OSSCO Board of Directors
Rick Honeyford – Chair
Rick Honeyford first entered financial services in 2001 as a life insurance agent with Clarica. Rick transferred to Sunlife Financial a few years later when they acquired Clarica. After reconnecting with Andrew Zwolinski, he left Sunlife to join Toronto Mutual Group. That firm had great working relationships and access to the best life insurance companies. While there, Rick earned his Certified Financial Planner credential and began offering comprehensive financial planning services. Soon, he realized that while home ownership is integral to many people’s financial futures, mortgage planning and debt management were areas that were often overlooked. Rick expanded his expertise into mortgages. In 2015, he joined Mega Mortgages. Rick left that company in 2019 for an opportunity to start his own branch office with Centum Financial Services.
Rick’s commitment to improving the lives of seniors is deeply rooted in both personal and professional experiences. As a certified financial planner with 23 years of experience in the financial services industry, he has witnessed firsthand the unique financial challenges faced by seniors. Given the increasing sophistication of fraud, including those involving AI and deepfake technology, Rick is dedicated to addressing the rising concerns of financial elder abuse.
Having experienced a personal weight-loss journey in which he lost 185 pounds, Rick is passionate about promoting the physical and mental well-being of seniors, which aligns with OSSCO’s mission to empower older adults to remain independent. Honeyford is an active volunteer as the Balmy Beach Club Rugby team manager, responsible for administration, game sheets, equipment, and more. For two consecutive years, he won the annual section award for outstanding volunteer contributions.
Juliette Bideshi – Vice-Chair
Juliette’s background closely aligns with OSSCO’s vision of strong, accountable leadership that sustains high-quality programs and services for older adults and communities. Her work has included program governance and Board/committee support, strategic planning, performance monitoring, process improvement, budgeting and variance analysis, and risk management—experience that strengthens OSSCO’s ability to plan responsibly and deliver impact at scale.
In addition to her professional expertise, Juliette has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to community service, including involvement with organizations such as the Red Cross, Girl Guides of Canada, and T&T 50Plus & Seniors Association.
Juliette consistently supports OSSCO events, contributing her time, and bringing a practical, hands-on approach that helps strengthen OSSCO’s influence within the senior’s sector and brings new community connections.
Kenneth Schafer – Treasurer to the Board
Kenneth was born in downtown Toronto in 1950, where he lived until early 1963, when he moved with his family to Bathurst Manor and attended Dufferin Heights Junior High School and William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, graduating in 1969. Kenneth attended the University of Toronto and the University of Detroit to complete his post-graduate education in dentistry and returned to the Toronto area in 1984. He has lived in Toronto and worked in York Region ever since his return.
Throughout Kenneth’s professional career, he has always been invested in volunteer activities. Kenneth was on the executive of the York Region Dental Society for 15 years and held the positions of Newsletter Chairperson and Chairperson of the Dental Health Month Committee. He was on the executive of the Ontario Society of Endodontists for 5 years as a line officer, eventually holding all Executive Board positions. Since retiring, Kenneth has served on the Executive of the Branson Community Action Group and has been secretary of the York Centre Electoral District Association for 2 years, where he gained expertise in governance issues, senior issues, and organizing and mounting public campaigns.
Valerie Smith-Waines – Past Chair
Valerie Smith-Waines association with the Ontario Society of Senior Citizens’ Organizations (OSSCO) began as a Seniors Advisory Committee volunteer for 2 New Horizons for Seniors Grant projects. The first project in which she was involved was Best Practices: Dealing with Loneliness and Social Isolation, which resulted in a provincial conference. This was followed by Valerie’s involvement in the Step Up to Elder Abuse project. This project resulted in 7 learning modules, online videos, an informational brochure, and a 1-hour workshop.
Valerie has been an advocate for seniors for many years in the London area. She has been Chair of the Council for London Seniors; an Advisory Board member for The Horton Street Seniors Club, with 1,400+ members; and a Board member for the Boys and Girls Club. She was also on the Advisory Committee for the Ontario provincial Seniors’ Games and a committee member of Elder Abuse Network London-Middlesex. Valerie volunteered for many years with the Canadian Cancer Society Daffodil Campaign. She is also involved in pet rescue.
Upon joining the OSSCO Board, Valerie took on several leadership roles, serving as Secretary to the Board, then becoming Vice-Chair, and later serving as Chair of the Board. Valerie is also a member of the Seniors’ Liaison Advisory Committee, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.
Jonathan Di Feo – Board Member
Jonathan Di Feo has handled tax issues for start-ups, small businesses, and publicly traded companies in the banking, entertainment, service, retail, transportation, medical, construction, resources, and logistics industries. Jonathan holds a Licentiate in Civil Law (LL.L.) from the University of Ottawa and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Université de Sherbrooke. He has worked on matters before all levels of court in Ontario and has handled cases before the Tax Court of Canada.
Jonathan Di Feo currently works at Di Feo Law as the Principal Lawyer. Prior to founding the firm, Jonathan worked at a major Canadian bank, where he focused on anti-terrorism, securities, e-commerce, and estates matters. As in-house counsel for an international publicly traded company, he negotiated and drafted multimillion-dollar contracts and worked on cases before the Court of Appeal, the High Court in England, and the Florida Supreme Court. In private practice, he has successfully advised his clients on a variety of tax issues with provincial and federal tax authorities.
Selena Pollard – Board Member
Selena Pollard has been passionate about the development of youth and disenfranchised women for the past 20 years. Her volunteer history includes working with the King Bay Chaplaincy, in underserved neighbourhoods on homework programs, as well as volunteering at the Redwood Shelter—a home for women and children fleeing abuse.
Selena has served as Second Vice President on the Board of Donald Moore Canada, an organization that seeks to build and foster an understanding of the challenges facing the diaspora and wider community, with a goal of addressing those challenges through multi-level educational programs. Her passion is deeply rooted in helping to socially elevate people of colour, combat anti-bullying, and address concerns surrounding women’s abuse.
Recently, Selena conceptualized Thryve & Shine, a free, in-person monthly speaker series for 55+ lifestyle planning. This initiative is aimed at supporting and educating older adults and their families to enhance the golden chapter of their lives.
In her professional life, Selena has been an award-winning real estate broker for several decades. Her innovative nature led her to open Barbados’ first nail salon, a place she lovingly refers to as “her island in the sun.” Selena also worked as an educator and trainer, helping develop what would become some of the most successful nail technicians on the island to date. Having run 2 successful businesses, Selena is well known for her entrepreneurial spirit and her “get things done” attitude.
Shaukat Rizvi – Board Member
Shaukat is a retired international senior executive with more than 30 years of experience leading Fortune 500 multinational organizations such as Philips (Holland) and Panasonic (Japan) in the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Europe, and North America. He is known in the industry as a turnaround expert and has been instrumental in driving record profitability across multiple business units. He has also worked as an advisor to the Government of Pakistan for the Alternative Energy Board.
Shaukat has always been involved in community-based initiatives such as the Lions Club, Professional Education Foundation, Professional Forums UAE, and the YMCA, where he most recently served as a volunteer board member. After retirement, he focused more on being a dedicated advocate for seniors, dedicating his time to seniors’ welfare, uplifting the quality of their lives, and making a positive impact. His drive to give back led him to establish Senior Forum Canada in 2016, a social organization with the objective of bringing visibility to the needs of seniors across diverse ethnic backgrounds. He has established regular activities such as educational seminars and fitness programs for seniors to promote active and healthy aging and reduce social isolation.
Shaukat has a Master’s in Electronics Engineering (Netherlands), a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering (Pakistan), and various management courses from different countries.
Board Leadership Council and Leadership Council Committees 2026-2027
The Board established a Leadership Council to replace its standing committees. Leadership Council members are recruited as required to help the Board implement its vision and mission. Leadership Council and/or Leadership Council Committee members are volunteers who provide insight and guidance to the Board of Directors in forming and maintaining strategic partnerships and relationships with other organizations, as well as identifying trends in the seniors’ community. Leadership Council provides input on the issues affecting seniors and serves as a resource to help the Board broaden its perspective on what older adults need.
If you are interested in becoming an OSSCO Leadership Council member, please reach out to Executive Director, Elizabeth Macnab. All inquiries will be forwarded to the Board of Directors for consideration.
OSSCO BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE 2026
All OSSCO Board meetings are generally held remotely on a Thursday. If you would like to attend a board meeting in person, please contact Elizabeth Macnab, Executive Director, to make arrangements.
DATE | TIME |
March 12, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Virtual on Zoom and Teleconference |
May 14, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Virtual on Zoom and Teleconference |
July 9, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Virtual on Zoom and Teleconference |
September 10, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Virtual on Zoom and Teleconference |
September 17, 2026 | Annual General Meeting – 1:30 – 3:00 pm at the Jamaican Canadian Centre |
November 12, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Virtual on Zoom and Teleconference |
Please note: Board meetings take place by Zoom and/or teleconference unless otherwise identified. The Annual General Meeting will be held on September 17, 2026.