Staff
STAFF
Albert Lin
Executive Advisor & Strategist - (he/him)
Albert is a marketing graduate with a strong background in project and non-profit management. He has experience working as a multi-disciplinary professional with provincial, national, and international associations and has led multiple projects such as AGMs, annual conferences, membership campaigns and website overhauls. With his resourcefulness and positive attitude, he always strives for organizational excellence. Albert values the power of the shared human experience and is passionate about encouraging and enabling people from all communities to be their authentic selves. Connect with Albert on LinkedIn or by email at albert.lin@prideatwork.ca.
Colin Druhan
Executive Director - (he/him)
Colin Druhan has been at the helm of Pride at Work Canada since 2014, steering the organization through significant growth. A champion for community-led initiatives, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which funds grassroots efforts to fight HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. A former Chair of Volunteer Toronto, Canada’s largest volunteer centre, Colin is committed to public service. In 2020 he was named a DiverseCity Fellow by CivicAction, a recognition that underscores his dedication to inclusive civic engagement. Originally from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Colin earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from NSCAD University in Halifax. He supplemented his skills through executive education programs at the Rotman School of Management and Cornell University. In 2020 he completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at Harvard Business School. Connect with Colin on LinkedIn or by email at colin.druhan@prideatwork.ca.
Florence Gagnon
Manager of Brand & Sponsorships - (she/her)
Florence Gagnon holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University. She has spent the last 10 years working to ‘spread the word’ and increase visibility for lesbians within and outside of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2012, she created a platform to provide a resource to lesbian communities, Lez Spread The Word, the first bilingual website of its kind in Canada. In 2014, she launched the FÉMININ / FÉMININ television series, with director Chloé Robichaud (Sarah Préfère la Course and Boudaries), who won two Gemini Awards in Quebec and several international prizes in 2015. In 2016, she published the first LSTW magazine, a 230-page bilingual annual magazine that stands out in stores across Canadian provinces, European capitals and major US cities. From Yellowknife to Vancouver, Berlin and Stockholm, up to MoMA PS1 in New York. She also was on the board of Pride Montreal and The LGBT Chamber of Commerce for many years. Connect with Florence by email at florence.gagnon@prideatwork.ca.
Jade Pichette
Director of Programs - (they/them)
Jade Pichette is an inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA!) professional based in Tkarón:to/Toronto. Currently, Jade serves as the Director of Programs at Pride at Work Canada, where they work with over 250 large employers across Canada around gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation inclusion. Previously, Jade served as the Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator at the ArQuives, the Education Programs Coordinator at Kind Space, and an independent inclusion consultant. They are an Ásatrú Gythia (priestess) and interfaith advocate who was the first trans-feminine person to present at the Parliament of World Religions in 2018. Jade was one of the authors of Transitioning Employers: A survey of policies and practices for trans inclusive workplaces and is the cohost of the Uncovering Belonging Podcast. Jade has been named one of Future of Good’s 2022 Young Impact Leaders, Toronto Metropolitan University’s 2021 Pride Champions. In their spare time they can be found geeking out over queer, trans, and Norse histories, firekeeping, and spending time with their chosen family. Connect with Jade on LinkedIn or by email at jade.pichette@prideatwork.ca.
Jose Patiño-Gomez
Director of External Relations - (he/him)
Jose brings a wealth of experience as a marketing and communication professional, with a proven track record in project and event management, creative direction, and digital marketing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has pursued additional studies in Public Relations, Project Management, and Community Capacity Building. This Venezuelan-Colombian has called Toronto home since 2016, and has been dedicated to driving impactful initiatives that support the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities since his arrival. Prior to joining Pride at Work Canada, Jose spent over 5 years at the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC), where he played a pivotal role in establishing and growing the Communications and Knowledge Exchange department. As Senior Manager for Marketing & Engagement, he had the rewarding experience of contributing to numerous impactful campaigns, projects, and initiatives aimed at improving the sexual, physical, mental, and social health of 2SLGBTQIA+ people across Canada. He has been part of the board of directors for the Community Alliance for Accessible Treatment (CAAT) and Action Positive VIH/Sida. During the pandemic, he led a needs assessment project within the Latin gbtMSM/PHA community in Toronto and became a co-facilitator for a group program at the AIDS Committee of Toronto. With a passion for cultural organizations, Jose has also volunteered for renowned events such as the Pride Toronto, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Luminato Festival, and TIFF. In his free time, he enjoys coordinating weddings, attending concerts, binge-watching shows, and planning his next travel adventure. Jose is responsible for promoting the organization's brand presence and leading their External Relations strategy. If you would like to connect with Jose, you can connect with him on LinkedIn or by email at jose.patino@prideatwork.ca.
Krishnagopal Mehta
Manager Finance & Administration - (he/him)
Krishnagopal Mehta is an accomplished MBA graduate and a seasoned marketing, finance and accounting professional with extensive experience in project management, organizational leadership, and diverse roles across retail and corporate environments. Krishnagopal has a proven track record of managing financial operations, overseeing reconciliations, and coordinating audits to ensure compliance while driving business growth through strategic planning. With strong skills in team mentorship, process improvement, and aligning organizational objectives, he excels at delivering results while upholding safety and quality standards. Dedicated to supporting business success, Krishnagopal combines expertise in accounting, financial planning, and administration to create value and sustain operational excellence. With a background in logistics, he was inspired to deepen his understanding of supply chain management, which led him to successfully complete the Supply Chain Management Program with the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto, and is currently pursuing the CSCMP certification to further enhance his expertise in this domain. Krishnagopal is an avid traveller and loves exploring new places and cultures. He has visited multiple cities across the USA and has travelled extensively to various countries in Europe & Asia, enriching his global perspective and interpersonal skills. Connect with Krishnagopal by email at krishnagopal.mehta@prideatwork.ca
Misha Goforth
Manager of Programs - (she/her)
Misha Goforth is an international policy professional and gender equity consultant. At Pride at Work Canada as the Manager of Programs where she works with Canada's leading employers to advance 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace and leads impactful programs which promote 2SLGBTQIA+ voices and community knowledge in creating change. Prior to this, Misha built her career in the international policy field working with GAC, USAID, UNDP Cambodia, and with governments in Mongolia and Ethiopia to advance gender equity in the mining and environment sectors. Throughout her career, Misha continues to centre gender justice, anti-racism, accessibility, and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in all the work that she does. Connect with Misha on LinkedIn or by email at misha.goforth@prideatwork.ca.
Salomé Wysocki
Partner Success Manager – (they/them)
Salomé is a tourism and partnerships professional with a passion for inclusive travel and global community-building. Currently serving as Partner Success Manager at Pride at Work Canada, they bring a background in strategic collaboration, intercultural engagement, and multilingual communication to their role. Raised across five countries, Salomé has a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and the ways in which travel can foster connection and belonging. They are committed to advancing equity, particularly for 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and advocate for meaningful inclusion across all sectors of society. With experience building cross-sector partnerships, they approach their work with a global lens and a strong belief in the power of representation. Fluent in three languages and conversational in two, Salomé is always learning - and always seeking ways to make the world more welcoming for everyone. Connect with Salomé on LinkedIn or by email at salome.wysocki@prideatwork.ca.
Quinn Blue
Program & Engagement Coordinator - (he/him, they/them)
Quinn Blue is a professional in 2SLGBTQIA+ education and programming. Quinn spent over a decade working in the student movement, having held equity and inclusion-focused roles at the University of Ottawa and at Algonquin College. His formal education is in Women and Gender Studies and in Teaching Adult Learners. They’ve volunteered extensively with the Ten Oaks Project, which taught them about the incredible value of community building. Quinn is passionate about change-making and learning. Connect with Quinn on LinkedIn or email him at quinn.blue@prideatwork.ca.
Templeton Sawyer
Leadership Programs Coordinator - (he/him)
Templeton Sawyer was an Employment Support Practitioner with Teamwork Cooperative, the host of Tweet the Leader in You podcast, and co-facilitator of the CEI and Teamwork’s Youth-Focused Community of Practice in Halifax Nova Scotia. He brings a great deal of lived experience to the table and is a passionate Youth Advocate who seeks to help youth in both Nova Scotia, Ontario and the Bahamas believe in themselves and increase their self-confidence through leadership and skill development programs. When Templeton thinks about the word inclusion, he has a passion to place action into including everyone. Templeton continues his inclusion advocacies through a Youth Focused Community of Practice which he Co-Author, this space provides service providers to grow and develop new strategies to serve youth and people in general. Connect with Templeton on Linkedin or by email at templeton.sawyer@prideatwork.ca.
Ting-Fai Yu
Project Coordinator, Energy - (he/him)
Ting-Fai Yu is an anthropologist-turned-organizational consultant with extensive experience in academic and applied settings. As a scholar of transnational queer Chinese cultures, his research has appeared in field-shaping journals like the Journal of Homosexuality, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, and Journal of Intercultural Studies, as well as in landmark volumes such as the Elgar Encyclopedia of Queer Studies and Oxford Handbook of Language and Prejudice. He received his PhD in gender studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has held faculty and research positions at Monash University, Leiden University, and the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study. As a DEI professional, Ting-Fai previously worked for Logitech as the first DEI Lead to oversee the Asia Pacific region and lead global Pride initiatives. He has been a faculty member of The Conference Board’s DEI Masterclass Certificate Program, training business and people leaders on workplace psychological safety and intercultural competence. His work in queer and organizational inclusion has been featured in global media outlets and leading industry publications, including BBC News, the HR Excellence Magazine, and HRM Asia. Connect with Ting-Fai by email at ting-fai.yu@prideatwork.ca.
Cynthia Eysseric
Special Advisor - (she/her)
Cynthia is a dedicated professional working at the intersection of feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and sexuality education. She holds a bachelor's degree in sexology from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a certificate in entrepreneurship and SME management from Université Laval, bringing a strategic and inclusive approach to her work. Her commitment to LGBTQ+ communities has led her to collaborate with several organizations, including the Réseau des lesbiennes du Québec (RLQ) and Club Sexu, where she serves as Vice President on the Board. She is also part of the team at Fierté au travail Canada, a national organization advocating for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Passionate about organizational inclusion, Cynthia began a graduate microprogram in equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace at Université Laval in 2024. Her work aims to strengthen intersectionality within the spaces she engages in, reinforcing her commitment to creating more just and representative environments.