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.
Rhonda Cook, Vice Chair
Rhonda 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.
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.Pauline Grant, Secretary
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.
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.
Jenny Chung Mejia
Jenny is a former public interest lawyer turned charity and philanthropic consultant who has served on all sides of a charity as a staff person, interim executive director, and board member and is inspired by Centre 55’s approach to building a healthier happier community, one that is grounded in community voices and centers multigenerational programming.
After moving to East End Toronto in 2018, Jenny wanted to find a way to plug into the local community to give back to the community that welcomed her and her family. After participating in the Beaches Santa Claus Parade and Share a Christmas Program, Jenny knew there was something special about both the area and Centre 55 and is now thrilled to be part of the Board and looks forward to reaching and welcoming more community members to the Centre.
Patrick Sweeney
Patrick Sweeney is a partner at Woolgar VanWiechen Cosgriffe Ducoffe LLP, a Toronto law firm, where he practises corporate, commercial, and real estate law. He was called to the Ontario bar in 2015 after graduating from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law.
Patrick has a longstanding connection to the East York/Beaches community, where he grew up and now lives with his young family. Before joining the Board of Management of Community Centre 55, he served from 2018 to 2024 on the Board of Directors of KidSport Ontario, a not-for-profit organization that helps remove financial barriers to sport participation for children and youth.
Patrick is pleased to contribute his legal, governance, and community experience in support of Community Centre 55 and the neighbourhood it serves
Margaret Hanlon-Bell
I bring to the Centre 55 Board many years of experience working with boards, both through reporting to a board in my previous career and through serving on the boards of various national organizations.
Having volunteered with Centre 55 for over three years, I have developed a strong understanding of the Centre’s mandate, programs, and scope of work, as well as the needs of the community we serve.
I look forward to building on my contribution to Centre 55 and using my experience to support the Centre’s continued growth and success in my role on the Board.
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.