Katy Harandi, Chair of the Board of Directors

Katy is the mother of a girl with autism. She has devoted her time since 1995 toward helping her daughter overcome many of the challenges of this condition. She has investigated educational and biomedical treatments for autism and has researched this field extensively. Katy supervised and actively participated in her daughter’s home-based ABA program, receiving many hours of training from educational and behavioral specialists, as well as experts in the fields of speech and occupational therapy. She is a founding member of Phoenix Academy of Learning (a private school for children with autism), the Chair of the Board and President of the Society, a member of the BCCH Neuropsychiatry Planning Task Force and a member of the Women’s Leadership Council of the Sauder School of Business at UBC. Katy is President of isolve IT Inc., a computer support company. She received her BA degree from Stanford University in Computer Science and holds an MBA from UBC.

Robert Standerwick, Q.C.

Mr. Standerwick was born and raised in Vancouver where he attended high school. He graduated from UBC with a BA and an LLB. Bob has been a lawyer in Vancouver for almost 30 years and is currently a partner with the national firm of Lang Michener LLP. He has been active in a number of community organizations. Currently, he is a member of the Board of West Point Grey Academy (since 1999) and its Chair (since 2000). He is also a member of the Board of Phoenix Academy of Learning Society (since 2007).

Clara Aquilini, Founder

Clara, along with her husband Paolo, is the Founder of the Canucks Autism Network. She is the mother of four, including a teenage son with autism. She dedicates much of her free time to promoting the Canucks Autism Network and spending time with her family.

Jim Gallagher

Jim Gallagher is Vice President of BMO Bank of Montreal’s Corporate Finance Division for British Columbia. He was born and raised in B.C. and has worked in commercial & corporate banking for over 20 years. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia and has completed an Advanced Leadership Program from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Jim lives in Tsawwassen with his wife and three teenage sons.

Julia Ward, OT

In 2002 Julia started her private practice, Practical Solutions, Occupational Therapy. Since then she has developed a strong interest in supporting children with autism and their families bringing her knowledge of sensory integration, gross and fine motor development to the child’s team regardless of the type of intervention the family has chosen. Julia trained as an occupational therapist in Liverpool, England and graduated in 1981. In 1987 she moved to Vancouver with her husband. She has worked in pediatrics in UK Australia, USA and Canada. Julia lives in North Vancouver with her husband and two teenage sons.

Marie Westby, Chair of the Program Committee

Marie has an 12-year old son with autism and is a strong advocate for children with differing abilities. She’s practiced as a physical therapist since 1988, has a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from UBC and is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, UBC. Her research includes rehabilitation and exercise interventions for individuals with arthritis and joint replacement surgery to enable active lifestyles and safe sports participation. Marie has a long history of volunteering with children with disabilities and amateur sports in BC and served as a physiotherapist for the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

Mark Zastre, Treasurer

Mark is the partner in charge of Grant Thornton’s Assurance and Business Advisory group in South Coastal British Columbia.  He is a Chartered Accountant and has worked in the accounting field for over 20 years.  He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia and the Illinois CPA Society.  Mark lives in North Vancouver with his wife and three children.

Charmaine Crooks

Charmaine is an articulate, high-energy business professional, recognized for her expertise in sports management, strategic consulting, policy development, governance, corporate directorships and the Olympic Movement. During an international competitive sports career, became a five-time Olympian, Olympic Silver Medalist (LA 84), and an eleven-time national champion, representing Canada in Athletics (400m/800m) from 1980 to 1997.  As the first Canadian woman to run under two minutes over 800 metres, she has won gold medals at the Pan American, Commonwealth, World Cup and World Student Games. She had the honour of being named Flag Bearer at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Summer Games. Since 1994, Charmaine is President of NGU Consultants Inc. a global sports consultancy providing strategic counsel to major corporations and sport entities. She has been a director on several private and public sector Boards including Aim-Trimark Mutual Funds (Governance and Nominations Committee), University of Northern BC (Chair, Athletics Committee), Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games (Governance, Ethics and Strategic Communications Committees) and the Canadian Museum of Natural History. An elected Member of the (IOC) International Olympic Committee (1996 re-elected IOC Member 2000-2004), she continues to serve on several key IOC Commissions such as the IOC Athletes Commission and the IOC Press Commission. She was also a member of the inaugural IOC Ethics Committee, the IOC Culture and Education Commission, the inaugural World Anti-Doping Agency Foundation Board, Athens 2004 Athlete working group and the IOC 2000 Reform Commission. She is the longest standing and one of the founding Board members of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, having served as a member from the initial Bid phase through to the end of  Games on Vanoc ( Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organising Committee 2010).