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Who is Vela?
Vela's Board of Directors
Vela's Staff
Vela's Volunteers
Vela's
Donors and Funders
Contact Us |
Board of Directors
The role of the Vela Board of Directors is to
maintain the vision and lead the
direction of Vela Microboard Association. The board members also participate
on Vela's committees and ad hoc groups. Without their support and hard work,
Vela would not be able to reach out to so many individuals and families in
B.C.
Our Board of Directors for 2009/2010 includes:
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Evan
Thomas - President -
Peachland, BC
Evan
and his wife, Christina have lived in the Okanagan for the
last 16 years raising there two children, Paul and Alexi.
Paul has had a microboard since 2003 and moved out of the
family home in November 2005 to follow his dream of living
as independently as possible.
Evan
has sat on the board of PLAN Okanagan where he was the President
for 4 years.
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Cathy Lafortune
- Vice President -
Castlegar, BC
Cathy
currently works as a medical transcriptionist and is known
province wide as a powerful advocate for families. She has
served on numerous boards and committees including her community
Health Board and the Premiere's Advisory Council for Persons
with Disabilities. Her son Jeffrey, the eldest of four,
lives at home and is supported by his microboard, one of
the first microboards created in the Kootenays.
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Shelley
Durant - Treasurer -
BC
Shelley has worked as an
accountant in the private sector for most of her career.
Shelley and her husband, Gerry formed a microboard in 2002
to support their son, Jason. Shelley joined the board in
2004.
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Maria Glaze
- Secretary - Powell
River, BC
Maria is a new Vela board member. Vela is very fortunate
to have Maria share her expertise with us. She has a long
and respected history as a an advocate for individuals,
families and community inclusion.
Maria her husband, Ken, and their oldest daughter, Rebecca,
moved to a small acreage outside of Powell River in 2007
after living in Richmond for 24 years. Rebecca has been
supported by her microboard since she finished high school
in 2002.
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Melanie
Marcotte - Director
Vancouver, BC
Melanie has been on the Board of Directors
for about five years. She brings many years of advocacy
and self advocacy to
Vela's board of Directors.
Melanie is an artist and very active
in her community. She is a part time student at Emily Carr College
of the Arts. Mel also works in downtown Vancouver at one of our newest
multi-plex movie theatres. |
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Jeff
Moulins - Director -
Vancouver, BC
Jeff is a self advocate that has
the distinction of having created the second Vela microboard
in British Columbia.
Jeff was recently welcomed back to Vela's Board of Directors
after a one year hiatus. Jeff is co-chair of Vela's Communications
Committee .
Jeff uses his life experiences, as
well as the involvement in creating and maintaining his own
Microboard, to speak with a variety of individuals and groups about
his history and what he has learned about creating a strong and
meaningful network of family and friends and how to maintain
vibrant, self directed, supports and services. |
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Sandy
Jansen - Director - Langley,
BC
Sandy
is the proud mom of two daughters. Her oldest daughter has had
a microboard for several years. Sandy resides in Langley where
she is an active advocate in the school system and in services
for her daughter. |
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Judy
Petersen - Director
Judy
Petersen resides on Lasqueti Island with her husband and two daughters,
both of whom have microboards. Judy is a visionary and for many
years has actively promoted equal access and full inclusion for
all. |
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David
Paynter - Director
David
lives in Westbank, B.C. and has been happily married to Laurie
for 30 years. They have 2 children, Lisa, 28 and Aaron, 25 and
now a granddaughter Eloïse. Aaron has challenges and so that prompted
David to get involved in a parent support group 23 years ago which
led to sitting on a board for Kelowna and District Society for
Community Living and BCACL. He is also a family resource parent
for FSI (the Family Support Institute) He also sits on the board
for PLAN OKANAGAN and most recently for Vela. |
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Randy
Wilson - Past President
- Coquitlam,
BC
Randy
Wilson is the past president of the board of directors for Vela
Microboard Association.
Randy and his wife Debbie live in Coquitlam where they have raised
their three children, Brent, Todd and Roxanne. Thirty year old
Brent and twenty-five year old Roxanne both have Vela microboards.
Randy attended the first retreat on Bowen Island for the Family
Support Institute and has been an active RRP ever since. He also
sat on the board of directors for FSI in the late 80's and early
90's. Prior to that Randy sat on the board of directors for the
Simon Fraser Society for Community Living.
At one time
Randy volunteered to develop a group for dads only that
was started in North Vancouver and co-sponsored by the Infant
Development Program of North Vancouver and the University
of Washington. It is because of his belief in the strength
of commonality and his love of family that has kept him
active throughout the years.
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