Board Elections - The College of Opticians of Ontario

Registrants Section

2025 COO Board Elections

Nominations for the 2025 Board of Directors have now closed.

We are pleased to announce that Parminder Kalsi was acclaimed in District 7 (Central Western). Parminder's three-year term will begin January 1, 2026.

Elections will take place in District 4 (Western), and District 6 (all Ontario; Contact Lens Mentor) from September 29 to October 14, 2025, between the following candidates.

District 4 (Western):

John Battaglia
Melissa Campbell

District 6 (all Ontario; Contact Lens Mentor):

Robert Quinn
Johanna Whalen

As the governing body of the College, the Board of Directors is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, reflective of the diversity of its registrants and the patients they serve. Eligible registrants from equity-deserving groups are encouraged to seek a nomination, including Indigenous persons, racialized persons/ persons of colour, women, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities.

What skills and attributes make a great Board member?

Anyone seeking election to the board will be interviewed by a panel of the Screening Committee. During the interview, candidates will be asked to demonstrate the following core competencies:

Passion – Public Service Oriented: Demonstrates outstanding initiative and commitment towards the practice of opticianry. Committed to service the College’s mandate to regulate the profession of opticianry in the public interest.
Exemplified Integrity: Demonstrates a conviction to do what’s right and to reject what’s wrong, regardless of the consequences.
Unbiased and Open Minded: Demonstrates the ability to self-identify and set aside conscious biases. Proactively reflects on the impact of unconscious biases in all situations. Actively listens and absorbs all information to make an informed and open-minded decision.
Critical Judgment and Decision Making: Makes good decisions based upon a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and sound judgment. Comfortably deals with concepts and complexity and looks beyond the obvious to avoid ‘group think’ and/or the status quo.
Collaboration and Inclusion: Demonstrates an open mindset, listens without judgment, and embraces diversity of others and of thought. Seeks to understand and build on the strengths of others.

Thinking of running for election to the board, but need more information?

On May 6, the college held a webinar to answer questions about the role of board members and the election process. If you missed the Election Information session, you can watch it by clicking this link, or reach out to us at elections@collegeofopticians.ca.

Electoral District Information

DISTRICT	NAME	DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES	MEMBER	TERM	NEXT ELECTION
1	Southern	The County of Brant, the City of Hamilton, the regional municipalities of Halton and Niagara and the counties of Haldimand and Norfolk, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	P. Imola	2024 -2026	2026 (for 2027 - 2029)
2	Eastern	The City of Kawartha Lakes, the counties of Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton, Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Prince Edward, Frontenac, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Renfrew, Prescott and Russell, Stormount, Dundas and Glengarry, the regional municipality of Durham and the City of Ottawa, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	D. Summers	2025 - 2027	2027 (for 2028 – 2030)
3	Northern	Territorial districts of Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Cochrane, Temiskaming, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Algoma, Manitoulin, and Muskoka, and the District of Sudbury, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	K. Cloutier	2025 - 2027	2027 (for 2028 – 2030)
4	Western	Counties of Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth, Lambton, Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Kent and Essex, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	T. Nahmabin	2023-2025	2025 (for 2026 - 2029)
5	Toronto	City of Toronto, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	G. Sepczynska	2024 -2026	2026 (for 2028 - 2029)
6	Contact Lens Mentor	Whole province of Ontario		2023-2025	2025 (for 2026 - 2029)
7	Central Western	The counties of Dufferin and Wellington and the regional municipalities of Peel and Waterloo, or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	S. Modhera	2023-2025	2025 (for 2026 - 2028)
8	Central	County of Simcoe and the Regional Municipality of York or the equivalent geographical areas and names, as substituted by statute from time to time.	C. Pacheco	2024 -2026	2026 (for 2027 - 2029)