Nicholas Katalifos is the Director General of the English Montreal School Board (EMSB).
Mr. Katalifos has been integrally involved with community groups and associations, particularly as they relate to special needs. In addition to his administrative role at Wagar Adult Education Centre which focuses primarily upon students with special needs, he has proudly served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Giant Steps School and Resource Center for a decade. The school was established 40 years ago and is mandated specifically to offer services to autistic students aged 4-21. Nick and his wife Mary Gouskos, a consultant with the EMSB, have two children - Anna, a 23 year old student at McGill, and 19 year old Manoli who has attended Giant Steps since the age of four.
Since autism is often diagnosed at a young age, one of Mr. Katalifos' goals is have autism recognised as a lifelong condition and has recently took on a consultation process to determine the various needs of the Montreal area autism community. He has determined that what is needed is a Giant Steps Autism centre that can support people of all ages that are under the spectrum. Mr. Katalifos, along with the Giant Steps Foundation, has raised over $1,000,000 in an annual campaign for Giant Steps School.
Mr. Katalifos also generously gives his time to numerous committees, such as the Child Bright Network, the Transforming Autism Care Consortium, the Azrieli Center for Autism, the Regional Access Committee for Health and Social Services Laval, and the Community Service Initiative Round Table at John Molson School of Business.
Mr. Katalifos has worked for the EMSB and the former Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal for 29 years. He served as the Principal of the Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte Saint-Luc. Prior to that he was the Principal of three elementary schools – Roslyn in Westmount and General Vanier and Pierre de Coubertin in St. Léonard – and he was the Vice Principal of two elementary schools – Gardenview in St. Laurent and Westmount High. He began his career in the education system as a teacher.
