Board of Directors

Jack’s career working with people with intellectual disabilities spans forty years. Retired since March 2023, he most recently led strategic planning and key initiatives, including employment and housing, as VP of Strategic Initiatives at Community Living BC.

Prior to this he worked at PLAN, where he collaborated with Al Etmanski and Vickie Cammack to establish the Registered Disability Savings Plan and provincial exemptions for the assets and income from people’s RDSPs.

Jack started his career at the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion where he worked in a variety of positions over 20 years, including nine years as Executive Director.

Jack is married with his partner of 40 years, Catherine, with whom he has two adult children, Gabrielle and Sebastien. He enjoys cooking, reading, writing, cycling, gardening and wine and whiskey in no particular order.

Alison works as a Helpline Advisor and RDSP Level 2 Facilitator for Plan Institute. She has also written articles, co-designed workshops, and trained staff for the organization. She has had her Certified Financial Planning Designation since 2004 and brings experience from both the banking and brokerage areas of the Financial Industry. Her education is through the University of British Columbia, Capilano University, and the Canadian Securities Institute.

Alison has always been a strong believer in building financial security through education and planning and the peace of mind this can bring. From the start, she has been impressed by how Plan Institute applies these principles throughout all of their offerings, making significant changes in people’s lives. She would welcome the opportunity to be a part of the organization’s board.

Alison chooses to give back by coordinating at Vancouver Adaptive Ski Sports and training with BC Guide Dogs.

Nicoleta has extensive experience in strategic partnership and fundraising in the education, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, as well as international program and project management experience in Asia, Europe, and Africa. She has worked for over 15 years in roles advancing equitable and inclusive communities and is humbled to be able to contribute to Plan’s mission as a board member.

Saima, who has an adult son with autism, found her unique challenges and needs in the early 2000s shaping her personal and professional journey. She took on roles as an interventionist and consultant for families and individuals affected by autism. Additionally, she connected with organizations that offer support, information, and resources to those with disabilities. Having been involved with numerous such groups, she was thrilled to become a board member of the Plan Institute in 2023.

Saima is a firm advocate for parents to comprehend and learn their child’s thought processes, communication styles, and adapting these insights into their everyday learning, play, and academic activities. She disseminates this knowledge through workshops, webinars, and discussion forums and feels honored to have Qasim, who has guided her on a journey of persistence, continuous learning, and a fulfilling career.

During her leisure time, she enjoys reading and discovering the parks, trails, and waterfalls of the stunning Vancouver Island with her husband and two sons.

Andrew Pilliar works on understanding and improving access to justice. He is a law professor at Thompson Rivers University, Research Director at BC’s Access to Justice Centre of Excellence, and is also a mediator. His work has focussed on how to envision and realize people-centred justice. In addition to being a board member for the Plan Institute, he has held board positions for a number of organizations including Gordon Neighbourhood House and Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks. 

Andrew has a JD from the University of Toronto, and an LLM and PhD from the University of British Columbia. In addition to his academic career, Andrew has been a judicial clerk, civil and commercial litigator, bankruptcy and insolvency lawyer, and family lawyer. 

Andrew and his wife are the parents of three children, one of whom lives with Down syndrome. They live in Vancouver on the traditional and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. 

Brooklynn Malec (she/her/elle) is a person with disabilities, non-practicing lawyer, and disability advocate. She works for Disability Alliance Canada, a national non-profit organization that aims to improve the accessibility and uptake of disability benefits across Canada. She is involved in frontline advocacy by helping folks apply for disability benefits, as well as outreach to healthcare networks, governments, and other non-profits.  

Brooklynn was co-coordinator of a legal non-profit during her JD at the University of Victoria and volunteered to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community during her undergraduate studies at the University of Calgary. Brooklynn also worked at a small law firm in Chilliwack, BC and gained experience working with trusts, estates, wealth planning, and financial planning around provincial disability benefits. She is a recipient of the Royal Society of Canada’s Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella award for equity and social justice work and is excited to bring all this experience to the Plan Institute Board of Directors. 

Volunteerism has been a big part of Brooklynn’s life since she began volunteering at the local hospital and long-term care home in her hometown, Prince Albert, SK at age 13. She’s excited about volunteering with Plan Institute and getting to work in areas she’s passionate about: health, disability advocacy, and wealth and financial planning. 

In her spare time, Brooklynn enjoys hiking, reading, doing crafts, drinking tea, and hanging out with her fiancé and cat.  

With both life experience and her social work and disability studies education, Lani has been serving other individuals and families with disabilities, in accessing identification, disability benefits and financial products.  

Lani has spent the last 12 years serving those living in poverty, including many people with disabilities. 

In her work with Access to Benefits (AtoB), along side of people with disabilities, Lani has a strong commitment to acknowledging the truth of Canada’s history with Indigenous people, while looking for ways to move forward that support a more equitable life for all. 

Marc Workman is a highly accomplished leader in the disability non-profit sector, currently serving as the CEO of the World Blind Union. With an extensive background in advocacy, public affairs, and program delivery, Marc possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience. 

Prior to joining WBU, Marc held various management positions at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. His significant experience in the disability non-profit sector has provided him with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and a commitment to creating positive change. 

Marc is also dedicated to public service, exemplified by his five-year tenure in various roles within the Government of Alberta, including serving as an Executive Advisor to an Assistant Deputy Minister in Service Alberta. 

With a master’s degree in political science from the University of Alberta, Marc combines his academic background with his practical experience to effect meaningful change. He is also a talented public speaker, regularly delivering engaging talks on disability rights and inclusion to large audiences and guest lecturing at local universities.  

Residing in Edmonton, Alberta, Marc has been actively involved in the Canadian disability movement for nearly 20 years, volunteering his time and expertise with organizations such as the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians and the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, among others, and serving on various boards, including for the National Access Arts Centre and Plan Institute. His contributions to the community were recognized when Marc was named one of Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2020. 

Fraser Piccott is a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces and a public and private sector leader with a deep commitment to inclusion, particularly for Persons with Disabilities.  

His leadership has been recognized by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador through the following awards: 

• Recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Confederation 75th Anniversary Medal 

• Newfoundland and Labrador Senior of Distinction Award 2023 

Fraser is retired from the heavy construction equipment industry where he was a Senior Manager for many decades. Fraser is a connection maker and community builder, committed to building stronger, fairer communities in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada. Over the past 40 years he has taken on leadership roles in the following organizations: 

• Chairperson Provincial Advisory Council for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities 

• Lifetime Achievement Award from Avalon Employment Inc.  

• Past Vice-President Inclusion Canada 

• Past President of Inclusion Canada NL 

• Past Chair of Vera Perlin Society 

• Board Member SeniorsNL 

• Founding Chair of Avalon Employment Inc. 

• Founding Chair of Avalon Community Accommodations Board 

• Board Member of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation 

• Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee