Our Story
Board of Directors
Working collectively, the volunteer Board of Directors sets the strategic direction for Ribbon Community, including the purpose and values.
The Board that hires and manages the Executive Director, who reports directly to the Board on a monthly basis. The Board is also responsible for monitoring the organization’s risk, policies, and finances.
Volunteer Board of Directors
Ribbon Community has a volunteer Board of Directors, a group of individuals who take on a significant commitment to ensure the organization operates. Volunteers must have a commitment to the organization’s purpose and values, whether through personal experience, professional commitment, or both prior to joining the Board. Four spaces are reserved for Board directors who are part of the communities that Ribbon Community supports and empowers.
The Board can be reached by contacting the Chair at Board@RibbonCommunity.org.
Michael Leclair
(he, him, his)
Chair
Michael has been an independent consultant in the healthcare sector since 2003. He currently operates a specialized technology services firm dedicated exclusively to telecommunications infrastructure within healthcare facilities. Hailing from Vancouver, Michael has been actively involved in local HIV/AIDS service organizations since the mid-1990s, volunteering his time with A Loving Spoonful, Friends for Life, HIM (Health Initiative for Men), and most recently, Ribbon Community (formerly AIDS Vancouver).
Danielle Fiddick
(she, her, hers)
Vice Chair
Danielle is the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Governance at a tech property management company. She has worked in seven industries over the last fifteen years in various capacities including operations, project management, business analysis and management consulting. Danielle’s qualifications include an MBA, PMP, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. She has a passion for continuous improvement and identifying innovative solutions that create value for all stakeholders. Danielle is delighted at the opportunity to utilize her skills and share her knowledge with Ribbon Community.
Rob Godding
(he, him, his)
Treasurer
Rob Godding is a financial professional with over 15 years of experience; including 10+ years as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA/CMA). Rob has had the pleasure to have worked with some of Canada’s largest corporations, across Canada primarily in the Financial Services and Energy & Utilities Sectors and is presently working with BC Hydro. He is pleased to share his breadth of accounting, finance and investment knowledge with Ribbon Community.
Rob returned to the Board in 2021, after a short break; having previously served as a Director and Treasurer from 2013 to 2019.
Mostafa Bondok
(he, him, his)
Director
Mostafa is an ophthalmology resident physician at the University of Calgary. He completed his medical degree and undergraduate studies in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia. He has served in leadership roles on national boards, including the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada and the Canadian Resident Matching Service, and has created community initiatives for newcomers, refugee youth, and other underserved groups.
Before medicine, Mostafa was Director of Programs for a grassroots HIV support organization in eastern Uganda, where he helped establish education, microloan, and peer support programs—an experience that deepened his understanding of the stigma and barriers faced by people living with HIV. He has also worked as a business analyst with Deloitte Omnia and in multiple research roles. Mostafa is committed to strengthening Ribbon Community’s governance and advancing its mission to support and empower communities affected by HIV.
why ribbon community
Working with Ribbon connects my passion for health equity to real people and real impact.
– Mostafa Bondok
Josh Dalmann
he, him, his
Director
Josh is a recent Master of Public Health graduate from Simon Fraser University with a background in biology from the University of British Columbia. He joined Ribbon Community as a volunteer in 2021, where hearing clients’ experiences shaped his interest in public health. His experience includes research coordination in rare genetic diseases and community engagement across British Columbia, with an interest in translating evidence into applied public health practice.
Marissa Wright
(she, they)
Director
Marissa Wright is a strategic advisor, investor, and mentor, and has worked in the technology sector for over 40 years. Marissa advises for-profit and non-profit organizations, women- and 2SLGBTQIA-led organizations, and companies with social impact. Marissa has an MBA from Simon Fraser University and is currently Chief Revenue Officer for Tondo Smart USA.
executive director
The volunteer Board of Directors employs an Executive Director who provides day-to-day leadership for Ribbon Community. The Executive Director is a paid staff member who reports directly to the Board of Directors.
Sarah is accessible to community members, organizational partners, volunteers, donors, and our broader community.
Sarah Chown
(she, her, hers)
Executive Director
Sarah was first introduced to the HIV response during an internship in Kigali, Rwanda in 2008. As a queer, HIV-negative settler, Sarah has worked and volunteered in a variety of roles, and has learned from many generous people living with HIV, community-based researchers, and an incredible group of youth at YouthCO HIV & Hep C Society.
Favourite quote / Fact
somewhere out in the vast universe, there must be a place where the exiled gather in humility and honesty to tend to the wounds in our souls and the wounds in the world. a place beyond punishment or even redemption. a place where all things can be seen and held for what they are. and in this life or the next, someday i’ll meet you there.
– Kai Cheng Thom, Falling Back In Love WIth Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls
Be a Ribbon Insider
The Ribbon Insider is our monthly enewsletter. It highlights upcoming groups, activities, events, and other opportunities within the HIV response.
"*" indicates required fields