ABOUT US
Management
Wilhelmine Babua
Managing Director
Wilhelmine Babua holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Sociology, as well as a Certificate in Women's Intervention from Laurentian University in Ontario. Currently, she is working on her Master’s thesis in Social Work, focusing on the impact of domestic violence on the mental health of child witnesses aged 0 to 17 within the context of Francophone immigration in Canada. Recently, she worked as a social worker at the Viamonde School Board, and she currently works as an interventionist at La Maison de Toronto. She is a registered member of the Ontario College of Social Workers.
Wilhelmine has extensive experience in the field of education, having worked as an educator with children with special needs and as a manager of childcare services in the Halton and Durham regions. She served as a representative for teachers on the Viamonde School Board, specifically at Ronald Marion Elementary School. Additionally, she worked at Collège Boréal as an instructor responsible for student internships in the Early Childhood Education program.
She sits on the board of directors of COFRD (Conseil des Organismes Francophones de la Région de Durham) and has received a certificate of recognition for her commitment to the Francophone community through volunteering with COFRD.
Internationally, she is a board member of the Christian International School in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Board of Directors
Hélène Bever
Chair
Ms. Bever is a bilingual lawyer based in Ontario. She specializes as a workplace lawyer and investigator, conducting investigations in both French and English. Her expertise encompasses workplace harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and discrimination based on gender, sex, race, and ethnicity.
Previously, she served as a bilingual lawyer at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, where she represented clients in mediations and hearings before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. She also gained several years of experience at the Law Society of Ontario, developing significant expertise in professional regulation.
Ms. Bever’s legal career began in Paris, France, where she specialized in civil and commercial litigation before moving to Canada. She is a member of the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO). Additionally, she has volunteered at the Centre francophone du Grand Toronto, assisting Francophones in preparing for the Canadian citizenship test.
Aissa Nauthoo
Co-chair
Aissa Nauthoo is a Lawyer and Director of Legal Aid, Employment, and Settlement Services at the Centre francophone du Grand Toronto since 2004, practicing in immigration and poverty law. A member of the Common Law Honour Society at the University of Ottawa. Me. Nauthoo is dedicated to defending the language rights of Francophone litigants in court. She is one of the founding members of La Maison pour femmes francophone in Toronto. She serves on the Provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs and the Advisory Committee on French Language Services of the Board of Legal Aid Ontario.
Oureye Seck
Treasurer
Oureye Seck holds an advanced degree in Applied Economics for Development and a Master’s degree in Art with a focus on Project Management from the University of Connecticut in the USA. As a committed feminist, she has over 25 years of experience in the socio-community field, including 15 years in operational and strategic program management in Canada. Mrs Seck is currently the Managing Director of Entité 4 - French Language Health Services Planning since June 6, 2022. Her ambition is to contribute to the well-being of women and Francophone communities in Ontario.
Magali Mahillet
Secretary
Magali is the Executive Director of Centre Espoir Sophie, Ottawa’s only francophone drop-in center for vulnerable women. In addition to her role at the center, she also sits on OCVAW’s Advisory Committee.
For the past six years, Magali has dedicated her expertise in employability and program management exclusively to the French-speaking community, with a particular focus on supporting women. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a solid understanding of the feminist approach, intervention methods and crisis management, particularly adapted to the issue of violence against women. From 2017 to 2018, she was a front-line intervener at La Maison, where she gained valuable experience in direct support for victims.
Her commitment to women’s empowerment and the fight against all forms of violence is at the heart of her work. Every day, Magali strives to create an environment where women can rebuild their lives and regain their dignity and independence. Her passion and dedication make her an essential figure in Ottawa’s francophone community, working tirelessly for a safer, fairer future for all women.
Julienne Kotto
Board Member
Julienne Kotto holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy Management and a Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainable Development, with a major in Governance.
She currently coordinates the Point d'Accueil Francophone d’Ottawa (PAF d’Ottawa), a program that brings together 10 francophone partners in the Ottawa region.
Ms. Kotto works closely with Francophone and Francophile organizations in the region, and her role is to create, develop and maintain strong and lasting partnerships with various community organizations, with the aim of facilitating the integration process of Francophone newcomers to the region.
Dr. Sandrine Tchatchou
Board Member
Holding a PhD in the humanities and driven by a passion for writing and research, Sandrine previously worked at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto as a researcher in epidemiology, oncology, and molecular biology. For the past several years, she has served as a school principal, dedicating herself to a mission of supporting youth and families in difficulty. Drawing on her extensive experience, Sandrine believes in the necessity of creating ideal, equitable, and inclusive conditions—free from all forms of discrimination—to foster the development and well-being of Francophone minority communities.
As a committed feminist, Sandrine is a strong advocate for the economic, psychological, social, and political empowerment of women. She believes this empowerment is essential to promoting equitable power dynamics between genders within households and communities. Her ultimate goal is to boost women's self-confidence, strengthen their sense of self-efficacy, and enhance their capacity for self-assertion and leadership.