Our volunteers

Meet our dedicated campaign volunteers

Passionate volunteers directly impact our ability to fund T1D research

Breakthrough T1D was created – and still championed – by people with a personal connection to type 1 diabetes (T1D). Driving our $100M Campaign to Accelerate is a team of community and business leaders working in partnership with Breakthrough T1D to change the lives of all Canadians living with T1D.

Campaign volunteers are critical to Breakthrough T1D’s fundraising efforts by advising our strategy and mobilizing their networks to support our major gift campaign, driving incredible research progress.

Campaign Co-Chairs

“Like the founders of Breakthrough T1D (then JDRF) in the 1970s, we are a group of families and T1D community members whose lives are forever changed by this 24/7 disease and who want nothing more than to achieve our $100M goal and accelerate a cure. For my son and the 300,000 Canadians impacted by T1D, I am committed to helping Breakthrough T1D and my fellow volunteers exceed our campaign goal.”

-Ryan MacDonald, Co-Chair, Breakthrough T1D $100M Campaign to Accelerate

“When my daughter was diagnosed with T1D at six years old, there was nothing more important to me at the time than doing whatever I could to help. My daughter has been such an inspiration to me with how she has navigated her life in spite of this daily burden. Not counting hospital fundraising campaigns, I believe this will be the most successful fundraising campaign for medical research in Canadian history. When there is a cure for diabetes – and there will be – it will go down as one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind.”

– Peter Oliver, 1948-2022
Co-Chair (posthumous), Breakthrough T1D $100M Campaign to Accelerate
Founder, Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality

In recognition of everything Peter Oliver has done for Breakthrough T1D and to champion the cause of T1D research, we continue to recognize him as Campaign Co-Chair. To learn more about Peter’s incredible legacy with Breakthrough T1D: /honouring-peter-olivers-life-and-legacy/

Executive

“I was diagnosed with T1D in 1989, just a few weeks shy of my 16th birthday. It hasn’t been easy, but diabetes is a huge part of who I am. It’s made me a more resilient and empathetic person. So much has changed since those early days. More T1D research is happening now than at any other time in history, moving faster than ever. The cure is not going to happen unless people help move it along. Research doesn’t pay for itself. I feel the responsibility to power that hope.”

-Jennifer Bizzarri, Consulting Partner – Marts & Lundy Canada

“I’ve been a believer since Day 1 that a cure is there to be discovered. It’s always just been a matter of funding its path. Experiencing life-changing improvements in T1D technology and management, so much of which was Breakthrough T1D funded, has only motivated my family and me to remain passionate Breakthrough T1D volunteers and fundraisers over the past 35 years. I am very confident in the work that Breakthrough T1D-funded researchers are doing. From meeting them, in their labs, and tracking active human trial results, I have never been more optimistic that it is absolutely a matter of when, and not if! I also have no doubt that to accelerate these trials and a cure for the mass market, we need to keep building our volunteer army to keep up the fundraising, government lobbying, advocacy, and networking. There are so many roles to play and there has never been a more exciting time to work alongside, and/or support Breakthrough T1D!”

-Vanessa Oliver, Principal, Broker of Record, Regent Street

“T1D research is always top of mind for me since my child lives with the disease. We are getting so close to transforming and curing T1D – and Breakthrough T1D is at the forefront of these advances. This national campaign is changing lives and helping families across the country.”

-Rudy Massimo, President, Rudy Massimo and Associates

Campaign Leaders

Nicolas Audet-Renoux, Regional Vice-President. RBC Royal Bank

Ted Bader, President, SIA Wealth Management

Aubrey W. Baillie, Chair, Newport Private Wealth

Bonnie Barber, Retired Teacher

Sue Beamish, President, TMF Holdings Inc

W. Geoffrey Beattie, CEO, Generation Capital

Wendy Benyk, BSc., CA, CPA

Peter Bryan, Corporate Commercial Lawyer – BLG LLP 

Stephanie Campbell

Jason Cope, Executive Managing Director & Head of Global Fixed Income – TD Securities Inc. 

Kathleen Cope 

Darrin Davis 

Mary Jane Devine, Business Advisor in Health Technology

Stephen Emery, SVP Realty Projects & Contract Management, Infrastructure Ontario

Rob Fiorvento, Managing Partner, Beedie

Josh Florence, Manager, Development & Investments – Crestpoint Real Estate Investments Ltd. 

Emily Fung 

R. Thomas Gaglardi, President & CEO, Northland Properties

Jimmy Garfinkle, President & CEO, Mitchel-Lincoln Packaging

Puneet Girdhar, Managing Director, Cintex International

Judy Goldring, President and Head of Global Distribution, AGF Management Limited

Helena Gottschling, Chief Human Resources Officer, RBC

Dr. Nick Hajidiacos, Physician, Assistant Professor of Medicine, St. Boniface Hospital

Dustin Halvorson, Advisor, Henderson Insurance/Navacord

Nader Hamid, Senior Portfolio Manager, TWM Group

Bonnie Jackson, Community Engager and Philanthropist

Terry A. Jackson, Retired Executive

Dr. David Kozloff, Breakthrough T1D Board Member

Kim Lucas, Vice President Sales – North America at STEMCELL Technologies

Justin MacCormack, Managing Partner, Imperial Capital

Sherry MacDonald, CPA, CA

Joanie Maheux, Partner, Accounting Operations Advisory, Deloitte

Hélène Michel, FCPA Auditor, Managing Partner Audit Quebec, Mallette

Todd Millar, President & CEO, TEC Canada

Dan Miller, Partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Dr. Jennifer Miller, Independent Medical Practice Professional 

Ron Miller, Partner, Lorem Partners

Sean Murray, President and CEO, Advocate

John O’Bryan, Honorary Chairman, CBRE Canada

Carolyn Oliver, Retired Managing Director in the Insurance Industry

Treena O’Shea

Maarika Paul, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial and Operations Officer, CDPQ

Kevin Peters, Chief Operating Officer, ICD.D, Hickman Automotive Group

Sara J. Price, Mother T1D, philanthropist and seasoned fundraiser

Bill Rice

Vincent Rochette, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada 

Fred Rubinoff

Tannis Scott

Lorne Shiff, President, LandCon Ltd.

Aryssah Stankevitsch 

Eric Stevens, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada

Murray Suey, Regional Managing Partner, KPMG Calgary

Chris Tambakis, CEO, Adgar Canada

Louis-Philippe Thibodeau, Senior Portfolio Manager, CDPQ

Michelle Tice, Vice President, Global Communications, Maple Bear Global Schools

Réjean Tremblay, CCO Canada, Aon

Matthew Varey, Senior Vice President, RBC

Nicole Vien, Owner, Communications Spectrum

Robert Vineberg, Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

Justin Vineberg, Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

Shoshana Weiman