Board of Directors

Betty Talbot

President 

Betty has been a member of the Board since 2011. Betty is an Independent Mortgage Broker with CENTUM Omni Mortgage Corp. She has proven to be a very valuable resource as a part of our Board of Directors. Betty’s experience with charitable organizations is not limited to Community Living, she has also been involved with Big Brothers & Sisters of Barrie and Niagara, Women and Children’s Crisis Centre of Barrie, Head Injury Association of Fort Erie and the Ridgeway Lioness. She brings a wealth of knowledge to our Executive. Bettys’ ability to lead and influence others has made a positive difference for many. As Board President for the past two years her competence, insight, dedication and effectiveness have proven vital to our organization.

Dean Demizio

Vice President 

Dean joined our Board of Directors in 2015 serving as Vice President since 2018. He is a father, businessman, and well-known community volunteer. He is a local small business owner and recently celebrated 26 years in business here in Fort Erie. He was president of the Greater Fort Erie Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve as a member. Dean believes strongly in giving back to the community and has worked as campaign chair and vice-president for the United Way of Greater Fort Erie and as a board member of the Fort Erie Multicultural Centre. He also served as president of the Fort Erie Soccer Youth Club. Dean is a well-connected and well-respected member of our community. He is great board member who is always happy to be an ambassador for our organization, sharing the mission and vision with personal and professional connections. Dean is innovative and forward thinking and he is a true asset to Community Living – Fort Erie.

Sharon Schilz

Treasurer

Sharon will be returning in the position of Treasurer on our 2020-2021 Board of Directors, and has been a dedicated supporter of Community Living – Fort Erie since joining our Board in 2014. She is a long time resident of Ridgeway and Centre Manager for YMCA Niagara at the Port Colborne Branch. Sharon has actively supported our organization for many years and her opinions are valued and well respected. We appreciate Sharon’s commitment to our organization and her passion to promote our mission of inclusion.

Bobbie Paonessa

Bobbie is the proud mother of an eleven year old daughter, Frankie. She is a very strong self-advocate who was a member of the Advocates in Motion Committee for 6 years acting as Vice President for two terms. She is presently the committee President and is working to promote public education of intellectual disabilities in the schools. She is an active member of the Fort Erie Royal Canadian Legion and frequently volunteers at fundraising events. Bobbie is also a valued member of the Community Living – Fort Erie volunteer fundraising team. In her spare time she loves to paint, make crafts and create You Tube videos. One of her passions is to make jewelry that she sells. Bobbie has been working on a book that will allow her to share her experiences about growing up with a disability, in hopes of making a difference for others. Bobbie has been a strong leader and advocate for people with developmental disabilities for many years and is excited to be a new member to the CLFE Board of Directors.

Kimberley Gray

Kimberley Gray was sworn in as a member of the Board at our 2018 Annual General Meeting. She has been a licensed lawyer in Ontario since 2015 and is a partner at DiSanto & Gray LLP. Kimberley shares her legal perspective with the Board in order to provide advocacy and assistance with our mission of inclusion. Kimberley has a great deal of experience with advocacy and support of people with disabilities and she brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to our Board of Directors. We are grateful to have Kimberley Gray serve on our Board and appreciate her passion for our mission, as well as her dedication and commitment to responsibilities.

Stephen Passero

Stephen has been actively engaged in many aspects of our community for the past 20 years, most notably serving as President of the Chamber of Commerce as well as a member of Fort Erie Town Council. He devotes many hours to serving numerous boards and committees in the not for profit sector, and is passionate about fundraising for initiatives that improve neighbourhoods and the Town overall. He is a recipient of the 40 Under Forty award which is given in recognition of business excellence and community involvement. His employment experience has given him a wealth of knowledge in the private and public sectors, as well as a decade of small business ownership and entrepreneurship. As Town Council’s representative for 8 years on Fort Erie’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, he is passionate about the continued pursuit of a fully inclusive community, and is excited to join the CLFE Board of Directors to contribute his time and talent in any way needed.

Rebecca Parton

Rebecca Parton joined the Community Living – Fort Erie team in June 2018 when she was sworn in as a new Board member. Rebecca has supported people with intellectual challenges for over thirty years as an Educational Assistant with the DSBN. She is also a Health & Wellness Coach and has been a citizen of the Fort Erie community her entire life. Mrs. Parton hopes to utilize her years of experience, leadership skills and personal characteristics in the best interest of Community Living – Fort Erie focusing on service excellence. She has been involved in many community volunteer projects, including Food for the Soul in Fort Erie, the Terry Fox Run and Stair Climb for Cancer for over 20 years, as well as being a Rick Hanson Medal Bearer. Rebecca designs and facilitates fitness classes at the E.J. Freeland Boys and Girls Club here in Fort Erie. Recently retired from the DSBN, she continues to support people with intellectual challenges in our community and around the Niagara Region.

Ray Rosettani

Born and raised in Fort Erie, Ontario, Ray has specialized in the sale of new and existing homes for 30+ years. Ray has always been a firm believer in giving back to his community. Ray and his RE/MAX group of REALTORS® are very community minded. Together they have organized many local events with all proceeds going to local charities or non-profits. For the last 4 years Ray and his team have organized the Fort Erie Corporate Challenge which includes a blood drive with Canadian Blood Services, food donations for Community Outreach Program Erie and Earth Day Clean Up for the Town. All proceeds from this event benefit Community Living – Fort Erie. Ray has been a member of the Board of Directors for the past five years. Our organization is grateful that Ray will be continuing as a Director on the 2020-2021 Board. His passion, non-profit experience and social network presence are a few of his characteristics that make him a true asset to our team.

Vickie Moreland

Executive Director

Vickie Moreland began with Community Living – Fort Erie as Shared Executive Director on July 1st, 2017. She is a 30 year veteran of Developmental Services in the capacity of Executive Director for Port Colborne/Wainfleet. Vickie has brought a wealth of experience to our agency over the past three years. As Executive Director Vickie has navigated our agency through the exploration of an organizational merge, assisted with financial stabilization and is presently navigating us through the Covid-19 pandemic. She is a dynamic leader who has taught her team through open and honest communication, motivation and accountability. She is a leader who has naturally gained the trust, respect and support of her managers and the Board of Directors through her ability to guide the organization effectively. We are very fortunate to have Vickie as our Executive Director.