Our Team

Bryce Taylor

Bryce A Taylor, the founder of the community housing projects located in Toronto known as the Sionito Group of Charities, has used this experience base to develop a ‘replicable’ business enterprise partnered with a non-profit mission policy framework. He is a self-described social entrepreneur interested in affirming ‘the more civil society.’ Mr. Taylor contracts his services through his company, Tiomara Management and Development Ltd. Mr. Taylor is a Registered Social Worker holding a Master’s of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto combined with completing post graduate doctoral studies (DSW) up to the thesis level. In the Social Work profession, his interest has been within its community development theory and practice framework.
Mr. Taylor is also an ordained minister, having spent a decade in full-time ministry early in his career with the Community of Christ. He is a student of progressive religious and secular thought. Combined with this was a sabbatical travelling year in which he ‘existentially’ proved the world to be round at the place where the 401 and Hwy 6 intersect in Ontario. More importantly, his expansive geographical explorations left him with the impression that he could never take for granted that Canada was a distinguished country amidst a global expanse of disadvantaged populations. The relief of impoverishment and the growth of economic equity using a citizen development framework became one of his two career aspirations. Bryce has been the honoured recipient of many citations for his diverse community service work throughout his career, including receiving the Governor-General of Canada Commemorative Medal.
More specifically, presently, Mr. Taylor is involved in the development of the Sionito Model for developing social housing projects within the non-profit sector of the economy. Governments cannot do it all. The Sionito Model affirms that a housing-centric and housing-first framework is the singular foundation that is now missing in an overly multifarious social policy environment. The ‘more civil society’ will emerge when governments at all levels begin to encourage their citizens to create a ‘more entrepreneurial culture’ across all three sectors of Canadian society:
i) business entrepreneurship – the enterprise zeal of the private sector, (vision)
ii) social entrepreneurship – the mission passion of the charitable sector (empathy and dignity)
iii) government entrepreneurship – the legislative and administrative imperative for effective social policy (justice and equity).
When citizens helping citizens becomes more normative across all three sectors of our economy, the ‘more civil society’ will emerge.
More information on the Sionito Model is available at sionito.ca

Jayalata Shetty

As a graduate of Mumbai University, Jayalata received her Bachelor of Commerce that is equivalent to a Business Accounting certificate in Canada. She lived and worked in Dubai as an Accountant for seven years for an Electromechanical Company. Upon moving to Canada in 2009, Jayalata completed her property management certificate and has an OLCM (Ontario Licensed Condominium Manager) license. She has worked as an accountant with property management companies for more than 12 years and has specialized her skills of accounting in preparing financial reports, analysis, budgets and audit documents for residential, rental, commercial & subsidized units. Jaya is very passionate about her career and loves working with seniors who are challenged by mental health issues. In her leisure time, Jaya enjoys travelling, cooking and spending time with her family.

Alfredo Zelaya

A passionate community builder. Over the past 30 years, Alfredo has served as a Principal of a private school, a full-time Ordained Minister, a Personal Care Worker with developmentally delayed adults, and as the Inter-school Sports Director for a group of private elementary schools. Alfredo co-founded Community Place+. This is an intergenerational program designed to bring a community-building experience to those individuals looking for deep and meaningful connections.
Using his native language, Spanish, Alfredo has volunteered with World Accord as a translator and group leader for Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador projects. His first love, however, has been directing youth camps for the past 30 years.
Sionito’s focus and strategic plan to build community with the most marginalized citizens in the city is a natural extension of his community-building ventures.
Alfredo’s personal motto is “Get busy living….”

Alvaro Vidal in Memorium

Alvaro Vidal’s story with Sionito began in 1978 when he moved in as a tenant in the Bathurst St building. When the St. Clair Ave project was underway in 1981, Alvaro’s father (also named Alvaro) and several other new immigrants of the community assisted in the internal demolition and building of the apartments. In 1982 his parents accepted the position of Property Managers building a community within the apartments and being a leader in the Hispanic clubs and other activities of the surrounding community. His father passed away in 1999, and to celebrate a life well-lived, the building was renamed the Alvaro S. Vidal Apartments.
At that time, Alvaro took over the role and responsibility of managing the property and supporting the tenants directly by relating positively to them and indirectly by introducing them to support agencies in the community.
Memorium
It is with deep sadness that we announced the passing of Alvaro Vidal on January 16th 2022.
Alvaro Vidal was not only our superintendent at the St. Clair Ave and Bathurst St projects but a beloved family friend and loyal employee of Tiomara Management and Dev’t. Up until a week before yesterday he was still asking about the vacancies at the Bill McMurray Residence. Over the many years since the passing of his father he has been a loyal supporter of all of the Sionito Charities…and always just a phone call away.
Some stories from Bryce:
An interesting side story that took place back in the fall. Alvaro, Alfredo and I decided we did not think it was right that the Bathurst Street project was being charged for upgrades to our south side sidewalk due to construction upgrades to the adjacent library. So we decided to have an on-site meeting with the local Councillor Josh Matlow. During that meeting, in the backyard of the Bathurst building, I could tell that Josh was ignoring me and was much more interested in what Alvaro was saying about the surrounding community and the many contacts he had up and down the various streets. About two weeks later Alvaro phoned me quite excited that Josh had invited him to a one on one lunch with him. He wanted to know what he should say to Josh. I said obviously I should be asking you what you do! So he went and had a really uplifting meeting in which Josh commended him on the work he was doing at Sionito etc. and likely my sense is he was putting Alvaro down as one of the key community representatives that he should continue to relate with in order to make this a better community for all citizens.
There are many other stories. A few months back I mentioned in a management meeting that we really had to find a way, regardless of COVID, to fill our BM vacancies. I knew I had lost Alvaro’s attention as he started phoning his contacts in the shelters and street motels that the City has set up. By the time the meeting was over he had three interested street workers saying they would be getting back to him… and this certainly increased the speed at which vacancies were being filled at BM.
From Tiona:
Alvaro was like a brother to me. He was always in your corner and because of his protective nature, you knew he would look after you no matter what. Too many times to count, Alvaro would receive phone calls from us when we needed his help. His response without hesitation every single time, “I’m on my way”. In that early morning, shortly before he left us, I had this overwhelming feeling of Alvaro, my thoughts of him were all consuming. As tears streamed down, his words rang clear…”I’m on my way”. Alvaro was larger than life and his absence will be forever felt.
Alvaro was a man that wore his heart on his sleeve and at the age of 49, has left us far too soon. Our love and support go out to Alvaro’s wife, Angie, his two sons, Josh and Justin, his mother, Maria, and sister, Angelica.
He will be missed.
Tiona and Bryce