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The unique financial needs of the education community are best served by those who genuinely understand those needs.
We’re owned by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) and have been since the start. Where traditional financial institutions saw risk with clientele from the education community, we saw stability and the opportunity to step in and provide solutions to your financial challenges. And, we continually enhance our services to elevate your client experience. Whether you’re looking to obtain a mortgage, for investment advice, or financial planning, we’ll provide the best educator-specific options to help you reach your life goals.
Explore Our History

Meet our Specialists
Our financial specialists work exclusively with members of the education community and as such, understand the complexity of educators’ financial realities.

Ahmed brings a world of experience to his position at Educators – literally. After studying economics in Lausanne, Switzerland, and living in Dubai, Qatar and Egypt, he decided to build his future in Canada. With the Canadian Securities Course, Personal Financial Planner designation, and 7 years working with RBC under his belt, he now helps others create their futures as well. “Canada welcomed me almost 10 years ago and ever since I’ve tried to give back, providing advice to help Canadians grow their assets, maximize their retirement income and achieve their lifetime goals.” Ahmed’s grandfather was the Dean of a college, giving him an insider’s perspective of the education community. He is also fully bilingual in French and English. Ahmed appreciates Educators’ focus on the community and how it provides valuable, in-depth advice around issues unique to the education community, such as understanding the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan and OMERS pension, and navigating pension income gaps.
Email AhmedOur Leadership Team
Our Board of Directors
Peter von SchillingICD.D, CIM
Board Chair
Peter von Schilling has 25 years of experience in investment management and capital markets. Peter has extensive experience investing institutional capital in U.S. and Canadian listed equity securities with Polar Asset Management, as well as previous experience as an equity research analyst and investing in private equity. As a corporate and not-for-profit director, Peter strives to bring a broad range of skills and experience to boards including independent mindedness, critical judgement, stakeholder understanding and governance aptitude. Peter is currently on the board of Educators Financial Group, JAZZ.FM91 and the Adoption Council of Ontario and on the Investment Committee of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. Peter holds a MBA from INSEAD, a B. Math (Honours) from the University of Waterloo, a Canadian Investment Manager (CIM) designation and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Pierre CôtéC.Dir.
Human Resources Committee Chair
Pierre Côté retired from OMERS as Executive Director Strategy, Stakeholder Relations and Communication in 2022. In that role, he leveraged his extensive experience to provide strategic advice on pension plan governance, stakeholder relations, communications and long-term planning to an Ontario pension plan that serves municipal employees and education workers.
Formerly a psychologist, he started his career at the Burritts Rapids Correctional Centre, and then joined the Conseil des écoles publiques d’Ottawa-Carleton and the Ottawa Board of Education where he also assumed leadership and bargaining responsibilities for OSSTF/FEESO bargaining units. In 1997, he joined OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office where he held several leadership roles that were crucial to the Federation’s strategic planning, governance, political action, government relations, public relations and communication initiatives. He has extensive pension governance experience having sat on the Ontario Teachers Federation (OTF) Executive for more than 10 years which with the Government of Ontario is a partner to the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP).
Pierre holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and a Doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Ottawa, and is a graduate of the Conference Board of Canada/DeGroote School of Business Director’s College. He has also served on many Boards in an official or volunteer capacity, including Centre d’acceuil héritage, Centre francophone de Toronto, Canadian Teachers Federation, Educators Financial Group, Ontario Teachers Federation, Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan and the United Association of Labour Educators.
Christine AllisonFCPA, FCA, ICD.D
Governance & Nominating Committee Chair
Christine Allison is a results-oriented individual with over 35 years of experience in a wide variety of senior financial management and leadership positions, principally in the financial services sector.
Christine graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) and began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, during which time she earned her Chartered Professional Accountant designation. Having joined MD Financial Management Inc. in 1996 and retired in 2021, Christine was formally the Chief Financial Officer, MD Financial Management Inc., as well as CEO of MD Life Insurance Company.
Christine received her ICD designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and currently serves on the Board of Tradex Management Inc., chairing the Audit Committee. She also serves on the investment committee of the Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation, and the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
Mariya ZolotkoCPA, CA
Audit Committee Chair
Mariya Zolotko is a seasoned Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with ten years of experience in financial management, corporate governance, assurance and advisory roles. She is currently serving as Financial Controller at the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), an organization that supports over 60,000 members working in education across Ontario.
In her capacity as Financial Controller, Mariya leads the accounting department and assists the Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Finance Committee in day-to-day operations and strategic decision-making. One of the recent assignments included the oversight of a significant multi-year project for the redevelopment of the OSSTF/FEESO head office location with the construction of a 125,000 sq ft mass timber, zero carbon building. Mariya coordinates with external auditors for the year-end financial reporting, including the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. In her capacity as the OSSTF/FEESO Financial Controller, Mariya provides consulting services to the Board of Trustees of OSSTF Employee Life and Health Trust, which oversees the benefit plans for OSSTF members.
Prior to her employment with OSSTF/FEESO, Mariya worked at Grant Thornton LLP as a public accountant, managing various teams and audit engagements. During that time, Mariya served on the Board of Directors of YRCC 645 in a Treasurer role.
Although her board service is not extensive, Mariya brings a wealth of financial experience, strategy development, project management, stakeholder engagement, control and risk management.
Chris Goodsir
Chris joined the Protective Services division at OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office in 2015 and was promoted to Director of Negotiations and Contract Maintenance in January 2021. In June 2021, Chris was appointed to Associate General Secretary – Protective Services. Before working at OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office, Chris was the Teacher Bargaining Unit Chief Negotiator in District 25, Ottawa-Carleton.
As the Associate General Secretary of Protective Services, Chris had various statutory and non-statutory responsibilities, including coordinating preparations for central table negotiations.
Chris has vast experience in negotiations, grievances/arbitrations, education finance, pensions, pay equity, benefits, and long term disability. The Protective Services Division assists in negotiating collective agreements for approximately 150 bargaining units employed by public and Catholic district school boards in Ontario and 6 Ontario universities.
Chris has also represented OSSTF/FEESO on the Central Labour Relations Committee, the Central Dispute Resolution Committee, the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), and numerous committees and work groups dealing with a variety of Ministry Initiatives. He also represents OSSTF/FEESO as a trustee on the Employee Life and Health Trust (ELHT).
Chris was appointed to the position of General Secretary in October 2021 and commenced his duties in January 2022.
Kumi SomaskandanCPA, CMA
Kumi is a seasoned financial services professional with an exemplary career leading several lines of business at the largest independent and organically grown Alternatives Asset Administrator, Citco (Canada) Inc. Citco is a full service Administrator, servicing some of the largest Hedge Funds, Fund of Hedge and Private Equity Managers globally. Over her fifteen years at Citco, she was a key member of the Canadian Leadership team overseeing the expansion of the Canadian office from 50 to 900+ staff during her tenure.
Kumi moved to RBC Investor and Treasury services in 2018, where she was responsible for all aspects of operations in Canada. RBC Investor and Treasury Services is a specialist provider of asset services, custody, payments and treasury and market services for financial and other institutional investors worldwide.
She subsequently led a Digital Client experience team focused on creating digital client journeys, available on demand, and focused on seamless delivery. Her team managed the top 50 clients and were responsible for client satisfaction and profitability.
Kumi graduated from the University of Toronto, with a Bachelor of Commerce, and received her CPA, CMA designation in 1997.
Working at Educators Financial Group
We’re made up of talented, creative, dedicated, and passionate problem solvers. We appreciate people who help make dreams a reality for our clients and our organization.
Thank you for your interest in applying to work at Educators Financial Group.