Who We Are

Sarah Head, Ph.D. Candidate - Executive Director 

Mrs. Sarah Head is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Guelph in Family Relations and Human Development. She has worked in private and public agencies that serve children and youth with a wide range of social, emotional, behavioral and developmental needs. Sarah’s primary research focuses on children and youth living within the child welfare system and their relationships with non-parental caregivers. Additionally, Sarah is interested in the intersection between child welfare services and children’s mental health services, and the lived experiences of those who access residential mental health treatment whilst living in care. Sarah is dedicated to connecting child welfare practitioners with evidence-based research and promoting the use of evidence-informed decision making in everyday practice. Sarah also has a Master’s of Science Degree in Family Relations and Human Development and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology and Psychology. 

Auriole Fernandes - Program Coordinator

Auriole has been with PART for over 10 years and has a diploma in Business Administration and her certification in Project Management through Centennial College, Scarborough. Auriole was employed as an Executive Assistant with PART in 2008, a year after its inception, and has since taken on the role of Event and Program Coordinator for the organization. Auriole has had varied experience in the private sector prior to joining PART and has since taken a keen interest in the field of child welfare.

Jay M. Zanutto - Knowledge Translation and Resource Manager

Jay has spent the majority of her professional life contributing to and advocating for Indigenous self-determination through the lens of arts-based and land-based research and practice, with a focus on youth and (re)connection to traditional ways of Knowing and Being.  Guided by her lived experience as a non-Indigenous mother raising a Nisga’a daughter, Jay strives to align her professional contributions with her responsibility to actively participate in the reclamation of traditional practices at the community level, and addressing systemic racism at the institutional level.  Jay has an M.A. in Art Therapy and Community Development (Athabasca University) and over a decade of frontline work in both communities and post secondary institutions.  Jay is passionate about supporting children, youth and families involved within child welfare services and the field of evidence-informed practice. Jay promotes knowledge translation as a way to bridge the gap between frontline realities in practice, and what is being taught to future frontline workers in post secondary institutions.