JENNIFER COURT

Executive Director
Jennifer Court is the Executive Director of Asset Management Ontario, where she aims to foster a center of excellence and innovation for public sector asset management in the Province of Ontario, with a particular focus on climate resilience. Jennifer has over 15 years’ experience in the environmental sector, working across Canada on a range of issues, including waste and the circular economy, environmental health, and energy efficiency, with a particular focus on green infrastructure. Jennifer’s interdisciplinary background, rooted in design thinking and strategic creativity, paired with her passion for environmental sustainability drive her work.

MAYURI BHARKHADA

Asset Management Advisor

Mayuri is an Advisor in Corporate Asset Management at the Region of Peel responsible for the execution and roll out of the asset management strategy across all tax-based infrastructure. Mayuri is a Certified Finance Professional and holds a diploma with distinction in Asset Management through Institute of Asset Management. Mayuri’s finance and asset management background has earned her the position of Manager of Accounting for AMONTario.

SAM SIDAWI, P.ENG

Chair

Sam is a graduate of the civil engineering program from the University of Waterloo. He is the Head of Enterprise Asset Management at Toronto Transit Commission. Sam has extensive experience in both the municipal sector as well as the field of asset management. Previously he has held several senior management roles in the consulting field as well as in municipal government. In his capacity as a senior administrator he has gained an extensive background in asset management, project delivery, climate change adaptation, financial planning, policy development, budget preparation and strategic planning. He has led and implemented tactical projects as well as comprehensive asset management initiatives. Sam has participated on several committees including OMBI, Ontario Public Works Association and the National Research Council. Currently he is a member of the ISO 55000 mirror committee and was on the expert panel that assisted the Province in the development of the regulations for Bill 6. He is the Chair of Asset Management Ontario, past chair of OSCI and past President of the Ontario Public Works Association.

LEANNE BRANNIGAN

Past-Chair

Leanne is the founding Chair of Asset Management Ontario, an appointed member of the FCM Municipal Asset Management Program Technical Working Group and was awarded MFOA’s 2017 Leadership Award. At the Region of Peel, Leanne led a team to develop an operational prototype of the Risk Based Optimized Decision Making model.

MARGARET KARPENKO

Margaret Karpenko, CPA is the Chief Financial Officer / Treasurer for the City of North Bay. She has 22 years of municipal experience, including 13 years at the City of North Bay. Margaret is a leader in change management, strategic planning and management systems to ensure compliance and efficiency while ensuring organizational objectives are achieved.

She has over 10 years of senior management experience in spearheading the integration of effective financial management, corporate governance, and business operation practices. Margaret is the Senior Leadership champion for Asset Management at the City of North Bay, is a Board Member of Asset Management Ontario (AMONTario), and has briefed the provincial government on asset management policy and program funding design.

SHAWN BOAST

Treasurer

Shawn Boast is the Manager of Asset Management at the Town of Oakville. Shawn has been working for 8 years within the Asset Management Area. He is leading the Town’s efforts to build an effective, enterprise-wide Asset Management culture. The Town is focused on implementing an asset management leadership strategy that develops passionate asset management practitioners who exemplify leading practices in their work. Shawn has a varied background from recreation facility management for City of Toronto to implementing activity based costing solutions within the private sector.

KHALED SHAHATA

Khaled Shahata is Manager of Corporate Asset Management at the City of London, Ontario. He has over 15 years of academic, consulting and municipal experience in the area of infrastructure asset management. Dr. Shahata has steered the initiative to develop an effective corporate asset management program at the City of London since its launch in April, 2011. His experience includes infrastructure strategy development, asset valuation, and the application of lifecycle cost analysis and risk-based planning and decision making techniques to extend asset life and enhance service delivery.

DARYUSH ESMAILI

Daryush has spent over the last decade helping organizations enhance value, optimize efficiency, reduce risk, and deliver results. As the Associate Vice President and Chief Facilities and Sustainability Officer at Sheridan College, he is responsible for providing strategic leadership of Sheridan’s campuses and physical assets, taking forward-thinking approach to campus planning, real estate, capital planning, asset management, space planning, design and construction, operations and maintenance, and sustainability.

Prior to joining Sheridan, Daryush held progressive roles in municipal organizations; leading departments responsible for enterprise asset management, design and construction, project management offices, and investment planning. In his capacity as a consultant, Daryush led a variety of engineering and asset management projects across Canada. With an MBA specializing in Strategy and Operations Management, a M.A.Sc in Civil Engineering, and certifications in sustainability, engineering, project management and asset management, Daryush uses interdisciplinary approaches to create sustainable and inspiring environments for living, learning, working, collaborating and innovating.

Daryush is also a part-time professor and a passionate contributor to his field. He regularly speaks at events and volunteers for organizations such as the Institute of Asset Management, ISO Technical Committee 251 for Asset Management, the Ontario College Facilities Management Association, the Institution of Civil Engineers, and has recently joined the Board of AM Ontario.

DONNA SERRATI

Donna is an Environmental Engineer by training and currently the Director of Program Governance and Controls with the Rapid Transit Operations division at Metrolinx. Donna is a dynamic leader with over 25 years of diverse experience in public sector capital program planning, delivery and asset management across a diverse portfolio of infrastructure assets . Donna spent 20 years at the Region of Waterloo where she most recently led the enterprise Asset Management team. Donna’s experience ranges from strategic master planning to project delivery, project controls, risk management and climate change adaptation planning. Donna is passionate about driving and enabling change, innovation and sustainability.

DAN WILSON

Dan is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Township of Centre Wellington.

He has extensive experience in the areas of municipal government and public administration with a focus on governance, policy development, organizational structure, municipal finance, budgeting, and asset management planning.

In a prior consulting role, Dan assisted many municipalities with the preparation of Asset Management Policies, Strategies, and Plans.  He specialized in preparing Financial Strategies, including lifecycle funding, analysis of funding sources (taxation, user fees, debt, reserves, grants, etc.), the calculation of funding gaps, and defining levels of service requirements.  In his roles at Centre Wellington (Managing Director of Corporate Services & Treasurer and now CAO), he has refined tools and approaches to Council and public communication and developed strategies to assess asset management progress while promoting continuous improvement.

Dan has undertaken many lectures on behalf of numerous organizations including the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and the Municipal Finance Officers Association of Ontario (MFOA).  In 2022, Dan was awarded the Municipal Finance Excellence Award from MFOA.  Dan is a Chartered Professional Accountant and has a certification in Asset Management Planning.