Our Board
Brockville and District Association for Community Involvement is operated by a board of directors. These members are personally connected to the work that BDACI is doing. Some are advocates for persons with disabilities, some are parents, and some are long time friends and all want to help be a part of what BDACI is doing for our community.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020/2021
Cathy Blair–President
Andrea Cameron-Vice-President
Kate Anderson–Director
David McKillop–Director
Dakota Thompson–Director
Bobbi Stephen–Past President
Kristi Carter–Treasurer
Lisa Flannagan–Director
Nancy McNamara-Director
Kimberley Wright-Director
CATHIE BLAIR – PRESIDENT
BOARD MEMBER SINCE: 1987- 1996 AND AGAIN 2005/06 TO PRESENT
I am a long-time supporter of BDACI having started out as a support worker at the age of 16. My Aunt, Pat Lacasse, who was instrumental in making BDACI what it is today, made sure that my family understood that people with disabilities belonged in their communities and deserved the same rights and privileges as everyone else. We were also made to understand that this did not always happen, bad things happened to vulnerable people when they didn’t have valued roles in the lives and communities.
I joined the Board of BDACI for the first time as a Director in 1987 at the age of 21. I served for 9 years before taking a hiatus to have a family. I joined again in 2005/2006, this time as a parent of a child with a disability that is served by BDACI. I continue to serve on the Board and am currently the President of the Board.
On a personal level I am a Registered Nurse and work as an Assistant Director of Care at a Long-Term Care facility.
BOBBI STEPHEN – PAST PRESIDENT
BOARD MEMBER SINCE 2007
We moved to Brockville in 2004 from Pickering where we had raised our large family and lived for 25 years actively engaged in our community. We have a large extended family, who made the move with us and because of that we are so blessed to be surrounded by them. Moving to Brockville has provided many new opportunities for building a strong network of friends and our associational life. Eastern Ontario is now home for our family.
My Board experience is extensive, beginning with an appointment to the Ajax Pickering Whitby Association for Community Living Board in 1983. After a number of years, in a number of roles, both locally and provincially including; committee work, task groups, family network member and facilitator and formal service providing roles (direct support roles thru to management) BDACI board is where I have put down my roots for the next period of time.
BDACI is the fourth organization with which I have had opportunities to be a board member and each organization has taught me valuable lessons about supports and services for people with intellectual disability, their families, and our communities.
Social Role Valorization has been the basis for many of the formal learning opportunities I have participated in. Our family has been shaped by the SRV teaching and framework and the amazing people that have become a part of our journey.
I look forward to continuing our association with BDACI and learning more about what it means to support people to have a good life.
NANCY MCNAMARA- DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE 2000
Nancy is a graduate of the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology. She has three adult children and has been involved in the disability movement for the past 30 years. As part of her on-going education and training, she taken many workshops in Social Role Valorization and related topics.
It was not long after her intellectually and physically disabled oldest child, Ryan, was born in 1985 that she became involved with BDACI – both as a parent and family supported by the Association and as a volunteer. For the vast majority of his life since then, she has been a Board and various (Education, Advocacy, General Association, Legacy Committee) member. The longest stretch she has sat on the Board was during the entire 17-year tenure of the late E.D., Beth French, beginning in 1998. Her service as such continues now and beyond under the leadership of the new ED, Kimberley Gavan. During her long-term directorship, she served for 5 years as President of the Board of Directors, from 2004 to 2009, also doing a 10-year stint as BDACI’s representation of the Public Board SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee). She is one of only 4 people to have received BDACI’s Honorary Life Membership in its 60-year existence. Even though her son Ryan passed away in July of 2017, she has made the commitment to his legacy and to the future of BDACI to remain with the organization, continuing her service as a Board Director and a General Association Committee member. Currently, she also serves since February of 2020 as the President of the Board of Directors of Community Involvement Legacy Homes, the sister organization of BDACI, which provides individualized housing for adults with intellectual disabilities in Leeds and Grenville.
KATE ANDERSON – DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE 2020
Bio in progress-
KRISTI CARTER - TREASURER
BOARD MEMBER SINCE 2008
Kristi was born and raised in Brockville. She obtained her Bachelor of Math degree from the University of Waterloo in 2000 and currently works at the Upper Canada District School Board as the Executive Assistant to the Executive Superintendent of Business Services and Treasurer. Kristi has worked at the school board since October 2018, after working at the Brockville General Hospital since June 2011. In the past she has been the treasurer of Habitat for Humanity Thousand Islands. She is the current treasurer for the Long Bay (Bobs Lake) Cottager’s Association and has been since approximately 2010-2011. She has 2 family members who receive services through BDACI.
DAVID MCKILLOP – DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2018
David McKillop lives in Gananoque with his wife of 14 years and are looking forward to renewing their vows next year. David has been involved in the People First Movement for over 30 years and is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities has their voice heard. He is very proud of his role as plaintiff in the Rideau Regional Class Action Suit which successfully brought out the issues of abuse experienced by people who lived there. He has been employed at the Gananoque Chevrolet dealership for 20 years and has an A1 driving record. David was friends for 55 years with the late Gord Ferguson and they were frequently described as ‘two peas in a pod’. He has joined the BDACI Board to continue Gordon’s legacy and to keep his vision alive.
ANDREA CAMERON- DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2018
Andrea Cameron is a graduate of Queen’s University with an Honour’s Bachelor of Arts in History. She also has her Bachelor of Education and has worked as a teacher for twenty years. She has worked in Nepal, Nunavut, and Bella Bella on the central coast of British Columbia. She writes fiction and non-fiction in her spare time. She has one twelve year old son who loves adventure, lego, animals, and art. He began having seizures when he was two days old and continues to have them daily. When he was six, he was diagnosed with autism. His drive to lead a richly social life caused her to rethink her assumptions about what was possible for him given the medical, physical, and cognitive challenges that his epilepsy and autism have presented.
When her son, Kieran, was just six months old, Andrea was introduced to Kathy Senneker from BDACI. Kathy supported Andrea’s family through challenges with the education system and helped create the respite plan that best suited them. Over the years, Andrea’s views on inclusion have evolved thanks to the many workshops she has attended through BDACI. Andrea is so grateful to the support and enlightenment she has received from the association and can see the benefit in her son’s life as well as the lives of her students. Several years ago, she joined the Education Committee and learned so much about the direction education must go to best support students with disabilities. Andrea is eager to participate in the Board of Directors for BDACI.
LISA FLANIGAN – DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2018
BIO in progress-
DAKOTA THOMPSON – DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2020
I have had the opportunity to be employed at BDACI in the past. I felt the lesson I learned from those years prepared me for my later years in life. I was blessed to spend approximately three years with a young man.
This young man has had a much more significant impact on my life than I have on his. He has instilled in me the importance of family, friendship, and community. I am truly humbled and honoured to have the opportunity to give back to this community.
In my professional career, I am a member of the Canadian Coast Guard, where I hold the designation as a rescue specialist and a Critical Incident Stress Management team member (CISM). Critical incident stress management is an adaptive, short-term psychological helping-process that focuses solely on immediate and identifiable problems. I continue to progress my career with the Coast Guard. I have a vast aspiration as I look to complete my 150-ton master certificate to become a captain within the next few years.
I feel these values would best describe me at this point in my life.
Dependability, Open-mindedness, Compassion and Perseverance.
I genuinely believe that I am the grand optimist, and I feel no matter what obstacle we must overcome, we can do anything if we have the proper pillars supporting us.
“Never let someone’s opinion become your reality. Never sacrifice who you are because someone else has a problem with it. Love who you are inside and out. -Les Brown.
KIMBERLEY WRIGHT - DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE JULY, 2016
I have had the opportunity to be employed at BDACI in the past. I felt the lesson I learned from those years prepared me for my later years in life. I was blessed to spend approximately three years with a young man.
This young man has had a much more significant impact on my life than I have on his. He has instilled in me the importance of family, friendship, and community. I am truly humbled and honoured to have the opportunity to give back to this community.
In my professional career, I am a member of the Canadian Coast Guard, where I hold the designation as a rescue specialist and a Critical Incident Stress Management team member (CISM). Critical incident stress management is an adaptive, short-term psychological helping-process that focuses solely on immediate and identifiable problems. I continue to progress my career with the Coast Guard. I have a vast aspiration as I look to complete my 150-ton master certificate to become a captain within the next few years.
I feel these values would best describe me at this point in my life.
Dependability, Open-mindedness, Compassion and Perseverance.
I genuinely believe that I am the grand optimist, and I feel no matter what obstacle we must overcome, we can do anything if we have the proper pillars supporting us.
“Never let someone’s opinion become your reality. Never sacrifice who you are because someone else has a problem with it. Love who you are inside and out. -Les Brown.
DAKOTA THOMPSON – DIRECTOR
BOARD MEMBER SINCE JUNE 2020
Kimberley Wright was born and raised in Brockville and has been involved with BDACI in one respect or another since about 2008, after being employed as a support worker with the Association in 1995. Kimberley is a parent, a member of the Education Committee and Chairs the General Association Committee for the Association.
Representing Community Living Ontario, she is currently the vice chair for the UCDSB’s Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) and has been a member of the committee for five years.
Kimberley has spent almost twenty five years working in various areas of the Social Services sector, including Developmental Services, Children’s Mental Health, and Education. Her passion lies in celebrating the diversity of our community, and in advocating for empowerment, equity and inclusion for all.
Kimberley is currently employed as the Community Development Co-ordinator for Leeds & Grenville Interval House. She embraces every opportunity to share her dedication and commitment to the wellness and safety of women and children through her work over the past 18 years within the anti-violence movement.
In her current position, she is responsible for coordinating fundraising campaigns, special events, liaising with the media, developing community partnerships, and creating awareness within the community on the issue of violence against women and children and the resources & supports available to assist families in living lives free from violence.
