Francis Odum is a cybersecurity professional, entrepreneur, and community leader in Toronto. As the Founder and Chair of Young Catholic Professionals of Toronto (YPCT), Francis fosters a vibrant community where faith and professional excellence intersect. Under his leadership, YPCT has grown into a hub for networking, mentorship, and service, hosting events such as industry networking nights and speaker series.

In addition to his work with YPCT, Francis is the founder of Software Analyst, a leading cybersecurity research firm with a network of over 50,000 subscribers. Known for his industry expertise and innovative approach, Francis is passionate about advancing cybersecurity and mentoring future leaders.

An avid marathon runner and deeply committed to his faith, Francis embodies the spirit of service, excellence, and dedication that defines YPCT's mission.

Co-Founder, Current Vice President and Co-Chair

Kateryna is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience as a litigation consultant, specializing in assessing economic damages in personal injury claims. Passionate about fostering community and spiritual growth, she brings a wealth of expertise in non-profit leadership, having contributed to organizations like the Art Gallery of Ontario, AIESEC, TEDxYouth@Toronto, WHY Collective and Stonegate Community Health Centre. As a co-founder and VP of YPCT, Kateryna is committed to creating opportunities for young Catholic professionals to deepen their faith, grow in their careers, and make a lasting impact in their communities.

Fr. Daniel Utrecht is a priest of the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Toronto. He is Pastor of St Vincent de Paul Parish, and serves on the Permanent Deputation of the Confederation of the Oratories of St Philip Neri. He is the author of The Lion of Münster: The Bishop Who Roared Against the Nazis and translator of Paul Türks: Philip Neri. The Fire of Joy.

Catherine Pawluch is a devout Catholic and a lawyer. She is Senior Counsel at an international law firm with a global footprint covering more than 34 countries. Her areas of specialty are international aviation, competition and foreign investment law. Her career has spanned 40 years of advising a wide range of international clients doing business in Canada. In the words of one client, she is known for her “incredible ability to combine business acumen and exceptional legal knowledge”. Catherine has been elected to leadership positions in various professional associations. She holds a JD from Osgood Hall Law School and an MA in Economics from McGill University.

Catherine’s faith has been a guiding force in every endeavour she has pursued. She strives to remain centred in God. With humility and grateful joy, she brings her professional skills and experience in service of Catholic Church initiatives. Catherine serves as the Archbishop of Toronto’s representative on the board of Unity Health Toronto, comprising St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Providence Healthcare. She also serves on the Board of Governors of St. Augustine’s Seminary. Catherine is President of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute Foundation, which supports the work of the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies in the University of St. Michael’s College. She is a Past President and serves on the board of the Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Toronto and the Newman Foundation of Toronto (U of T). Catherine was honoured to be invested as a Dame of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Papal Order that participates in supporting through prayer and charitable works the Holy Sites and Catholic Institutions in the Holy Land.

Catherine has been inspired by the vitality and authentic witness to Christ of the young people who came together to establish the Young Professional Catholics of Toronto. They aspire to be faithful ambassadors for Christ in the secular spheres where they live and work. She happily accepted the invitation to serve on its inaugural board of directors.

“We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us.” —2 Corinthians 5:20

Suehlan Ann Yu is an HR Executive with over two decades of extensive global experience in the Human Resources domain within the private sector. Born and raised in India, Suehlan has cultivated a rich professional and personal life that spans continents and cultures. In early 2018, she made a significant life transition by relocating to Canada, where she has continued to build on her personal and professional commitments.

Suehlan's relocation to Canada marked a new chapter in her spiritual journey. A devout Catholic, her faith has only grown stronger and deeper since moving to Toronto. She is an active parishioner of St Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, where she finds immense joy and fulfillment in serving her community. As a Minister of Hospitality and a Catechist, Suehlan is deeply embedded in the life of the parish and is grateful for the opportunities to connect with other faithful members and contribute to the parish’s faith formation activities.

Volunteering holds a special place in Suehlan's heart, as it allows her to live out her Catholic faith in meaningful and impactful ways – at the Journey Home Hospice, as a Patient Family Partner at St Michael’s Hospital, and as the Co-Chair of Unity Health Toronto’s Patient and Family Advisory Council.

Christopher Mahon is a political consultant who has advised leading politicians in the federal and provincial governments, and has served as political advisor to two elected chiefs of the largest First Nation in Canada. With over two decades of political, organizational and communications expertise, Christopher has a particular interest both in promoting Canadian identity and the national interest, and in strengthening First Nations’ self-governance capacity.

For six years he worked as Executive Assistant and then Director of Operations to the Hon. Jason Kenney, serving in this capacity in the Minister’s Office at Citizenship and Immigration, Employment and Social Development, and finally the Department of National Defence. In subsequent years he served as Director of Planning and Outreach for the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, the Hon. Andrew Scheer, and had responsibility for a wide array of areas, including tour, multicultural outreach, and stakeholder relations.

He has also been a senior political advisor to other parliamentarians and legislators, managing large teams and projects, and overseeing campaigns, budgets, communications, and operations. Through his political work, he has also been involved in numerous projects aimed at building a culture of life and advancing pro-life political efforts.

Christopher is also a professional tenor specializing in early music and other sacred and classical genres. He has performed with a number of prominent professional ensembles and cathedral choirs in Canada, the US, the UK, Italy and Germany, including Theatre of Early Music and the Trinity Choir with Grammy Award-winner Daniel Taylor, Festival Ensemble Stuttgart with Helmuth Rilling, and the Juno Award-winning Ottawa Bach Choir with Lisette Canton.

As a convert to Catholicism, his interests in sacred music and faith community engagement in the public square intersect. A lifelong Anglican, Christopher became Catholic in 2004 and remains active in the Anglican Ordinariate created by Pope Benedict XVI.

Christopher earned an Honours BA in Economics at York University’s bilingual Glendon College, and studied French at Université Laval. He periodically writes, produces social media content, and organizes choral and liturgical functions, and is often found singing in various

Jennifer Fernandez is a skilled professional with over 20 years of global experience in HR, Talent Acquisition and Strategic Consulting. Having worked across industries such as Aviation, Banking, Defence, Hospitality and Oil and Gas, she has successfully aligned talent strategies with business objectives to drive growth and enhance organisational performance.

As an entrepreneur, Jennifer has led initiatives in Corporate Gifting and Employee Recognition Programs across Canada, helping companies strengthen relationships with clients, partners, and employees. Through personalised and strategic offerings, she has played a key role in enhancing company cultures globally and driving employee engagement.

Guided by her Catholic Faith, Jennifer leads with integrity, collaboration, and a deep commitment to empowering others. Christ is at the center of all things she does.

As a board member of YPCT, Jennifer brings her wealth of experience in HR strategy, organisational development, and entrepreneurial leadership. Her insight will be invaluable in advancing YPCT’s mission to connect professionals across Toronto, fostering collaboration, and creating new opportunities for growth across companies.

Thanks and regards, God bless!

Rafe is a lawyer at a Toronto firm with a broad litigation and advisory practice, including commercial, employment, estates, and constitutional matters. Rafe believes that the integration of one’s faith and one’s professional life can benefit both. Through YPCT, he hopes to help members of the Catholic community pursue this integration. Rafe is active in his parish, classical choirs, and community and legal organizations.

Kathleen a dedicated professional with a strong background in leadership, events coordination, volunteer coordination, and managing special projects. She currently works for the YMCA of Greater Toronto, and joins the YPCT team as an Events Coordinator.

Anish D'lima is a founding member of YPCT, established in early 2024, and serves on its Board of Directors and Organizing Committee. He leads Sponsorships & Corporate Partnerships, overseeing financial support, enhancing visibility, and fostering organizational growth. Professionally, Anish is an Investment Product Manager at Capital Group with over 15 years of industry experience, including roles at Sunlife and Open Access Limited. He holds a BBA from the University of Toronto and the CFA® and FRM® designations. Based in Toronto, Anish enjoys playing sports and exploring the city's diverse culinary scene in his free time.

Janice is a cradle Catholic who made a commitment to living out her faith in university after becoming involved with Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO). She was called to serve on two missions with CCO — one in Halifax, and one at World Youth Day (WYD) in Panama, as well as lead faith studies. After attending WYD, her missionary heart was rekindled and she felt called to serve at her local parish. This led to her involvement in young adult ministry, such as the Core Team at St. Mary’s Parish in Ottawa, St. Timothy’s Parish in Toronto, and most recently, YPCT.

She is thrilled to be a part of YPCT, as she has always felt a need for bridging the gap between her faith and professional life. In her post university life, she experienced that void, and hopes that involvement with YPCT will inspire others to bridge that gap. As a CPA, her professional experience has included serving clients in public accounting firms, and specializing in internal audit for the auto parts manufacturing and financial services industries.