Toronto Vegetarian Association

Founded in 1945, the Toronto Vegetarian Association is a volunteer-driven charitable organization governed by an elected board of directors.

Our 2009-2010 Board of Directors

For information about our Board of Directors or to find out how you can get involved, please contact our board President, Fraser Gibson.

Diane Burgin
Jess Eisen
Fraser Gibson
Alan Jaffee
Twyla Kowalenko
Holly Larson
Jenny McQueen
Peter McQueen
Colleen Shea
Udai Srinivasan
Tracey Weir

Diane Burgin

Diane Burgin (B.Acc. Hon., CMA) has been a volunteer and member of the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) for six years. She is a long-time vegan and loyal advocate for organic food. She has often donated her time and/or funds to many animal and environmental causes such as Farm Sanctuary, Toronto Wildlife Centre, World Society for the Protection of Animals, Greenpeace, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Toronto Cat Rescue, Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals, Toronto Humane Society, Eco Justice, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. 

Diane has an undergraduate university degree in Accounting and her recent accreditation as a Certified Management Accountant. In addition to running her own business, she has worked for both small businesses and large corporations. Currently, Diane works as the Corporate Accountant for St. John’s Rehab Hospital, which is run similar to a not-for-profit organization. Having dealt with a wide variety of people in various professional and challenging business climates gives her strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

Jess Eisen

I am student-at-law and have served on both the Board of Directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee of the TVA for the past year. I have been a vegan for over 10 years, motivated primarily by the cruel treatment of animals raised and killed for food, clothing, and product testing. While animal rights concerns are foremost in my mind, I appreciate TVA’s unique mandate of supporting vegetarians whether they are inspired by environmentalism, health consciousness, or other priorities.

Fraser Gibson

President

I have been a member of TVA’s Board for three years, President since 2008, on the Nominating & Governance Committee and leading strategic planning since 2007, including leading the team developing plans for our 2010 Compassion for Animals initiative.  I’ve volunteered for the Vegetarian Food Fair for about 10 years and have been actively involved in various Outreach events for TVA. I continue as organizer for Veggies of Halton & Peel (TVA social group) although I now reside in Toronto. 

I have previous board experience with non-profit arts organizations.  In the workplace I’m a Vice-President at a national distributor of industrial fire, safety and environmental monitoring equipment and my responsibilities include facilitation of project teams and strategic planning.  My specialty is supply chain management and I’m a professional member of the Logistics Institute. 

My journey to become a vegetarian started more than 30 years ago and 8 years ago I adopted a vegan diet.  Early inspiration was from an environmental/political perspective, then health, and I finally awoke to the ethical perspective a little over 10 years ago, assisted significantly by presentations at the TVA Food Fair that highlighted the importance of compassion for animals. 

In 2010 we reach the end of the period covered by our existing strategic plan.  I’m excited about next steps in our planning.

Alan Jaffee

My name is Alan Jaffee.  

I have been a vegetarian and TVA member since 1991, and have adhered to a vegan diet for 13 years. I remain passionate about promoting the vegetarian lifestyle as well as furthering the goals and growth of TVA.

I bring a balanced approach and viewpoint to the Board - one that espouses all of the strategic areas important to TVA - compassion for animals, healthy lifestyle and environmental sustainability. I believe that TVA should continue as a “mainstream” organization, so that it can reach out to the widest possible audience interested in the vegetarian lifestyle, regardless of motivation.    

My year serving on the Board has greatly enhanced my understanding of the many issues facing TVA, and has provided me with insight as to how to address the issues and challenges that may arise in the future.

Twyla Kowalenko

Having been a vegetarian more than half of my life, compassion for others is a core part of who I am and such an approach to life is part of all aspects of mine. For me, valuing all life necessarily involves encouraging the compassion of all towards one another.

My involvement with the TVA began in 2003, when I first moved to Toronto and worked as the PR and Marketing Coordinator for the Food Fair.  During my first Food Fair, I was filled with the joy at the sheer numbers that were being touched by the message of kindness.  Becoming a Board member is allowing me to increase my involvement with the TVA and be a part of its ever-expanding reach.

I bring my passion for TVA’s mission as well as a breadth of experience and skills to the Board of Directors.  A generalist by nature, I offer innovation and creativity in all my endeavours.  With a Masters in Social Work, my professional background includes fundraising, advocacy, program evaluation, project assessment, development and implementation, volunteer coordination, community outreach and research, teaching, training, group facilitation, and event planning. I have been fortunate to work with many different groups of people and understand the necessity of openness and adaptability for effective and clear communication to occur. I am thrilled to join a team of individuals committed to using our combined strength and skills to ensure the success of existing and new programming that allows the Toronto Vegetarian Association’s message to be clearly heard.

Holly Larson

I am a fun-loving, friendly, social, vegan, animal rights/protection activist, who takes effective advocacy strategies very seriously. 

I love the TVA’s mainstream approach, because as an activist I want there to be a variety of approaches in the movement in order to appeal to many people. I want the veg*n lifestyle to seem desirable to the public, and I believe TVA’s mainstream approach can reach the masses, or at least a certain niche, with their inclusive, welcoming, and diplomatic style.   

In 2002, I joined the TVA and soon became a Social Dinner Coordinator for six years. This past 2009 year I served on the TVA Board of Directors, and was a member of the Fundraising and Membership Development Committee, and the Strategic 2010 Animal Compassion Committee. For the FMD Committee my greatest contribution was my networking skill, which helped to get many great Raffle Prizes (and an MC) for TVA’s two fundraiser dinners. With the Strategic 2010 Animal Compassion Committee, I suggested and promoted the idea that the TVA hold a fundraising campaign to help local farm sanctuaries who rescue farm animals. These sanctuaries need all of the financial help and promotion they can get. I am now the Program Manager of 2010’s TVA Supporting the Local Farm Sanctuaries campaign.

I’ve also served on two other Boards of Directors in the past. I have extensive Event Coordinating experience, such as co-coordinating for the past five years Farm Sanctuary’s Toronto Walk for Farm Animals annual fundraiser. One of the most exciting projects I’m currently working on is co-coordinating, with a team of eight other event planners, the 2010 Toronto Veggie Pride Parade (Canada’s first ever).   

Jenny McQueen

Treasurer

My motivation for serving on the board is to help steer the direction of TVA, a wonderful organization that has done so much over the years. I’m very excited that 2010 is our year of compassion for animals, and want to ensure that this year is as effective and far-reaching as possible. I would also like to continue TVA’s messaging on the environmental and health benefits.  Reaching a mainstream audience and connecting with other organizations is key to our success, and I’m proud to be a part of that work.

I came to vegetarianism and veganism initially for health, then out of concern for animal suffering (which is now my motivating force), and more recently I've come to realize the huge environmental benefits too. Truly I feel that for whatever reason people choose to change their diet, it is to be applauded.

I've served on the Board of Directors of TVA for nine years and am currently Treasurer. Previously I was President for two terms. I am a member of TVA's Audit & Finance Committee and the Veggie Challenge Team.  In the United Kingdom I was a trustee of the Vegetarian Society of the UK and was involved in various volunteer capacities for a number of animal and environmental groups. My day job is as a statistical analyst in the Ontario Government, Ministry of Children and Youth Services. I feel I bring sensitivity, compassion and commitment to the work that I do.

Peter McQueen

Secretary

I have a long history with TVA, having served on the Board of Directors for 25 years in various capacities including President. Currently I am the Secretary of the board and am also Chair of the Communication Committee, a member of the Nominating & Governance Committee and of the 2010 Compassion/Planning Committee. I am currently an elementary teacher, but also have a degree in Business and a certificate in Human Resources Management. 

Initially I became vegetarian, later vegan, out of concern for the unnecessary killing and suffering of animals, but soon came to believe in the environmental and health benefits of plant-based diets. 

TVA needs to continue to be welcoming of all people, a big tent that includes vegans, vegetarians and those interested in veg*ism, whatever their motivations. Our board and volunteers need to reflect and encourage the engagement of all. Furthermore, I believe we need to continue to build a strong team of volunteers and staff, activists and professionals, who will make TVA the best local vegetarian group in the world! TVA must continue to act strategically, learning from our past, refining and improving our techniques, and maintaining our balanced approach.

Colleen Shea

Vice President

I have been a volunteer with TVA for 5 years, with the majority of that time being spent as a Resource Centre crew member; for the past 3 years, this has included co-hosting the Toronto Vegetarian Podcast. Besides being well-informed and passionate in discussing vegetarian issues, I am also a highly skilled writer, editor, and public speaker having completed a PhD in English and taught for several years at the university level. I currently own a bookstore in downtown Toronto. 

My primary motivation in joining the board is to contribute to the next stage in TVA’s development of its long-term strategic plan. In particular, I would like to see the mandate clearly state vegetarianism as the vehicle through which we encourage people to lead healthier, greener, more peaceful lifestyles. Further, I would like part of TVA’s strategic plan to include a focus on public education in certain key grassroots areas: first, a broad public education campaign on exactly what vegetarianism, in all its real forms, means; this would be run concurrently with a second, a sister campaign designed to disabuse the mainstream of its inaccurate notions of what kind of people live vegetarian lifestyles. I believe this will go a long way towards encouraging people to try going veg so that TVA may do with even greater success what it is best at doing: helping people to become vegetarian and to enjoy healthy vegetarian lifestyles in the long term.

Udai Srinivasan

Chair of Fundraising and Membership Development Committee

Originally challenged to become a vegetarian by a friend of mine many years ago, I have become whole-heartedly convinced of the broad ethical appeal which vegetarianism offers, and consider it an integral part of my identify.  My discovery of the Toronto Vegetarian Association this year only strengthened this conviction.

I originally started with TVA as a member of the fundraising committee, an experience that has proven to be rewarding.  As a board member, I would like to continue primarily in a fundraising capacity.  TVA has experienced positive growth over the last several years, both in terms of membership, and in terms of its annual surplus.  In our current social climate, where people are increasingly concerned about the suffering of animals, environmental sustainability, and health, I see TVA as being well-positioned to achieve rapid growth, thus successfully creating the greatest social impact possible.  I intend to contribute to this growth by assisting TVA in articulating a fundraising strategy, which includes studying the feasibility of a major gift program.

I have recently completed my MBA at the Schulich School of Business, with a specialization in Non-Profit Management.  I have done volunteer work with different non-profits, including the Association for Fundraising Professionals.  I also recently completed an internship as a fundraiser with a global non-profit called Ashoka, a charity that is committed to developing innovative and scalable solutions for social impact.  Other experiences of mine have included two years as a sales manager at a manufacturing business, one year as a market analyst for a research firm in Toronto, and six months as a resource development intern at a non-profit in New Delhi, India.

Tracey Weir

I am an active volunteer with the TVA serving on the board of directors in 2009 and on the Communications Committee for the past two years. Previous to joining the TVA, I was a volunteer for four years with the Toronto Wildlife Centre as an animal care aid. Although I valued helping wildlife, I believed farm animals needed both my time and professional skills more, so I joined the TVA. Along with my personal commitment, I bring to the TVA 16 years hands-on experience in marketing management with various organizations, large and small, private sector and government. Currently, I am the Associate Director of Marketing for the Ontario Science Centre.

I believe the TVA is greatly positioned to grow its membership and its voice more than ever before. There is a tremendous opportunity to influence media, governments, businesses and, of course, individuals on animal compassion, environment and health. Although I definitely have observed some very positive changes since I became vegetarian 24 years ago, there is much more work to do. I want to continue to work with the TVA and position it as a leading voice for farm animals, drive awareness of environmental issues associated with animal farming and actively de-bunk food and nutrition myths that prevent many people from going veg.