Competent Leadership • Community Service • Proven Experience
Derek has built a broad and deep understanding of the operations, finances, administration, and services of the City of Oshawa’s government: he has served as an elected City Councillor here for the last 8 years, held the role of Vice-Chair of the Community Services Committee from 2018-2022 and in the current 2022-2026 term has been the Chair of the Corporate & Finance Services Committee as well as a Committee member on the Economic & Development Services Committee.
Outside of his Council role, his leadership experience includes:
- Since 2019, Board President of Parkview Place Seniors Housing, a 115-unit non-profit housing provider in central Oshawa providing true affordable housing to mixed-income seniors. During this time, his leadership has overseen capital renewal projects of over $3 million to preserve and protect this housing while gaining unmatched direct insight into and experience in affordable housing leadership.
- A Director since 2019 and Board Chair from 2022-2026 of Pathwise Credit Union, a financial institution managing $500 million in assets. He has led the organization and Board through leadership transitions and market shifts while maintaining steady forward momentum, and obtained his ACCUD in 2023 from Dalhousie University and the Canadian Credit Union Association.
- Joined the board of the Back Door Mission in 2016 and was Board President from 2017-2022, leading this non-profit through exponential growth and change in response to both the pandemic and the significant increasing levels of urban poverty, homelessness, and mental health and addictions challenges being faced in Oshawa, similar to those being experienced across Ontario. In 2022, he was recognized for his sector leadership with the creation at Ontario Tech University of the Derek Giberson Award, and was invited to be a panelist at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario session on responses and solutions to homelessness, mental health, and addictions.
- Appointed to Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Standing Committees on Social Economic Development and Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development for 2024-2025 one-year term
- Robert McLaughlin Gallery Board of Directors and Finance Committee member, 2018-2022 (Council representative)
- Durham Region International Film Festival, Director and Governance Chair, 2016-2021
- City of Oshawa Cultural Leadership Council, Chair, 2015-2018
- Oshawa Accessibility Advisory Committee, 2009-2014; Chair, 2011-2014
He is a proud parent, a Durham College alum, by previous vocation a Canadian music industry professional, a downtown Oshawa resident, and has a deep curiosity about what makes cities tick (Jane Jacobs is one of his favourite writers).