Accelerate Vision Health Series

Charmain Brown is a dedicated educator with over thirty years of experience in teaching and leadership within public education. She is the author of several publications and resources, including Possibilities: Addressing Poverty in Elementary Schools, and the e-texts Black Canadian Women: A Legacy of Strength and 365: Black Canadian Curriculum.

Charmain has served as a Curriculum Consultant, Regional Instructional Leader, and University Instructor at OISE (University of Toronto) and York University, supporting teacher candidates in their professional growth. She now shares her passion and expertise as an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Tyndale University.

Beyond her professional life, Charmain cherishes time with her two young adult children, Jenna and Adam, who both live with retinitis pigmentosa and have benefited from the life-changing gene therapy Luxturna.

Lisa Derencinovic, MSW, RSW, has been a Counsellor since 2012. Lisa earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Social Work from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her specialties include working with women, grief and loss, general wellness, and living with a disability. Lisa brings an anti-oppressive lens to her work, connecting individual experiences to the broader society. She uses elements of mindfulness, narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and a strengths-based approach. Lisa lives with a genetic eye disease and uses a white mobility cane. Vision loss has not stopped Lisa from making her world-famous eggplant lasagna or completing a half marathon! She also loves to dance, read fiction, and spend time snuggling with her cat.

Waltraud Grief was working as a freelance photographer when she was diagnosed with wet AMD in 1999 at a relatively young age. Most of her vision loss occurred between then and 2005, before anti-VEGF injections became available—a true game changer. Now, 26 years later, Waltraud continues to live an independent and fulfilling life.

Dr. George Papadakis is a low vision Optometrist at Finch Avenue Optometry. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the State University of New York College of Optometry in New York City. He completed an internship at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore Veteran’s Administration Hospital, receiving extensive training in the treatment and management of eye diseases.

He has served as a staff doctor at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and is presently a clinical associate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry, overseeing and training optometry students in his practice.
In 2022, Dr. Papadakis achieved the status of Clinical Diplomate in Low Vision Rehabilitation from the American Academy of Optometry. He is the only practicing Low Vision Diplomate in Canada, with fewer than 40 in the world.

Dr. Dave Ehmann, originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, earned his BSc in physiology and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Saskatchewan. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Alberta followed by a 2-year vitreoretinal fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia before joining Alberta Retina Consultants in Edmonton where he manages medial and surgical diseases of the vitreous and retina. Dr. Ehmann is board certified in Canada and the U.S and serves as Assistant Clinical Professor in Ophthalmology. He is currently president of the Retina Society of Alberta.

Dr. Laura Nimmon is a Scientist at the Centre for Health Education Scholarship (CHES) and Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. Dr. Nimmon is a social scientist and award-winning researcher whose work explores the social dynamics of power in shared decision making, negotiation, and healthcare team dynamics. Her work has been published in the world’s highest impact journals (Science, AAAS and The Lancet Oncology) and mentioned in major news outlets. Dr. Nimmon is an Associate Editor for the journal Perspectives on Medical Education. She is recipient of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine Award for excellence in mentoring early career faculty and of the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME) Champion Award for advocacy, role modeling and mentorship of early career researchers.

Mary-Kate Fraser has been involved with Fighting Blindness Canada since 2018, after attending her first View Point event. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 20, she has been an active member of the FBC community through the Young Leaders summit, mentorship program, and many events. A project management professional in the health care industry, she earned her Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University in 2015 and has worked in hospital supply chain management and infrastructure planning. Outside of work, Mary-Kate is passionate about the arts and staying active through yoga, interval training, and indoor cycling.

Alexis Nickerson is from Halifax. She’s a mom of two busy athletic teenagers, one of whom also has retinitis pigmentosa. She works as a physiotherapist in the areas of complex pain and prenatal care. She and her son play a paralympic sport for the visually inspired called goalball. She also enjoys rock climbing with her family.

Sandra Niedermier obtained a Master’s Degree from the University of Calgary and enjoyed a professional career with the Calgary Board of Education, retiring in 2002 as the principal of CBE’s first school to offer an arts-centered learning program. In retirement, Sandra has been fortunate to be able to travel extensively as well as follow her interests in the performing and visual arts. However, deteriorating eyesight resulting from AMD and GA is providing a challenge that she hopes will be avoided by others as a result of continuing research.