MPL Board & Key Contacts

The Milton Public Library Board meets seven times yearly and is:

A formal policy-setting group that exists to set goals and objectives to meet the community's public library needs

A seven-member Board, consisting of two Councillors and five community representatives

Appointed by Milton Town Council at the beginning of each new Council term

Accountable to Milton Town Council for the operations of Milton Public Library, and Council has line-by-line control over the annual budgets

A governance Board established by the Ontario Public Library Act, and takes its fiduciary, short and long-term planning and policy development responsibilities seriously. The Board delegates the appropriate authority to staff, through the CEO / Chief Librarian, to run the library system and achieve the planning and financial goals set by the Board

The current Milton Public Library Board is made up of the following members:

Sana Malik (Chair)

Sana Malik is a Senior Manager with KPMG’s Internal Audit, Risk and Compliance practice. With more than 20 years of broad-based experience in both private and public sectors, She has demonstrated experience in successfully managing and executing audits, consultations, risk assessments and forensic investigative work in large and complex environments. Malik also performs examinations and objective appraisals of the adequacy, efficiency and effectiveness of financial, management and systems controls to identify key risk and improvement areas. Within the community, She is a Public Member on the Audit Committee of the Halton District School Board. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) degree from McGill University, is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and holds a Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA).

She has been living in Milton since 2015 with her husband and two kids. They have been frequenting the Main Street Library for many years and have seen how it has evolved over the years. As an MPL Board member, She hopes to support the Milton Library in reaching its strategic objectives, connecting with the community and creating a safe space for our growing and diverse community.

Councillor Colin Best is a lifelong resident of Milton and works locally as an independent property appraiser valuing residential properties for various lending institutions and other purposes.

In the community, he has been involved with a number of organizations including the Milton Jaycees, Rotary Club, Air Cadets, Milton BIA, Chamber of Commerce, Milton Santa Claus Parade Committee and various Parents’ Councils at local schools that his children have attended.

He was first elected in 1980 as a local councillor for Ward 2 which at the time included all the urban area. He served on a number of local council committees and was elected to Regional Councillor from 1994 to 1997.

In 2006 he was elected to be the local and regional councillor for Wards 2 & 4, and in 2010 and 2014 he was re-elected to represent the new wards 2,3,4,5 north of Derry Road and serve on multiple regional and community committees.

Ragy Sharkawy

Ragy Sharkawy and his family called Milton home since 2008, and they have loved every moment of it. The transformation they have seen in the Town over the past 15 years has been incredible, and he is humbled by the opportunity to serve the growing, diverse and vibrant community through the Milton Public Library Board. 

Growing up, and particularly during his undergraduate years, libraries provided an invaluable and consistent space to study, research, and collaborate with colleagues. With a background in Engineering, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), his professional career over the past 20 years has been in the aerospace industry, with various roles of increasing responsibility in project and program management. Currently, he works at Collins Aerospace as a Program Director.  He also serves on the Board of Directors at St. George & St. Abanoub (SGSA) Coptic Orthodox Church, in Milton, as well as on the school council at Holy Rosary School.

He and his wife are blessed with two wonderful children who love reading and activities that draw on their creativity. They are frequent visitors to the Milton Public Library system and its programs and are fortunate to have a library that is within walking distance from their home. He is looking forward to playing an active role in the continued growth of libraries for the entire community to enjoy.    

Karen Wolnik

Karen Wolnik joined the Milton Public Library when she and her husband moved to Milton in 2009. She has a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Engineering as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA).  In her professional career, she has worked in the Ontario energy industry for 17 years, particularly in project management and business development.  She has served on several industry committees and volunteered as a Board member for a local non-profit organization. As a mother of two and an avid reader, she values lifelong learning and is thankful for the MPL staff, facilities, and services. She looks forward to supporting continued growth with an emphasis on diversity and sustainability.