Paul Curwin

Co-chair

Paul is a certified group fitness instructor living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but is originally from New Brunswick. Paul was involved with BCPWA (Vancouver) and ACCM (Montreal) and was on the board of directors for SIDA/AIDS Moncton. Paul first became involved with realize in 2006 through the work of the Episodic Disabilities Network. He was heavily involved in Realize’s development of a network devoted to work issues important to HIV+ people, a network that ultimately became the Episodic Disabilities Employment Network (EDEN) social networking website. Paul was a member of the Realize Board of Directors, including serving as treasurer, from 2009 until 2012. Paul rejoined Realize‘s Board of Directors in 2015 and is excited to be serving as co-chair as of June 2018.

Nicole Salmon

Co-Chair

Nicole is a listener, learner and leader as well as a skilled presenter and communicator. Her work style is collaborative, she values family and community and continually works to ensure her interactions are guided by a social justice and equity lens, respect, integrity, openness and trust. Nicole brings over twenty-five years of direct fundraising experience during which time she effectively managed a number of fundraising programs including Annual, Leadership, Corporate, Employee and Monthly Giving programs. In 2014 she founded Boundless Philanthropy, a consultancy specializing in providing charitable organizations with transitional (interim) senior leadership support; fund development strategizing, planning and execution; creating enabled, healthy and effective operational environment; and coaching and mentoring staff. Prior to founding Boundless Philanthropy, Nicole was the Director of Fund Development at Oxfam Canada. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of the National Fund Development Department, she was a member of the organization’s senior management team. A self-described sports consumer and enthusiast, she possesses an inquisitive mind always searching to challenge and expand her perspectives and experiences. Currently, she is a member of the board of Wellfort, a local community health centre operating in Peel Region.

Daniel Sands

Alternate Chair

Daniel Sands is a proud gay and proud 2 Spirit friend who uses they/them/their pronouns. As a grandchild of a Cree Metis residential school survivor, their spirit is indomitable. Daniel has survived and continues to thrive in spite of having challenges of being bullied, mental wellness, poverty and homelessness, 28 years of substance use, cancer, and living with HIV.

Harvey Michele

Treasurer

Harvey Michele is a 2 Spirit Ojibway living in Montreal, Quebec. He’s a long-term survivor as he was diagnosed with HIV-AIDS 28 years ago. He engaged very early in the HIV – AIDS movement. He served on the Steering Committee with the Omega Cohort in 1989 to 1992 with Dr Otis. The role was to design preventative strategies for the Montreal Gay Community. He served as a permanent committee member on HIV-AIDS with the Quebec Labrador Health and Social Services Commission from 2000 to 2010 and has also served as a Board member with the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal and CAAN. CAAN bestowed him with a Lifetime Legacy Award for his continued work on the local, provincial, and national level. He also served as a past president of the Indigenous Health Centre of Tiothtake (Montreal).  Currently, Harvey serves as a Knowledge Keeper with the 2sims Foundation project on Trauma Informed Project.  His knowledge is vast and has in-depth shared and lived experience to bring to the board.

Brian Ellison

Secretary

Brian has been involved in the AIDS movement since the late eighties. He was a Human Services Counsellor in the area of Addictions and Mental Health and became active in facilitation for community support groups and long term survivors of HIV/AIDS. More recently he had been actively involved with the AIDS Bereavement & Resiliency Project of Ontario (ABRPO). Brian has been living with HIV since 1987, and is a bilateral, above knee (AK) amputee. He has been an active volunteer for the Dept. of Physical Therapy at U of T in the Bridging Program for International Students and various Rehab student bridging programs. He was actively a participant in a recent CBE study with Kelly O’Brien on Exercise and HIV, and is a member of CIHRRC.

In addition to joining the Board in September 2019, Brian is involved in working groups dealing with Disability/Aging and HIV and advocacy to raise awareness of the inequities affecting all people with disabilities and the struggles they face with accessibility and Ablism.

Brian keeps active in training for marathons such as the Longboat Run and Achilles Foundation. He has a specific interest in documentaries and our communities’ histories and archiving the lives of the mentors/volunteers and activists that have helped in moving us forward and enriched our lives.

Martin Anderson

Board Member

Martin is a registered occupational therapist who currently works with HIV Edmonton in health promotion and as a peer research associate on the Headsup2 research project. He holds a clinical doctoral degree from Kansas University and master’s degrees from the University of Alberta and the Open University UK. Martin has served on the Alberta Health Services Occupational Therapy Council for over a decade and has worked in both clinical and academic settings as well as volunteering in the non-profit sector in Canada and the UK.

Shanti Gidwani

Board Member

Shanti Gidwani is a Healthcare Business Leader with a diverse international clinical background and 20+ years’ experience. In her early professional life, Shanti was also an HIV/AIDS Nurse.

Kenneth Poon

Board Member

As a long-term survivor who is legally blind, Kenneth brings great resiliency and a tremendous empathy to his work with people living with HIV (PHAs). He reflected on his residency at Casey house for over two years, the time he lost his sight because of HIV, as the moment that uniquely equipped him to deeply understand the challenges and barriers that PHAs face on a day-to-day basis. He learned to be resourceful in dealing with his illness and disability. Being active, staying busy, contributing to the AIDS movement and a wider society through volunteer work, and equipping himself with knowledge on complimentary therapy and holistic health are one of the many things he has done to overcome health problems. His positive attitude about life also has a profound impact on how he perceives his health and well-being. His unique perspective on life in general, and courage exemplify PHA resiliency.

Naomi Sayers

Board Member

Naomi Sayers is an Indigenous lawyer and Indigenous feminist with a strong history of advocating for social change that positively impacts Indigenous, racialized and criminalized communities. Naomi’s history with HIV organizing began when she was a research assistant on several research projects that examined the connection between environmental racism and health outcomes in Indigenous communities throughout Canada between 2012 and 2014. From there, she was asked to speak on a panel in Australia on the link between criminalizing Indigenous youth and their health outcomes at the International AIDS Conference in 2014. Over the years, Naomi has advised and consulted institutions and governments across Canada on policy, law reform, governance and compliance issues. Naomi is called to the Ontario bar and the Alberta bar. Naomi is well-published and highly sought after for her simple yet impactful solutions.

David Salter

Board Member

David Salter previously served on the CWGHR (now Realize) Board of Directors and was Co-chair for four years. He is an international development practitioner with 30 years of experience working for a variety of non-governmental agencies and national governments, primarily Oxfam Canada.  He specializes in the development and delivery of programs focussed on women’s rights and gender equality, notably in the areas of women’s political and economic empowerment, institutional capacity strengthening of local partners and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Asia, Central America and Caribbean and Southern/Eastern Africa. David lives in Ottawa.

Dr. Rusty Souleymanov

Board Member

Dr. Rusty Souleymanov is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba, and the director of the Village Lab (www.villagelab.ca).  His program of study focuses on community-based HIV/STBBI and harm reduction research and the healthcare access of marginalized communities in Canada. Rusty is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Nine Circles Community Health Centre, and on a stewardship team of the Manitoba HIV/STBBI Collective Impact Network.