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 founded CASA in 2016 and leads the development of innovative, responsive and impactful initiatives at the organization. Sarah’s former roles include Executive Director of Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS), 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 services and supports for young people has been recognized with an OJEN Chief Justices’ Award, 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.

Esther Lexchin (she/her)

Lawyer

Esther is CASA’s staff lawyer. In this role, she provides legal services to clients, including summary advice and representation. She also collaborates with other CASA staff and partners to develop legal information resources, advance law reform initiatives, and build capacity among immigration lawyers and the larger legal community on issues that affect young migrants. Esther has degrees from McGill University and the University of Toronto. She was called to the bar in Ontario in 2015. Prior to working at CASA, she was a lawyer in private practice in Toronto, focusing on refugee and humanitarian migration issues; she also worked in the Resettlement Unit of the UNHCR Regional Office for West Africa in Dakar, Senegal. As a facilitator with Everyday Friends, Esther was awarded Community Living Ontario’s “Changemaker Award” in 2023. Outside of work, Esther enjoys soccer, riding her bike, and soft pretzels.

Olivia Dyer (she/her)

Education & Outreach Manager

Olivia is CASA’s Education & Outreach Manager. She leads CASA’s educational programming, resource development, and community engagement initiatives for young people and for people working with young people. Her work supports young people to access the tools, information, and services needed to navigate complex systems with confidence, and raises awareness about young people and immigration precarity. Olivia holds an Honours BA in Interdisciplinary Social Science and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Social and Political Thought from York University. As a first-generation university graduate, she understands the challenges of navigating institutions that were not designed with equity at their center. Her work is grounded in a commitment to accessibility, community-informed practice, and expanding opportunities for marginalized youth.

Letitia Ngaju (she/her)

Navigator

Letitia is CASA’s Navigator. She supports young people with precarious immigration status as they work toward regularizing their status, using a trauma- and rights-based approach grounded in empowerment, and informed choice. In her role, Letitia walks alongside young people as they navigate complex immigration systems, helping them understand their options, access critical resources, and advocate for themselves with confidence. Letitia holds a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University, Kampala Uganda and recently earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Humber College. Her legal background and training in dispute resolution strengthen her ability to provide thoughtful, compassionate, and solutions-focused support to the communities she serves. Letitia’s work is rooted in a deep commitment to equity, access to justice, and centering the lived experiences of young people. She believes in the power of informed advocacy and community care to create pathways toward stability and opportunity. Outside of her professional work, Letitia enjoys listening to music and discovering great brunch spots across the city. 

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.