About ALSO
Alternative Learning Styles and Outlooks (ALSO) has been serving Ottawa adults and families since 1981. We pride ourselves on being a small program doing great things. We offer support to adults who feel they may not fit into more mainstream programs. We are able to offer a flexible, person centered approach to learning and skill development. As a small organization, we are nimble, responding to community needs as they arise. ALSO is about moving forward, making changes and building community.
In addition to the contribution of our staff team, ALSO is guided by a passionate volunteer Board of Directors. ALSO is supported by a number of skilled volunteers across program areas. We are thankful to have the shared energy and expertise of all of these wonderful people.
Executive Director
Kim Oastler
Kim has been the Executive Director at ALSO since 2009. She has had the privilege of providing leadership and guidance to the ALSO staff team. Kim has worked in the social service field for 30 years. She has a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. Kim has lived in Ottawa most of her life. She has 6 children (all grown up now!) who also live in Ottawa. Email Kim.
Board of Directors
ALSO is fortunate to have a small group of committed, talented people guiding the work that we do. Our volunteer Board of Directors follow a policy-based approach to governance, focusing its attention on broad issues rather than on day-to-day operations. In addition to fulfilling an advisory role, Board Members also volunteer their time to provide ALSO with skills-based expertise on an as-needed basis. These ALSO Champions all give generously of their time and expertise and we are grateful for each of their contributions.
Tim Klodt, President
Tim was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, and moved to Ottawa in 2011 to take a position with the Government of Canada as a policy analyst. Since then, he has served in various positions with the Department of National Defence, Treasury Board Secretariat, Infrastructure Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency. Tim joined ALSO's board because of his interest in governance and desire to help the organization fulfil its mission in the community. He also serves on the Board of Directors of his LGBTQ volleyball league. When not working, volunteering or on the volleyball court, Tim enjoys playing chess, cards, board games, and binging on the latest shows offered by his streaming services.
Laura Hillier, Vice-President
Laura holds a BSc in Biology, an MSc in Epidemiology and the Canadian Evaluation Society’s Credentialed Evaluator (CE) designation. She is currently the Director of Performance, Analytics and Evaluation at the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Laura has worked across the different areas of health research – basic biomedical research, clinical research, health services research as well as population health research. She has a keen interest in research and evaluation methodologies and is committed to the principles of evidence informed practice. She is also an equity, diversity, inclusion champion and joined the ALSO board given its focus on literacy, math, and life skills for otherwise underserved populations.
Robert Mawoko, Treasurer
Robert is an accounting professional who currently works as a Financial Services Representative at The Liberal Party of Canada. He recently completed his Accounting studies in Australia before working for a few years as an SAP FICO Consultant. He recently completed his Chartered Professional Accounting studies and is looking to establish an Accounting firm in the near future. Robert joins the ALSO team because of his desire to help people with disabilities, which is something he has had from an early age. ALSO will benefit from his vast accounting knowledge in providing guidance on strategy and financial issues.
Kevin Scully, Member at Large (Past President)
Kevin is originally from a small Northern Ontario town, but came to Ottawa (via Montreal) as a teenager and has annoyed the city for many years. Kevin recently retired from Global Affairs Canada, where he was a long-suffering IT Security Analyst, a position which required extensive overseas travel to deliver security awareness education to a generally unreceptive audience. After retiring and a suitable period of recovery, Kevin enrolled at Carleton University. Kevin is currently enduring an MA degree program in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies at Carleton University. Kevin has previously served on the ALSO board, and eagerly hopes to be of some help.
Lynn Asselin, Member at Large
Lynn began volunteering for ALSO fundraising events in 2007 and became a board member in 2012. Lynn became interested in literacy when, as a high school student in her native Sudbury, she volunteered with a literacy centre for Francophone adults. Lynn works as a Senior Analyst in Radio Policy and Applications at the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Prior to her tenure at the CRTC, Lynn was a policy analyst at the Department of Canadian Heritage. Lynn holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film Studies from Carleton University.
Pavithra Raja, Member at Large
Pavithra is a seasoned software professional with an Engineering background, having more than a decade of experience working in Senior Engineering roles across varied industries. She recently completed her Master’s in Business Administration at Sprott School of Business. She is serving the community by volunteering in Educational institutions and NPOs. She holds the position of Assistant General Manager at SSCG, a student-led consultancy which focusses on catering experiential learning. ALSO’s mission to provide literacy programs for needy adult learners gravitated her interest to join this board. Her expertise in STEM helps the organization head towards the enhancement of digital platforms for diverse learners.
Joyce Chamas, Member at Large
Born and raised in Dubai, UAE, to Lebanese parents, Joyce first moved to Canada as an international student to obtain her Bachelor of Science Honours degree. She immigrated to Ottawa in 2009 and since then has been an active volunteer with JA Canada, The Learning Partnership, Youville Centre, OCISO (Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization), and many more. Joyce is passionate about education and increasing accessibility to education. She is honoured to join ALSO as a board member to support its unique work in the community. Joyce works as a Regional Consultant in the Financial Sector, loves learning languages and enjoys board games, reading, and swimming.
Michelle Segger, Member at Large
Michelle has lived in the Ottawa area since 2004. She speaks English and French fluently and is eager to use ALSO material to learn some ASL fundamentals. Michelle is a federal public servant with experience in administration, human resources, and several policy areas (government operations, corrections, and Crown corporations). She is organized, action-oriented and brings passion to the projects she takes on. Michelle is an avid reader who frequently reads more than 100 books per year so it is no surprise that she was attracted to an organization that promotes literacy.
