Board of Directors

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

Ali Clarke

PAST PRESIDENT

Sue Kocela

VICE PRESIDENT

Ryan Jershy

PRESIDENT ELECT

Leigh Vachon

TREASURER

Michele Romeo

DIRECTORS

Steve Bezaire
Shauna Carter
Ryan Jershy
Cheryl Porter
Allison Prieur
Remy Sirls-Boulbol
Leigh Vachon
Angela Yakonich

SECRETARY/EX OFFICIO

Lynn Calder

BOARD COMMITTTEES

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ali Clarke - President
Ryan Jershy - Vice President
Sue Kocela - Past President
Michele Romeo - Treasurer
Leigh Vachon - President Elect

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Michele Romeo – Chairperson
Ali Clarke
Ryan Jershy
Sue Kocela
Leigh Vachon

FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICE

Lynn Calder

Rachelle Booth

SOCIAL RECREATION COMMITTEE

Ali Clarke - Chairperson
Scott Duff
Joanne Zebluk

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Ali Clarke - Chairperson
Shauna Carter
Sue Kocela
Leigh Vachon

FACILITY PLANNING COMMITTEE
Steve Bezaire - Chairperson
Leo Muzzatti
Michele Romeo

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Ryan Jershy - Chairperson
Tina Beneteau
Lynn Calder
Laura Kay
Allison Prieur
Leigh Vachon
Angela Yakonich

SUB COMMITTEES

HUMAN RESOURCES
EXCELLENCE TEAM
Rachelle Booth – Chairperson
Tina Beneteau
Leo Muzzatti
Leigh Vachon

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND
MARKETING TEAM
Lois Caldwell - Chairperson
Joslin Allen
Rachelle Booth
Barb Dwyer-Hart
Ryan Jershy
Laura Kay

AGENCY POLICY
AND PROCEDURE TEAM
Sue Kocela - Chairperson
Steve Bezaire
Shauna Carter
Ali Clark
Tracey Crow
Janet Ouellette

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ali Clarke

PRESIDENT
Ali Clarke

Ali Clarke is a Chrysler Canada employee with an educational background in Business Management Studies, Medical Records Clerk, Nursing Unit Clerk and Gerontology Studies. Ali is also a Laubach Literacy qualified tutor and level II Labour Community Advocate. She is currently working on a Labour Studies Certificate through McMaster University.

Ali began volunteering at ALSO in 1989 for the Social Recreation program, and sat on the Board of Directors from 2003 – 2005 prior to moving to Brampton. Upon her return to Windsor, Ali rejoined the Board in 2010 and is currently our Board of Directors President.

Ali has coached and or managed numerous competitive soccer teams when her children were younger. She has been a long term volunteer and supporter of the Learning Disabilities Association of Windsor and Essex County, and is active with Unifor Local 444 and their community events.

Ryan Jershy

VICE PRESIDENT
Ryan Jershy

Ryan Jershy is the owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Windsor/Essex County, since 2009. Ryan brings with him extensive knowledge in leadership, customer service and marketing.

Ryan was born in Windsor, and raised in Tecumseh and is a St. Clair College Alumni. Ryan joined the A.L.S.O. board of directors in 2014 and currently leads the Quality Improvement committee, He is a member of the Public Relations & Marketing Committee. In addition to his dedication to A.L.S.O. he volunteers for St. Clair College on two advisory Committees. He has also volunteered for CARP an organization that advocates for health and financial issues for seniors.

In any spare time you will find Ryan on a golf course or on a basketball court. Ryan is dedicated to his community in various ways with a keen interest in improving our health services system as a whole.

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PRESIDENT ELECT
Leigh Vachon

Leigh Vachon is the Executive Director of Victoria Manor Housing with Supports, and has worked in the field of addictions and mental health for over 10 years. Born in Windsor, Leigh has been a Board member since September 2014 and is a University of Windsor Alumni.

Leigh has previously volunteered for the Distress Centre, and now sits on the Fundraising Committee for the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women. Leigh is a certified Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer and Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Leigh is an influential advocate for marginalized persons in Windsor/ Essex.

In her spare time you will find Leigh participating in social justice initiatives in Windsor and Essex County.

Sue Kocela

PAST PRESIDENT
Sue Kocela

Sue Kocela is currently retired from a 20 year career in Nursing. Sue is a leader in our community and served on the Ontario Nursing Federation Executive. Born and raised in Windsor, Sue is an alumni of the University of Windsor.

Sue became a member of the Board in October 2009 and her extensive management skills and experience in Public-Health has been a benefit to ALSO leadership. She has served as a co-chair on the Personnel Committee, Is currently assisting with our policies and procedures. In addition to being an Executive Member of our Board of Director Sue also served 2 years as president.

In Sue’s spare time, she is a member of the Windsor Quilters Guild and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

Michele Romeo

TREASURER
Michele Romeo

Michele Romeo is a Certified Managerial Accountant with Alzheimer’s Society. As a well-established accountant he has been a controller for Rose City Ford Sales Ltd, and has gain experience and a positive reputation in Windsor. Michele is a University of Windsor graduate.

Michele volunteer experience in our community is stellar and includes Pro-Bono Tax Preparing, Student Mentoring, and Children’s Aid Society. Michele joined the A.L.S.O. board of directors in 2016 and currently sits on our Finance committee.

During his free time, Michele enjoys cooking, working out at the YMCA, roller blading, biking, running, soccer and hockey.

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DIRECTOR
Steve Bezaire

Steve Bezaire was called to the bar in February of 1994 and has practiced in the area of civil litigation. Steve is currently focusing his law career on personal injury cases at his firm Bezaire & Associates which has offices in Windsor and Belle River. He was a Ward 4 Councilor for 5 years in Lakeshore. Steve has two degrees from the University of Windsor in English and Law and is currently working on his Master’s in Business Administration.

Steve is an active member of the A.L.S.O. Policy and Procedures committee and lends his expertise in law and English to reviewing and writing policies for our organization.

Steve lives in Belle River with his wife Heather and two children, Abigail and Patrick. He enjoys scuba diving, playing with their two dogs Mortimer & Theodore, fishing, running and cheering for the Detroit Red Wings. In 2013 he accomplished a long outstanding ambition and ran his first marathon.

Angela Yakonich

DIRECTOR
Angela Yakonich

Angela Yakonich is a Community Developer at the Homeless Coalition of Windsor and Essex County. Angela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Family & Social Relations from the University of Windsor and a diploma from Fanshawe College in Hospitality Management. She provides assistance to increase the capacity for the homeless and is key to assisting with Windsor’s community plan on the Housing First Initiative.

Angela is a very active volunteer with Great Beginnings Child Centered Co-Op, the Peer Outreach Support Team, Harm Reduction Network, and the Housing Advisory Committee for the City of Windsor in addition to her role on the Board of Directors here at A.L.S.O.

Shauna Carter

DIRECTOR
Shauna Carter

Shauna Carter is Nurse practitioner for Complex Continuing Care at Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare in addition to her role as a Nurse practitioner for Schlegel Villages. She is an alumni from the University of Windsor where she obtained her Nurse Practitioner certificate and her Registered Nurse certification.

Shauna is a member of the governance board Essex County nurse practitioner led clinic in addition to her role on the A.L.S.O. board.

Allison Prier=ur

DIRECTOR
Allison Prieur

Allison Prieur is the founder of DARE Impact Consulting. Allison has also recently worked at the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and at United Way/ Centraide Windsor-Essex County and at the Ontario Ministry of Health & Long Term Care during the redesign of the Health System Research Fund. She holds a BA in Developmental Psychology with Thesis and a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Windsor, and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

With over 15 years of experience in the non-profit and public sectors Allison has been able to assist our Board of Directors with Quality Improvement and Policies and Procedures. She is a proud Rotarian, a member of Rotary Club of Windsor (1918).

In Allison’s spare time you will find her spending time with family and friends, cheering on the Detroit Tigers and finding new and interesting local businesses to support.

Cheryl Porter

DIRECTOR
Cheryl Porter

Cheryl Porter is an advocate for people with physical disabilities, she works for Glengarry Non-Profit Housing Corporation for the past 20 years. She has been living independently since 1991 and understands the importance of having accessible housing in our community. Cheryl is a graduate from the Child and Youth Worker program at St. Clair College and has maintain employment at various jobs with children and adults with intellectual and physical challenges before she found her work home at Glengarry Non-Profit.

In addition to volunteering on the A.L.S.O. Board of Directors Cheryl has volunteered for various children and adults programs and serves on many housing Boards and committees.

Cheryl enjoys spending time with her husband of 21 years, has three rescue cats, has dabbled in some interior decorating for friends, assists in finding homeless animals a loving home, photography and cuddling up for Criminal Minds and scary movies.

DIRECTOR
Remy Sirls-Boulbol

Remy Sirls-Boulbol is the Director of Development at the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. She has extensive experience in nonprofit management, program design and development, donor relations, and organizational management. Remy has specific experience in working with at risk youth, marginalized populations, and women and children. She is a graduate from Wayne State University.

Lynn Calder

TREASURER
Lynn Calder

Lynn Calder is the Executive Director for A.L.S.O. and has held this position for over 15 years. Lynn’s strong leadership skills have helped A.L.S.O. grow substantially since she began her role in 2001. Her strength in building strong relationships with our Local Health Integration Network and community partners is remarkable. She has lead the organization to being one of Windsor and Essex County’s top employers in 2017. She is an Alumni of Wilfred Laurier University.

Lynn is an advocate for individuals that need help, and she ensures that people in our community get the help they need, when they need it. She is a member of the Ontario Association of Independent Living Service Providers. Her kind nature and advocacy spirit for people with physical disabilities is remarkable.

Lynn is a world traveler and when she has time she is either jet setting to other countries or driving across Canada. When Lynn is not working or on vacation she can often be found at local theatres’ enjoying musical concerts.