Our Team
Headshot of Shawn Marsolais

Shawn Marsolais

Founder, Director of Programs and Community Engagement

I am the Founder and Director of Programs and Community Engagement of Blind Beginnings, and a registered clinical counselor. Growing up with a visual impairment I was personally impacted by the limited support that was available to families raising children who are blind or partially sighted across BC. While in University I knew I wanted to work with youth; it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to do an internship at a school for the blind in England in 2000, that I discovered my passion to support children who are blind or partially sighted and their families. After returning from England, I worked as the Coordinator of Children’s Services at CNIB and discovered that BC families needed much more support in order for their blind children to reach their full potential. Wanting to do something about this I began the process of creating a non-profit to support BC’s children and youth who are blind and partially sighted and in 2008 Blind Beginnings was born.

One thing I’ve done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” philosophy is:
Starting this non-profit is in itself an example of living by the No Limits philosophy, but since becoming a parent the ways I challenge myself are smaller scale. This year my examples of embodying the No Limits philosophy include trying kickboxing, trying new recipes in the kitchen, and registering for a Creative Writing class.

I invite you to connect with me about:

  • Counseling and support groups for children, youth, and parents

  • Current Blind Beginnings programs

  • Requests for programs in new regions of BC

  • Partnership opportunities

  • Blindness 101 training for your school or workplace

  • Media requests

  • Opportunities to join our Board or Committees

Headshot of Lia Dicicco

Lia Dicicco

Director of Administration and Finance

It is my passion and belief that all young people should have equitable rights to develop their talents and abilities to their fullest potential and make connections that help give them a sense of self and of success. This led me to join Blind Beginnings in 2019.

The last 13 years I have been working in a leadership capacity in the not-for-profit sector supporting young people. I bring this passion and over 20 years of experience as a management professional specializing in finance, administration, human resources and governance best practices to my role as Director of Finance and Administration.

In my spare time, I enjoy travelling, yoga, Zumba and spending time with my family and friends.

One thing I’ve done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” philosophy is:
Competing in City Chase Vancouver, an urban adventure testing physical and mental limits - my personal highlight being jumping from a 7.5m diving tower.

Please connect with me about:

  • Fund Development & Donations

  • Administration and Facilities

  • Human Resources

  • Financial Reporting

  • Organizational Strategy

  • Our Board of Directors

  • Ways to support Blind Beginnings

Headshot of Rob Mineault

Rob Mineault

Communications Coordinator

I have worked closely with the Disability community ever since I first joined an Assistive Technology retailer as their Marketing Manager in 2002. Seeing firsthand the powerful effect that Assistive Technology had on people’s lives sparked a passion for advocacy in me, which eventually brought me to Blind Beginnings in 2020.

I spend most of my work days performing a multitude of tasks for Blind Beginnings including maintaining the web site and social media channels, producing the Limitless Podcast, developing informational and marketing content, and assisting with various administrative tasks.

In my spare time I enjoy cycling, bad movies, and browsing streaming platform menus as I try to decide what to watch. I also co-host and produce a weekly Disability advocacy podcast called AT Banter*.

One thing that I’ve done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” mindset:
Moving into a new apartment and starting a new career all in the same week during the height of a Pandemic lockdown.

Please connect with me about:

  • Media Relations | Communications

  • The Limitless Podcast

  • Marketing and Communications

  • Blind Beginnings Website

*Shameless plug: Find us anywhere you listen to podcasts!

Headshot of Keisha Anderson

Keisha Anderson

Programs and Membership Coordinator

I’ve been involved with Blind Beginnings since the organization’s early days, as my family and I were active members and program participants. One of my earliest memories of Blind Beginnings was participating in youth leadership training: as a young teen from a small town in the interior of BC, coming down to Vancouver for the program and being able to practice independent travel/living skills in such a bustling environment was very empowering. After becoming a Youth Leader, I stayed involved as often as I could: helping out at summer camps, writing blog posts and helping with podcasts, and supporting with Community Discovery outings in the interior. I joined the team officially in 2022, upon graduation from my undergraduate degree.

Some of my duties at Blind Beginnings include supporting in the planning and coordination of programs and other special events, assisting with the facilitation of certain programs, writing program and post-event reports, keeping memberships up-to-date, and more.

In my spare time I love to explore and wonder at the outdoors via hiking, paddling, and skiing, diving into a good fantasy novel, spending quality time with my favourite dog/work-buddy, or trying my hand at a new recipe usually while singing up a storm. Oh, and sometimes I like to challenge random strangers to chess, even though I’m still a newb!

One thing that I’ve done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” mindset:
Going bungee-jumping in the summer of 2022.

Please connect with me about:

  • Program-related questions.

  • Membership-related questions.

  • How to get involved with Blind Beginnings and what we offer

Shaneika Blake headshot

Shaneika Blake

HR and Administration Manager

I consider myself to be a philanthropist and I am passionate about volunteering and giving back to those most vulnerable in society. My mission to empower persons with disabilities to realize their full potential aligns perfectly with Blind Beginning's commitment to providing the tools, resources, and opportunities to children and youth who are blind or partially sighted to see limitless possibilities.

With over 12 years of expertise in managing all aspects of human resources and administrative functions, I am excited to bring my skills and dedication to the Blind Beginnings team. As an inclusive leader, I strongly believe in creating a supportive and inclusive work environment where all individuals have an equal opportunity to thrive.

Volunteer management is also a key aspect of my role. We rely on our volunteers to provide more services to blind and partially sighted children and youth. This is a great opportunity for our volunteers to develop new skills, gain experience, and contribute to our mission. Together, we're making a real difference in the lives of those we serve!

One thing that I’ve done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” mindset:
Moved from Jamaica to Canada to share life in a community with persons who have developmental disabilities.

Please connect with me about:

  • Human Resources

  • Administration

  • Volunteering at Blind Beginnings

Headshot of Dougie Dow

Dougie Dow

Youth Programs Coordinator

I have been partially sighted since birth. I feel fortunate to have lived experience with blindness in my scholastic journey, employment experience in different careers, and while residing in different communities across BC. These experiences have allowed me to embrace and thrive as a person living with blindness.

In 2021 I started volunteering with Blind Beginnings and brought with me 25 years of client service experience working retail, telecommunications, and in the financial sector. I spend most of my workdays coordinating and facilitating our Creating Confidence for Teens program, Youth Leadership Program, assisting in planning of our summer camps, community discovery outings, and support Blind Beginnings events.

In my personal life I am a dad, improvisor, musician, animal lover, cook and nature enthusiast.

One thing I have done that embodies the Blind Beginnings Limitless philosophy is:
In 2019 I started taking comedy classes to study improv and started playing the guitar. Nowadays you can usually find myself performing on a local stage at least once a month improvising with a troupe or hitting an open mic with my voice and a guitar.

Please connect with me about:

  • Youth Leadership and Pre-Employment Program

  • Youth Leadership Volunteer Opportunities

  • Creating Confidence for Teens Program

  • Questions or Inquiries about our Youth Programs

  • Ideas for new youth programs

Headshot of Bruce Taylor

Bruce Taylor

Family Programs Coordinator

After employment at a summer camp teaching waterskiing to adults and child with partial sight-blindness, I have worked for many years in the field, with a focus on Orientation & Mobility, (O&M). Somewhat unique to the profession, I have a Masters degree in Vision Rehabilitation from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry which has been valuable in progressing O&M beyond, at that time, the traditional focus on a white cane or dog guide.

Having worked in a number of settings over the years, I’ve been fortunate to be constantly learning while interacting with children, families and colleague in a variety of settings that include; agency, health, education, family homes and community. I am pleased to be working with the team at Blind Beginnings in a part-time role with the focus on direct services.

Leisure time includes cycling, reading, swimming and going on outings-activities with family.

One thing that I’ve recently done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” mindset:
Going white water rafting with my grown kids - what a blast!

Please connect with me about:

  • Family Programs

  • Early Beginnings and Early Intervention resources-services

  • Ideas for new Family related programs

  • Community Discovery activities on Vancouver Island

Headshot of Randi Poitras

Randi Poitras

Administrative Assistant

I grew up in a small town as one of the only kids with any kind of visual impairment and it was only as a teen that I was able to make connections at summer camps with people my own age who had different levels of vision. This is also how I got involved with Blind Beginnings, first as a participant, then volunteer and Youth Leader, Youth Mentor, alumni and now as a part-time Administration Assistant. My role at Blind Beginnings is to support all of our team with a variety of tasks, whether it's prepping for a program or just doing daily office things.

On the weekends, I'm a long time hula dancer, avid consumer of books and enjoy a variety of arts and crafts. Occasionally you'll also find me on our Limitless podcast. Feel free to connect with me for any of your questions in either English or French.

One thing that I’ve done that embodies the Blind Beginnings “Limitless” mindset:
Returning to school after nearly 10 years and taking both a certificate of Medical Office Administration at Douglas College and a Diploma of General Education at Langara College.

Please connect with me about:

  • Administration