Board of Directors
Members of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s Board of Directors, elected from across Ontario, guide the organization’s efforts to improve service and care, fund and advance research, and educate the communities we serve.
Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, PhD, Chair
Camila is a Black woman born and raised in Brazil. She understood from a very young age that race relations, identity and gender roles were central not only to her family but to herself and that skin color in Brazil dictates your role, future and existence within society. Since childhood Camila has been involved in philanthropy through her family’s community initiatives. Her career in the charitable sector is a means to contribute towards the eradication of all forms of prejudice preventing the advancement and betterment of humankind. Camila is the Senior Manager, Development & Communications at Child Development Institute in Toronto, an avid researcher and consultant on issues of race, gender, diversity, social justice and equity, as well as a coach to Brazilians involved in philanthropy and fundraising in Brazil and Canada. She holds a PhD in Public Policy/Public Administration & International Relations.
Camila is a co-editor and contributor in the book “Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love” a collection of personal testimonies written by 15 Black American and Canadian non-profit professionals about racism and exclusion in the sector. She is a member of the Black Canadian Fundraisers Collective; and serves on the Board of Ciranda Brasileira Community Association, a Brazilian non-profit organization focused on disseminating and strengthening the Brazilian culture and language amongst Brazilians residing in Toronto GTA.
Michael Ptasznik, Vice-Chair
Michael is an experienced Board Director and retired Senior Executive, who served as the Chief Financial Officer at Nasdaq, Inc. and TMX Group Inc. In those roles he had responsibility for finance, strategy, external communications, risk management, ESG, real estate and administration. He has also served on numerous for-profit and not-for-profit boards, including the Accounting Standards Oversight Council of Canada, the Children's Aid Society of York Region and he is currently Chair of the BOX Options Market, LLC. Michael is a CPA and Chartered Director. Having had the experience of dealing with the consequences of dementia and Alzheimer’s with both of his parents, Michael has a keen interest in assisting with the escalating demand for research, care, and support.
Paul Methot, Treasurer
As an agile, entrepreneurial and success driven executive with a career spanning 25+ years of diverse leadership, accountability and enterprise-wide influence. Paul Methot brings a verifiable record of year over year success achieving revenue, profit, cost reductions and market growth. A visionary change leader with a consistent record of transforming challenges into expansive business opportunities. Paul has proven exceptionally successful in building relationships and empowers teams to develop business acumen, leadership skills, and operational expertise.
Paul has a passion for the food service industry, travel, world history, and volunteer work. Paul is a passionate supporter of the Alzheimer Society, continuing to care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Sabrina Hundal, Secretary
Sabrina is an MD/MBA candidate at the University of Toronto and holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences from Western University. She also completed a Graduate Diploma in Health Research, focusing her thesis on the impact of falls in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
Sabrina has particular interests in patient education, healthcare strategy, and systems-level change. She sits on the Board of Directors at Lupus Ontario and the Halton-Peel Community Aphasia Programs. She also serves on the Academic Board at the University of Toronto, and as the Fundraising Coordinator at the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Canada.
During her time at Western University, Sabrina volunteered with the Alzheimer Society in Middlesex, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges faced by individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. This experience was deeply personal for Sabrina, as she witnessed her own grandmother's courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. Sabrina is eager to leverage her experience to advance the organization’s mission of improving the quality of life for those impacted by Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Josh Bowman
Josh is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) with 15+ years of experience in management, capital campaign strategy, STEM, major gift fundraising, university advancement, grant-writing, the arts, relationship-building, collaborative storytelling, and business development.
He has worked and consulted with incredible organizations such as: North Carolina State University, TMU, the University of Waterloo, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Art Windsor-Essex, I-Think, CAPE, The University of Guelph, Factory Theatre, SING! Festival, the Guelph Black Heritage Society, the Asthma Society of Canada, and the PuSh Festival.
Proud to have raised millions of dollars for education, the arts, hunger relief, and our health and environment. Josh has personally experienced the impact of Alzheimer's on his parents and grandmother and is passionate about finding more tools to manage and eventually end Alzheimer’s. Josh lives with his wife and son, and their fish.
Richard Legaspi
Richard is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in Ontario, and has over 20 years of experience in Governance, Risk Management, Compliance, Finance and Audit for global organizations such as TD Bank, Scotiabank, HSBC, CIBC and Ernst & Young. He is currently working as a Senior Audit Group Manager, Global Risk and ESG at TD Bank Group. He is also a Chartered Accountant in the United Kingdom and Philippines, and a Certified Internal Auditor. He holds a Global Executive MBA from SDA Bocconi School of Management, Bocconi University (Milan, Italy), an MBA from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) and Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from De La Salle University (Manila, Philippines).
Richard has a passion for helping others and volunteers as a board member for Neilson Park Creative Centre and Professional Mentor for Immigrants at Skills for Change. He has a keen interest in being involved in brain health initiatives having personally experienced the consequence of dementia with her mother. He participated in developing idea to build and implement Brain Health Centre of Excellence in the 2024 Social Impact Partners Brain Health Innovation Olympics and achieved 2nd place.
Ignazio (Iggy) Gulizia
Mr. Gulizia is General Counsel of a diversified investment holding company with interests in financial services, asset management, and investments throughout Canada and the Caribbean. His practice spans corporate, commercial, and securities law, with a focus on private equity, governance, and regulatory compliance. Mr. Gulizia has advised on a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions and has held senior legal and compliance roles supporting executive leadership, investment committees, and boards of directors. He has extensive experience working with regulated financial institutions, including firms subject to oversight by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and provincial securities regulators.
He has supported numerous public and private company boards on matters involving corporate governance, disclosure obligations, and strategic legal planning. Mr. Gulizia is a member of the Ontario Bar.
Ivanette Hargreaves
Ivanette is a senior health systems leader with more than 20 years of experience in government, hospital, and prehospital settings. She brings deep expertise in quality improvement, patient safety, risk management, and organizational development. Ivanette has worked across Canada with organizations including Indigenous Services Canada, the Department of National Defence, The Ottawa Hospital, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada, and the Regional Paramedic Program of Eastern Ontario. In addition to her public sector work, she is also an active consultant, supporting health and social care organizations to advance strategic priorities, proactively determine areas of risk, and improve service delivery.
Ivanette holds a Master of Arts in Leadership, with a published thesis on building authentic cultures that support continuous organizational improvement. She also holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Leadership.
Deeply shaped by the experience of supporting both her mother and grandmother as they navigated life with dementia, Ivanette is inspired to drive system-level change that honours the dignity of those living with dementia and improves care for individuals and families across Ontario. She is known for her strategic vision, collaborative approach, and commitment to creating cultures where people and systems thrive.
Deborah Cumming
Deborah is a registered social worker (RSW), healthcare advocate and early resolution professional with 20+ years’ experience in Canadian healthcare, social services and non-profit sectors. Deborah holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Toronto specializing in mental health, addictions and gender-based violence. Deborah is known for her eagerness to learn, collaborating to find innovative solutions and for her adaptability to respond to complex human, societal and system needs. Working with transparency, fairness and authenticity, Deborah is a leader recognized for building strategic partnerships and addressing time-sensitive challenges with optimism and good humour. Deborah believes the key to achieving sustainable results is through integrity & trust- based relationships and multi-sectoral collaborations.
Regional Directors
WEST – Dr. Mitchell Fields
Dr. Mitchell Fields has been a Professor at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, since 1985.
Dr. Fields is founding Director of the Centre of Executive Education at the University of Windsor (2002). In this role, he launched executive education as a campus-wide initiative, transforming it into a multi-disciplinary unit offering academic programs and professional development workshops for an increasingly international audience. He stepped down from the position in 2010 to return to full-time academic work.
Dr. Fields was appointed Dean of the Odette School of business in 2016, serving until 2023. His research has been published in leading journals, and he has presented a numerous national and international conferences.
Dr. Fields has also been involved in community outreach and service. He served for many years on the Board of the Alzheimer Society of Windsor-Essex in carious roles and is the former Chair of the Art Gallery of Windsor Foundation.
NORTH – Darla Pirillo
Having served as Chair of the local Alzheimer’s Society in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District for the past three years, I bring firsthand understanding of the needs and challenges facing one of the key regions in Northern Ontario. Beyond this, my experience as a senior human resources management professional in public sector organizations for many years has provided me with valuable skills in governance, strategic leadership, and stakeholder collaboration.
Additionally, I have served as Board Chair for a local Arts Society in Sault Ste. Marie and Chair of the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPA) local board, strengthening my capabilities in governance and community engagement. Currently, I continue to serve as Chair of our local Alzheimer’s Society Board until June 2025 and will remain a board member until June 2026, maintaining ongoing involvement and insight into the evolving needs of the region.
CENTRAL – George Douglas
Retired Detective Sergeant managing a team of Criminal Investigators. I have over 32 years of Policing experience working in a large variety of investigative areas, including; Drugs Crimes / Vice crimes / Homicide / Criminal Intelligence / Internet Child exportation investigations / Sex assault investigation / Child abuse investigations. Over 15 years involved in covert operations and training. Hundreds of Criminal Investigations managed through the criminal court process. Testimony in court hundreds of times over 32 years. Promoted twice during my career.
Current pressuring a Commercial Pilot License, Through Flight 6Ix (Algoma University) Guelph. Currently a Private Pilot with 200hours / Night Rating.
Past Chair of the Alzheimer's Society of Peel Board of Directors. Over 9 years of board of director experience with this multi million dollar Not for Profit Organization.