Partner, Strategist

Sarah is an architect of the access to justice movement in Canada and internationally. She brings a new perspective and system-wide thinking to entrenched problems and emerging opportunities. She combines her legal experience with education and community expertise to build understanding and find creative solutions. Sarah leads CALIBRATE’s work in developing trainings and addressing complex issues relating to technology and civil justice.

Sarah is a settler who grew up on a farm in syilx territory. She resides on the Secwépemc territory of the Splatsin First Nation. Prior to founding CALIBRATE, Sarah spent 15 years working in the public, non-profit and private sector to improve the Canadian justice system, including as Executive Director of the Ontario Justice Education Network.

She has led international and national, conducted broad consultations, worked collaboratively with Indigenous communities and advocated for evidence-based approaches to transforming justice services. She works around the globe to build resilient justice systems that prioritize human rights and rule of law protections.

M. Ed, 2010, OISE, University of Toronto

J.D., 2003, University of Victoria

B.F.A,, major in Gender Studies, 1999, University of Victoria

Partner, Strategist

Meredith is a Canadian justice sector leader and change-maker dedicated to helping institutions and organizations understand and enhance their positive impact. Drawing upon her experience designing and implementing sustainable projects and systems, Meredith leads the evaluations practice at CALIBRATE.

Meredith is a settler who was born and still lives in the Territory and Treaty 13 lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabeg, and the Chippewa Nations. Prior to joining Calibrate, Meredith spent 17 years with the Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario as a labour and employment lawyer and in court administration to tackle the challenges facing that system. She served as Chief Legal Counsel to three Deputy Attorneys General. She was the Executive Director of MAG's Innovation Office introducing a culture of transformation.

She leads evaluations and assessments on justice system functionality and performance, gender equality, human rights, and access to justice. Meredith has led provincial projects and inquiries in collaboration with, and hired by, Indigenous organizations on Indigenous justice and policing.

J.D., 1999, University of Saskatchewan

B.A., 1995, University of Toronto

Strategist

Victoria is a Métis-Cree lawyer and arts educator brought up in her sisters Ojibwe tradition. She was raised in Winnipeg and moved to the Interlake region of Manitoba with her family in her late teens. Victoria’s Métis relations are from the Dauphin region of Manitoba, in the Peter Fiddler lineage, Cree kinship ties from Mary Mackagonne. While living and working the last three years in Nunavut, the Sammurtok family gave Victoria the Inuktitut name ᑕᒐᓕᑭᑕ (Tagalikita/Butterfly).

Victoria practices family and criminal law, working closely with Gladue writers and delivering legal aid services in Inuit communities. She has advocated for improvements to the system of Gladue reports, including models for training and support of Gladue writers.

Victoria has a long history of program development for Indigenous youth and adults in both theatrical arts and the law. Presently, she is developing a training course for the Canadian judiciary on the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system.

Strategist

Jessica is a Cree Métis lawyer practicing criminal law on the unceded, ancestral territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. Her family comes from the territory now encompassed by Treaty 6 and was raised in Treaty 8 territory.

 Prior to becoming a lawyer, Jessica was a Justice of the Peace for the province of Alberta and worked in various facets of Alberta Justice from 2012 until 2021. Upon her departure in 2021, she was the Acting Senior Deputy Clerk of the Fort McMurray Court House. During her time with Alberta Justice, Jessica assisted in the creation of the Remote Court Scheduling system by testing and then opening of the Case Management Office in Fort McMurray in 2018.

Jessica’s passion for innovating court procedures led her to pursue a career as a lawyer. Jessica worked, as a law student, on the rapid expansion of the Indigenous Justice Centres, engaging with the involved Nations to include appropriate and individualized justice services at each IJC. She practices criminal law in Vancouver.