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.
Claire Forster, Chair
Claire Forster is a seasoned Human Resources Professional who has global experience in North America and Hong Kong. Claire was a VP for a leading financial services organization, but now her sole focus is working in the not-for-profit sector with organizations to ensure alignment of strategy, governance, and resources.
With experience as a past Chair of the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton (BHNHH), Claire brings ample experience to her position as Chair of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario. Claire volunteers with International Needs, an organization that supports women and children in countries where female education is not a priority and is a volunteer consultant for CEE, and organization that focuses on careers, education and empowerment for disadvantaged Black youth.
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.
Lisa Plieger, Secretary
Lisa’s desire to contribute to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario board developed many years ago as a result of her own personal experience as a caregiver to a parent with dementia. Lisa began her efforts to make a difference with the Alzheimer Society as a volunteer board member with a local Alzheimer Society and the Foundation Board of Directors. In addition, Lisa contributed her expertise in the most recent ASiO governance review process.
Professionally, Lisa has worked in the financial services industry, and, most recently, established her own Financial Planning Consulting Firm, Financial Planning Matters.
Dr. Komal Bhasin
Dr. Komal Bhasin is a seasoned public sector professional with nearly 20 years of experience as a consultant, strategic advisor, and operations leader in Ontario's health and social service sectors. As the founder of Insayva, Dr. Bhasin works at the intersection of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and mental health, using an anti-oppressive decolonization approach when partnering with public sector and not-for-profit organizations that are committed to amplifying their impact.
Komal has worked in a range of contexts including providing one-on-one counselling to individuals and families; community development and advocacy; and leading large-scale strategic and operational initiatives in healthcare institutions and across government. Komal previously served on the board of Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO), and on the board of the YMCA of Greater Toronto.
Komal brings a deeply personal connection to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario Board as she has experience supporting a loved one on their journey with dementia.
Niambi A. Martin-John
Niambi is a social change champion, community mobilizer, advocate and fund development specialist who has dedicated her career to increasing capacity for marginalized, racialized and at-risk communities. For more than 20 years, Niambi has held leadership roles in the health charity, arts and social services sectors, employing an integrated, mission- centered, collaborative approach to drive revenue, create space and empower beneficiaries.
She values the power of allies and incorporates the concept of partner led, needs based indicators to inform her unique insight to Development work. Utilizing her background in community development and story –telling, she amplifies the stories of beneficiaries and partners by weaving their narratives alongside the organization’s government and public relations, research, engagement and program outcomes to create donor opportunities, deepen relationships and grow revenue.
Niambi strongly believes that we all have a responsibility to drive change, end stigma and eliminate barriers so that all people have equal access to power and personal agency. As such, she uses her access to mentor and guide emerging social sector professionals as a professor in the Non-Profit Leadership Management Post Graduate program at Seneca College and volunteers with a number of charities, groups and associations focused on female and youth empowerment, poverty alleviation, and equity work. She is also the Director of Development at the Stephen Lewis Foundation, an organization committed to delivering resources directly into the hands of the community-based organizations (CBOs) that are turning the tide of HIV & AIDS in Africa.
Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, PhD - Senior Manager, Development & Communications
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.
Vanita Varma, PhD
Vanita is a high-performance strategist with 20+ years of executive leadership experience in community healthcare sector. As a visionary and a systems thinker, her expertise includes organizational leadership, operational planning, board governance, change management, policy development & stakeholder engagement.
Vanita is the founding Director of Centre for Innovation in Health and Wellness at Humber College. Her prior roles included CEO of a Community Health Centre and Executive Director of community mental health organization..
Vanita holds a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from University of Toronto. She currently serves on the Board of Crossroads International and is a coach and mentor at Social Venture Zone at Toronto Metropolitan University and at Massey College, University of Toronto.
Her prior community leadership roles included past Board Chair and member at William Osler Health System, leadership committee of Mississauga Community Foundation and United Way’s South Asian Advisory Council.
Ward Sellers
Ward’s personal experience with dementia has led to a desire to shift his volunteer focus to an organization like the Alzheimer Society. Ward has a long history of volunteer and philanthropic involvement with organizations including the Canadian Opera Company, the Power Plant Art Gallery and the ECS School in Montreal. In addition, Ward rode with a team of cyclists across Canada that raised $1.5 million for Coast-to-Coast National Cancer Foundation. Professionally, Ward is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Sherritt International Corporation.
Michael Ptasznik
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.
Lawrence E. Davis
Lawrence is an experienced finance executive having served as Chief Financial Officer and consultant for organizations undergoing operational and technology transformation mandates.
Chief Financial Officer roles include British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, a $200B+ provider of investment management services for British Columbia’s public sector, the Workplace Safety Insurance Board, one of the largest insurance organizations in North America and Hydrogenics Corporation (NASDAQ:HYGS/TSX:HYG), a provider of alternative energy products (fuel cells/electrolyzers). More recently, Lawrence has provided financial and technology advisory services to financial institutions undertaking business/technology transformational activity.
Governance experience includes Board, Audit Committee Chair and Chief Financial Officer roles for publicly listed corporations (NASDAQ, TSX, TSX-V), public sector financial institutions and not for profit organizations. Community involvement as a guest lecturer at the Rotman School of Management MBA program on the development and use of complex financial models.
Lawrence is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Fellow), Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (CIRP) and member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D).
Sabrina Hundal
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.
Peter Johnson
Peter began his career in banking and treasury before becoming a CPA. He then transitioned into accounting where he spent more than 25 years in a variety of industries before retiring in 2018. Peter held senior positions in both public and private companies, most recently in the software industry. Much of his career was spent working for entrepreneurs of small and medium sized businesses where a hands-on approach was critical in navigating growth while often managing cash constraints and other risks. He has always been interested in and focused on operational efficiency and eliminating unnecessary processes.
Peter has cared for a loved one with dementia and thus appreciates the role of the Alzheimer’s Society and other community-based organizations in creating awareness and providing support for those dealing with the illness. He currently sits on the Board of HeartBeatz, serving as their Treasurer. This is a non-profit organization providing childcare services and youth services in some of the most underserved areas of Scarborough.
Peter loves to travel overseas, often preferring the roads less travelled. In addition, he is an avid golfer, loves to cycle in the Alps and learning about financial markets and investment strategies.