Board of Directors
TAMIR has a volunteer Board of Directors who share a commitment to ensuring responsive, high quality services are provided by TAMIR. Directors are elected for a 1 or 2 year term and may serve a maximum of 6 consecutive years as Board Members at TAMIR.
2025 – 2026 Board of Directors
- Joe Brownstein, Chair
- Rebecca Rosenstock, 1st Vice Chair
- Barbara Grinfeld, 2nd Vice Chair
- Ira Abrams, Treasurer
- Harvey Goldberg, Director
- Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn, Director
- Gary Viner, Director
- Risa Plotnick, Executive Director, TAMIR
Board of Directors Bios
Joe Brownstein – Chair 
Joe was born and raised in Ottawa. He has spent the majority of his life studying art and design. Doing a post-grad in Computer Security and then studying Cognitive Science and Psychology at Carleton University, has landed him squarely in the middle of User Experience and Product Design. He works as a Senior Designer for an international data analytics company called Qlik. With Qlik having its origins in Sweden, you’ll often find Joe travelling or on conference calls with his colleagues there.
Joe grew-up with a younger brother who has both physical and developmental disabilities. This has made Joe acutely aware of the accessibility required for individuals. It has also helped get Joe interested and working on many digital accessibility initiatives, both for private and public industries. Today, his brother is a resident in a TAMIR house.
Spearheading the hand-over, management and Board details (as both Member and President) for one of Ottawa’s largest condo corporations has given Joe extensive Board-level and governance experience in the past. When not working, Joe loves learning, relaxing with family, volunteering, and helping others wherever possible.
Rebecca Rosenstock – 1st Vice Chair
Originally from Montreal, Rebecca relocated to Ottawa in 2009 to obtain both her Civil and Common law degrees from the University of Ottawa. She later completed her articles locally at a prominent criminal defence firm and launched her own law firm shortly thereafter.
Rebecca currently specializes in the areas of family, child protection and criminal law. Having grown up with her brother, Mikey, who has special needs, Rebecca has become accustomed to dealing with issues that face the special needs community. This has increased Rebecca’s sensitivity, awareness of the challenges faced by others and contributed to her growth in overcoming challenges.
Serving as a Board Member for TAMIR allows her the opportunity to give back to the special needs community, in appreciation of her brother. Her mission is to help TAMIR achieve its goal towards attaining specialized resources needed to better serve their constituents.
Rebecca is actively involved in the Jewish community as well as the Ottawa community at large through volunteering and participating in philanthropic events. On her free time, Rebecca can be found walking on the canal, tasting a wide array of espresso varieties, movie critiquing and spending time with friends/family.
Barbara Grinfeld – 2nd Vice Chair
Barbara Grinfeld holds a B.A. (Hons) and an MBA, both from UBC. She retired in 2017 after 26 years in international business, including a secondment to the Privy Council Office (International Assessment Staff).
Her areas of expertise include political risk assessment and underwriting, limited-recourse financing, and intelligence analysis. She believes that every family with a developmentally disabled child should have free access to support from a circle of medical and paramedical therapy professionals at the outset.
Her son Danny has been a resident at TAMIR since 2017. Together they enjoy music, campfires, Jewish Holiday celebrations, and very exuberant renditions of “Dayenu!”
Ira Abrams, CPA, CA – Treasurer
Ira is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant and a Licensed Public Accountant. He is the founder and principal of the accounting firm Abrams & Company and has been providing accounting, income tax and business services to clients for over 40 years.
Ira is a graduate of Concordia and McGill University with a bachelors’ degree in Commerce and a diploma in public accountancy and has been a member of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario since 1979. He has also taught the Income Taxation course at Algonquin College.
Ira has been married to Joanna, a retired social worker and is proud of his three sons Daniel, Jonathan, and Jordan. He also has three grandsons.
Ira has been active in the local community in his role of past treasurer of the Jewish Family Services, Hillel Lodge, and Hillel Academy. Currently he is the treasurer of TAMIR and Ottawa Jazzworks.
In his spare time, Ira builds plastic models and collects fountain pens. He has recently given up on learning the clarinet but would love to learn the Bagpipes!
Harvey Goldberg – Director
Born in Winnipeg Harvey has been a resident of Ottawa since 1978. He retired from the federal public service in 2013 after a 35-year career as a senior policy advisor and manager.
From 1989 until his retirement, he worked at the Canadian Human Rights Commission where one of his major files was the rights of persons with disabilities. In that role he worked closely with Canadian NGOs such the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and the Canadian Association for Community Living (now known as Inclusion Canada). A highlight of his work at the Commission was participating in the development and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
An active community volunteer, Harvey has served on the board, or as an officer, of Adath Shalom Congregation, Hillel Academy, Jewish Family Services (Co-President), AJA 50+ and JOIN. He has also done volunteer work for the Multifaith Housing Initiative, Canadian Jewish Congress, Limmud, and the Council of Canadians with Disabilities.
Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn – Director
Rabbi Mendelsohn was born and raised in Miami Beach, Fl.
He studied in Yeshivas in France, Israel and New York graduating with rabbinic ordination in Sydney, Australia. Since 2002, Rabbi Mendelsohn is the spiritual leader of Chabad of Centrepointe, a vibrant community centre in the heart of Ottawa.
He is also the founder of A Ripple Effect, an organization that allows high school students to volunteer their time with children affected by serious illness.
Rabbi Mendelsohn serves as the Director of Public Affairs of the Canadian Federation of Chabad Lubavitch acting as a liaison for the over 100 Chabad centers across Canada. He served with distinction as the first Jewish chaplain to the Canadian Armed Forces since the Second World War.
Rabbi Mendelsohn and his wife Bassy are the proud parents of seven children.
Gary Viner, MD – Director
An Ottawa native, and University of Toronto Medical School graduate, Gary completed training in 1980 and commenced family practice with low-risk obstetrics. He assumed the role of Medical Director of the Ottawa CNIB residence, which provided care for those with visual impairment. His practice also included newly discharged patients with quadriplegia. Shortly after TAMIR opened, he became physician for several residents, many for over 30 years.
In 2001, while maintaining his clinical practice, he moved to a full-time university role at the Ottawa Hospital. Since 2010, he completed a Master of Education and became medical education researcher developing a nationally recognized reputation. With his medical educator responsibilities continuing, he retired from his clinical practice Jun 30, 2021.
Gary has been married to Debra since 1973 and they have three married daughters, all of whom are educators, teaching in the public boards of Ottawa and Toronto. They proudly have 4 grandchildren, the eldest of whom had her COVID-restricted Bat Mitzvah at Temple Israel Ottawa last October. Gary has also had many roles at Temple including youth advisor, ritual chair, and board and executive member.
Gary participated on the Landscape and Research Subcommittee to help develop the 2022 – 27 Strategic Plan for TAMIR.
Risa Plotnick – Executive Director, TAMIR
