Adaoma Patterson-Gilling is mom to Simeon and passionate about community development and mentoring. She was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada, except for six years that her family spent in Jamaica where she attended Vaz Prep.  Adaoma has thirty years of progressive experience in the not-for-profit and public sectors, and in 2024 she completed a Masters of Arts in Leadership from the School of Business & Economics at the University of Guelph. She has served on several boards including Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement, a national organization focused on community change, and as president of the Jamaican Canadian Association, from 2016 to 2022, and reelected in May 2026. 

Adaoma is currently a Director of Community Investments at one of the GTA’s largest funders of social services and served on the Equity Diversity Inclusion & Communities Committee of School of Medicine Planning Team at Toronto Metropolitan University. From 2024 to 2025, Adaoma was the project manager for a research project that explores how the establishment of a Black led financial institution can impact economic empowerment and sustainable community development, and address systemic barriers for Black communities.