Governance and Leadership
Sunbeam Community & Developmental Services is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors.
The Board of twelve is comprised of a diverse group of skilled, talented and experienced community leaders who give generously of their time to attend Committee and monthly Board meetings. The Chief Executive Officer, Directors and Senior Managers are responsible for the day to day operations of the organization and report regularly to the Board of Directors.
Board Officers
Connie Smith
President
Connie is a proud wife, mother, daughter, Registered Social Worker, and Registered Early Childhood Educator. As a full-time Professor in the Faculty of Community Studies at Fanshawe College in London, her goal is to instill acceptance and compassion in students from a holistic and anti-oppressive lens. Connie’s passion for inclusion evolved while raising a daughter with complex Autism into her adult years.
Connie’s relationship with Sunbeam Community & Developmental Services can be considered one that has come ‘full circle’. When Connie moved to Waterloo in 2008, she requested the services of the Sunbeam Developmental Resource Centre (then known as DSRC) to assist with locating supports for her daughter as they were new to the Region. The care and compassion Connie received from the staff at DSRC during that initial meeting encouraged Connie to return to university with the goal of achieving a Master of Social Work in order to support other families who have children with special needs. This goal was achieved, and now that her daughter lives in one of Sunbeam’s residential homes, Connie is sharing the skills and experience she has gained with students who will be working in the field of Mental Health in the future.
Becoming a Board Member of Sunbeam Community and Developmental Services is one way that Connie is ‘giving back’. Having experienced some of the same challenges faced by the people and family members whom the organization supports allows Connie to face decision-making and advocacy at the Board level with compassion and understanding.
Outside of work, Connie enjoys spending time with her family, caring for her and her wife’s pets (3 dogs and 2 cats), following the Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Kraken, and playing Virtual Reality.
Stacey Jayne
Vice President
Stacey is a new member to the Sunbeam Board of Directors in 2022 and is looking forward to new experiences and new perspectives with an amazing organization that does so much for its community. Stacey has worked for 28 years in the non-profit sector with an organization that provides personal care to adults and seniors with physical disabilities. Stacey started out many years ago as an Attendant Services Worker, then moved to Human Resources, then on to Coordinator of all Community and Seniors program and is currently a Program Manager at Guelph Independent Living. These many different roles have given her a wide range of perspectives which she is happy to be able to share with Sunbeam.
Stacey enjoys reading and spending time outside of work with her family and friends and her very furry dog, Axel.
Laura Holtom
Secretary
Laura Holtom joined the Board in September 2021. She is a resident of Guelph and has found her first year on the Board to be extremely rewarding. Now serving as Vice President/Secretary.
Laura retired after 40 years working in Not for Profit Long-term Care Homes. The majority of her service was at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Guelph; and Wellington Terrace Long-term Care Home in Fergus. Ensuring deserving residents and families acquire quality services and care has been a priority. Her clinical role in first half of her career was in Recreation Therapy; and in Administrator roles for last 20 years where she also served on a number of health care boards and committees.
Laura is enjoying her retirement on the golf course, travelling, reading and embracing her creative side through quilting.
Andrew Kelly
Treasurer
Andrew joined the Sunbeam Organization in 2021 as a member of the communications committee and has subsequentially joined the board as a director in 2022. As a life-long resident of Waterloo Region, the opportunity to join such an esteemed local organization focused on work within the community was more than welcomed.
Andrew graduated Queen’s University in 2017 with an Honours Bachelor’s Degree and has worked in various sales and marketing capacities for the past five years. Currently, Andrew is a partner in a wholesale distribution business which is based locally in Cambridge.
In his spare time, Andrew enjoys golf, and spending time at his cottage in the Saugeen Shores area. He currently resides in Kitchener with his long-term partner.
Board Directors at Large
Darcy Balak
Director
Darcy joined the Sunbeam Board of Directors in 2024. As a parent of an individual with a neurological disorder, Darcy strongly advocates for and believes in Sunbeam’s vision of inclusivity. Darcy’s daughter lives with Rett Syndrome, and he previously had spent 11 years as a Board Member, Chair of the Fundraising Committee, and Secretary to the Board for the O.R.S.A. (Ontario Rett Syndrome Association).
From Farm Labourer to Food Inspector, Food Plant Manager to Operations Manager of multi-facility Bio-Gas plants, Darcy has worked in the Agriculture, Food industry and Food recycling/ renewable natural gas for the last 30 years. He brings a great wealth of experience with Compliance & Quality Assurance.
Darcy is a graduate of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Agriculture and, in his spare time, enjoys tending to his vegetable garden. His specialty is tomatoes and hot peppers, which he turns into a world-class salsa and tomato sauce.
Jessica Bondy
Director
Jessica Bondy serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Bondy & Associates, a government affairs and management consulting firm based in Waterloo Region. She is an expert in operations, systems thinking, the not-for-profit sector, and team development.
Jessica previously served as Executive Director at Oak Bridge Academy, Housing Director at House of Friendship, and spent 10 years in student services in higher education at the University of Waterloo. She is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal and the University of Waterloo Alumni Achievement Award.
Jessica brings her passions in health, education, community systems and leadership to her board work at Sunbeam.
Ted Giesbrecht
Director
Ted joined the Sunbeam Board of Directors in 2025, bringing with him over four decades of legal expertise and a lifelong commitment to community service.
Raised on a farm near Kitchener, Ted credits his early years with instilling the values that have guided his life: hard work, fairness, teamwork, and the importance of family. These principles laid the foundation for a distinguished career in law and community leadership.
Ted earned his B.A. through studies at the University of Waterloo and Mannheim University in Germany, followed by a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Queen’s University. He was called to the bar in 1981 and went on to found GGFILAW as a sole practitioner. Over the next 42 years, he helped grow the firm into a team of more than 20 lawyers.
Throughout his legal career, Ted remained deeply engaged in volunteer work. He served on the Board of Governors at Conrad Grebel University College and contributed to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Oasis Outreach Ministries, Ray of Hope, Community Justice Initiatives, and Fairview and Parkwood Mennonite Homes. He also served as an adoption licensee and authored the adoption chapter in the Canadian Child Welfare Law text.
Ted’s passion for helping children extended globally, taking him to countries including Guatemala, Haiti, Ethiopia, South Africa, South Sudan, and Ukraine to support children in crisis.
Since retiring from legal practice in 2023, Ted has continued to seek meaningful ways to serve his community. He brings a wealth of board experience and a deep sense of purpose to his role at Sunbeam.
In his spare time, Ted enjoys mountain trekking, experimenting in the kitchen, and sharing adventures with his four grandchildren.
John Goerzen
Director
John Goerzen joined the Board of Directors, September 2020. He has volunteered in the community in various capacities, including Ray of Hope, Big Brothers, the City of Waterloo’s Citizen Committees and Professional Engineers of Ontario.
Semi-retired from a career in manufacturing and construction engineering, John remains engaged with his own consultant business and working part-time. John and his wife have 2 independent adult children.
John has always enjoyed giving back to the community and looks forward to sharing his array of experience while serving on Sunbeam’s Board of Directors.
Chantal Hunter
Director
Chantal Hunter joined the Sunbeam Board of Directors in 2024. She was looking for an opportunity to give back to the community and was drawn to the values and mission of the Sunbeam community.
Chantal lives with her partner Joel and is a proud mom of two boys ages 18 and 20. She is a CPA and graduate from McMaster University and has been in several leadership positions within finance and sales operations over the past 20 years. She is hopeful that her experience in finance across a range of industries will bring a positive perspective to the Sunbeam board.
Chantal lives in the beautiful township of St. Jacobs for over 10 years and truly enjoys the culture of this small community. In her spare time, Chantal enjoys traveling through Europe and has a residence in Spain where she hopes to retire to some day.
Tesa Martin
Director
Her personal connection to Sunbeam began through her younger brother, who has autism and a love of swimming. Their weekly visits to Sunbeam’s community pool introduced her to the organization’s work and inspired her lifelong commitment to advocacy and strengthening support for individuals with developmental needs.
Tesa lives in Waterloo with her husband and their two young children. After taking time to focus on her family, she is excited to return to volunteering and contribute both her professional experience and personal insight to advancing Sunbeam’s mission.
Brittany Roka
Director
Brittany is a dynamic, result- driven professional with a strong background in association development, skills training, communications, media arts, and project management. Over the past decade, she has built a reputation for fostering collaborative relationships, improving operational processes, and leading impactful communication strategies across the agricultural and non-profit sectors.
Most recently, Brittany served as an Association Development Advisor for a province-wide non-profit organization supporting 11 regions and 52 local associations. In this role, she played a key part in enhancing member engagement, delivering accessible training programs, and advancing strategic initiatives that supported organizational growth and innovation.
Beyond her professional achievements, Brittany is a dedicated parent of two children with special needs who are beginning their educational journey. Her lived experience fuels a deep commitment to advocacy, inclusion, and ensuring supportive community services for all individuals with developmental needs.
Ann Marie Yantz
Director
Ann Marie is an experienced paralegal from Kitchener, Ontario, and the first paralegal in Ontario to be appointed to the executive of a law association. She joined the firm Kelly & Co. in September 1997 and received her law clerk diploma from the Institute of Law Clerks in 2000 and became licensed as a paralegal by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2008.
Ann Marie has provided per diem prosecution services for matters concerning the Provincial Offences Act for both Halton Region and the Ministry of the Attorney General. Ann Marie is a member of the Prosecutors Association of Ontario and an associate member of the Institute of Law Clerks. In 2013, Ann Marie became the first elected paralegal board member of the Waterloo Region Law Association, where she was a trustee and treasurer until 2017.
Executive
Brian Swainson
Chief Executive Officer
Brian has extensive experience as a senior leader across non-profit developmental services and healthcare sectors, as well as in community services, and government. Having studied, lived, worked and volunteered in Waterloo Region for over 30 years, Brian appreciates the importance of non-profit services and supports in the lives of vulnerable individuals and their families in the local community.
After completing his master’s degree at the University of Waterloo, Brian earned his CPA, CGA designation and achieved certification as a healthcare administrator through AdvantAge Ontario. Brian is an alumnus of the Leadership Waterloo Region program, and recently completed the Public Sector Executive Leadership Institute Program through the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.
Brian continues to serve on non-profit Boards and Committees in a volunteer capacity, and for several years he served as a host family home provider for an individual requiring intellectual, physical and emotional supports.
Brian acknowledges the dedication and compassion of Sunbeam’s staff and volunteers, and he is extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead the Sunbeam Community in its service to the individuals and families we support.
Laura Thies
Chief Operating Officer
Laura has dedicated her career to serving and supporting persons with developmental disabilities for over 40 years.
In her role as Chief Operating Officer, Laura oversees all program areas across Sunbeam’s operating divisions, providing person-centred services and supports to over 14,000 individuals and their families each year.
She is appreciative of the opportunities and experiences that working for Sunbeam Community and Developmental Services has provided her.
Tim Wilson
Chief Administrative Officer
Prior to joining Sunbeam in 1989 Tim worked in retail banking and productivity improvement consulting. The focus of his role is supporting and coordinating Sunbeam’s administrative departments in meeting the needs of the people we serve and our associated community.
Tim says ‘Participating in the growth of our services and continually improving our organizational performance, continues to motivate our work’. Married to Laurie, they have a daughter in Calgary and a son in Waterloo. Outside of work Tim enjoys coaching Lacrosse, running, reading and going to their old family cottage.