Special Announcement

Dear Friends of PBSC,

I’m writing to share some staffing and leadership changes at Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC).

Farewell and thank you to Dana Rotenberg and Jason Goodman

PBSC is bidding a fond farewell to Dana Rotenberg, who will be stepping down from her role as National Director. Dana’s last day with PBSC will be Friday, July 4.

Dana’s connection to PBSC runs deep. Like so many of the leaders in our network, she began her journey with the organization as a law student volunteer. Since then, Dana has remained a steadfast champion of PBSC’s mission, culminating in her leadership as National Director—bringing her full circle from student volunteer to national leader.

Since joining the PBSC National Office in 2020, Dana has made an extraordinary impact. She brought care, clarity, and vision to everything she undertook—from launching the Family Justice Centre (FJC), a first-of-its-kind virtual clinic, to guiding the organization through a post-pandemic renewal. Under her leadership, PBSC introduced impactful initiatives such as the Summer Learning Institute, produced its first-ever Annual Report, and secured new funding to enhance national capacity. Most recently, Dana and the National Office team were honoured with the University of Toronto’s Exemplary University Ambassador Award, a fitting recognition of their leadership and commitment to advancing access to justice.

While we are sad to see Dana go, we are excited for her as she begins a new chapter with the Law Society of Ontario. We are also confident that PBSC is in an excellent position to continue building on the strong foundation that has been laid. The organization is thriving—with a clear sense of purpose, a dedicated and talented team, and a national network of students, lawyers, and partners.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dana for her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to PBSC. A recruitment is underway for the National Director role and  we look forward to introducing the incoming National Director in the near future. Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition with minimal gap between leadership.

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In September 2021, we were fortunate to welcome Jason Goodman to PBSC. Jason first joined as Acting National Director, leading the organization through a critical period of transition. In November 2022, he became PBSC’s inaugural Director, Family Justice.

Over the past several years, Jason has made a tremendous and lasting impact on PBSC. As Acting National Director, he strengthened programming across our 22 Chapters, secured new funding and partnerships, and helped steward the organization through a period of change with care and skill.

As Director, Family Justice, Jason brought exceptional leadership to our Family Justice Centre. Under his direction, the Centre’s processes were streamlined, its reach and impact expanded, and its reputation and visibility significantly strengthened. Jason built new partnerships, increased available resources, mentored students, and above all, demonstrated a deep commitment to providing quality legal services to Ontarians in the “missing middle” -- those who cannot afford a lawyer but do not qualify for Legal Aid.

Jason also played a critical role in supporting the Indigenous Human Rights Program, working closely with our program partner, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, to relaunch human rights clinics at Friendship Centres across Ontario. He also oversaw the completion of impactful public legal education initiatives, including the Indigenous Human Rights Podcast.

Jason’s last day with PBSC is Friday, June 6. He has been a generous, thoughtful, and deeply caring colleague to the National Office team and the broader PBSC community. He has left an indelible mark on our organization, and while we are sad to see him go, we are excited for him as he embarks on the next chapter of his career with one of PBSC’s long-standing partners, Legal Aid Ontario. We wish Jason every success in this new role.

Welcome to Stephanie Giannandrea and Kaja Marinic

PBSC is thrilled to welcome Stephanie Giannandrea as Acting Director, Family Justice on Monday, June 23. Stephanie is a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and a seasoned family lawyer with deep expertise and a longstanding commitment to access to justice. She spent over a decade practicing family and child protection law in Toronto, where she worked to make family legal services more accessible through initiatives such as managing pro bono programs and volunteering with the Family Justice Centre. Stephanie also served as a panel lawyer for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, representing children in family law disputes. Prior to joining PBSC, she worked at Justice for Children and Youth, a non-profit legal aid clinic dedicated to protecting the rights of children and young people navigating challenges in the legal, education, social service, and mental health systems. Stephanie brings extensive experience working with law students and in the non-profit sector, and we are excited for the experience, insight, and energy she will bring to this role as she leads the next phase of the Family Justice Centre’s work.

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We are also delighted to share that Kaja Marinic joined PBSC’s National Office in March 2025 as Program Manager. Kaja has been focused on developing and launching our pilot on-site Family Justice Centre operations, as well as supporting various National Office initiatives, including the Summer Learning Institute.

Kaja is a family lawyer who obtained her J.D. from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC and was called to the BC Bar in 2017. She is currently in the process of being called to the Bar in Ontario. Kaja practiced civil litigation and then family law in Vancouver before joining Access Pro Bono BC as a supervising lawyer for their Everyone Legal Clinic. Throughout her career, she has worked and volunteered with numerous non-profit and community organizations to provide essential free legal services. We are grateful to have her as part of our team and look forward to the contributions she will continue to make to PBSC’s access to justice work.

Please join us in thanking and celebrating Dana and Jason, and welcoming Stephanie and Kaja to PBSC.

Looking ahead, PBSC is preparing to mark its 30th anniversary in 2026—a meaningful milestone in the organization’s history. Later this year, PBSC will embark on a new strategic planning process to reflect on its evolution, respond to emerging access to justice needs, and chart a bold course for the future. We are eager to embark on these efforts with you—our partners and supporters—whose insights, collaboration, and commitment continue to shape and strengthen our work.

Warm regards,

Brittany Twiss

Assistant Dean, JD Program and member of the PBSC Advisory Board