John M. Rafferty joined CNIB in 2009 as the organization’s eighth president and CEO. Since then, he’s been a catalyst for extraordinary change and for the modernization and growth of one of Canada’s oldest and most trusted charities.
Under John’s leadership, CNIB has expanded by more than 50 per cent and unified its service offerings across the country, making them more accessible and available nationwide.
Delivering on the feedback of thousands of Canadians with sight loss from coast to coast to coast, John was a driving force behind the implementation of many of CNIB’s most groundbreaking and impactful programs – including CNIB Guide Dogs, Come to Work, CNIB SmartLife, and Phone It Forward – as well as a wide range of virtual programs that break down geographic barriers and allow participants to receive support from CNIB online or by phone no matter where they live.
John has also been instrumental in leading the charge on a number of landmark accessibility victories for people who are blind, partially sighted, or Deafblind, including Canada’s ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty, which allows for sharing of accessible reading materials between nations; the launch of the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), Canada’s first nationwide resource for alternative-format materials delivered through public libraries; and the manufacture and launch of Canada’s first accessible payment terminal for retail stores, among many other accessibility wins.
John also led the development and delivery of the organization’s Path to Change (2014) and Bold Dreams, Bright Futures (2018) strategic plans, both of which transformed the landscape of programming and support for Canadians with sight loss in profound ways.
Through the Path to Change, John successfully led CNIB in integrating its rehabilitation services into provincial heath care systems nationwide, ensuring that Canadians with sight loss don’t have to rely on charitable donations to receive the essential services they need to live safely and independently after a loss of sight. As part of that plan, he spearheaded the trifurcation of CNIB into three separate organizations – CNIB, Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, and CNIB Deafblind Community Services – each of which provides distinct and unique services to Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, or Deafblind. This was a landmark achievement for sight loss support in Canada.
For two years after this trifurcation, John held the role of president and CEO of all three of these organizations. While he has now passed the baton on his senior leadership role at Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, he continues to maintain his position as president and CEO of not only CNIB, but CNIB Deafblind Community Services – ensuring that people affected by both hearing and sight loss have the specialized support they need to live, interact, communicate, and thrive in our society.
Now, as CNIB works to develop its 2023 strategic plan, John is proud to be leading a dedicated team of CNIB staff and volunteers to deliver its most ambitious strategy to date. As ever, his goal remains the same today as it was when he first joined the team in 2009: to ensure Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, and Deafblind can live, work, and play in a barrier-free world – free to be and do whatever they may dream possible.