Meet Our Bloggers

Karin Lewis

Karin is the Blog Editor and a contributing writer. With almost 20 years experience working in employment in Canada and internationally, she presently balances the roles of Employment Counsellor, Consultant to Toronto’s Jewish Family and Child, as well as Communications and Marketing (Social Media) Specialist at JVS. She also wrote for The Examiner about labour market trends and job search, and has been featured on CTV National News. Karin describes herself as having an interest in All Things Social, including (social) work, (social) justice, (social) policy and (social) media. Her passions include art and photography (maintaining Reflections, her personal photoblog), as well trying to figure out how to do all this, while still having a life and family.

Tessa-Marie Shillingford

Tessa-Marie writes from her perspective as the Program Facilitator of JVS Toronto’s Financial Literacy program and author of Controlling the Debt Monster: a Guide for Managing Your Money. She is a Personal Financial Planner, with a designation from the Institute of Canadian Bankers, and a Financial Counsellor certified by the Institute of Canadian Bankers. Tessa-Marie was employed by TD Canada Trust for twenty years in the retail section of the bank. During her tenure at TD Canada Trust she held various positions interacting with customers of the bank. As a Financial Advisor and Manager of Financial Services she led a group of Financial Advisers in helping customers of TD Canada Trust successfully manage their finances.

Janelle Watkins

Janelle has a lifelong passion for writing and education. She has worked as a corporate communications liaison, newspaper writer and public relations specialist. These experiences have seen her working alongside prominent leaders from the fashion, culinary, art and media worlds. She has worked at JVS Toronto since 2009 and worn many hats while on the job to assist clients and the organization. She is also the Chair and Editorial Director of The Scene In TO, a Toronto cultural website. Highly articulate and well versed, she is an excellent communicator who has partnered in researching, writing, and editing promotional materials to market events and programs. She is also a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. On everyday life she sums up, “Live life in your own style, be true to yourself – be distinct.”

Kate Parkinson

Kate is an Employment Consultant with the JVS Employment Source, Toronto Central. Her past positions with JVS included WISE (Women in Successful Employment), the JVS Women’s Shelter and Homelessness Partnership Initiativesprograms. Kate is passionate about helping others through transitions in their lives and in working collaboratively with clients in order to achieve their career goals and dreams. She is also a freelance graphic designer and illustrator and loves traveling and cycling. Kate’s website is Cartoonkate.

Jackie Gilhooley

Jackie has been with JVS for 5 years, and currently works as a Workforce Specialist with JVS Employment Source. Her previous experience includes a long career in banking, a somewhat shorter career in Recruitment, and a rather extensive amateur career in (personal) job search. Jackie believes fervently in the goal of Not Hating Monday, and this guides her work with her clients. She focuses on creative job search and works with clients to target employment that will fulfil them on more than one level. (All a survival job will do is take up your whole day!). Jackie likes to use guerrilla and “stealth” marketing techniques, which is perhaps why we still haven’t managed to get a proper image for her cartoon.

Chris Blake

Chris has worn many hats in his 15+ year career including Recruiter, Workshop Facilitator, LinkedIn/Scott’s Directory Guru, Sanitation Engineer (garbage man) and Italian Cuisine Supplier (pizza guy). For the last 4 years he has been a Job Developer at JVS in the Project Job Search and HPI (Homelessness Partnership Initiative) programs. Chris assists program participants in researching potential occupations and connecting them with employers in their selected industries. He recently received his CMF designation proving you can teach an old dog new tricks. His favourite hat is his lucky fishing hat that he was wearing when he caught his first muskie (48 inches!!). Chris is a highly accomplished Job Developer, who loves fishing for new LinkedIn employer contacts, updated LinkedIn secrets and job leads that secure employment for job seekers. He is also a passionate Leafs Fan (jokes aside) and hopes that in his lifetime there will be a Stanley Cup parade in Toronto. Go Leafs Go!

Joanna Samuels

Joanna is the team lead of Employer Services and Job Developers at JVS Toronto as well as a part-time facilitator of JVS-George Brown College’s bridging training program for Certified Job Developers. Over the past six years, she has been providing customized employment support services and training to unemployed and underemployed clients from diverse backgrounds including people with disabilities and barriers. She also helps employers with recruitment, selection, diversity and corporate social responsibility. Joanna is a certified Lifeskills Coach and certified Career Management Fellow practitioner. She is currently pursuing a Master in Education in Leadership and Administration and has published articles in VRA’s Rehab Matters (a peer reviewed journal), as well as having her own blog.