Meet United Way’s Leaders
About Our CEO
Joan Fisk is Chief Executive Officer for United Way Waterloo Region Communities, part of the world’s largest privately funded non-profit organization. Joan brings 30 years of senior level executive experience to the role. Along with various leadership roles in the Waterloo Region, Joan was the President and CEO for 17 years at Tiger Brand Knitting Company; owned and operated her own design company for several years; and was the President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. This was followed by the completion of a six-year term as Chair of the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network, ending in 2017. In addition, Joan was a Board Director with Gore Mutual Insurance for almost 20 years; 10 years with Wilfrid Laurier University and is currently the Chair of the College of Business and Economics Advisory Board at the University of Guelph. Currently she continues to serve on a committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Since joining the organization in 2017, Joan steered the integration of United Way Kitchener Waterloo & Area and United Way Cambridge & North Dumfries. United Way Waterloo Region Communities now services an area of almost 600,000 residents across Cambridge, North Dumfries, Kitchener, Waterloo, Wellesley, Woolwich and Wilmot, providing financial support to more than 40 partner agencies.
Under Joan’s leadership, United Way Waterloo Region Communities has continued to be the second largest funding organization outside of government while also shifting the focus of its mission to driving community change and collaboration.
Board of Directors
Board Chair
Samson Ling
Samson Ling, President and CEO of Clarion Medical Technologies
Samson has held senior executive posts in automotive parts manufacturing, specialty reinforcement, the chemical industry and the medical device industry. Samson joined Clarion Medical Technologies in 2006. Under Samson’s leadership, the infrastructure of the Company has been completely rebuilt to support the Company’s growth and strategic objectives. He holds a doctoral degree in chemistry from Western University and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. Samson and his wife Susan are residents of Kitchener.
Board Members
SCOTT HEBERT
NEENA GUPTA
BRYAN LARKIN
DONALD PADDOCK
KEN SEILING
HEIDI SEVCIK
CHRISTOPHER WALKER
GARY WHETUNG
KAREN WILKINSON
Campaign Cabinet
Cabinet Chair
REBECCA TASCONA
Rebecca Tascona, Regional President, BMO Private Wealth, South Western Ontario.
Rebecca joined BMO Financial Group in 2005 and has held a variety of progressive roles in the Office of Strategic Management, Personal & Small Business Credit Cards, BMO Insurance COO and Chief Operating Officer of BMO Wealth Management. She has a Hons. Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from Queen’s University. Rebecca lives with her family in Waterloo.