CNIB's team of senior leaders across the country are passionate about changing what it is to be blind today.
Angela Bonfanti, President and CEO
Since joining the CNIB team in 2011, Angela Bonfanti has been a driving force behind many of our organization’s most transformational achievements for Canada’s community of people impacted by blindness, and a vocal advocate for accessibility and inclusivity for all people living with disabilities. Having close ties to sight loss in her personal life, Angela has been a lifelong champion of the rights of Canadians living with blindness, Deafblindness, or low vision. Throughout her tenure with CNIB in various senior roles, she has been instrumental in shaping our organization’s strategies and moving the needle on a number of issues faced by people with sight loss in Canada. Learn more about Angela...
Christall Beaudry, Chief of Staff and Chief Inclusion Officer
Christall is a trail brazing non-profit leader with more than 20 years of expertise leading innovative regional and national programs. She currently holds the role of Chief of Staff and Chief Inclusion Officer at CNIB. With a lifelong commitment to advocacy, Christall actively supports CNIB's efforts to break down myths and misconceptions about individuals who are blind, partially sighted, and Deafblind. Enthusiastic about professional development, she has an MBA from the University of Regina and has also completed international trade; immigration; life coaching; and inclusion, diversity, and equity programs. In her downtime, Christall is an avid reader, volunteers as a mentor, and enjoys time spent outdoors and with her growing family in Saskatchewan.
Diane Bergeron, Head, International Partnerships
Diane is the Head, International Partnerships here at CNIB and she plays a pivotal role on global blindness issues as treasurer of the World Blind Union. Diane has held several positions at CNIB and most recently advanced the work of CNIB Guide Dogs as the president of the program. Diane is partnered with her own CNIB Guide Dog, Carla, and together they advocate for the rights of people who are blind or have sight loss in Canada and around the world. Before Diane joined CNIB in 2012, she held senior roles with the Government of Alberta and City of Edmonton.
Melanie Burgess, Senior Vice President, Business Transformation and Integration
Melanie Burgess is proud to have worked in the not-for-profit sector her entire career and has been a valued part of the CNIB team for nearly 20 years. Over that time, she has held a number of senior roles across the organization – from fundraising to marketing to programming to operations – and has led both small and large teams. In her new role, Melanie is focused on transforming programs and enhancing the participant experience for people across Canada who are impacted by blindness.
Suzanne Decary, Senior Vice President, Programs
As a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist with an educational background in psychology and post-vision loss rehabilitation, Suzanne has over 20 years of experience in the field of vision loss. She started her career at CNIB as a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist before moving into various management roles. In her current role as Senior Vice President, Programs, she oversees CNIB program quality and development across Canada. Suzanne is committed to removing barriers for Canadians living with sight loss and has a special interest in the areas of education equity and inclusive communities.
Robert Gaunt, President, CNIB Guide Dogs
Since joining the CNIB team 12 years ago, Robert Gaunt has held several senior leadership positions – including those with executive oversight for several provinces – and most recently held the role of President of CNIB SmartLife and Innovation. Robert has led transformational business development strategies, managed expansive cross-functional portfolios across the country, and fostered collaborative relationships with a wide range of diverse stakeholders, from international allied organizations to government bodies to community partners. As President of CNIB Guide Dogs, Robert is leading the business model’s next strategic phase of growth and evolution for Canadians seeking a guide dog.
Garry Nenson, Chief Revenue Officer
Garry joined CNIB in 1989 as part of our philanthropy team based in Manitoba. Since then, he has held several senior leadership roles, including Executive Director, Regional Director, and National Director of Training and Advancement. Garry has now come full circle and landed back in our philanthropy team as Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing all philanthropic revenue generation for CNIB. He leads a team of professionals who thrive on raising funds to support the important programs and services of CNIB across Canada.