Board of Management
Laura Beaune, Chair
Laura is a family and child centred clinician, advocate and researcher with over 25 years of experience within several large paediatric health care and academic settings. She is passionate about patient engagement, qualitative inquiry, equity and inclusion which she continues to support through a range of health, community and organizational projects as a part time free-lance qualitative health researcher.
Laura is a long- time Beach resident and has strong connections with the community through her volunteerism with school councils and committees, the Out of the Cold program and as a Board member of Community Centre 55.
Laura has a master’s degree in social work and an academic degree in health care research. She enjoys travelling, playing pickleball, reading and book clubs and doing anything outdoorsy alongside her partner and their son. As the Chair of the Board of CC55, Laura is excited about the Centre’s visioning and strategic planning work and looks forward to engaging in ongoing and renewed ideas and services for the community.
Fiona Duckett, Co-Chair
Fiona is a long-time resident of the Beaches. She has volunteered with community organizations over the past 30 years. She has been involved with Centre 55 during this time, both as a board member and as a community member.
Outside of volunteering on the Board, Fiona is a coastal engineer who designs projects on waterfronts around the world, including the Toronto Beaches. She has three kids who grew up in the neighborhood. She enjoys travelling, meeting people, and feels very fortunate to be a part of the Centre 55 community.
Hillary Adams, Treasurer
Hillary Adams has been a Board Member of C55 since…and currently serves as Treasurer. She is honoured to be part of such an amazing community organization. Outside of C55 Hillary works as a lawyer, adjunct law professor, volunteer soccer manager, and is the proud mom of two school-aged children. She has lived in the Beach for 15 years and cannot imagine living anywhere else in Toronto.
Rhonda Cook, Secretary
Rhonda is the newest member of the Board of Management and brings a passion for fostering inclusive practices and community development. With a background in special education, Rhonda has extensive experience in supporting diverse learners and advocating for their rights. Beyond her professional role, she has been an active volunteer in many community programs.
Rhonda feels fortunate to have called the Beach home for nearly three decades and has had strong ties to Centre 55 for many of those years. She is looking forward to having an active role in this incredible organization.
David Brown
David Brown opened the Fearless Meat restaurant in early 2018 and quickly became involved in supporting numerous community causes and local businesses. He has held fundraisers for a number of local businesses, organizations and initiatives over the years including Variety Village and Beach Metro Community News. Along with his support of local charities and causes, Brown is also known for giving out free food items to children, veterans and their families, and those who are in need.
Originally from Kincardine on Lake Huron, Brown has been a Beach resident since the early 1980s. He has been a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) since 1988, and culinary icon Julia Child called him “The Butcher of Canada” after he cooked for her and 200 of her friends in Rhode Island. He also earned his MBA from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Finance.
Along with involving Fearless Meat in the fundraisers, Brown is also personally helping to create supportive and affordable housing units in Toronto. He has done the same in the Bruce County, where his hometown of Kincardine is located. For all his tireless efforts, David Brown was awarded the Beach Citizen of the Year in 2022.
Natalie Johnson
Natalie Johnson is a seasoned journalist with CTV News Toronto, where she has spent 18 years covering stories that shape the city and its communities. With extensive experience in media and communications, she brings valuable expertise in storytelling, marketing, and public engagement—skills she hopes to use to further Community Centre 55’s mission of fostering inclusion and connection in Toronto’s east end.
A proud Beaches–East York resident and mom of three, Natalie’s family has long participated in Centre 55 traditions such as the Beaches Santa Claus Parade, Toy Drive, and Spring Festival. She credits the Centre with helping the neighbourhood feel like “a small town within a big city.”
Natalie also serves as an advisor to the board at the Beaches Sandbox, a non-profit community hub, and is an active volunteer in local sports and recreation programs. Through her work and community involvement, she has built strong relationships across media, non-profits, and parent networks.
Passionate about youth programming and community engagement, Natalie is dedicated to helping ensure families in the east end continue to have access to meaningful opportunities to connect, participate, and thrive.
Pauline Grant
A proud resident of The Beaches for over a decade, Pauline Grant is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, connected, and sustainable community. A new member of Community Centre 55, she has long supported local recreation programs and events and is eager to contribute her experience and passion to the Centre’s continued growth and visibility.
With more than 20 years in the non-profit sector, Pauline works with ACCES Employment, helping individuals overcome barriers to employment and assisting employers in building inclusive workplaces. Her professional focus on diversity, equity, and community engagement reflects the same values that guide her personal commitment to The Beaches.
Pauline brings strong experience in partnership development, fundraising, and collaborative problem-solving. She has also contributed to initiatives such as the World of Difference fundraising campaign and various engagement committees that strengthen workplace culture.
As a parent and active community member, Pauline hopes to help shape a future where every family in The Beaches feels supported, connected, and proud to call it home.
Paul Sanderson
Since being called to the Ontario bar in 1983, Paul has been in private practice and has practiced entertainment and arts law exclusively. He is currently a sole practitioner in the firm Sanderson Entertainment Law which is located in the upper beaches district in Toronto. For more information visit the firm website at www.sandersonlaw.ca.
Paul is the author of the legal texts “Musicians and the Law in Canada” (Carswell Legal Publication), now in its fourth edition, Music Law Handbook for Canada Volume I and II (Seraphim Editions) and Artists’ Contracts: Agreements for Visual and Media Artists (CARFAC Ontario) now in its 3rd edition.
He is an instructor at Metalworks Institute of Sound and Music Production and in this position he provides education on such areas as Entertainment Agreements, Contractual and Legal Aspects of Live Show Production, and Intellectual Property.
Brad Bradford, Ex Officio
Brad Bradford is your City Councillor for Ward 19, Beaches-East York.
At City Hall, Brad serves as the Vice-Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, Chair of the Toronto Music Advisory Committee, and a member of the Toronto and East York Community Council (TEYCC), the Toronto Arts Council, the Toronto Parking Authority, the CreateTO Board, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors.
With experience as an urban planner, he has a passion for tackling our housing crisis, strengthening local neighbourhoods, and building a safer, more affordable city that’s easier to get around. His priorities are to increase affordability and access to housing, make our streets safer, and revitalize Toronto’s main streets.
Whether it’s through the regular community meetings or the bi-weekly newsletter, Brad wants to engage with all residents and work with our local leaders to support the communities that make Beaches East-York special.
Brad, his wife Kathryn, and their daughters Briar and Bronwyn are proud to call Beaches-East York home.