OPPI INTRODUCES NEW COUNCIL Chair

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) is pleased to announce a new OPPI Council Chair. The announcement took place at OPPI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) during the OPPI Adaptation Transformation Conference.
 
Claire Basinski, MCIP, RPP, CP3, officially began her two-year term as OPPI Chair, September 21, 2023. Claire served on OPPI Council for three terms. In her most recent term, she supported the organization as the President-Elect. Prior to her time on Council, Claire volunteered with OPPI in the Vice-Chair position for the Southwest Ontario District Leadership Team (DLT) for four years. Claire is a passionate planner and engagement specialist who has over 13 years of professional planning experience primarily focusing on master and strategic planning in the area of transportation with a passion for active and sustainable transportation and equitable mobility. Claire is a Senior Project Manager with CIMA+ Consulting.
 
As a non-profit organization, OPPI is governed by a 13 member Board of Directors (Council) who are accountable for the strategic and financial oversight of the organization. This governing body is comprised of Directors, as well as a Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, a Student or Candidate member, and two voting public members. The priority of the OPPI Council is to guide the organization through policy decisions and strategic directions.
 
Earlier this year, OPPI opened a Call for Director Nominations to our members and received eight (8) nominations for five (5) OPPI Council Director positions. An election was held to determine the 2023-2024 Council.
 
The 2023-2024 OPPI Council members are:


• Claire Basinski, RPP, Southwest District - Chair
• Andria Leigh, RPP, Lakeland District - Chair-Elect
• Beverley Hillier, RPP, Northern District - Director
• Colleen Sauriol, RPP, Eastern District - Director
• Erika Ivanic, RPP, Toronto District - Director
• Dylan Ward, RPP, Toronto District - Director
• Pam Duesling, RPP, Southwest District - Returning Director
• Uzo Rossouw, RPP, Toronto District - Returning Director
• Mike Sone, RPP, Toronto District - Incoming Director
• Chris Tyrrell, RPP, Oak Ridges District - Incoming Director
• Heather Swan, RPP, Oak Ridges District - Incoming Director
• Dan Labrecque, Lakeland District - Public Interest Representative

With many thanks to our two outgoing Directors: Calvin Brook and Rob Dowler, thank you for your meaningful contributions while serving on OPPI Council! OPPI Council accepted the resignation of Sheri Longboat at the September meeting and will begin the process of filling the vacancy for the remainder of her two year term. We thank Sheri for her work on Council and as Chair of Indigenous Planning Perspectives Committee (IPPC) and wish her well as she takes on a new role at Wilfrid Laurier University. And to our incoming Directors, welcome! We look forward to working with you during your term on OPPI Council.

Learn more about OPPI Council and OPPI Districts. 

The mission of OPPI is to leverage knowledge, resources, and relationships to facilitate excellence in planning by professional planners.  We are excited for the work that lies ahead.