|
Alex Wu (Treasurer)
Alex Wu is an analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at National Bank Financial. Alex has had extensive experience analyzing and evaluating the financial health and performance of several public and private companies and has been involved in numerous merger and acquisition transactions. Previously, Alex was also engaged in the field of education having worked as an instructor for a global tutoring firm for 4 years, as well as holding his own private tutoring classes in math and English. Alex holds a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honors) from the Queen’s School of Business
Jennifer Goudey (Secretary)
Jennifer Goudey joins the ONBIDA board with a wealth of knowledge in the field of children’s mental health and management skills. She has recently completed her PhD in School Psychology from the University of Alberta and is currently working with the Learning Disabilities Research Program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Her research interest is in the area of parent involvement and children’s reading development, with a focus on parents helping with their children’s reading at home. A current research project looks at the contributions that a home-based parent tutoring program has on children’s reading achievement.
Howard Balter
Howard Balter is designated as a Certified General Accountant and has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. He works for the City of Vaughan as Manager of Program Costing & Special Projects in the Budgeting and Financial Planning Department. He has over ten years of experience working in Senior Finance roles in both the automotive and consumer package industries. He is a parent of two children, one of whom has dyslexia.
Sean Keane
As a Senior Analyst on the Wireless Roaming and Long Distance Team for Rogers Communications, Sean has had extensive experience reporting on the performance of both portfolios and has led numerous revenue generation and customer experience focused initiatives. Sean holds an Honours Business Adminstration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business. As a volunteer, Sean was instrumental in the success of ONBIDA's 2011 Right to Read Night Fundraiser, organizing and executing the silent auction. Sean joins ONBIDA's Board of Directors with the intention of making a difference in the dyslexic community, helping ONBIDA to fulfill its mission and goals.
Jana Leggett
Jana Leggett holds a M.H.Sc. degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has worked for the Toronto District School Board for the last 8 years as a consultant with a special interest in working with students who have difficulties in the areas of higher level language processing, reading and writing. Jana’s current role in the school board includes designing and leading professional development sessions for teachers, educational assistants, parents and other professionals, running small intervention groups and co-instructing with teachers across grades and classrooms. In partnership with Sherry Raffalovitch, she wrote and piloted a research based, supplemental language and literacy program for grades 1 and 2. As a member of the OSLA School Support Services Committee, Jana has also been part of a writing team that partnered with the Ministry of Education’s Special Education Policy and Programs Branch to develop a document regarding oral language development in students from K-3. In addition to her clinical work, Jana is an instructor at the University of Toronto’s Speech-Language Pathology department.
Sherry Raffalovitch
Sherry Raffalovitch is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has worked for the Toronto District School Board for the past 10 years. She started her career in the Kindergarten Early Language Intervention Program (KELI); where she co-instructed a language and literacy program for at risk senior kindergarten students with a teacher. Following that experience she moved into a consultation role with the board and became involved with students who had difficulty learning to read and write. In partnership with Jana Leggett, she wrote and piloted a research based, supplemental language and literacy program, designed to be co-instructed in grade 1 and 2 classrooms. This program is currently being re-piloted and researched. Sherry graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Masters in Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Andy Strub
Andy Strub is a sales professional and business owner. He now owns his own sales company and helps his clients develop strategies, vision and plans to help their businesses grow and achieve sales targets. Andy assisted with the ONBIDA conference in 2011 and he is a parent of 3 boys, his youngest with dyslexia.
Jan MacLean
Jan McLean worked for thirty years as an occupational therapist. In 1994, she received her M.Sc. in Rehabilitation from Queen's University where she has also taught courses at the Queen's School of Rehabilitation Therapy. After having to travel out-of-province to obtain suitable treatment for her children's dyslexia, Jan founded The Reading Clinic in 2001 to offer intensive, research-based treatment for dyslexia. Her children’s success convinced Jan that this type of service needed to be available in Eastern Ontario, and she became committed to learning the necessary skills to become a specialized reading therapist. Jan's experience as a mother of children with dyslexia makes her sensitive to the concerns and frustrations of parents who have children with reading problems. Jan is a long-time member of the Kingston Learning Disabilities Association and a regular speaker at their conference.
Sue Barr
Sue Barr is a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, Cert. AVT and Cert. LSLS. Sue has two daughters with dyslexia. In 2007, she discussed the idea of establishing a parent support group with then ONBIDA president, Sally Shearman. This lead to the starting of a parent group. Sue is a strong believer in the need for and importance of parental involvement and education in order to support our children with dyslexia.
Sally Gfeller
Sally Gfeller is a Learning Resource Teacher who has taught a variety of ages from Kindergarten through high school in both British Columbia as well as Ontario. Sally’s interest in working with students with dyslexia was spurred during her undergraduate degree at Simon Fraser, where she had the opportunity to work one-to-one with students during a Learning Disabilities Lab course. She was inspired to go on and do a Masters degree in this area, at UBC, and her role as a research assistant for Dr. Linda Siegel helped to cement her passion for supporting individuals with dyslexia and other learning differences. Sally also has experience working privately as an Orton-Gillingham Tutor and she has found this training invaluable as an educator.
STAFF
Michelle Halsey (Executive Director)
As Executive Director, Michelle manages the day to day operations of ONBIDA with a focus on communications and fundraising. Michelle has a B.Sc. in Psychology and is a graduate of the BoardWorx Executive Director (BWED) program. Michelle has an extensive marketing and communications background in the corporate world and with non-profit organizations at local, national, and international levels. Michelle is also a freelance writer and her work has been featured in media such as Today’s Parent, Perspectives on Language and Literacy, and CharityVillage.com. As a member of IDA’s International Strategic Planning Committee, Michelle was chosen to champion marketing and technology initiatives, and she continues to act as a special advisor to IDA’s Marketing and Technology Committees.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Stewart Burton
Stewart Burton is Vice Chairman and member of the Global Banking Operating Committee. He is responsible for senior client coverag and has extensive experience in invesement banking, providing both financing and merger and acquisition advice across a broad range of industries. Stewart joined the Corporate Finance Department of RBC Capital Markets in 1986 after earnign his MBA degree from the Harvard Business School. Stewart also holds an HBA from the University of Western Ontario. Prior to completing his MBA, Stewart earned his Chartered Accountants designation after spending three years iwth Ernst and Young. He is currently a Director of the Canadian Opera Company. Stewart has had a lifelong interest and commitment to literacy, and serves on the Advisory Council of ONBIDA.
Luc Corneli
Flemming Friisdahl
Flemming grew up with dyslexia that went unidentified until he was a teenager. After being diagnosed, Flemming moved to the Kenneth Gordon School for students with learning disabilities in British Columbia where he received specialized instruction. Flemming caught up 6 years of schooling in only 2 years. Now as a successful professional, Flemming is interested in giving back, particularly with young students and through ONBIDA's Advisory Council where he hopes to connect the business community to ONBIDA's work. Having spent the last 19 years with Thomas Cook Canada, Flemming has held a variety of positions in the company in both Ontario and Western Canada. Flemming is currently Vice President of Sales for all Thomas Cook Canada tour operator brands, and is now based back at the company's Vancouver office.
Mark Foerster
Mark joined Munich Re in September 2000. Mark is responsible for all aspects of group operations including financial reporting and client servicing along with claims services for both lines of business – individual and group. Mark had 6 years of senior insurance management experience prior to joining Munich Re and 13 years of senior management/executive roles with a large financial institution. Mark began his insurance career in 1988 leading a start-up insurance operation within a large financial institution. Mark received his Honours degree in Business Administration in 1977 and a Masters degree in Business Administration in 1980 (both from the University of Western Ontario -Ivey School of Business. He completed the requirements for a Certified Financial Planner designation in 1997. Mark has taught part-time as a university instructor in Strategic Management. He has also served on numerous charity boards, and is currently Past Chair, United Way York Region. Mark is currently advising ONBIDA in Strategic Planning.
Elie Roth
Elie Roth is a partner with Davies Ward Phillios & Vineberg LLP in Toronto, where he is a member of the the taxation law practice group. Elie advises on domestic and international tax planning, corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance, and also acts as counsel to a number of charitable and non-profit organizations. Elie has advised ONBIDA on charity and taxation law matters since the Ontario Branch was formed and assisted ONBIDA in its registration as a Canadian charity. In honour of Elie's contributions to ONBIDA, a scholarship fund was set up in his name.
Sally Shearman
Sally Shearman was one of the founders of the Ontario Branch of the Ontario Branch of the nternational Dyslexia Association, serving as President from . Sally teaches Special Education and has been with the York Region District School Board since 1991. She was a member of the Advisory Panel for the National Early Literacy Strategy, a project of the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network (CLLRNet), and a member of the Advisory Panel for the Effective Reading Instruction Resource Kit, CLLRNet. She has served in a variety of positions at the local and national levels within IDA since 1999. Sally has developed and delivered many different workshops and teaching modules to raise awareness amongst education professionals of research-based classroom approaches to teaching individuals with dyslexia. Dyslexia runs in Sally's family and she is passionate about making sure that all children receive research-informed literacy instruction.
|
|
The purpose of The International Dyslexia Association is to pursue and provide the most comprehensive range of information and services that address the full scope of dyslexia and related difficulties in learning to read and write.
The International Dyslexia Association is an international organization that concerns itself with the complex issues of dyslexia. The IDA membership consists of a variety of professionals in partnership with individuals with dyslexia and their families. We believe all individuals have the right to achieve their potential, that individual learning abilities can be strengthened, and that social, educational and cultural barriers to language acquisition and use must be removed.
