Judy Moir, Chair

Judy is the Manager of Community Support Services at CHIRS which is a community based agency that provides support to people to reintegrate to their communities following a brain injury.  Judy completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Manitoba and obtained a Masters of Public Administration from Queen’s University. 

She has been working with people with complex needs (including brain injury) for over 20 years.  Through her current and previous roles, Judy has had the opportunity to look at the provision of ABI services at a system level and advocate for change.  Much of her current focus is on enhancing capacity for people with brain injury through the development of partnerships with organizations in other sectors (e.g., Addictions and Mental Health).   

Stefanie Linton, Vice-Chair

Stefanie got involved with BIST in 2010, and is also the Chair of the Fundraising Committee. Stefanie is a fundraising and communications professional with experience in for profit and nonprofit organizations including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Sears Canada and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). Currently, she is the Executive Director of the FPSC Foundation.  

Stefanie’s husband is a brain injury survivor following an accident that occurred in 2009. She is dedicated to promoting the mission of the Brain Injury Society of Toronto: to enhance the quality of life for persons in the City of Toronto; who are living with the effects of acquired brain injury, through education, awareness, support and advocacy.

Marnie Russell, Secretary

Marnie Russell has been a BIST Board member since 2007 and a member of the BIST Awareness Committee since 2005. Marnie is a Service Coordinator at CHIRS which offers a broad range of services including supportive housing, community support, adult day services and employment services to adults living with the effects of an acquired brain injury.

Marnie started the CHIRS Mentorship program which empowers clients to help run programs and take on a greater leadership role. She has been working with adults with acquired brain injury since 1997.

Paul McCormack, Treasurer

Paul is a Senior Manager at Delisle Youth Services and has worked with people with multiple complex special needs for the past 25 years. He has specialized in community based services for people with mental health, cognitive and developmental issues for the majority of his career. He established the Toronto Centralized Access Mechanism for Residential Services and worked with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services in the establishment of innovative models of service delivery for children and youth with developmental and cognitive special needs. The work of his team has been recognized as an emerging best practice. In 2008, Paul was recognized by the United Way through the Bhayana Professional Dedication Award for his efforts in working with the ‘hard to serve’. In addition, Paul has worked in the private sector, he is the owner/operator of Elements Support Services – a community based rehabilitation support service, has been a lecturer at George Brown College, sat on numerous advisory committees and presented at conferences throughout Canada.

Paul takes pride in supporting his community and is a past board member of the Ontario Brain Injury Association, a founding board member of the Toronto Brain Injury Society, past President of the Board of Directors for the Burlington Art Centre, and has served on the boards of the Burlington Economic Development Committee and Burlington BIA.

Jonathan Burton, Past-Chair

Jonathan is a lawyer at Gluckstein & Associates LLP in Toronto. He received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario in June 2006, and was called to the Ontario Bar in June 2007. Jonathan restricts his practice to insurance litigation including personal injury, disability matters, occupier's liability issues and product liability. Jonathan has always been driven by a passion to help those in need, which fuelled his decision to pursue a legal career representing injured persons and their families. Prior to commencing his legal studies, in 2003 Jonathan attained a Bachelor of Administrative and Commercial Studies degree in Organizational and Human Resources, also at the University of Western Ontario. He has an outstanding ability to communicate with people and is dedicated to his clients and to BIST.

In addition to sitting on the Board of Directors of BIST, Jonathan is also an active member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the Advocates' Society, Toronto Lawyers Association and the Ontario Bar Association.

Tonya Flaming 

Tonya has been a nurse since 1997 and has worked in that capacity at SickKids Hospital for the last 13 years.  Approximately five years ago she took on the role of Transitional Care Coordinator with the Trauma and Neurosciences Program.  In this role she has had the opportunity to work with many children with an Acquired Brain Injury and their families in order to facilitate their transition from SickKids to either a Rehab facility such as Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital or home.  This role has allowed Tonya the occasion to be involved in many initiatives and projects aimed at streamlining the transition process.  Tonya joined the BIST Awareness committee in 2009 and she then took on the role of chair in 2010 and is their current chair.

Steve Gregory

Steve never intended to be a brain injury survivor – it just has worked out that way.Steve started his career coming off a Masters in Engineering and worked at a variety of engineering jobs for 11 years before finding himself in a coma. During rehabilitation Steve excelled at some things, however, his vision was affected in the accident and this hampered his attempts to rejoin his career path. Steve now spends his time involved in exercise and service on advisory organizations.

Kate Moore

Kate Moore is a manager of ABI Services at COTA Health, which offers a variety of services to individuals with ABI such as supportive housing programs, a case management program and an adult day services program.  Kate has worked in the field of ABI for the past 11 years in various roles, such as rehabilitation therapist (Toronto Rehabilitation Institute), behaviour therapist (Dale Brain Injury Services, London) and manager (COTA Health). She is dedicated to the field of ABI and in serving the community in a volunteer capacity.

Julie Osbelt

Julie Osbelt has over 16 years of experience supporting individuals and families effected by brain injuries through her work as a Recreation Therapist and Life Skills Facilitator at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.  In her most recent role as the ABI referral coordinator for the Toronto ABI Network, Julie supports, navigates and advocates to enhance the coordination of and access to acquired brain injury services.  Julie has been a member of the BIST Awareness Committee since 2004.

Anya Tamir

Anya Tamir is  a lawyer practicing personal injury and disability law in Barrie and Toronto at Andrew R. Kerr Professional Corporation. 

Anya's involvement in the area of  brain injury and brain disorders began a decade ago when she was an undergraduate student majoring in psychology, with the focus on neuro and clinical psychology.  In the last year of her undergraduate studies Anya completed an internship at the department of psychiatry of the Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland (Ohio, USA) where she worked with individuals suffering from a variety of psychiatric ailments, including acquired brain injury, DSM-IV organic brain disorders and drug dependency.   

Anya  graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and  became a persuasive and passionate advocate on behalf of her clients. She appeared at all levels of Ontario Court and is an active member of Ontario Trial Lawyers Association. She is also a member of Advocates Society and Simcoe County Law Association.  As a lawyer litigating on behalf of persons with traumatic brain injury Anya works on  ensuring that her clients have access to all the necessary resources.  As such, Anya is committed to expanding services provided by BIST and increasing awareness of brain injury in the community and among the medico-legal profession.