Ali Chahbar, Chair

Ali is a senior member of the legal community in London; Ontario having practiced law in London since 2007. He graduated with a BA (Honors) degree in Political Science from Western University in 2004 before earning his law degree from the University of Windsor in 2007. For the past two decades, Ali has worked as a lawyer with extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. In addition to having served as General Counsel for the Thames Valley District School Board, Ali worked as a litigation lawyer in private practice, regularly appearing as counsel before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Federal Court of Canada and Ontario Court of Appeal on multiple occasions.

Outside of his professional obligations, Ali has served on the board of directors of a number of community organizations, which include the Boys of Girls Club of London, London-Middlesex Crime Stoppers and currently serves as an advisor to the Lawson Foundation’s Miggsie Fund. He was appointed by the Ontario Solicitor General as a member of the London Police Service Board in 2021 and was elected as the board’s Vice-Chair in 2022 and then elected as Chair in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

In 2019, Ali was recognized as one of London’s Top 20 Under 40 by London Inc., which recognizes professionals who excel and have distinguished themselves in their respective careers. In 2023, Ali was invited by the Middlesex Law Association to give the keynote address at the 195th Opening of the Courts to an assembly of the region’s judiciary and legal community. Ali is a regular contributor and frequent guest in local media on a whole range of political, legal and community issues and has accepted invitations to attend as a guest speaker/presenting panelist at various conferences and panels across the country which include the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) Diversity Conference and Wolf Performance Hall Debate Series.

Ali has been happily married to his wife Rasha for past 16 years and is the father to three beautiful children aged 13, 10 and 6.

Joshua Workman, President & CEO

Joshua Workman is a strategic leader with a proven track record of transforming complex government mandates into tangible results.

Joshua brings extensive experience in high-stakes public sector leadership, having spearheaded key initiatives within the Ministries of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development; Infrastructure; Transportation; and, most recently, as Chief of Staff to the Solicitor General.

Known for building high-performing teams and managing intricate portfolios, Joshua combines deep roots in the province with a global perspective gained from working in over 20 countries.

Committed to the London community, Joshua serves as a volunteer with the Banting House National Historic Site of Canada and looks forward to once again calling the region home as he assumes his role as the inaugural President & CEO of WorkSafe Ontario.
 

Jeffery Lang, ICD.D

Jeff is President and CEO of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, having previously served for three years on its Board of Directors. Before stepping in to lead the organization, Jeff was a customer who ran two Ontario-based manufacturing businesses, with customers around the world.

Jeff is dedicated to his London community and has held many leadership roles in organizations, including Vice President of Ronald McDonald House Charities; President of Boys & Girls Club of London; Board Chair, Alzheimer Foundation of London; Board Member of Pathways Skills Development; and Board Member of the London Food Bank. Jeff also served for two years on the London Police Services Board.

Since Jeff has taken over the leadership of the WSIB, the organization has achieved some of its best results – more people are returning to work after an injury or illness with the best outcomes in almost a decade. The WSIB has improved customer experience with more services available online anytime; expanded local access to health care services; and has delivered the only surplus distributions in the entire 110-year history of the organization – all while bringing the average premium rate to the lowest it’s been in over 50 years.

Alison Bell

Alison Bell is a recently retired small business owner with more than 35 years of management experience at TD Bank, where she led teams, supported operational excellence, and built a reputation for strong, people-centered leadership. She is motivated by creating practical solutions, fostering collaboration, and making a meaningful difference in the communities she serves. She brings a balanced, values-driven perspective to her work.

Outside of her professional life, Alison is an avid cook and traveler who enjoys sports and spending quality time with her family, including her two cherished dogs.

Laura Booth Briscoe

Laura Briscoe is a nationally recognized leader in experiential learning, career development, and STEAM education, with a strong commitment to expanding meaningful pathways into skilled trades and technical sectors. Laura’s strategic design and innovation process identifies opportunities that turn concepts into scalable solutions through implementation planning and management in both public and private sectors. She holds a background in Media, Information & Technoculture and Visual Arts from Western University, along with Technological and Special Education Qualifications and a Bachelor of Education. Laura has built a reputation for designing future-ready, hands-on learning experiences that bridge elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students to real-world opportunities and evolving workforce needs.

As the Education Consultant for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Canada and the Education Consultant for International gamification company - ChatterHigh, Laura advances national and international strategies that strengthen experiential learning and connect young people to authentic, career-focused experiences in collaboration with private sector and government partners.

Laura previously served as Coordinator for Experiential Learning and the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) diploma program, and earlier as System Coordinator of Innovation and Technology and Global Competencies Facilitator with the Thames Valley District School Board. She was also the Co-founder of Forest City Youth Film Festival, Airshow London Education Day, TVDSB Aviation School, and Students Build Cities, Huron University Scotiabank Scholars.

Laura has worked closely with hundreds of community and industry partners to advance skills in small business strategies, skilled trades awareness, sector-based programming, and applied learning. She has led ministry pilot projects, contributed to, applied, and reviewed provincial and federal grant initiatives, and published research on interdisciplinary learning, community partnerships, and student well-being.

Grounded in evidence-based practice and strengthened by experience across both education systems and industry networks, Laura brings a collaborative, future-focused approach to building learning environments that are equitable, relevant, and responsive to the needs of young people and the evolving labour mark.