Meet the DANI Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kathy co-founded DANI in 2006, and has 20+ years of expertise in program development, advocacy, community engagement, and policy formation within the developmental disabilities realm. Her vision has propelled the organization to become a sector leader.

Kathy's impactful contributions have earned her prestigious awards, including Women of Inner Strength 2014, Humanitarian Tikun Olam Award 2015, and the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce 2019 Business Achievement Award. In 2022, she was honoured with The Order of Vaughan.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

As the COO, Tal has been an integral part of DANI since 2010, beginning as a Program Coordinator and eventually becoming the first Campus Director for Magnetic Campus.

Tal's educational background, with an MEd in Developmental Psychology from the University of Toronto and a management degree from TMU, provides a solid foundation for his role.

His unique blend of academic knowledge and practical experience makes him a valuable leader in the organization.

CHIEF CORPORATE OFFICER

Marked by an impressive 18-year career spanning business development in both private and public sectors, Rudy's expertise lies in building relationships and navigating complex environments, skills that are crucial in the dynamic world of developmental disability services.

Rudy's notable tenure as a government relations consultant has honed his ability to work across various sectors.

Rudy's strategic insights and understanding of policy implications play a pivotal role in shaping our direction and outreach.

CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER

With over three decades of leadership in programming for individuals with disabilities, Jordan brings a wealth of expertise to DANI. His background includes pivotal roles at notable organizations such as Kerry's Place, Giant Steps Toronto, the Geneva Centre for Autism, and Zarienu Educational Centre (now KCC).

Since joining DANI in 2011, Jordan has been instrumental in leading the organization towards innovative and person-directed approaches. His passion for staff training and development plays a crucial role in fostering and supporting our exceptional team.

DIR. OF STRATEGY & GROWTH

Noah anchors our financial infrastructure to long term sustainability and professionalizes operations by implementing best practices and transforming informal processes into systematic frameworks. As our trusted advisor, he ensures every decision aligns with mission objectives and reinforces financial resilience.

Noah designs strategic roadmaps, secures diversified funding, creates new revenue streams and applies entrepreneurial methodologies to unlock opportunities for our social enterprises to grow into resilient revenue engines.

CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Robyn earned her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1982. In 2001, she founded Arrow OTC in Canada, which grew into the Global Arrow Group of Companies—one of the leading names in the pharmaceutical industry.

A proud mother of three daughters, one of whom has a developmental disability, she brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her work with DANI.

Her vision and leadership were instrumental in the creation of DANI’s Place Residential Support, the housing arm of DANI, providing adults with developmental disabilities a warm, inclusive, and empowering home environment.  

VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD

As a seasoned commercial and operations executive with over 20 years of experience, Lara has delivered exceptional results across a range of industries, including digital health, health-tech, technology/software, professional services, not-for-profit, and manufacturing. Her career has spanned Senior Leadership and C-Level roles, across start-ups and Fortune 1000 organizations, where she has built high-performance teams, cultivated inclusive and respectful work environments, and driven innovation and growth.

Lara is adept at developing leaders, shaping actionable business and people strategies, and resolving complex disputes.

Lara actively engages as a guest speaker and mentor on topics such as women in leadership, personal and professional development.

TREASURER

For nearly five decades, Peter has served as a trusted CPA, bringing his deep financial expertise to the building sector, not-for-profits, Fortune 500 companies, and countless organizations in between. His breadth of experience and steady judgment have made him a highly respected leader across multiple industries.

Throughout his tenure, he has played a key role in shaping DANI’s financial strategy, guiding responsible budget planning, and supporting the organization’s growth and long-term stability. His commitment and insight have strengthened DANI’s ability to deliver high-quality, innovative programs. Peter’s long-standing expertise continues to be an invaluable asset to DANI, its board, and its staff, helping ensure a strong financial foundation for the work ahead.

SECRETARY

Chaya Perman is a dedicated community leader with extensive experience in non-profit management and disability advocacy. As Director of Strategic Development at Bikur Cholim, she oversees programs that ensure people at every stage of life have access to meaningful care and connection.

She co-founded the Friendship Circle of Toronto and was honoured with the Inclusion Champion Award in recognition of her work advancing genuine participation for individuals of all abilities. Her earlier service includes roles as a Chabad emissary in Venezuela and as a Director at Lev Dov Toronto.

Chaya holds a teaching credential from Gateshead Teacher's College and has contributed her expertise in program development and community engagement to organizations throughout Toronto and North America.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Brett Barrett is an accomplished commercial leader with extensive experience in the Technology & Financial Services sectors. He currently serves as Regional Vice President for North America at BioCatch, where his team leverages innovative behavioural biometrics to combat fraud and enhance digital transformation for the world's largest Banks.

Brett previously held leadership roles at leading private equity and venture capital backed firms and prior to that at Thomson Reuters. For the past 20+ years Brett has been focused on creating scale and driving growth within organizations. 

Brett’s expertise in strategic growth and risk management will be invaluable in strengthening DANI’s oversight and expanding our social enterprises.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Adam Saperia is a mission-driven healthcare executive with more than 12 years of leadership experience advancing care delivery across Canada. He is the CEO of KixCare, Canada’s only national, bilingual virtual healthcare provider dedicated exclusively to children and teens.

Previously, Adam held senior executive roles including General Manager of TELUS Health Care Centres (formerly Medisys), CEO of Wellpoint Health, and President of GrowWise Health, helping scale innovative healthcare services for patients and organizations nationwide. Adam holds both a BBA and MBA from the Schulich School of Business. He also serves on the board of National Service Dogs, a charity that empowers people to achieve their full potential through strategically trained certified service dogs.

Adam's passion for inclusive services is rooted in lived experience. He is the proud older brother of an adult with developmental disabilities.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Alina Duviner is a seasoned strategist in communications, publicity, and partnerships, with more than two decades of experience amplifying brands and stories across media in Canada and the U.S. Through her firm, she supports publishing, lifestyle, hospitality, tech and entertainment clients. She previously served as Vice President of Communications at Scott Brothers Global, where she led company-wide communications strategy and publicity.

Alina’s career spans strategic communications, brand building, and authentic storytelling. Her work extends into film and television production, and she is currently producing her first feature film.

Alina’s experience will help amplify DANI’s mission, strengthen its outreach, and connect more supporters to its social enterprises.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Kerry Maisels is the founder of Kerry Maisels Behaviour Consulting Inc., a Toronto private practice she established in 2018 to provide individualized behaviour therapy for children, youth, and adults living with autism and other developmental differences. Her firm delivers services in home, school, community, and virtual settings across Ontario.

Kerry is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and a Registered Behaviour Analyst in Ontario. She holds a Master of Education, with graduate studies completed at the University of Birmingham. Before launching her practice, she spent years in clinical and management positions at several organizations serving the developmental disabilities sector across the Greater Toronto Area.

Her clinical expertise and her experience building a service organization with a clear sense of purpose will support DANI's continued development.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Dr. Lazer (Gerald) Friedman is a pediatrician specializing in pediatric neurology.

In addition to his clinical practice, he has held leadership roles at Mackenzie Health, including Chief of Pediatrics and Director of the Woman and Child Program. He has a strong interest in Jewish medical ethics and served for 14 years as Medical Director of the annual conference in this field.

A longstanding, dedicated member of the BAYT, he actively contributes to the community and regularly teaches classes on a wide range of Jewish topics.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Andrew, a proud founding member of DANI, was born in Hungary and made Canada his home in 1989. A creative professional at heart, he has built a successful career as a photographer and videographer, running his own business since arriving in Canada.

Through his artistic lens, Andrew captures meaningful moments and stories that inspire connection and understanding.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Andrew brings a deeply personal perspective to DANI as a devoted father and caregiver to his adult child with autism. His lived experience fuels his passion for inclusion, community, and empowerment—values that have guided his commitment to DANI since its inception.

CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Jonathan Fleischer is Chief Operating Officer at Equiton Living and brings over three decades of leadership experience in property and asset management. Throughout his distinguished career, he has led teams servicing institutional investors, pension funds, and private clients.

At Equiton Living, Jonathan oversees strategic and operational objectives across operations, finance, and property management, and ESG initiatives, leading teams dedicated to long-term growth. His leadership style emphasizes building high-performing teams, driving innovation, and optimizing organizational performance.

VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Mel Barsky is a Partner at CABHI Ventures & Director at the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI).  CABHI, led by Baycrest Health Sciences, helps innovators develop, disseminate, scale, and promote adoption of promising innovations in the aging and brain health sector. CABHI is one of the most respected senior care providers in the world over 100 years of history.

Prior to CABHI, Mel was Co-Founder, President & COO of INTERVENT Canada helping people improve quality of life with health, wellness, weight management, and cardiovascular rehabilitation programs.

TREASURER

Sydney Muskat brings decades of financial expertise to the DPRS board. A Chartered Professional Accountant, Sydney has been a senior partner with Harris & Partners LLP for more than 30 years. He advises across the full range of accounting and tax matters, with particular depth serving medical and dental practices, food services, gaming and event theatres, and food distribution businesses. Sydney is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.

Sydney also carries a long record of service to the community, having served as chair of the UJA Federation of Toronto Social Service and Seniors Committee. His financial judgement and stewardship strengthen the DPRS board's oversight and support the organization's long-term stability as it provides homes for adults with developmental disabilities.

SECRETARY

Jess Seidman brings a deep commitment to empowering others, grounded in her training as a social worker and her diverse experience in the non-profit sector. She has developed and coordinated caregiver support services, supported the launch of a program helping individuals with disabilities build skills and find meaningful employment, and most recently, focused on talent development and organizational culture. Her strong program management background and passion for social impact will be a valuable asset, helping to strengthen person-directed programming and maintain a supportive, family-like environment where each resident can thrive.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Stephen was Managing Director and Industry Head for Real Estate at Scotiabank’s Global Banking and Markets division for over 20 years, representing the bank’s capital markets activities across Canada’s real estate industry. Since the early 1990s, he specialized in providing investment banking advice to numerous public real estate entities on equity and debt capital raises, mergers, takeovers, and complex transactions.

He currently serves as Trustee and Audit Committee Chair for Allied Properties REIT and as Director and Audit Committee Chair for Sienna Senior Living. He is a part-time instructor at York U’s Schulich School of Business.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Adam is a tax lawyer with deep specialization in the law governing charities and not-for-profit organizations. His practice centres on tax litigation for charities and private taxpayers, and he has argued cases at every level of court, up to the Supreme Court.

His work spans high-level tax planning for charities engaged in business activities, corporate governance, and gift planning. He is the author of a widely used guide on starting and maintaining a charity, an Associate Professor of Law, and a frequent contributor to public policy through academic papers and expert testimony. The Lexpert Legal Directory has recognized him among the premier charity law lawyers.

Adam's expertise in charity law, governance, and compliance will strengthen DANI's oversight and support its continued growth.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Erez boasts 25 years of entrepreneurship, sales, and business experience. He is currently a successful Real Estate broker in Toronto, Vaughan, and the greater GTA, bringing a wealth of knowledge that has supported the purchase and negotiation of DPRS’s current and future properties.

In addition to his work in real estate, Erez is the co-founder of a credit card processing company GekkoPay, drawing on more than 15 years in the payments industry.

Family values and Jewish identity remain central to who Erez is, guiding both his personal and professional life.

MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE FROM DANI

Robyn earned her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1982. In 2001, she founded Arrow OTC in Canada, which grew into the Global Arrow Group of Companies—one of the leading names in the pharmaceutical industry.

A proud mother of three daughters, one of whom has a developmental disability, she brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her work with DANI.

Her vision and leadership were instrumental in the creation of DANI’s Place Residential Support, the housing arm of DANI, providing adults with developmental disabilities a warm, inclusive, and empowering home environment.