Board of Directors

Louis Belleau has been profoundly Deaf since birth and has a brother who is also profoundly Deaf. For many years, he has been actively involved in the Deaf community and in advocating for Deaf people’s rights.

Passionate about politics, accessibility, and equal rights, Louis has extensive experience in the community sector. He currently serves as President of the Centre de la Communauté Sourde de Montréal Métropolitain (CCSMM), as well as Vice-President and Treasurer of the Centre des loisirs des sourds de Montréal (CLSM). He previously served as Treasurer of the Réseau québécois pour l’inclusion sociale des personnes sourdes et malentendantes (ReQIS) and as Francophone National Director of CAD-ASC.

As President of CAD-ASC, Louis aims to strengthen collaboration among Francophone, Anglophone, and Indigenous Deaf communities across Canada. He places great importance on the recognition of sign languages, particularly Quebec Sign Language (LSQ), American Sign Language (ASL), and Indigenous sign languages.

He is committed to working with communities, organizations, and governments to advocate for the rights of Deaf people and to promote accessibility, inclusion, and equality for all.

Cindy Pilz
Vice President

Cindy Pilz is the Deaf Services Director at Deaf and Hear Alberta, bringing over a decade of experience to her role. She oversees ASL programs and Interpreting Services, ensuring accessibility and support for the Deaf and hard of hearing community.

As a Deaf individual, Cindy has been deeply engaged with the community for over 25 years. She has served on various boards, including the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities. She is currently Vice Chair of the City of Calgary’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility, President of the Alberta Society of the Deafblind, Vice President of the Alberta Association of the Deaf, and a member of both the Disability Employment Awareness Committee and the Alberta Employment First Network.

Outside of her advocacy and professional work, Cindy enjoys baking, reading, and spending quality time with her son and his family, who she reunited with after 30 years apart. Her lifelong dedication to community empowerment reflects resilience, compassion, and leadership.

Lenesha Hall
Secretary

Lenesha started her career as a summer camp counsellor for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) programs, including Explore Your Future and TechTigers. This experience led her to a role as a paraprofessional with the NTID Student Life Team, where she mentored and supported Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) students throughout the academic year. She worked closely with a team of BIPOC student mentors to organize events and workshops that fostered multicultural learning in safe spaces. To grow her leadership skills, she got involved with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. She participated in the RIT Leadership Retreat and helped with campus service projects like the Hunger Project and Framing Frenzy with Flower City Habitat for Humanity.

As a senior at RIT, she joined the Women of Colour, Honor, and Ambition (WOCHA) program, a year-long leadership initiative where she enhanced her community engagement, public speaking, leadership, and financial literacy skills. She was recognized with the Legacy Leader Award, honouring graduating student leaders who made a lasting impact at RIT. She’s also a National Society of Leadership and Success member at RIT. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from RIT, focusing on Business Administration and Public Relations, with a minor in ASL and Deaf Cultural Studies.

In 2023, she became Canada’s first Black female delegate at the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section camp in South Korea. Lastly, she enjoys hiking, travelling, and DIY crafts in her spare time.

Crystal Wolfe
National Indigenous Director

Crystal Wolfe, an Indigenous Deaf artist, interpreter, educator, and advocate, played a key role in advocating for Bill C-91 (An Act Respecting Indigenous Languages) with the B.C. Hummingbird Society of the Deaf, which was successfully passed into law in 2019. Throughout her career, she has tirelessly championed the rights of the Deaf Indigenous community, striving to ensure their access to traditional ceremonies, participation in cultural duties, and establishment of safer spaces in wider society.

Crystal’s mission is to shine a spotlight on Indigenous Deaf individuals and their achievements nationwide, while also addressing and resolving ongoing oppressions within communities and promoting pride in Deaf Indigeneity. She actively records stories and leads ceremonies at various Deaf artistic events, including the annual SOUND OFF Deaf Theatre Festival. Additionally, Crystal has showcased her talent as a Deaf interpreter in various productions, such as “all these things collide inside of me” by Good Women Dance/Wild Mint Arts and “Bear Grease.”

Identifying as part of the Nehiyaw and Niitsitapi-Blackfoot Confederacy, Crystal resides and works on Treaty 6 land and is a member of the Neyaskweyaw (Ermineskin) Band of Maskwacis. Fluent in Plain Indian Sign Language and Nehiyawi ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐃᐧ, she also enjoys writing in Cree, traveling, and spending time with her nôsisimak.

Mark-André
Veira Director-at-Large

Mark-André Veira was born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised across both Quebec and Ontario. He comes from a Deaf family and grew up deeply rooted in the Deaf community. He attended Deaf schools for most of his education before completing his final year at a hearing high school. Mark-André is a proud quadlingual communicator, fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), English, and French.

Over the past three years, he has actively participated in various associations, contributing his time and voice to help shape a more inclusive society. His mission with CAD-ASC is to help guide the organization toward a stronger future, one where the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-blind communities across Canada have full and equal access to communication, services, and opportunities.

As a passionate advocate, he also works closely with the minority Deaf anglophone community in Quebec through his involvement with Maison des Hommes Sounds (MHS), Centre de la communauté Sourde du Montreal Métropolitain (CCSMM), and Association québécoise des interprètes en langues des signes (AQILS).

He stands firmly alongside Indigenous communities, consistently pushing for greater awareness, support, and justice. Mark-André has made a personal commitment to always give his best, to unify communities, and to fight for equal rights. In his free time, he enjoys learning about linguistics, tinkering with anything automotive, and connecting with people from all walks of life.

Frank Folino
Past President

Frank Folino is the Past-President, a non-voting position where he brings his years of experience and knowledge to the organization. Frank was an enduring leader and advocate for human rights during his tenure as CAD-ASC President from 2013 to 2021.

Among his notable successes, Frank Folino passionately advocated for the inclusion of legal recognition of national sign languages in the landmark Accessible Canada Act. Additionally, he participated in conferences and meetings to provide his expertise on sign languages and accessibility related to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Frank served in a professional leadership role as an interim board member for the Canadian Administrator of Video Relay Services, mandated by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and as an Executive Member-at-Large at the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.

Frank has also received several awards recognizing his volunteer services in Canada, and he holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada