Our Team

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Tara Galitz

Tara Galitz

Executive Director

With more than a decade of leadership in the community health sector, Tara Galitz brings a deep commitment to health equity, system integration, and strategic transformation. Her experience includes senior roles such as Lead for Policy and Stakeholder Relations at the Alliance for Healthier Communities, Director of Primary Care at the Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara, and Senior Director of Clinical Health Services at Lamp Community Health Centre.

Tara is deeply familiar with the Niagara region and played a key role in the early development of the NOHT-ÉSON, contributing to the submission that secured its approval. Her return to the region reflects her dedication to advancing a more connected and equitable health and social care system.

Guided by the belief that “there cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution,” Tara applies an intentional health equity lens to her work and is focused on demonstrating that Niagara’s health system can function in a coordinated, high-performing way.

Laura Walsh

Laura Walsh

Project Manager, Mental Health and Addictions

Laura brings 15 years of health care experience to the NOHT-ÉSON, with a primary focus on mental health and substance use health.

She began her career in Niagara as a Community Mental Health Nurse and has spent the past decade working at the system level with the Ontario Telemedicine Network, Local Health Integration Network, and Ontario Health West. Most recently, Laura worked with McMaster Children’s Hospital’s Child and Youth Mental Health Program to develop a new strategy responding to the evolving needs of children, youth, and families.

Laura is passionate about improving public services for both the people who use them and the people who deliver them. She lives in Niagara with her husband and children and is excited to contribute to strengthening our community.

Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University and a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University.

Sarah Pedder

Sarah Pedder

Project Manager, Population Health

Sarah works with purpose — a strategic thinker blending compassion, data, and drive to elevate community well-being. She brings over a decade of experience across health, social services, and project management to her role as Project Manager for Population Health.

Sarah holds both a Bachelor of Public Health and a Master of Public Health from Brock University. She also completed the Geriatric Certificate Program with McMaster Health Sciences. Her career has included project management positions with the Ontario Public Health Association and Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region. In addition to roles within the region at the Distress Centre Niagara, Brock University, and most recently Birchway Niagara. She has supported clients in diverse settings — from community programs and shelters to in-patient facilities, hospitals, and hospices.

With expertise in project and change management, consensus decision-making, and co-design, Sarah excels at leading complex initiatives that eliminate barriers to equitable, inclusive, and culturally safe care. She is experienced in analyzing health data, making data-driven decisions, and synthesizing information into high-quality deliverables. Her work emphasizes value-based care, innovative pilot projects, and engagement strategies that amplify the voices of priority populations.

Guided by a strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and anti-oppression, Sarah is passionate about fostering a collaborative culture and building systems that improve outcomes, address inequities, and create real-world impact. She thinks like a planner, acts like a partner, and leads like every decision matters — because to her, it does.

Ibolya Csiszar

Ibolya Csiszar

Executive Assistant

During her fifteen years in the health care sector, Ibolya has held administrative positions in finance, interpretation, and translation, and the last seven years in ethics at Trillium Health Partners. These roles necessitate a range of knowledge and skills: frontline service, maintaining working relationships with various organizations, community agencies, and hospitals, business executive coordination, financial acumen, coordination of engagement forums, monitoring the progress of multiple projects, and year-end reporting.

Ibolya holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Guelph, a Business Management Diploma from Humber College, and is a Ministry of the Attorney General Certified Hungarian Language Interpreter.

She is motivated to harness her skills while offering meaningful contributions. Ibolya is equally proud to be able to serve her community and help make essential connections as part of the Niagara Ontario Health Team-Équipe Santé Ontario Niagara.

Ron Laroche

Ron Laroche

Manager, Communications and Engagement

Ron has worked in communications for more than 15 years in various capacities, ranging from a broadcast journalist in the Niagara and Chatham-Kent regions to the Director of Communications and Fund Development for Community Living Ontario (CLO).

In addition to CLO, Ron was part of the leadership team of Community Living Grimsby, Lincoln and West Lincoln as the organization’s Director of Operations and Interim Executive Director. During that time, he oversaw the organization’s adult residential programs and the Quality Assurance and Maintenance departments. Some of Ron’s most rewarding career highlights have been assisting people with different abilities to engage with their community and the community with them.

Ron is also experienced in marketing, project management, and video production.

As the Manager of Communications and Engagement for the Niagara Ontario Health Team-Équipe Santé Ontario Niagara, Ron oversees the organization’s communications and engagement strategies with the goal of enhancing health and social care outcomes for the region’s residents.

Land Acknowledgment

We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabeg. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties, is within the lands protected by the “Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement and is directly adjacent to the Haldimand Treaty territory.

Today, this land continues to be the home of many Indigenous Peoples. Acknowledging ensures we reflect on our past and what changes can be made going forward to further the reconciliation process, and it reminds us that the great standard of living that we enjoy in Niagara is directly related to the resources and friendships of the Indigenous Peoples who make up this community.

Wampum Belt

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