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ABLE2

Our Board

Board of Directors

Nick Korhonen – Board Chair

Nick is a lifelong proponent of volunteerism and giving back to the communities that serve us all. As a young professional, Nick was looking for a meaningful way to use his skillset to make a positive impact on the lives of others. After months of investigating opportunities with many fantastic organizations across the National Capital Region, he discovered ABLE2, who was soon to need a new Treasurer on the Board of Directors. Nick was inspired by the work that ABLE2 was doing to empower people with disabilities to build lives of meaning and joy, and jumped at the opportunity to get involved.

Nick Korpikoski – Treasurer

I joined Able2 to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities and their  families. Having first hand experience of living with a sibling who has a disability, I realize  the many unique and complex challenges that this entails. Able2 helps those with disabilities  to live a life that gives them meaning, while also providing the support and resources that  are needed. I am grateful to have the opportunity to help Able2 continue to provide all of  the wonderful services and programs that they deliver to the community.

Adrian Raghunandan – Secretary

Why I joined the board? A couple of factors contributed, the first being retirement and the  time it afforded me to pursue other opportunities. The second was an interest in  contributing to ABLE2 in a capacity other than as an ally to my friend John. I enjoy helping  out and being a part of ABLE2 board contributes to a feeling of doing something positive, a  way of helping to make things better.

Robert Meredith, PHP, FCSI – Past Chair

I joined the board of ABLE2 in order to support a small but mighty organization make a difference in the lives of those dealing with disabilities in our community. Having been a volunteer advocate for many years with ABLE2 I can speak to the positive impact this organization makes in individual lives, including my own. It is a privilege to help support the vision of ABLE2 through board work. Getting to see lives improved, relationships formed, and support provided is incredibly gratifying. As someone who has a family member dealing with a disability, I see ABLE2 as an organization not only making impact – but forming community, creating lasting friendships, and crafting networks of care and support.

Stacey Bielaski – Board Member

Passionate about helping people with disabilities like herself found out their lives matters. I love creating new ideas to show how people with disabilities can enjoy their lives. I believe I found my purpose; I want to do more. Connect with people with disabilities brings them voices out of hiding where they can speak what is on their mind and make a difference in the lives of others. I love my life I can see possibilities of new opportunities to make a difference in people with disabilities like me. I love writing, reading, photography; spending time with family and friends are very important to me.

Rick Burns – Board Member

I joined the ABLE2 Board because I wanted to be a positive force in my community. As a long -term volunteer ally, I can personally attest to the power of ABLE2’s matching programs – it has enriched my
life tremendously, as well as the life of my good friend, Andy. The matching program is so simple yet can be so impactful. Just by showing up and sharing some time, one can make such a difference in someone else’s life. The world needs more friendship, kindness and connection, and I cannot think of any other volunteer experience that could be as personal and rewarding. My involvement has been such a positive experience and I feel privileged to deepen my engagement with ABLE2 through my participation on the Board.

Frank McNally – Board Member

The mission of ABLE2 to empower people with disabilities to try to live their best lives possible has always resonated with me. Growing up with a disability as a hard-of-hearing individual, I have empathy for the clients that ABLE2 serves because I have felt the challenges that can often come with living with a disability. ABLE2 is an important organization in our community that makes meaningful differences to vulnerable members on critical issues such as access to justice through its Reach Legal Programs. It is a privilege to serve on the board of this organization to help make our disabled community stronger and more inclusive.

Tanya Singhal – Board Member

Registered Physiotherapist, ADP authorizer, Advanced Vestibular Therapist TMJ certified therapist and Concussion certified therapist, and Clinic Director at Stayfit Physio and Spinal Decompression Centre Being a Registered Physiotherapist for over 19 years, I have been working very closely with people with disabilities. And having served them in various settings like outpatient clinics, community, hospitals, retirement homes and nursing homes, I’ve become aware of the barriers and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. That is primarily why I decided to commit to ABLE2 so that I could do my bit in creating a society where individuals, irrespective of their disabilities could manage their conditions and reach the fullness of their abilities and ensure improved effectiveness and ease in their everyday work and personal lives.

Matthew Sherman – Board Member

I joined ABLE2 to get involved with this great organization. I was looking to volunteer my time on a Board of Directors of an organization with a mission, vision and values, like ABLE2’s. Its mission and values, and emphasis on inclusivity, matters. Having volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters in the past, I saw the direct impact that its programs had on individuals and the community. I was drawn to ABLE2’s Matching Program, which was my introduction to learning more about the organization.

Claire Smith – Board Member

I am extremely fortunate to have completely cognitively recovered from a severe traumatic brain injury sustained in 1997: I have a PhD attained post-injury. In an effort to help others who are perhaps not as fortunate as I have been, I am on the board of the Ontario Brain Injury Association and the Accessibility Committee of Leeds and Grenville. Two years ago, I applied to join the ABLE2 board for the same reasons. I feel that I can offer a unique perspective as a board member because of my lived experiences.

Viji Sundaram – Board Member

I have been part of the Matching Program for the past 20 years. I have enjoyed being part  of ABLE2 events and picnics over the years.I have been impressed with the programs at  ABLE2 and the impact on the community. I believe deeply in the importance of creating a  more inclusive and equitable society. By being part of the board, I have the opportunity to  contribute to strategic initiatives and programs. It has been an extremely rewarding  experience