OPPI Recognizes Dr. Theresa Tam and Carolyn King as Honorary MemberS

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) is pleased to present Honorary Memberships to two individuals who have made extraordinary efforts to advance the planning profession: Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, and Carolyn King, chair and co-founder of the Shared Path Consultation Initiative.
 
“We are grateful to both Dr. Theresa Tam and Carolyn King for their contributions to the planning profession and thrilled to welcome them as Honorary Members of OPPI,” says Paul Lowes, Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and OPPI Council President. “It is through individuals like these that we can continue to increase awareness and promote the importance of planning to improve the future of communities in Ontario.”
 
An Honorary Member is a person who has demonstrated extraordinary interest in and concern for the planning profession through their personal or professional work, and who does not already hold membership in OPPI. Honorary Members may or may not have worked in a planning-adjacent fields, yet their professional contributions resonate with the planning profession and, more importantly, they serve the public interest.
 
“We are living in a historic moment of change and planning plays an important role in guiding that change to ensure it sets future generations up for success,” says Susan Wiggins, OPPI Executive Director. “By acknowledging the valuable contributions of people outside our profession, we are able to recognize the extraordinary efforts of those beyond our own community.”
 
Dr. Theresa is Canada's Chief Public Health Officer and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCPC), with over 55 peer-reviewed journal publications in public health. During her 25 years in public health, she provided technical expertise and leadership on new initiatives to improve communicable disease surveillance, strengthen health emergency management and laboratory biosafety and biosecurity.
 
“I would like to express my sincere thanks to OPPI for recently nominating me as an Honorary Member,” says Dr. Theresa. “My 2017 annual report on the state of public health in Canada, The Designing Healthy Living Report, highlights the importance of environments, including parks and green spaces, as a foundation for healthy living. Since its publication, I have engaged with Canadians and encouraged all levels of government to include public health considerations in policy and planning.”
 
Carolyn has over 25 years of work experience in the field of First Nations community and economic development, and extensive experience in public relations, environmental planning policies and procedures, and community radio. She has received numerous awards including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) in recognition of her support for First Nations history and the advancement of Aboriginal Peoples, and the Order of Canada for her expertise in community development, her advocacy of Indigenous-led initiatives, and her efforts to improve Canadians’ understanding of First Nations.
 
“I am honoured to accept the Honorary Membership offered by OPPI,” says Carolyn. “It seems my life's work has placed me in the planning world. As a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, I found myself dealing with planning matters throughout my employment and leadership roles. Again, I am honoured to sit among you. It's all about the land.”
 
Learn more about OPPI Honorary Members.