Our Team
Click on the photos to read the biographies
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President
Dr. Linda Furlini -
Senior Project Advisor
Dr. Daphne Nahmiash -
Treasurer
Dolores Di Re -
Administrator
Rosanna Bruni -
Secretary
Marguerite Kephart -
Administrator
Marie Amzallag -
Administrator
Mona Beck -
Administrator
Maria Lombardi -
Administrator
Linda Gauthier
Dr. Linda Furlini
DR. LINDA FURLINI, President
Linda Furlini holds a Ph.D. from McGill University and is deeply committed to improving the lives of older adults and individuals with disabilities who require long-term care, as well as supporting their unpaid caregivers (family and friends). She recently led a major research study for Handicap-Vie-Dignité (HVD) exploring the experiences of long-term care residents and their informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study highlighted key challenges and proposed practical solutions to improve well-being and quality of life.
Her professional, academic, clinical, and volunteer experience—alongside her own role as a family caregiver—has shaped a compassionate and informed perspective on aging, disability, and caregiver support. In addition to her advocacy and research work, Linda Furlini has extensive experience in human research ethics, promoting ethical practices and providing education to members of the research community. Regardless of the nature of the work, she brings expertise, deep commitment, and empathy to it.
Dr. Daphne Nahmiash
DR. DAPHNE NAHMIASH, Senior Project Advisor
Dr. Daphne Nahmiash has devoted over six decades to improving the lives of seniors through her professional and volunteer work. A respected leader in the fields of social services and gerontology since earning her doctorate in 1997, she has tirelessly advocated against ageism, elder abuse, and neglect. Based in Montréal, she has been the driving force behind numerous initiatives, including co-authoring When Seniors Are Abused and writing key government reports. She is the founder and honorary president of the NDG Community Committee on Elder Abuse and a former chair and current affiliate member of McGill University’s Research Centre for Studies in Aging. From 2007 to 2011, she served on the National Seniors Council. From 2016-2024, as president of Handicap-Vie-Dignité, she has led efforts to raise awareness and create educational tools. Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Dr. Nahmiash received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and many other accolades, including the “SWAG” from the Montreal Playmas Cultural Association.
Dolores Di Re
DOLORES DI RE, Treasurer
Dolores Di Re was a teacher for seven years in the Montreal Catholic School Commission. After CGA accreditation in 1982 she embarked on a career in the field of commerce. She was accounting manager in major engineering firms and later controller in a Canadian telecom subsidiary located in Mexico. Upon return to Montreal, she continued as controller for various companies. Upon retirement, looking to “give back” in a meaning way, she volunteered at various community organizations and finally became part of the Handicap Vie Dignite team.
Rosanna Bruni
ROSANNA BRUNI, Administrator
Rosanna Bruni is a senior Capital market leader with over twenty years of experience in the financial services industry. In her last role as Senior Director and Head of Trading at the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), Rosanna was responsible for building and managing a global, cross-asset trading desk in a multi-market environment. Rosanna is passionate about helping Capital Markets become a space where Women can thrive and live up to their potential. She recently earned the ICD-Rotman Directors designation, reflecting her commitment to strong governance and impactful board service. In addition, she has returned to university studies to deepen her understanding of the historical, societal, and cultural foundations of gender dynamics—expertise she brings to her advisory and board roles with conviction and purpose. She is deeply committed to the mission of Handicap Vie Dignité (HVD), that promotes the participation of people who require long-term care services—and their caregivers (family members and friends)—in decisions that affect their care and quality of life. As a dedicated board member, she is eager to increase her involvement with HVD during this new phase of her career.
Marguerite Kephart
MARGUERITE KEPHART, Secretary
A management consultant with an MBA earned in 1968, Margaret Kephart began her career in the United States and France in the field of business support. Settled in Quebec since 1973, she worked there as an economist, then as a marketing and economic development consultant for the governments of Quebec and Canada. From 1995 to 1998, she led a large-scale support program for the governments of several Caribbean countries, and later held the position of Administrative Director at an international development consulting firm in the United States. Upon returning to Canada, Marguerite Kephart concluded her career as Administrative Director at a company where she had previously served as Project Director.
Since retiring in 2010, she has been active in the community sector, primarily advocating for the rights of older adults. She is Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of RECAA, as well as a board member of PARDEC, an NGO affiliated with AQOCI. She recently joined the Board of Directors of HVD (Handicap Vie Dignité).
Marie Amzallag
MARIE AMZALLAG, Administrator
Marie Amzallag is a graduate of the School of Social Work at the Université de Montréal. Throughout her career, she has primarily worked with older adults—first as a social worker, then as a manager, and eventually as a program director. After retiring from Population Services, she continued her work as a Complaints Commissioner in various institutions within the healthcare network. Her volunteer engagement in several community organizations has consistently focused on the same priorities: service quality and the defense of seniors’ rights. For the past two years, she has been involved with the organization Handicap Vie Dignité (HVD), contributing her support in the area of funding resources.
Mona Beck
MONA BECK, Administrator
Mona Beck has a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Education from McGill University. She worked in many establishments and retired from CHSLD Jewish Eldercare as Assistant Director of Nursing and Services. Prior to then, Mona Beck was the coordinator of 2 adult day centers. During that time, she co-led Montreal’s only support group for women living in the community experiencing elder mistreatment. She chaired the NDG Community Committee on Elder Abuse for 6 years. She also was actively involved with the Alzheimer Society of Montreal, serving on their Board of Directors for 10 years and contributing to the direction of Programs and Services.
Upon retirement, she worked at CHSLD Bayview as their “Commissaire aux plaints” until 2021. Currently, Mona Beck works as an Internal Complaints Consultant at CHSLD Bayview and as a Workshop Lecturer for CEGEP John Abbott’s Continuing Education Department, focusing on continuing education for nurses.
Maria Lombardi
MARIA LOMBARDI, Administrator
Maria Lombardi is a retired finance manager with over thirty years of experience in the aluminum industry, where she specialized in management and financial reporting, as well as, in financial planning and forecasting. As a senior manager, she provided support to multi-functional groups and acted as a liaison between head office and their business units.
Upon her retirement, Maria volunteered as a community member on a Psychosocial Research Ethics Committee for an integrated health and social services university centre. Her role, over seven years, was to advocate for the protection of research participants and contribute to upholding the standards of ethical conduct and scientific integrity of research projects.
She recently joined the Board of Directors of Handicap Vie Dignité. As a primary family caregiver, she is committed to ensuring that individuals receive personalized care and services that promote their well-being.
Linda Gauthier
LINDA GAUTHIER, Administrator
She is a co-founder, senior consultant, and designer of several RAPLIQ projects, and is responsible for public and media relations. She supports people with disabilities who are victims of discrimination by drafting their complaints, assisting them before the CDPDJ or the CCDP, and accompanying them through to the closure of their cases.
She has a strong interest in various systems of oppression such as racism, sexism, and particularly ableism. Intersectionality is one of her major concerns and will likely be the subject of a future research paper.
She serves on the advisory committees of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), and the Network for Peace and Harmony, as well as on the consultation table of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse.