Secretary

Brien (he/him) is Community One Foundation’s current Secretary.

Michael Ott

Board Director

Michael (he/him) is a journalist and editor with over a decade of experience covering social issues,
community activism, and intersectional justice. His award-winning work has been published
across the country and used by various organizations for training and education, from coverage
of Alberta’s anti-GSA policies to learning modules for shelter staff helping survivors of same-sex
domestic violence.
While taking on a more laidback role as a managing editor in his daily life, Michael continues to
work in community activism through several charitable roles, including as a member of
Community One’s board of directors, PFLAG Toronto’s communications committee, and as a
secretary of communications at The ArQuives in downtown Toronto.

Michael Beckett

Board Director

Michael Beckett (he/him) is a dedicated public health professional with a strong community
outreach and advocacy background. With prior experience volunteering as an outreach worker
for the Toronto People with AIDS (PWA) Foundation and the AIDS Committee of Toronto,
Michael developed a deep understanding of the health disparities faced by marginalized
communities. These experiences ignited his passion for championing equitable access to public
health services and addressing systemic barriers.

As a Team Lead at the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development,
Michael oversees critical health and safety data that informs policies to enhance the well-being
of Ontario’s workforce. In this role, he has spearheaded strategic initiatives to address health and
safety inequities across diverse labour groups, fostering stakeholder collaboration and leveraging
data-driven insights to advance these efforts.

Michael is deeply inspired by Community One’s commitment to empowering underserved
communities through advocacy and funding and is enthusiastic about contributing his expertise
in public health and strategic management to amplify the impact of Community One’s initiatives.

Michael holds an MSc from York University and a Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and
Life Sciences from the University of Toronto.

Allison Lau

Board Director

Allison (she/they) is a non-profit governance professional. She has experience working at both
national and international non-profit organizations that focus on advocacy for women and girls,
and gender equality, and has worked with non-profit Boards and committees. She also brings a
wealth of event management experience from her previous career in the live music event
industry in the UK, where she worked for many years before earning a MSc in International
Development. She current works for Girl Guides of Canada.
Allison is an active community organizer within the LGBTQ+ community in Toronto with Queer
Toronto Literary Magazine. She takes pride in the events she has helped throw over the past 3
years, carving a safe space for queer and trans individuals to express themselves.

Cass Cervi

Board Director

Cass (they/them) is an award-winning digital strategist, writer and editor who has worked at North America’s top ad agencies. They have been responsible for the development of creative campaigns supporting the communications and fundraising goals of key organizations including the ‘metoo.’ movement, The Daymark Foundation, The Jensen Project and more.

They serve on the editorial board at Room Magazine, The Malahat Review, and Queer Toronto Literary Magazine. Their TV show Confession Queens, in development with Archipelago Productions, received IPF Development and Production Funding in 2024. They also received the Canada Council for the Arts Research and Creation Grant for their film Master Debaters.

Meghan Loverock

Meghan (she/her) has held a variety of managerial roles at TD Bank for over 8 years. She has built a reputation around her ability to problem solve, manage a multitude of stakeholders, and end to end project management. Meghan’s current role involves consistent strategic planning, fiscal responsibility, and seamless
communication to ensure enablement and experiences are elevated.

With a deep root passion for her community, Meghan is constantly striving to foster inclusive and diverse environments. She works with her local Family Resource
Centre, is a foster parent for the Humane Society, and is co-chair for an Employee Resource Group at work. Her every day actions exemplify her commitment to
ensuring all those that she encounters feel appreciated and safe to be themselves.