Ms. Karen Louise Sinotte

Karen was a big sister to me into our adult lives. I dropped in to stay with her at her appartment with little forewarning about 10 times over the years. She was so lovely and positive, we will miss her dearly. The last time I saw her was in 2022 coming back from my mother's funeral and stuck at Billy Bishop airport for 24 hours because of bad weather and a labor shortage. She came down to meet me at midnight and we walked across the street to order fried chicken at the walk-in place, then took it to eat on a bench on the lakeshore in a misty cool rain. All my love and condolences to family and friends. Steve Tasok 83"

Still can’t believe I’m writing in Karen’s memorial book. Her vital energy and enthusiasm were inspiring and contagious. I was always leaving our meetings with a feeling that everything was possible. She knew how to empower others and genuinely celebrated their successes. I admired her honesty, boldness, curiosity, and passion for building stronger communities. She was a true mentor and a role model for me and will always be. Together we translated Toronto Railway Museum’s audio tours into world languages, organized classical music concerts, took displaced Ukrainian kids to the CN Tower, and created dozens of plans and projects for the future. Last time we met was on an unusually warm and sunny day on March 11th, 2025 to have a walk along her beloved harbour front. Her last words to me were: “Go, make a difference!” I went. My last message to her was on October 14th, 2025: “Happy Thanksgiving, Karen! I always think about you on this day. “ Unread. There’s no other person I want to say thank you to as much as her. Let her heritage live in her students, community projects, and research work. She did make a difference by showing how to live a life at its best.

Karen brought wisdom, kindness, and unwavering dedication to both her colleagues and students. Her ability to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and treat everyone with respect elevated the George Brown community in ways that will never be forgotten. Thank you Karen for welcoming me warmly to the college and for our interesting conversations. Your impact lives on in your students, in your peers, and in the values you championed every day. May your legacy continue to guide us, and may your family find comfort in knowing how deeply you were admired.

I was shocked and dismayed to learn of Karen's passing. I am a former Board Member of TRHA and she was always one to phone and ask how I am doing after I resigned from the Board. I enjoyed working with her and always appreciated her wise counsel.

Dear Karen’s family, I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of Karen’s passing, and I want to extend my sincere condolences to all of you. It is difficult to find the right words to express how much Karen meant to me and my family. She was not only my best colleague, but also my dear friend and mentor—someone whose kindness, generosity, and brilliance shaped my life in countless ways. She was truly family to us. Karen and I became friends in 2014 when I joined George Brown College. From the very beginning, she offered me her unconditional support. She voluntarily mentored me, encouraged me through the challenges of settling in a new country, and provided invaluable guidance. Her support extended warmly to my daughter as well. In 2016, Karen created an opportunity for her to gain work experience as a volunteer survey data collector at Harbourfront Centre. She encouraged my daughter to excel, and under her guidance, my daughter performed exceptionally well—an experience that helped build her confidence and opened doors for her future. Karen’s kindness touched every generation of my family. Since 2018, Karen and I worked closely together on various research projects. We successfully secured grants, developed research designs, hired assistants, collected data, and presented at conferences for the past few years. Karen’s innovative thinking, organizational strength, and extensive industry connections made each collaboration a joy. She approached research with enthusiasm and creativity, and it was a privilege to work alongside her. Karen’s compassion was especially profound during my late husband Andy’s illness. After she recovered from her own battle with breast cancer, she dedicated herself to helping others, including cancer patients and their families. She walked with us through every stage of Andy’s treatment—offering advice, attending consultations, accompanying us to the hospital, and giving unwavering emotional support. I will never forget the day she walked from Harbourfront to Princess Margaret Hospital just to sit with me during Andy’s surgery for five hours, or the many hours she spent with me outside the ER during the pandemic when I was not allowed to be with him. She even drove a long distance to attend Andy’s funeral and share a meal with us. I cannot imagine what those years would have been like without her strength, love, and companionship. In my career, Karen was one of my strongest supporters. She wrote powerful references for my applications, encouraged my aspirations, and celebrated my successes. When I taught at the downtown campus, she would always come to meet me before and after class, sometimes waiting outside the classroom just to say hello. She even joined my classes as a guest speaker and became a favorite among my MBA students. We shared meals, laughed often, planned research projects, and made memories that I will always cherish. Everything still feels so recent and vivid—like it all happened yesterday. I was stunned when I spoke with her in August and learned about her illness. I remained hopeful because she had recovered once before, but I began to worry when her messages grew less frequent. I feel fortunate that my daughter and I had the chance to visit her on October 21. Even though she was weak, she continued to care about us, asking about my daughter’s studies and my new job, never revealing the extent of her pain. Her last message to me read, “Thanks for coming. Sorry not good company. Very cheering.” This was so like Karen—always thinking of others first, even in her most difficult moments. Karen’s passing is an immeasurable loss for me and my family. Yet, I remain profoundly grateful for the privilege of having known her, learned from her, and shared so much of life with her. Thank you, Karen, for everything—for your friendship, your support, and your love. Please accept my deepest condolences. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this incredibly difficult time. With heartfelt sympathy, Eva Huang and family

I am still trying to process the shocking news of Karen’s passing. This summer we presented an A/B testing project side-by-side at the Congress 2025 conference — a collaboration that would not have been possible without her vision, generosity, and encouragement. Karen’s vibrant spirit, wisdom, and boundless energy touched so many of us. It is hard to accept that someone so full of life and insight is gone. Her classroom feels emptier, her podium quieter, and her mentees and colleagues are left to grapple with a great absence. When I think of the new initiatives she discussed so passionately — in AI, automation, and collaborative research — I feel both sorrow and resolve. The best way I can honour her is by carrying forward the work and values she championed. Karen, thank you for your mentorship and friendship. You will be dearly missed. May you rest in peace.

It was a pleasure to work with Karen and a greater honor to call her a friend. We were making plans the week before to grab a lunch as we periodically did. I will deeply miss her contagious energy and enthusiasm. Students will miss a wise mentor. Go in peace, my dear friend... Love Anu XOX

I didn't have a privilege to meet Karen in-person, but we exchanged texts and messages through emails, meeting chatrooms at work or on LinkedIn. Karen was a great mentor to me when she reached out asking how I was doing during the enrollment crisis at the college, and through those chats, she made me feel visible for a contract faculty. Above that, I also learned she had great knowledge about art when I mentioned my son is studying at Emily Carr University, and our last messages on LinkedIn were about the Indian Church painting displayed in the AGO. My deep condolences to the family.

It was my privilege to call Karen a friend. She was a master networker—always connecting with people and connecting them to one another. She was a true champion of her students, going out of her way to challenge them and involve them in her research. Karen said things as she saw them and wasn’t afraid to challenge anyone—or anything—from debates on every subject to arguments with AI when it was wrong. She was always up for fun and eager to try something new. I’ll deeply miss her—her quick wit, her generosity, and the way she made every conversation more interesting and every person she met feel seen. My condolences to her family and friends.

Karen had a beautiful smile and a warm, loving spirit. I worked with her at George Brown College and was always blessed by her friendship

Karen was an energentic positive ray of light in the halls, classrooms and offices of GBC. Her brilliant insights enlightened the minds of not only her students but her colleagues and anyone who was lucky enough to bathe in her light.

I had the privilege of working with Karen at George Brown; she will be greatly missed. My sincere condolences to Karen's family and friends.

Karen was certainly a bright light here at HarbourSide. The staff enjoyed their chats with her, and the positive thoughts she shared. Karen has left a positive memory, and impression on all of us. We express our condolences to Karen's family and friends.

My sincere condolences to Karen's family and those nearest and dearest to her. Karen and I got to know each other as colleagues at George Brown College where I was Dean of the Centre for Business from 2002 until 2018. Having corporate business experience and international travels in her background, Karen was a professor who easily connected with students to mentor and support their goals and dreams. Her commitment to teaching and learning, and to research that supported our work at the college, was instrumental to our vision and mission. She will be missed!

I am so very sorry to hear this news. I worked with Karen many years ago at Rexdale Womens Center. She was incredibly sharp, had beautiful energy and wit and always cared deeply for others. I remember how much she loved her new role at the college and always went above and beyond for her students. I used to give her rides to the board meetings and we chatted so much about her time in africa and the various lessons she learned over the years working in corporate settings. She imparted a lot of wisdom. She was a force and Im so very sorry for your loss.

I was deeply saddened about hearing the news that Karen passed. My sincere condolences to the family. Karen was a wonderful and giving person. She was an incredible mentor who openly shared her skills and expertise so that my organization could better serve women. Karen was honoured as a pioneer at Rexdale Women’s Centre in the 45th anniversary celebration. It is because of Karen’s strategic acumen that the organization grew. More importantly, Karen has been a great friend over the years and we shared our love of art. I will miss her humour and friendship very much.

I was deeply saddened to hear of Karen’s passing. I knew Karen from George Brown, where I saw first hand her dedication to her students. She personally escorted students to the tutoring centre to ensure they got the extra help they needed, and she also provided references for her students who applied to work with us. She was welcoming and warm, and she never took no for an answer. If no way existed, she would do her best to make one. Karen helped many students who were new to the country make connections and helped them find their way. She was a strong advocate for international and newcomer students, and she advocated tirelessly for them, as well as for all students. I am so sorry for this loss, and send my sincere condolences to all who knew her.

Karen will be remembered for that smile,great laugh and she was a lot of fun. We had A lot of fun in school together. Godspeed Karen. You will forever be in my heart.

I only met Karen twice but her smile and immense sense of humor was indelible. I'm sure she will leave a void in your lives

We are so sorry for your loss GERALDINE and family. Sending our deepest condolences to all.