A new public lecture series, presented by The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at York University in association with The Jamaica 55 Canada Committee, will run at York University on Oct. 6.

The inaugural Don Levy Lecture, in celebration of Jamaica 55, will examine 'The Role of the Diaspora in National Development' through a series of panel discussions.

It runs 7:30 to 9:30pm at the Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, York University. A reception will begin at 6pm.

Panelists include:

• Juliet Holness, MP, Jamaica
• Howard Shearer, Hitachi Canada
• Beverley Mullings, Queen's University
• Ameil Joseph, McMaster University

The lecture will be chaired by Andrea Davis, chair of the Department of Humanities in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LAPS) at York University. The emcee for the event will be Dwight Drummond of the CBC.

About Don Levy

Don Levy owns and manages Manulife’s Oakville Wealth Management office and is also the managing director of Confido Wealth Management Group. He has been in the financial service industry for more than 27 years.

He is graduate of York University, and earned a BA ('86) in economics and political science.

Levy is of the belief that wealth creation also involves investing in community. He currently serves on the advisory board of PFSG, a non profit that provides creative funding for the building of churches across Canada, as well as supporting emergency relief and development overseas. He also participates in the P.A.C.E. (Canada) adopt a school program.

He has previously acted in various leadership roles including a member on the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital board finance committee, and The United Way of Oakville Board of Directors. Levy is past co-chair of the Toronto Volunteer Committee of ORBIS Canada, the Toronto-based development office of ORBIS International, a global charity aimed at eliminating preventable blindness.