Board of Directors

Debra Aronson is the parent of two Viewmount graduates. She previously served as a Board member at TanenbaumCHAT. She serves as a member of UJA's Israel Engagement Committee and the Chair of UJA's Diller Teen Fellowships. Debra's background is in electrical engineering and project management.

“Just as families need to stick together and support each other through both joyous and hard times, this community must work together to fulfill one of Judaism's core mitzvahs — educating our children. I am grateful to have the opportunity to participate in this community and pray for the strength to see past our differences and to embrace our unique individuality with the ultimate goal of strengthening the future of the Jewish People.”

Leah Baruch is the parent of two Bialik Viewmount students. She is one of the Co-Chairs of the Viewmount PA (Parent Association) after being involved in the PA for the last 8 years and holding Executive positions in Fundraising and the Class Parents program. Leah is a member of UJA's Executive Cabinet and Women's Philanthropy Cabinet. She has Co-Chaired UJA's Young Women's Leadership Division and Volunteer Initiatives for Women's Philanthropy, and is currently a Lion of Judah Co-Chair, a Council Member of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, and a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet. Leah holds a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Sandy Brown is the parent and grandparent of 11 Bialik alumni. She previously served as the Board President and is now an honorary lifetime member of the Bialik Board. She served as President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto from 1996 to 1998. She chaired the Toronto’s Board of Jewish Education, worked locally and nationally with the Canadian Jewish Congress, and is a former President of Jewish Vocational Services, one of UJA Federation’s beneficiary agencies.

Elsa Chandler is the parent and grandparent of three Bialik alumni. She is Bialik’s longest-serving Board member. She served as an elected School Board Trustee for 20 years and is the former Chair of the North York Board of Education. She has been on Bialik’s Board of Directors since 1979, and was made an honourary lifetime member in 1999.

Nicole Dason is a parent of two young children and represents Na’amat Toronto (Labour Zionist Movement) on the Bialik Board. She is an experienced banking professional and worked most recently as a Director in the Business Transformation team at CIBC. She ran for the Toronto District School Board School Trustee position in Humber River-Black Creek in 2022, placing second overall. Nicole is very active in her community and is the founder of the Banting Park Homeowners Association.  She sits on the Na’amat Board and is also an active member of Women in Capital Markets, co-chairing the Research and Innovation Sub-Committee. Nicole was recognized by The Peak as one of their 2022 Emerging Leaders and is a recipient of the Women in Capital Markets Emerging Leaders Award (2017).

Tina Erlich is the parent of two Viewmount students. She has been a Bialik Board member since 2017, currently serving as the Chair of the Development Committee. She has previously served as a Board member of Greater Toronto Federation Board and UJA Young Leaders Chair. She works as the VP of Account Service in marketing services.

Moran Eichler is the parent of three Himel students and, as Co-Chair, represents the Himel Parent Association on the Board. She volunteers with the Jewish Family and Child Service food bank and previously served as a PTA exec at Solomon Schechter Boston. She is an entrepreneur, running a multinational business in activity engagement and entertainment booking.

“My mission is to foster a vibrant and inclusive school community where every member feels valued and respected for their unique understanding and expression of Judaism. Together with fellow board members, through collaboration, understanding, and open dialogue, I will work to ensure that we enrich the sense of community and the lives of our school family.”

Gershon Hurwen is the parent of three current and two future Viewmount students. He is on the Board of Directors at Shipfusion, Abacus Agency, Camp Arrowhead and the CAMA (Canadian Vending Association). He also is a member of the CIJA Toronto Leadership Council and UJA Security Committee. He works as the Managing Partner of Vitality Capital and CEO of portfolio companies: Loyalty Markets, Heather’s Kitchen and Elle Dee Cakes Ltd.

Melissa Kramer is the parent of two Viewmount graduates. She has served as a Bialik Board member since 2021. She was the Co-Chair of the Bialik Annual Campaign from 2018-2021, and volunteers at Women’s College Hospital. She spent the prior 20 years practising corporate law.

Barry Kuretzky is a former Bialik parent and current grandparent to seven Viewmount students. He returned to serve as a Bialik Board member in 2021 after previously being a Board member, the Chair of Bialik’s former Personnel Committee and a member of Bialik’s previous Head of School Search Committee. He works as an Employment and Labour Lawyer and Partner at Littler LLP.

Stephen Libin is the father of three sons at the Viewmount Branch. He has served as a Bialik Board member since 2019 and presently holds the positions of Vice President and Chair of the Head of School Support and Evaluation Committee. He previously chaired the School’s Governance Committee. Stephen is actively involved in the Jewish community at large having previously been a Director of Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA and co-chair of UJA’s Ben Gurion Society . He is a civil litigation lawyer and partner at Dutton Brock LLP.

Judy Naiberg is the grandparent of seven Viewmount students. She has served as a Bialik Board Member since 2021. She is the Director at the Association for the Soldiers of Israel (ASI) and the Co-Chair of the gala for the ASI/Canadian Zionist Cultural Association. She has extensive community volunteer and fundraising experience and has worked as a Museum Docent at the Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre.

Mark Nightingale'79 is a Bialik alum and parent of three Bialik graduates, with extensive entrepreneurial experience, having built a company from infancy into a multinational publicly traded organization. He rejoined the Bialik Board in 2019 after serving as a Board member from 2003-2013 and as President from 2007-2011. He led the Bialik Board through the decision to create the Himel Branch and chaired the 2002 expansion of Viewmount and 2012 construction of Himel. He served as a Board member of the Toronto Public Library and The York School. He now works in investment management as a partner at Nightingale Group. 

“Bialik founder's vision, embodied in Bialik’s Four Pillars, resonate as much as ever: Academic Excellence, Ahavat Yisrael, Jewish Values & Menschlechkeit, and Accessibility. Only decades after my own Bialik education did I come to understand how these ‘north stars’ have powered my life and created deep meaning. By restoring institutional focus on these Pillars, thousands of students will receive that gift, and then foster the vibrancy of their own Jewish community tomorrow.”

Paul Orlander is a parent of three Bialik graduates. He rejoined the Bialik Board in 2023 as a past president, after having served as a Board member from 2005-2017, including as President from 2013-2015.  He is a seasoned strategic leader and financial services executive and has held senior leadership roles at The Boston Consulting Group, TD and Canada Life.

Deanna Peranson is the parent of two Bialik graduates. She has been a member of the Bialik Board since 1977 and a life member since 1994. She has served as Board Vice President and Chairman of the Education, Public Relations and Communication Committees and as a member of the Executive, Education, Personnel and Admissions and Tuitions Committees. Deanna has been a Bialik classroom volunteer in Grade 2 and 3. She has worked as a Psychoeducational Consultant for the TDSB and Jewish Vocational Services. 

“Having served on the Bialik Board for many years, I look forward to ensuring that Bialik continues to grow and develop as an outstanding education institution — as a school whose guiding principles remain true to its mission and philosophy based on its Labour Zionist roots.”

Mary Richmond is the parent of four Bialik graduates and grandmother of four Bialik students. She has served on the Board of Bialik for over 30 years, where she has served as the Chair of the Public Relations Committee, member of the Tuition and Subsidy Committee and member of the Education Committee. She also served on the Education Committee at TanenbaumCHAT. Mary has worked for over 30 years as a part-time instructor in the School of Legal and Public Administration at Seneca College, teaching Business Mathematics and Business Grammar.

Nadine Rockman Katz is the parent of three Viewmount students. She is currently serving as the Chair of the Governance Committee and has been a member of the Governance Committee since 2019 and was a member of the Board Nominations Committee in 2019. She works as counsel at Torys LLP, with a focus on debt financing transactions. 

Janis Spinner is the proud parent of two Bialik alumni and grandparent of two alumni and two present students. She has served as the Na’amat-appointed member of Bialik’s Board for 40 years, ensuring the continuation of the philosophy and mission of the Labour Zionist Movement at Bialik. She currently serves as the Bialik Board Secretary and also Co-hairs Dollars for David, the Na’amat Chanukah Campaign. 

“My mission continues to be the safeguarding of the history, philosophy, and values of Bialik’s Labour Zionist founders.  My success in my role will only be determined in the years to come when the Labour Zionist vision continues to inspire and educate our future students and their families.”

Joseph Steiner is a long-time member of Bialik’s Board, having served as President for four years. He has chaired the former Board of Jewish Education in Toronto and the Board of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, and served as a Board member of Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School. He is a Board and Executive member of New Israel Fund of Canada. He also serves on the Boards of Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools and of the Canadian Friends of the Shalom Hartman Institute. Now retired, he was a partner in the Litigation Department at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.

Errol Tenenbaum is the parent of a Viewmount student. He has been a Bialik Board member since 2021 and is the current Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. He was formerly a member of the Governance Committee and the Nominations Committee. He additionally serves as a Director at United Jewish Appeal (UJA) and as Chair of the UJA Audit Committee, and is also a Director at JIAS Toronto. Errol works as a tax lawyer at Robins Appleby LLP.

Michael Valo'98 is a Bialik alum, the parent of two Viewmount students and one future Viewmount student. He has served as a Bialik Board member since 2021. He is a lawyer in international construction arbitration and partner at Glaholt Bowles LLP, an Adjunct Professor of Construction Law at the UofT Faculty of Law and the Ontario Regional Director at the Society of Construction Law.  

Leah Zilnik is a Bialik alum and parent of two Himel students. She has served on the Bialik Board since 2019, as a Board member, Vice President of the Board, Chair of the COVID Committee, member of the Governance Committee and member of the Finance Committee. She previously served as the Chair of the Young Leadership Division for Calgary UJA. She works in Corporate Strategy in the municipal and private sectors.

“I will serve Bialik with gratitude for everything it has given and continues to give to my family and community. I will strive to provide an open and positive environment for all Board members to work together to steward the school for future generations.”