Board of Directors
Join the Board of Directors
BALANCE is seeking passionate individuals to join our Board of Directors. As a Director, you will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction of our organization and ensuring the provision of quality rehabilitation and support services to blind adults. This is an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful impact, contribute your skills and expertise, and advocate for the needs and rights of people who are blind or living with low vision.
The Board of Directors has core responsibilities as a whole:
- Governance and Strategic Planning:
- Actively participate in board meetings, offering insights and expertise to inform decision-making processes.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan and goals.
- Collaborate with other board members to establish policies and procedures that align with our mission and values.
- Monitor organizational performance and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
- Hold fiduciary responsibility for the security and sustainability of the organization
- Advocacy and Community Engagement:
- Advocate for the rights, needs, and inclusion of blind adults in the community.
- Represent the organization at public events, conferences, and fundraising initiatives.
- Support the development and implementation of awareness campaigns to promote understanding and support for blind individuals.
- Foster relationships with key stakeholders, such as government agencies, community organizations, and donors, to promote the organization’s mission.
- Program Evaluation and Oversight:
- Monitor the effectiveness and impact of the organization’s programs and services.
- Provide guidance and feedback on program development, ensuring alignment with the needs of blind adults.
- Identify opportunities for improvement and innovation.
- Support the organization’s commitment to quality assurance and continuous improvement.
In addition, individual members of the Board may have the ability to:
- Contribute to the identification and cultivation of potential donors, sponsors, and strategic partnerships.
- Leverage personal and professional networks to help secure resources and support for the organization’s programs and services.
- Participate in donor appreciation and recognition activities.
Qualifications:
- Passion for the mission and vision of our organization, and a genuine interest in serving blind adults/connection to the cause.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to think strategically, analyze complex issues, and make informed decisions.
- Willingness to actively contribute time, energy, and expertise to board meetings and committees.
- Previous board or committee experience is an asset, but not required.
- Experience in any of: fundraising, advocacy, program evaluation, or non-profit management is highly desirable.
- Knowledge or lived experience related to blindness, visual impairment, or disability is an advantage.
This position requires a commitment of approximately 25 hours per year, including preparation for and attendance at board meetings every other month and participating in committee work quarterly. The Board of Directors meets 6 times annually on Tuesday evenings 6-8 PM (in 2023-24), for 2 hours per meeting and additional meetings or events may be scheduled as needed, including the Annual General Meeting.
To apply, please submit your resume and a brief statement of interest, highlighting why you are interested in joining our board and how your skills and experiences align with our mission. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences, including blind or visually impaired individuals who can bring unique perspectives to our organization. All resumes will be reviewed by the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board. Submit to: board@balancefba.org.
Board Members
Keith Gordon PhD, Chair
Dr. Keith Gordon is currently the Senior Research Officer of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB). He was Vice President Research of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind from 2007 to 2017 where he was responsible for directing all research activities of the organization. Prior to that he spent more than 30 years in the ophthalmic industry, where he was responsible for a wide range of research and scientific activities. He is a past Research Director of Blind and Low Vision New Zealand and has been a Board member of, and worked with, a number of national and international organizations associated with vision. Dr. Gordon’s primary research interests lie in the area of ophthalmic epidemiology. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto.
Robin Dafoe, Vice-Chair
Robin Dafoe is the Chief Executive Officer & Registrar of the Condominium Authority of Ontario. Robin has been in the Ontario Public Service, including with several government agency boards, for most of her career. She is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and to best practices in governance. Robin has obtained the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and has served on the BALANCE Board for over 5 years. She was Board Secretary from 2018-2021 and is currently Vice-Chair to the BALANCE Board.
Michelle McQuigge, Past Chair
Michelle McQuigge is a reporter with the Canadian Press, Canada’s national wire service. She holds degrees in English Literature and Journalism from the University of Toronto and Ryerson University, respectively. She is accompanied on all professional and personal adventures by Reva, her much-loved guide dog.
Marcus M. Song, Treasurer
Mark is a finance professional currently working at CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). He has extensive public accounting experience in capital planning, operations management and system implementation. Mark is a CPA and holds a degree in Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University. Mark is currently Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee at BALANCE. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and motor sport.
Virginia Duff, M.D., FRCPC, Secretary
Ginny is a psychiatrist practicing at Unity Health Toronto and holds a position of Lecturer at the University of Toronto. As part of her psychiatric practice, she works with people who are struggling with vision loss. Ginny has vision loss herself. Ginny currently serves as Board Secretary at BALANCE. She is an avid downhill skier, sailor and cyclist.
Martin Courcelles, Board Member
Martin currently works at CIBC on the accessibility team as a User Experience Accessibility consultant. He brings over 15 years of expertise in the realm of screen reading technology. As a person with lived experience having to use access technology every day, Martin explains how to improve web properties and smartphone apps to ensure accessibility for all. He’s a subject matter expert at using JAWS, NVDA and Narrator on the PC, and Voiceover and Talkback on smartphones. In his downtime, Martin enjoys running, hiking, tandem cycling and other outdoor activities.
Bob Stark, Board Member
Bob Stark is a Strategy Consultant and Disability Advocate. Prior to this, he was Deputy Minister and CEO of Service Ontario and an executive at Rogers and Scotiabank. He is married with four children and seven grandchildren. His youngest adult daughter is blind and has received services from BALANCE for many years. Bob has served as BALANCE Board Chair, and is currently Chair of the Nominating Committee.
Stephen Ricci, Board Member
Stephen Ricci works for the CNIB in the Social Enterprise Division as the National Portfolio Manager- Accessibility Solutions, supporting the CNIB Smartlife brand. Stephen is a person with ocular albinism and has been legally blind since birth. Stephen is an active member of the blind and partially sighted community volunteering and is always willing to lend a hand. Stephen is driven by the knowledge that he can help make a difference in his community and change what it means to be blind or partially sighted in Canada. Stephen is happily married with three adult children and resides in Toronto. When Stephen is not advocating for accessibility, universal design or talking about the benefits and features of accessible products, he’s likely reading, listening to comedy, cheering on his Maple Leafs or vacuuming.
Meenakshi Venkatesan, Board Member
Meenakshi Venkatesan was the Chair of the Board from 2015-2017. Meena has several years of experience as a Research Scientist in cancer biology and antibiotic resistance research across hospitals in Toronto and currently working at a drug discovery company as a Scientific lead. She holds a PhD degree in Biochemistry from University of Cambridge. She has extensive experience in grant writing, Policy and governance. She also holds a certification in Project Management. She enjoys classical music, is an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves everything about nature and wilderness.
Wayne Yeung, Board Member
Wayne is currently a Senior Consultant in KPMG’s National Healthcare and Life Sciences Management Consulting practice. Primarily focused on Public Health related clients, Wayne has been a dedicated partner to organizations as they respond to the pandemic and working with leaders in Southwestern Ontario and North York Toronto to launch the region’s COVID-19 immunization campaigns. Having experience working with rural, urban and suburban populations in Ontario, Wayne has a robust understanding of the importance in involving the community to achieve quality health outcomes. Known for his ability to work with senior leaders and also frontline staff, he empowers organizations to be innovative and embrace change. Prior to his current role, he led matters pertaining to enterprise risk management in KPMG Canada’s National Quality and Risk Management office.
As an active volunteer and ambassador with the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Wayne has been pivotal to many of the Foundation’s various initiatives for the past 11 years. Currently serving his third term as Chair of the Holiday Season Committee, Wayne brings a wealth of non-profit philanthropic and governance experience to BALANCE.