Charlene Theodore

Toronto
Lawyer and In-House Counsel, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association

Charlene Theodore is the president of the Ontario Bar Association and the first Black person and the 10th woman to serve in the role since the association’s establishment in 1907. At the OBA, Theodore has shown leadership in her efforts to boost the opportunities of women, people of colour and minorities in the legal profession and in the legal industry. She spearheaded the collaborative change initiative Diversity in Leadership: What Great Organizations Can Do Now, as well as the Inclusive Leaders professional development program. With the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, she has assisted in achieving positive results in relation to wage restraint legislation, teacher strikes, school closures and other relevant issues. She also gives the association advice on human rights, pensions, benefits and regulatory and fiduciary duties. She is actively involved in the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and in the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, through which she connects students and young lawyers to mentors. She herself mentors many students and new lawyers.