Meet The Board

Donna, business woman and entrepreneur, changed careers after her first breast cancer diagnosis and eventually established the Breast Cancer Support Fund, a national charity that provides financial assistance to breast cancer patients who are facing a financial crisis while  in treatment.

Donna was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 when she had two young teenagers, and subsequently was diagnosed three more times before finally having a bilateral mastectomy in 2021.

Donna now dedicates her time to managing the Breast Cancer Support Fund - helping  women, and their families, who need it the most.

Interior design and brand professional, Glenn has been a leading name since 1999. Specializing in residential and commercial design, Glenn has garnered much acclaim through media in print, radio and television. With a design philosophy of “approachable luxury”, his vision incorporates timeless pieces with contemporary design, resulting in an inviting and aspirational environment. Glenn is often called upon to articulate trends and is known as a specialist in home décor and design and often speaks at home shows across the country and in various national media outlets.

A member of Canada’s philanthropic community, Glenn believes in “giving back” and supports several charities and non-profit organizations including Breast Cancer Support Fund, Scrubs for Hospital for Sick Kids, Ovarian Cancer Society, Osteoporosis Canada,  Fife house, Act Toronto, CAFA, Healthy kids international, Casey House, Herbie Fund, Children’s make a wish, Toronto Fashion Incubator and One X One to name a few.

Nora is a marketing specialist with over 9 years of experience, currently working with clients in the wellness, food, beauty, and education industries. She earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, in Sociology and Canadian Studies.

Her extensive professional experience ranges from public relations, corporate communications, social media, digital marketing, to in-person and digital event planning. This wide range of capabilities allow her to focus on driving results through approaches that integrate unique needs and objectives, while the cumulative experience from various roles in an in-house, agency, and freelance capacity allow her to understand and deliver work at a strategic and executional level.

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Nora is also familiar with the work involved in a non-profit setting. Throughout her academic and professional careers, she has had the opportunity of working on fundraising efforts, and events for SickKids Foundation, YWCA Toronto, and more. She is both honoured and excited to contribute her skills to help amplify the incredible work being done by the Breast Cancer Support Fund, and the efforts to provide financial support to patients who are undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Afshin (Ash) has extensive professional experience and significant leadership accomplishments in the energy sector and philanthropy. With a holistic approach to cultivating relationships and building consensus among diverse individuals, Ash has helped identifying needed organizational change, creating a vision to guide the change, and inspiring people to achieve remarkable results executing the change. Ash received a PhD in Electrical Engineering and an MBA focused on Leadership and Organizations from the University of Manitoba.

He developed a strong sense of devotion for non-profit sector by helping local organizations with their strategic planning and developing social and economic initiatives for over 7 years. Similar experiences gave him a deep appreciation for how non-profits help our society to achieve a more sustainable alternative for addressing social and economic challenges and improve the quality of life.

Patrick has over a decade of experience in marketing real estate, architecture, and interior design. He is passionate about charity, the arts and human connection. He has been a DJ since 2010 and currently specializes in corporate and private events. The Breast Cancer Support Fund is near and dear to his heart and he looks forward to increasing awareness and collaborating on initiatives that will enable the Support Fund to support more breast cancer patients.

Laura Forester is a senior marketing leader with a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. Her career has included notable achievements in the financial services, real estate, and healthcare industries, making her a valuable addition to our non-profit organization's Board of Directors.
 

Laura's career began in fundraising at a number of charitable organizations, including the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Ontario Red Cross Society. She also worked as an Account Director at marketing agencies, where she played a
pivotal role in various direct mail and promotional fundraising campaigns. A graduate of McMaster University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Laura further honed her skills by earning a Post-Diploma Human Resource Management
Certificate from Sheridan College.
 

Laura is honoured to contribute to the Breast Cancer Support Fund and to support their efforts to provide financial support to patients who are undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Marie has a passion for storytelling and has worked in communications for many years, where she’s developed a strong belief in how integrated and strategic communications planning can drive business objectives.  
 

After earning an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in Political Science, she built a career in communications and public relations. She travelled to over 15 countries in the developing world while working for a global humanitarian organization, where she was honoured to capture the stories of inspiring people who were intent on making their communities a better place. She made the transition to the tech sector to build the communications function
at BenchSci, a biotech startup working at the intersection of AI technology and biology. Marie
currently leads communications for C100, an association focused on connecting global Canadians in tech and strengthening the Canadian tech ecosystem.
 

Marie lives in Toronto with her husband and three daughters and has served on the parent councils at her children’s schools and her alma mater. She strongly believes in giving back and is excited to join the Breast Cancer Support Fund team to provide support to women and families when they need it.

Bernadette is currently the Vice-President of Loan Operations and Customer Relations in the Lending group at Infrastructure Ontario. Prior to that role, Bernadette was a member of the legal team at Infrastructure Ontario focusing on infrastructure
financing, public procurement, and general corporate matters.

Bernadette is also a former litigator, having represented insurers and financial institutions. Through her work with Infrastructure Ontario, Bernadette has developed a strong understanding of the needs and challenges facing various organizations in the non-profit sector, and how to identify and implement strategies for positive change.  As a champion for equity and diversity in the workplace and beyond, Bernadette is thrilled to have this opportunity to advocate for and drive positive impact to serve the needs of women facing breast cancer treatment.

With a strong background in litigation, Betsy is a dedicated legal professional with over 15 years of experience in the legal industry. Since earning her JD from Osgoode Hall Law School, Betsy has been a partner at a small firm, supported a national law firm
with their Human Rights matters and worked with two leading national law firms with business development, operations and strategy for their alternative legal support resourcing divisions. Betsy is honoured to support the Breast Cancer Support Fund and
its ambitious efforts to support those experiencing treatment for breast cancer.

Tyler has been an Assistant Crown Attorney, with the Ministry of the Attorney General, for over 20 years. He has a Bachelor of Arts, from the University of Toronto, and a law degree from Osgoode. He has extensive experience in leadership and negotiation, presenting oncomplicated topics, coordinating various agencies, and working with individuals, from sometimes very different backgrounds.  His volunteer work has ranged from coaching children’s soccer, to sitting on various boards, where he has assisted and collaborated, with a variety of diverse communities. He is excited to be able to help and support any non-profit, and appreciates how these types of organizations can effect real social change.

Cara Rosenbloom RD is a registered dietitian, journalist and nutrition educator. She is the founder of the nutrition communications company Words to Eat By, where she offers writing, editing, recipe development and dynamic presentations to a range of clients. She is currently the communications consultant for the American Institute for Cancer Research, and she teaches nutrition lectures at
Wellspring Cancer Support Centers in Toronto. Cara is the co-author of two award-winning books, Nourish (Whitecap Books, 2016) and Food to Grow On (Random House, 2021). Her articles have been
published in The Washington Post, Today’s Parent, Chatelaine, Canadian Living, Healthline, AllRecipes and many other notable publications. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.

Meg Swetman is an IT executive with strong leadership, analytical and communication skills. With over 25 years of experience across all areas of IT, she has earned multiple awards and certifications.  Meg is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with an Honours Bachelor Degree. 

Meg’s passion is enabling client success, supported by achieving customer satisfaction ratings of 90%.  Meg has been successful in developing, leading and managing large complex IT engagements. She has been recognized for consistently achieving all targets and objectives.

Meg has worked in the non-profit sector and volunteers at several organizations. She currently supports Second Harvest, Arthritis Society Canada, MS Canada, Haven and Breast Canada Support Fund.

Jade is a dynamic professional with over 12 years of experience in the communications and marketing industry. She currently leads external corporate communications at one of Canada’s fastest-growing pension plans, and not-for-profit, CAAT Pension Plan. Her experience spans across public relations, executive communications, strategic communications, brand marketing and product marketing.
 

Jade's dedication to storytelling and impactful content creation is a testament to her passion for making a difference in Canada. As the executive producer of the award-winning Contributors podcast, she has earned gold-level recognition across Canada's business and marketing industries.

Jade has a Specialized Bachelor of Arts in English and Journalism from York University and a Public Relations and Marketing Post-Graduate Certificate from Humber
College. She is a published journalist and writer and recipient of past corporate awards, including
the Gold Quill Award of Excellence.

Michael has over 20 years of experience in capital markets, having worked for several boutique investment dealers and Global banks.

Currently serving as an independent board member for Madre Tierra, a junior mining company, and currently working in a senior role at CI Financial,
one of the largest mutual fund companies in Canada.                     
Michael is an avid Biker, skier fitness enthusiast. He is also a graduate of Western University.