Microboards Ontario Board of Directors
Brendon Pooran, Chair
Brendon has been involved with various disability organizations as a member, volunteer, employee or director for most of his life. He created PooranLaw to provide support to this community and to influence disability law and policy throughout Canada.
Prior to founding PooranLaw, Brendon worked for a large multi-national law firm where he practised labour and employment law and at a boutique law firm that specialized in accessibility issues. Before entering the legal profession, Brendon spent several years as a management consultant where he regularly provided strategic advice to human services clients in the United States.
In addition to practicing law, Brendon teaches Critical Disability Law at York University, is the Past-President of Community Living York South and is a founding director of both PLAN Toronto (now Partners for Planning) and Microboards Ontario. He is also a Senior Lawyer Member on the Ontario Consent and Capacity Board.
Prior to founding PooranLaw, Brendon worked for a large multi-national law firm where he practised labour and employment law and at a boutique law firm that specialized in accessibility issues. Before entering the legal profession, Brendon spent several years as a management consultant where he regularly provided strategic advice to human services clients in the United States.
In addition to practicing law, Brendon teaches Critical Disability Law at York University, is the Past-President of Community Living York South and is a founding director of both PLAN Toronto (now Partners for Planning) and Microboards Ontario. He is also a Senior Lawyer Member on the Ontario Consent and Capacity Board.
Kathleen Gifford, Vice-Chair
Kathleen and her husband, Terry, are proud parents of their wonderful adult children Shannon, Randi and David. Kathleen has firsthand experience and values the impact and opportunities that come with establishing an entity of a microboard. Her son David continually reminds her of those experiences as he navigates his own path, with his circle of support (inclusive of friends, family and supporters) with the goal of living an enriched life filled with connection, meaning and purpose. Kathleen believes that the vision and values of Microboards Ontario align beautifully with what many parents and families have been seeking as a path of support not only for, but with their loved one who lives with a disability.
Xavier Noordermeer, Secretary
Xavier is the former Executive Director of Community Living Windsor, an organization that provides supports to over 600 people who have an intellectual disability and their families in the Windsor community. Xavier started at Community Living Windsor in 1990, retired in 2020 and has been working with people and families since 1981. From 2003 to 2020, Xavier also lead the work of Capacita, a special volunteer project providing medical aid to children with disabilities and their families in Nicaragua. He is currently a senior consultant with A Centre for Conscious Care.
Kelley Casey
Kelly is a consultant with over 30 years of experience in the developmental services sector. Since 2010, she has provided planning and facilitation services and has supported the development of creative housing solutions throughout the Province of Ontario and Quebec. Kelly developed and implemented eight Creative Housing models funded through MCCSS, some of which have Microboards. Kelly also provides consultation to local developmental service agencies to assist them in transforming their service in order to meet the needs of the people in their community. In addition to her work, Kelly provides mentorship to local facilitators in the York Region.
Cherie Gagnon
Cherie and her husband, Grant, are the parents of two wonderful teenagers who live with disability. Cherie has supported and been supported by many families over the past 19 years and is happy to be part of Microboard development in Ontario. Currently, she is the Accessibility Manager - Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility at the University of Windsor.
Alice Mainland
Alice and her husband live near Stratford and are the parents of two adult sons, one of whom has a disability. Retiring in 2017 from a career in various management positions, Alice now fills her time focused on a variety of passions including as a Board member for Community Living St. Marys & Area. Alice supports the vision of Microboards Ontario as a means to assist families looking for ideas on how to safeguard the future of their family members who have a disability.
Her son Michael lives with a roommate and supportive neighbour in a small duplex and her family is currently working to develop a circle of friends and support network for him. Once firmly in place, they intend to establish a microboard to help ensure Michael’s life is filled with community, friends, and continued support doing the things which bring him joy.
Her son Michael lives with a roommate and supportive neighbour in a small duplex and her family is currently working to develop a circle of friends and support network for him. Once firmly in place, they intend to establish a microboard to help ensure Michael’s life is filled with community, friends, and continued support doing the things which bring him joy.
Staff
Karen Bell, Executive Director
Karen has over twenty years’ experience in progressive positions in the developmental services sector. She is a passionate, community-minded leader who brings an empathic and focused approach to her work. With an extensive background in communications, government relations, and strategic and operational planning, collaboration, accountability and a deep belief in inclusion and equity has been at the heart of her work.
In this position, Karen will create awareness of Microboards Ontario by building on the cornerstone of a strong mission and vision, and will ensure relationships with families, people supported, partners and government encourage conversation, and create a sense of community. You can connect with Karen directly at karen@microboardsontario.com.
Karen has over twenty years’ experience in progressive positions in the developmental services sector. She is a passionate, community-minded leader who brings an empathic and focused approach to her work. With an extensive background in communications, government relations, and strategic and operational planning, collaboration, accountability and a deep belief in inclusion and equity has been at the heart of her work.
In this position, Karen will create awareness of Microboards Ontario by building on the cornerstone of a strong mission and vision, and will ensure relationships with families, people supported, partners and government encourage conversation, and create a sense of community. You can connect with Karen directly at karen@microboardsontario.com.
