The Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education is excited to welcome Lesley Jeannotte as its Inclusive Education Specialist. Lesley joins the Woitas Centre with nearly 20 years of experience in inclusive and early learning education—focusing on inclusion, neurodiversity, collaboration, and systems-level change.
Lesley joins St. Mary’s on secondment (interim contract) from the Calgary Catholic School District, where she served as a classroom teacher, Diverse Learning Coordinating Teacher, and, most recently, Diverse Learning Consultant. On her new appointment Lesley says, “I am excited to contribute to the Woitas Centre’s vision of transforming classrooms by contributing my experience to developing the mindsets and toolsets pre-service and in-service teachers need to succeed in increasingly complex learning environments.”
In its inaugural year, the Centre has made significant strides equipping St. Mary’s education students for today’s classrooms through innovative course design, targeted workshops, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen inclusive teaching across the education community.
“At the end of the day, our mission is to ensure every child can thrive” says Woitas Centre Executive Director, Trisa Soroski. She goes on to say “Lesley’s expertise, leadership and strategic vision will build on our ongoing work: enhancing curriculum development, expanding workshop offerings, and strengthening K–12 partnerships as the Centre continues to develop and expand inclusive learning and practical supports for teachers to integrate into daily practice.”
A lifelong learner, Lesley is currently completing a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). In July 2026, she will represent OCAD University at the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Map the System global finals at the University of Oxford. Her team’s project, Fragmented Care, explores the fragmentation of health and community care systems in Canada through a systems thinking lens, examining how structures, policies, and funding models shape the experience of both accessing and delivering care.
Visit the Woitas Centre for Inclusive Education for more information on the Centre.