Our People

The Sistema Toronto team consists of many individuals committed to community development. Parents and families, the Sistema Toronto Board of Directors, staff, community partners, and donors comprise the community of support we build around our students.

Admin Team

Shawn Earle

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Shawn Earle (he/him/) is the CEO of Sistema Toronto. As an administrator he has enjoyed community engagement and innovating creative projects as the Education and Outreach Manager and Director of Artistic Operations for the Regina Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Earle holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of British Columbia, a Master’s degree from the University of Victoria, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Music from Acadia University.

Jordana de Bloeme

Director of Development

Jordana de Bloeme (she/her) is the Director of Development for Sistema Toronto. She has over 10 years of fundraising experience in the not-for-profit, academic, social service, and arts and culture sectors. Jordana holds an Honours B.A. in History and Religious Studies from York University and an M.A. in History from the University of Toronto. She is currently working towards a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation.

Alex McLeod

Director of Programming
and Curriculum

Alex McLeod (he/him) is the Academic Manager for Sistema Toronto, the violist of the Ton Beau String Quartet, and the Artistic and Academic Project Lead for the Sistema Canada network. At Sistema Toronto, Alex develops curriculum resources and supports a team of over 40 teachers. The Ton Beau String Quartet celebrates the musical richness of 21st century Toronto, championing the works of emerging Canadian composers, music from around the world, and great works from the past.

Peter Ryan

Operations Manager

Peter Ryan (he/him) is a cellist completing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, where he also earned his M.M. He holds a B.M. from NYU Steinhardt. Peter is a member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and has also played with the National Arts Center Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Kentucky Symphony Orchestra. Alongside his performing career, Peter is dedicated to teaching and helping young people find the joy for music that his music teacher gave to him.

Kelsy Vivash

Manager of Marketing,
Communications, & Corporate Giving

Kelsy Vivash (she/her) is a marketing and communications professional with a passion for inspiring social justice through the arts. She developed her writing practice over a 12-year academic career as a Performance Studies scholar, where she spoke internationally and published in some of North America's most distinguished academic arts journals, before honing her voice for a broader audience in Centennial College's Professional Writing and Communications program.

Rae Gallimore

Development and Marketing Assistant

Born and raised in Victoria, BC, Rae Gallimore (she/her) is a violist & violinist currently based out of Toronto. Throughout North America, Rae brings her passion for performance and education. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory and the Victoria Conservatory of Music through Camosun College.

Centre Directors

Rachel Smith

Centre Director,
Scarborough

Rachel (she/her) has been playing piano and singing for over 25 years. Originally trained classically through the Royal Conservatory of Music, Rachel grew up with perfect pitch and a strong ability to play and transcribe by ear. She believes in creating spaces where students can genuinely make mistakes, ask questions, be silly, serious and everything in between.

Sama Zaferani

Centre Director,
Jane & Finch

Sama Zaferani (she/her) is a skilled Tar player with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Performance from the Art University of Tehran, and a Bachelor's in Computer Science. With over a decade of experience in Elementary and early childhood music education, she has completed Orff certificates, Music in Early Childhood, and Smart Start™ courses at The Royal Conservatory of Music.

Sebastian Ostertag

Centre Director,
Parkdale

Cellist Sebastian Ostertag (he/him) combines rich musical traditions with a strong commitment to community service and musical outreach. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Western University, an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music from the University of Toronto. Recently, Sebastian completed the Academy for Impact through Music Firebird Fellowship: a global innovation lab for changemakers tackling inequality through music education.