Maria MassiMy name is Maria Massi. I am happily married with two adult sons and a grandchild who is an inspiration. I was born in Melbourne, Australia, and moved to Ontario, Canada, with my family in 1976. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from McMastr University in 1990. My love for children directed me to open a daycare centre that provided an environment where learning, exploring, well-being, and creativity was the foundation. I absolutely enjoyed storytelling. My passion for seniors led me to work with the Italian seniors of the Vivere Sani Club. I was able to celebrate my Italian heritage and language while developing a cookbook with them that captured traditional Italian recipes. The Vivere Sani, Healthy Living with Traditional Italian Recipe cookbook was published in 1995. I collaborated on the development of CASPHamilton, Creative Age Seniors Program. This program was designed to provide independent living seniors formal organized activities. It proved successful among seniors with early stages of dementia. My professional career included working at McMaster University and with a local Member of the Federal and Provincial Parliament. In 2015, I was nominated for the McMaster President's Award for Outstanding Service and in 2002, I received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Read More Read Less