Student Census Technical Advisory Group (TAG)

Dr. Alana Butler is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University. In 2015, she graduated with a Ph.D. in Education from Cornell University. She joined Queen’s University in 2017 and currently teaches in the Bachelor of Education program as well as the Graduate Studies program. Her research interests include the academic achievement of low-socio economic students, race and schooling, equity and inclusion, and multicultural education. From 2020-2023, she served as the EDI Coordinator for the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University. Dr. Butler is also a former co-Chair of UCARE (The University Council on Anti-Racism and Equity).

She is currently Principal Investigator on a 2025 Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) about Black student post-secondary access. She was Principal Investigator on a 2019 Insight Development Grant from SSHRC for a study on post-secondary access for low-income youth. She is co-investigator on a number of projects funded by SSHRC including a 2022 Partnership Grant on Sub-Saharan African immigrants, a 2021 Partnership Engage Grant on the academic outcomes and well-being of foster children, and a 2021 Partnership Engage Grant on anti-oppressive, anti-racist pedagogy for secondary schools. Her scholarly work has been published in The British Journal of Sociology of Education, Canadian Journal of Education, Gender and Education, and Canadian Ethnic Studies.

Alison McDonnell is a Superintendent of Curriculum and Program Services. Her portfolios include Early Years and Equity & Inclusion, which includes the Student Census project.

Andrea Barrow is Limestone’s Equity and Inclusion Consultant for grades 7 to 12. Andrea provides instructional and coaching support in classrooms in response to issues related to human rights, equity, and inclusion. She collaborates with elementary and secondary staff and schools to support capacity building through professional learning, coordinating, and facilitating student and/or staff events. Her role is to build educator awareness and promote positive learning environments that support equity and inclusion and that are culturally responsive and relevant for students.

Carlos Merchant is a Limestone parent, DJ, and entrepreneur from Newburgh, ON. He is excited to achieve a safe, equitable and diverse environment for the community.

Clarissa de Leon is an accomplished educator with over a decade of experience spanning elementary and post-secondary teaching, as well as educational development. Her expertise lies in fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism within educational spaces. As a member of the leadership team at Roots and Wings, a Kingston-based organization, Clarissa contributes to social justice programming designed for girls, trans, and gender non-conforming youth of colour aged 8 to 14. Additionally, she has collaborated with the Limestone District School Board (LDSB) to deliver professional development on anti-racist teaching practices for elementary educators through workshops and an online module.  Clarissa is currently pursuing a PhD in Education at Queen’s University’s. Her research focuses on effectively supporting BIPoC graduate students in their journeys to becoming anti-racist educators.

Ellyn Clost-Lambert (Co-Chair) is a Research Analyst with Limestone supporting both K-12 Curriculum and Educational Services. She is passionate about using data to move people to action and affect social change. Her research and evaluation experience includes visual histories, reconciliation and decolonization, human rights and equity, mental health and wellness, and Canadian and global political and social economy. Ellyn currently serves as a community representative on the Queen’s University General Research Ethics Board. She is a parent of a Limestone student, who took this picture.

Ethan Hodges has been working in education since 2018 in various capacities. Ethan has worked in English Language Learning and youth athlete programs in Southern Ontario. In Limestone District School Board, Ethan has worked with a Summer Literacy program and as an occasional teacher. During his time with the Limestone, Ethan completed his Master's of Education at Queen's University that explored pre-service science teachers' attitudes toward implementing equity, diversity, and inclusion in science education. Recently, Ethan has been hired as a biology teacher where he is working to implement the framework of his thesis, culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy, in his classes, on school teams and clubs he is involved in.

Elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, Garrett Elliott is a School Board Trustee representing Trillium and Lakeside districts. His wife was an elementary teacher in the board and is now the first Vice President of ETFO Limestone Local, and their two children attend a secondary school within the board as well. As a Trustee, Garrett is a member of the Audit Committee, Awards Committee, Expulsion Hearing Committee/Disciplinary Hearing Committee, and the Technical Advisory Group (observer).

Jessi Lalonde is a Special Education Coordinator with the Limestone District School Board. She is passionate about finding creative ways to support the needs of all learners. Jessi would love to chat about Executive Functions, Universal Design for Learning, assistive technology, personalized and precise IEPs, and student advocacy.

Jessica Abraham is an elementary educator in the Limestone District School Board. She has worked in education internationally and has more than ten years of experience teaching in Ontario. She has her specialist qualifications in Special Education and in Teacher Leadership. Jess is a member of the Black, Indigenous, and Racialized staff affinity network led by the Board's Equity Team.

Dr. Kristin Fossum is a Clinical Psychologist with LDSB’s Educational Services.

Laura Gillam (Co-Chair) has been a Research Analyst with Limestone for 15 years and has over 18 years of experience working within various local community organizations.  Laura is passionate about building organizational capacity through collaborative and community participatory approaches to change and implementing meaningful organizational goals. Laura holds a Professional Master of Education with a concentration in Indigenous Education.

Liv Rondeau is a Kanyen’kehá:ka educator and artist with family ties to Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, currently living in Kingston. She holds a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Education, a Certificate in Mohawk Language and Culture, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University. Liv also serves as the Vice-Principal of Indigenous Education at the Limestone District School Board. Through both her artistic and academic work, she is dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and passing on Kanyen’kehá:ka culture for future generations.

Megan Carter holds an MSc in Epidemiology and a PhD in Population Health, with over 10 years of experience as a research associate at KFL&A Public Health (now South East Health Unit). Her expertise lies in epidemiological and evaluative methods, population health, and health equity principles. She has collaborated with diverse public health teams, community organizations, and municipal partners to enhance program planning and impact, and population health assessment and surveillance. Her research interest is on how policies and place-based interventions can improve population health. She brings extensive knowledge in research design, data collection, statistical analysis, implementation science, and performance and health equity measurement, alongside deep understanding of local health data, the Ontario public health system, and public health interventions. Megan has two Francophone children who force her to improve her French language skills every day.

Mohamed Yusuf is a Ph.D. student at the Queen’s Faculty of Education, where he acts as a graduate teaching fellow, research assistant, teaching assistant, as well as a graduate representative in both the faculty’s Appointments Committee and the EDID Committee. Mohamed is a First-Generation, Muslim, Somali scholar, born in Toronto, Ontario, and raised in Peterborough, Ontario. He has a background in humanities, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Trent University, and following up with three subsequent degrees in Education at Queen’s University. Staring with a Bachelor of Education in 2019, Mohamed graduated under the Primary/Junior teaching cohort and was able to join Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board in 2020, until he moved back to Kingston in 2021 where he joined the Limestone District School Board as occasional teacher. In 2021, he continued his graduate education journey, returning to the Queen’s Faculty of Education as a master’s student. During this time, he took part in varsity athletics, as both an athlete with the varsity men’s rugby teams at Trent and Queen’s, and as a coach with the Queen’s Women’s varsity rugby teams. In 2023, he successfully defended his master’s thesis which was titled: “Investigating Supports and Barriers Affecting Black Students’ Enrolment and Experiences within Graduate Studies”. His current doctoral research interest focuses on the retention of Black Men in graduate level degrees through avenues of mentorship.  

Tristan Lewis

Rae McDonald is the Elementary Equity and Inclusion Consultant and attends TAG as an observer.

Yusuf Abdulkareem, is Limestone’s first Human Rights Officer. He joined the board in November 2022.