Staff & Collaborators
Paulina Abarca-Cantin, Executive Director
Appointed Executive Director in May 2025, Paulina brings three decades of cross-sector leadership experience to Seniors Action Quebec. She currently serves on the Board of the Table de concertation des aînés de l'île de Montréal (TCAÎM).
An alumna of HEC Montréal, Schulich School of Business at York University, the University of Toronto, and the National Theatre School of Canada, she most recently served as Director of Policy and Research at the Canadian Media Producers Association in Ottawa. From 2017 to 2022, she led programming and operations of the Canada Media Fund's Encore+ YouTube channel of Canadian audiovisual legacy content, earning a YouTube Silver Creator Award. As Executive Director, she served bilingual non-profits including Capital Heritage Connexion, Ada X, and SPTC for over a decade. As a consultant, she has managed strategic initiatives for organizations including the Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC), TALQ (formerly QCGN), the Stratford Festival of Canada and CBC‑SRC.
Dedicated to non-profit governance, she was a founding Board member of the English Language Arts Network (ELAN) and founding Chair of its Advisory Board. As Past President and longtime Board member of the Alliance des femmes des industries créatives (Allia), she advocated extensively for gender parity in cultural funding. While serving on the Board of Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI), she led programming initiatives in over twenty cities across three continents from 2005 to 2008.
Kate Kennedy, Community Resources & Outreach Coordinator
Kate Kennedy is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at McGill University. With a personal connection to English-speaking seniors, Kate is deeply committed to supporting their well-being. Since joining Seniors Action Quebec in 2024 to contribute to the Map of Services project, her role has expanded to support the organization in an administrative role.
Tima Khan, Executive Coordinator
As Executive Coordinator, Tima supports the advancement of organizational priorities through strategic initiatives, administrative and operational coordination. Drawing on a background in non-profit management, stakeholder engagement, and community-based programming, she brings expertise at the intersection of strategy and community connection—bridging organizational goals with meaningful impact.
Guided by a passion for organizational excellence and social impact, she is dedicated to strengthening programs that empower seniors and promote inclusive communities. Prior to joining SAQ, Tima served as a Career Consultant. She is a graduate of Psychology and Human Relations from McGill University.
Ruth Pelletier, Project Lead
For close to 60 years Ruth has been an activist and advocate for the less fortunate, both in her paid positions as well her volunteer activities.
Her consumer advocacy work at The Central Council for Consumers of Ville Marie Social Services led to employment opportunities as a broadcaster with CJAD, CFCF and a weekly contributor on CBC ‘s “Home Run” radio.
Founder of Seniors Action Quebec in 2012, Ruth continues to be an active member of several community organizations serving seniors and women and also services as an advisory member of several board of directors. She is currently serving as Seniors Action Quebec’s October 2025 Conference Lead.
Ruth says, “everyday we learn something new” and I like that and want to make a difference in a small way.