About the Alberta Society for the Visually Impaired

Kelly Baldock
President

Kelly Baldock, is the manager of Partnerships with Careers: The Next Generation and comes from a media background. Kelly and her husband have 2 adult children, her daughter Brieann Baldock has Albinism OCA type 2. Kelly has actively been part of the ASVI board for over 20 years in various roles and is very passionate about helping families navigate supports for children with visual impairments. Kelly currently is director of operations for the Alberta Sports and Recreation Association for the Blind and finance director for Canadian Blind Sports Association. “Over the past 24 years of raising my daughter, I have learned so many things that have really shaped and guided me towards my professional career and I truly find joy in connecting and helping families.”

Debbie Royer
Vice President

Debbie Royer is a sessional instructor at MacEwan University in the Special Needs Education Assistant program and teaches Assistive Technology.  She is the parent of 24-year-old twins, one of her sons was born blind due to a genetic condition called Norries Syndrome. Debbie has been involved with the ASVI Board for over 20 years serving in a number of roles, including President.  Parent advocacy is a strong focus for Debbie.  She was one of the first families to advocate for changes to the FSCD program to include vision consultation as one of the funded supports provided to parents of children with visual impairments.

Stephen Bly
Treasurer

Stephen is new to the board but has been involved in the visually impaired community for 5 years. He volunteers with the goalball program. He strives to see change in the province for children who are blind and visually impaired. He also has a passion for photography.

Julia Roy
Secretary

Julia Roy has been involved with ASVI Edmonton for over a decade. She worked with preschool children with disabilities and their families for 15 years. Out of a desire to further help those she worked with, she returned to school and graduated in the spring of 2020 with a Master’s degree in Human Ecology, Family Studies. She and her husband have two children, the oldest of whom has achromatopsia, a vision impairment resulting in low visual acuity, light blindness, and colour blindness. Julia is a passionate advocate of public education and believes every child should have barrier-free access to participate fully in school.

Brieann Baldock
Member at Large

Brieann Baldock joined the board in 2018. She has oculocutaneous albinism and is legally blind. In September 2020, Brieann started her fourth year of a bachelor of education degree at the university of Alberta. She also has an Early Learning and Childcare diploma and Special Needs Education Assistant certificate from MacEwan University. Brieann has grown up playing sports and being very active. She has been playing competitive goalball for 5 years and is currently on the Canadian Women’s Goalball team.

“ASVI has had a major impact on my life whether it be the family support, interaction and advocacy, throughout my personal and educational journey.  ASVI has provided equipment, programs and many amazing opportunities that have helped me become the person I am today. I am so incredibly happy and thankful to be on this board and give back to this amazing organization.” 

Catherine Kirugi
Member at Large

Catherine Kirugi has a son who is diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis. She would like to see every child with a visual Impairment have the opportunity and means to be the best they can.

Ratidzayi Nyenya
Member at Large

Ratidzayi Nyenya is a biologist by profession. She and her husband have 3 children. Their son has low vision due to albinism, a congenital condition that results in lack of pigment in the eyes, hair, and skin. Ratidzayi is passionate about issues of inclusion and advocacy for children who are blind and visually impaired. She draws her passion from personal experience bringing up a child with visual impairment and experiences shared with other families who daily have to navigate many challenges to ensure their children get the accommodations they need to maximise their potential and be successful in life, in spite of their disability. 

Melissa Strike
Member at Large

Melissa Strike and her family live in St. Albert, AB. She is the proud mom of 7 kids. Her daughter Aaliyah was diagnosed with septo-optic dysplasia when she was 3.5 months old. Melissa has been part of the ASVI board for the past 5 years. She is passionate about advocating for and educating families with vision loss and other special needs.

Gabrielle Heselton
Member at Large

Gabrielle Heselton is a registered provisional psychologist in private practice. She completed her Master of Counselling degree from Athabasca University. Before returning to school to become a psychologist, Gabrielle was a teacher with Edmonton Public Schools, working exclusively with students with disabilities in a variety of settings, including PUF and specialized elementary programs. She hold a Master of Education from the University of Alberta in Special Education and has experience working with blind and visually impaired children who have co-occurring complex developmental disabilities. Gabrielle also has lived experience of vision loss, having been diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease as a teenager.

Niels first joined ASVI in 2000 and has previously served as a Member at Large on various committees. Secondary-trained as a Social Studies and English teacher and having graduated with his Bachelor of Education degree in 1999, he soon thereafter began and completed his Master of Special Education in Blindness and Visual Impairment from the University of British Columbia, and has been working as a Teacher of Students with Vision Loss since 2003. He also completed the Orientation and Mobility Licensure program out of the University of Northern Colorado in 2007, and has been a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) since 2008.