Meet Our Staff
Eugene Chong, Executive Director, CNIB Lake Joe and National Camp Programs
Eugene Chong brings extensive experience in camp leadership, recreation and inclusive programming to his role as Executive Director, CNIB Lake Joe and National Camp Programs. Since joining CNIB Lake Joe in 2017, he has helped create opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision to experience the friendships, discovery and independence that camp can offer.
Before joining CNIB, Eugene held senior leadership positions in camps and recreation programs across Canada. He also managed educational programs for a large contemporary arts organization in Toronto, including one of Ontario’s largest camp operations. His commitment to inclusive programming was recognized with the Gift of Belonging Award.
A passionate camp professional, Eugene has contributed to the Ontario Camps Association through membership leadership, mentorship and its camp accreditation program. In 2016, he received an OCA Volunteer Recognition Award for his dedication to camps in Ontario.
At Lake Joe, Eugene’s love of camp extends beyond his leadership role. During the summer, you’ll often find him chatting with guests, enjoying time on the water and sharing his enthusiasm for fishing.
Alexis Peterson, Coordinator, Office and Registration, CNIB Lake Joe
Originally from Saskatchewan, Alexis brings immense passion for serving our community. Before joining CNIB Lake Joe in the spring of 2024, Alexis made a significant impact at Vision Loss Rehabilitation, an experience that changed the trajectory of her life and career. Alexis' contributions to camp go far beyond her title; she is deeply involved in every aspect of camp, from rooming to finances, meticulously managing every detail to ensure a perfect stay for our diverse campers. If you have been to camp, you already know her dedication and enthusiasm are second to none. Outside of her professional work, Alexis finds joy in the simple pleasures of life, which for her is walking around daily using Pokemon Go as a motivator. You will often see Alexis taking strolls around camp catching all the rare Pokemon on her phone while enjoying the serene surroundings at Lake Joe.
Sherri Helsdingen, Manager, Community Engagement, CNIB Lake Joe
Sherri has been working with CNIB since 2012 as part of the Simcoe/Muskoka team in Barrie and was thrilled to join the CNIB Lake Joe team in May 2019. With a passion for health promotion, Sherri has spent most of her career in health-related charities and loves being able to contribute to programs that promote health and independence for people of all ages and abilities. Sherri is happiest when focused on the things she loves most – volunteer engagement, communications, event planning and project management – but never did she imagine that this work could involve things like waterskiing, tandem bicycling and outdoor pizza-making! In 2015 Sherri was the recipient of the CNIB Employee of the Year Award for the GTA region. She can't believe how lucky she is to work all day, every day with people who give so much of themselves to bring the magic of camp to life for people with sight loss. In her free time, Sherri is busy volunteering at a local cat shelter (she confesses to being a bit of a crazy cat lady), and is limbering up to tackle the blue section of the Climbing Tower.
Taylor Gaudon, Virtual Program Coordinator, CNIB Lake Joe
Taylor started her CNIB Lake Joe journey in 2016 when she joined the seasonal staff team. Since then, she has taken on roles of increasing responsibility and transitioned into CNIBLakeJoe@Home virtual programs in 2022. As a person living with vision loss, Taylor is incredibly passionate about working with her community - creating opportunities for participants to make meaningful connections while taking part in enriching programming! She continues to work within the community outside of her role at CNIBLakeJoe@Home as a member of the CNIB National Youth Council.
Some things that bring Taylor joy in her free time include: listening to music and singing her heart out with her partner Aaren, spending time with her kitties, going for long walks, spending afternoons gardening and cooking, and watercolour painting!
In the CNIBLakeJoe@Home virtual space, participants know Taylor as the gal who reminds them of all the fun stuff happening throughout the week. They also enjoy entertaining her excitement for Taylor Swift!
Stela Trudeau, Facilitator, Music and Recreation, CNIB Lake Joe
Stela is the Facilitator, Music and Recreation for CNIBLakeJoe@Home's virtual programs. You might remember her from her time on CNIB Lake Joe's virtual team in 2020 or from her time as a counselor and clerk at CNIB Lake Joe 2024, Whether you are already know her or meeting her for the first time, Stela is sure to greet you with her famously warm welcome — likely in song! Stela is passionate about horseback riding and advocating for better accessibility, as she is part of the sight loss community. With her experience as a teacher, actor and musician, she brings a diverse skill set to our programs, ensuring guests walk away with new knowledge after every session.
Mark Luker, Property Operator, CNIB Lake Joe
Mark helps keep CNIB Lake Joe safe, welcoming and ready for guests, staff and volunteers year-round. He’s kept busy on land and on the lake, helping to bring new property projects to life, and ensuring essential maintenance and repairs to all buildings, inside and out. Mark lives off the grid, close to camp, and often commutes by boat - a fitting start to a workday spent caring for a place where the lake is central to camp life.
Barry Quick, Facility Operator, CNIB Lake Joe – (On leave)
Since 2012, Barry has been responsible for maintaining the property at CNIB Lake Joe and keeping it luscious and beautiful. His passion for the camp and commitment to accessibility is apparent across the entire 12.5-acre site. After spending most of his life in southwestern Ontario, Barry now calls Muskoka home. When he's not at camp, Barry volunteers with the Seguin Fire Service and loves to spend as much time as possible fishing. Barry and the rest of the facility team can’t wait for another amazing summer on the shores of CNIB Lake Joe!
Meet the CNIB Lake Joe Advisory Board
Stephanie Wilsack, Chair
Senior Management Professional: Philanthropy & Facility Operations
Stephanie is a lifelong camp enthusiast and CNIB Lake Joe alumnus who worked as Camp Manager from 1994-1999. A huge part of her role was raising the funds required to the run all the programs at camp. When off-season, she travelled across Ontario to bring in the essential dollars to make campers dreams come true, earning the nickname “Road Warrior.” She’s been a fundraiser for over 25 years, overseeing multi-million-dollar capital campaigns, and an operations and facility manager for a children’s mental health agency that has 11 sites throughout the Halton region. Stephanie joined the CNIB Lake Joe Advisory Board in 2020 and became the Chair in 2025. Now that her children are grown, when she’s not busy with work and volunteer commitments, she likes to ride a motorcycle with her husband, enjoying the freedom that comes from sunset drives. For Stephanie, it’s not the destination, but the ride!
Jane Casey, Vice-Chair
Registered Nurse
Jane and her family have spent countless summers at a family cottage on Lakes Joseph and Temagami and are no strangers to its peace and beauty. She’s also no stranger to CNIB Lake Joe, spending nine summers in her youth as a member of the seasonal staff team, covering every role imaginable. Jane is a Registered Nurse with a Master of Science in Nursing who has overseen strategic and operational elements of rural hospitals and regional health centres in Canada and the US. As a corporate leader, she has directed all aspects of the health care system including emergency services, rehabilitation, complex care, and chronic diseases. With health, safety, and wellness being top priorities at camp, Jane was eager to join the CNIB Lake Joe Advisory Board in 2020, initially providing guidance around pandemic protocols. She also supports recruitment of the seasonal nursing team and has a flair for fundraising, eager to help remove financial barriers for guests. Jane loves to row on Lake Ontario and in Temagami.
Salima Kassam
Retail Strategy and Digital Operations Leader
Salima Kassam brings more than 25 years of experience in retail leadership, strategic planning and operations to the CNIB Lake Joe Board. As Associate Vice President, Digital Content and Merchandising Operations at Canadian Tire Corporation, she leads a team supporting digital experiences across the company’s retail brands.
Salima first connected with Lake Joe through Canadian Tire’s corporate volunteering program. After volunteering at the spring work weekend and Cookout with Cuddy fundraiser in 2025, she was inspired to deepen her involvement. She worked with colleagues, vendors and partners to organize a donation of sports equipment to enrich campers’ experiences.
A fundraiser and ambassador for Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, Salima enjoys combining strategic thinking with hands-on volunteering. She brings that enthusiasm to supporting opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision to build confidence and experience the joy of camp.
Susie Macrae
Marketing & Human Resources Professional
CNIB has been in Susie’s life for as long as she can remember. Her father was an ophthalmologist who spent decades caring for clients in the CNIB community and he shared his passion for this work with her family. She recalls attending camps as young girl, even at one camp with him close-by as the camp doctor! She transitioned from a camper to camp counsellor and, later, as a volunteer at specialized camps offering hands-on support, along with expertise in fundraising and awareness raising. With over 25 years’ experience in human resources, operations and marketing leadership for companies like Walt Disney, SodaStream and Reebok, Susie’s passion is to remove barriers in both corporate and social environments. When she’s not giving it all in her professional and volunteer roles, she’s busy perfecting her on-point dance impression of Elaine from Seinfeld.
Jack McCormick
Human Resources Practitioner
Jack is a bit of a legend at CNIB Lake Joe. Born with sight loss, Jack was just six years old when he first came to camp with his parents and younger brother as part of Family Week. He returned as a camper before joining the staff team as a camp counsellor, and later as an alumni volunteer to continue the great work at camp. Jack has a degree in Business Administration and is a certified Human Resources professional with expertise in adult training and development. He has wide experience at firms like Microsoft Canada and BMO and shares these skills as a member of Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada’s People and Culture committee and as past Vice-Chair of CNIB Foundation’s Ontario & Quebec Board of Directors. Jack joined the CNIB Lake Joe Advisory Board in 2024 with a desire to push the boundaries of what is possible and ensure guests gain the skills and knowledge they need to pursue the same recreational activities at their homes, year-round. Jack practices what he preaches as a skier and long-distance runner.
Skylar Nesbitt
Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Social Media Coordinator
For Skylar, CNIB Lake Joe is a family thing. When Skylar was a teenager, her mother encouraged her to work at CNIB Lake Joe as she had done when she was younger. Skylar always wanted to be a lifeguard, so she got her certifications and landed her first job at CNIB Lake Joe. Coming from a big hockey family that owns a sporting business, Skylar deeply appreciated how inclusive and accessible CNIB Lake Joe was. Inspired by this experience, she explored a career in recreation therapy and piloted a walking program for clients in the CNIB Simcoe/Muskoka branch. Marrying into the military, she ran before/after care programs and camps for kids in military families and earned specialized certification in coaching athletes with a disability. Her ongoing passion for health and wellness ultimately led to her current career as a holistic nutritionist, helping other military spouses and veterans achieve overall health. She currently works as a registered holistic nutritionist and social media coordinator for a Canadian supplement company. As a CNIB Lake Joe alumnus and current Board member, Skylar is excited to continue the growth she’s seen at Lake Joe over the years, bringing more exciting programs and amenities to even more participants.
Joanne Shuttleworth
Principal of Special Education
Joanne brings extensive knowledge in the field of education to CNIB Lake Joe. She actually began her career at CNIB, spending ten years as a Rehabilitation Teacher and Coordinator of Client Services. She later became a Vision Itinerant Teacher for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, developing individual education plans and teaching the Expanded Core Curriculum for kids with sight loss. Each summer she had the pleasure of bringing her clients to CNIB Lake Joe to enjoy the magic of camp. Joanne pursued her passion for every child’s success in her roles as elementary teacher, Vice-Principal/Special Education Teacher, Elementary School Principal, and Principal of Special Education. Because she loves to learn as much as she loves to teach, she is also working on a Master’s Degree in Education. Living in a small village, Joanne confesses to being a farmer at heart. While her husband and son are allergic to hay, she and her daughter care for six horses, two dogs and two barn cats, a true labour of love.