Board of Directors

Gillian Reid, Chairman

Gillian has been honored to serve on the MPA Board for the past 4 years; the past year as Chair. She works very hard to represent the MPA members to ensure their voices are heard at the monthly Board meetings. Throughout her life Gillian has worked in various careers, always with the goal being to help people. She wanted to join the MPA Society Board because MPA had helped her so much through their programs and services. So she wanted to give back and be able to help others like herself.

Gillian enjoys sharing her love of books, movies, nature and going for walks with friends. She enjoys learning about different cultures through their food, music, art and history.

John Gunn, Treasurer

John Gunn is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with over 30 years experience in a national public accounting firm. His current work responsibilities are as Chief Executive Officer of the CA School of Business, a non-profit organization that provides education to Western Canada residents who aspire to become CAs. John joined the MPA Society Board in 2006 after responding to an advertisement for the Treasurer position posted by MPA Society on the Board Match website. He was attracted to MPA Society by its member-centered approach to supporting an often neglected and misunderstood segment of society. John is married with two daughters and enjoys running, skiing, music and poetry.

Laura Williams Taylor 

Laura Williams Taylor is the National Rehab Quality Assurance Specialist at Manulife. She is educated in psychology and business and has approximately 15 years experience in disability management. Laura serves on the National Mental Health Committee and is a member of the Mental Health and Addictions Task Group for the BC Collaborative for Health, Disability and Disability Prevention.

Ron Warbrick 

Ron has been a member of MPA Society for seven years and currently sits on the MPA Board. He was a member of the Consumer Initiative Fund for a four year term where he served as a liaison for several and varied Service User run projects in Greater Vancouver. He has been accepted to sit on the Research Demonstration Project as a Local Advisory on issues of homelessness. Ron was born in Estevan, Sask. but has lived in BC for most of his life. He is happy and honored to serve the membership of the MPA Society in his role as a Director on the Board.

Leitizia Lorello 

Leitizia has been a Peer Support Worker for five years and has been a member of MPA Society since the early 1990’s. She has also managed the Bursary Fund out of the Art Studios for about 6 years. Her passion for MPA and its members is very strong and she wants to be a voice for all the members. She enjoys helping people in her work, family and friends. She strives to live each day to the fullest and to the best of her ability. She enjoys entertaining, cooking and going for walks.

Chris Heminsley 

Chris is a client-focused, strategic leader with a focus on building long-term relationships. Chris provides strategic advice and guidance on a wide range of topics related to the Energy Industry. Chris has more than 20 years of business experience, and has taken on a variety of leadership positions at BC Hydro. He is very excited about being able to contribute fully as an MPA Society Board Member and, like fellow Board members, was attracted to the MPA Society by its longstanding history and success, and its member-centered approach and philosophy.