Our Team

Sarah Pole (she/her)

Executive Director

Sarah has extensive experience in youth justice education, supporting young people facing personal and systemic barriers to education success, and increasing legal sector diversity. She started CASA in 2016 and leads the development of innovation, responsive and impactful initiatives at the organization. Sarah’s former roles include Executive Director of Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS), Acting Director of Education at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), and Director of Provincial Programs at the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN). Sarah’s commitment to ensuring education access and success for young people has been recognized with a Law Foundation of Ontario Community Leadership in Justice Fellowship and a Toronto Foundation Vital People Award. Prior to moving to Canada in 2002, Sarah practiced family, employment and immigration law in New Zealand.

Dennique Lavia (she/her)

Office & Projects Coordinator

Dennique joined CASA in 2023 and is responsible for coordinating special projects, facilitating client participation in research, and providing administrative support to CASA operations. Dennique has an Hon BA in Law & Society from York University. She also has lived experience of precarious immigration status and understands both the challenges facing undocumented youth in Canada and the resources and services that help them succeed.

Gnanu Krishnapillai (he/him)

Education and Outreach Manager

Gnanu joined CASA in 2023 after working in community programming for children and youth. Gnanu holds an HBSc in Health Studies from the University of Toronto. As Education and Outreach Manager, he designs and delivers educational workshops and resources for young people, educators, and service providers, in order to connect CASA services with young people in need and raise awareness about immigration precarity.

Meredith Brown (she/her)

Meredith Brown is a Canadian justice sector leader with over 25 years of experience working locally, nationally and globally. She is a principal at CALIBRATE, a systems-change consultancy that works collaboratively with clients across the globe. She specializes in governance, justice system functionality, gender equality, human rights, and access to justice.

Monica Carreon Diez (she/her)

Monica Carreon Diez is a licensed paralegal who has dedicated her academic and professional life to advancing justice, equity, and inclusion for equity-seeking groups and Indigenous people. She has held research, front-line, policy advisor, and leadership positions in the non-profit, academic, and government sectors, including with the Ontario Public Service, the Toronto Transit Commission, the Refugee Law Office , Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS), and the Hispanic Development Council.

Be McCarthy (they/them)

Be McCarthy is a management consulting executive with 15 years experience with McKinsey & Company and other leading organizations at the nexus of public, private and social sectors. They have advised social impact organizations on topics relating to strategy, implementation, innovation and human capital.

Cheryl Milne (she/her)

Cheryl Milne is the Executive Director of the Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Previously, she was a legal advocate at Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY). She is on the executive of the Child and Youth Law Section of the CBA and serves on the Steering Committee of the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL). Cheryl was awarded the Ontario Law Society Medal in 2019.

Allison P. Williams (she/her)

Allison P. Williams is a lawyer at Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) where she provides summary advice, referrals, and direct representation to children and young people with complex and intersecting legal issues. Allison is also engaged with the clinic’s test case litigation, law reform activities, and public legal education. She is the President of the Queen’s University Alumni Association.