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Board of Directors

According to EPIC Policy and Procedure Directives, the Board shall be made up of collaborative, dedicated, and open-minded individuals with a commitment to achieving the broadest community benefit and who effectively represent the needs of marginalized learners from a unique perspective. The EPIC Board operates on the principle of consensus.

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The Board Members serve as volunteers for automatically renewable terms.

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Janet Robinson

Chair; Director of Planning

Janet has served as a Workplace Facilitator with Women for Economic Equality, at the Nova Scotia Community College in Sydney, Nova Scotia, assisting women to find jobs in trades and technology. She was formerly a long-time Counsellor at the Ann Terry Project and has served on the Board of New Dawn Enterprises. She has a wealth of community-based career and volunteer experience, including valued assistance with Celtic Colours International Festival. She was welcomed onto the EPIC board in the summer of 2005.

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Barb Donovan

Vice Chair; Director of Programs

Barb served EPIC as Director of the Youth Peer Program from its inception in 1997, to 2009 and Co-Director from 2009-2011. After retiring from this position, she became the founding facilitator of Breakthrough. While no longer officially holding a position with this group, she continues to be involved with the participants, some of whom she welcomed into Youth Peer in the early days. She is a long-time volunteer with Island Community Justice. She was welcomed onto the Board in the fall of 2016.

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Kerri Fernandez

Vice Chair; Director of Values & Ethics

After years as a valuable partner to EPIC, Kerri was welcomed onto the Board in July of 2025. She is currently Field Education Lead for the Bachelor of Social Work Program at Cape Breton University, having served as the consultant who created and developed the program in 2022. After receiving her Master of Social Work, she served as a social worker for over 25 years in mental health, child welfare, and school settings. She first offered her talents to EPIC in 2016, helping initiate the Youth Peer Outreach program in Glace Bay with such high energy and creativity that EPIC felt inspired to expand Youth Peer to other under-served communities.

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Barry Waldman

Treasurer; Director of Finance

Barry is the visionary and founder of EPIC and also serves as Executive Director of its programs. He holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Educational Administration Degree. In 2012, he retired from his position as Educational Consultant to the Eskasoni First Nations School Board. In 2008 he was chosen as the recipient of the Harvey Webber Memorial Award for Volunteerism. In 2013, he received the Tom Miller Human Rights Award. He was made a member of the Executive in the spring of 2007.

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Nancy Waldman

Secretary; Director of Communication

Nancy is a writer and retired RN with a Master of Psychiatric / Mental Health Nursing Degree. She has served on the board of the Cape Breton Mental Health Association and is one of the founders of Third Person Press which nurtures, publishes and promotes local writers of speculative fiction. She has volunteered with EPIC since 2000, and takes responsibility – the good, the bad and the frequently outdated – for the EPIC website. She became a member of the Board in the spring of 2007.

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Janet
Barb
Kerri
Barry
Nancy
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With Funding From

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Logo - NS Education and Early Childhood.
Education & Early Childhood

EPIC:- PO Box 1897 North Sydney, NS B2A 3S9 Canada

Youth Peer and Outreach Programs:

290 Whitney Ave, Sydney, NS B1P 5A6

Founder: Barry N. Waldman

Website: Nancy SM Waldman

© 2025

Educational Programs Innovations Charity Society

All Rights Reserved

Call us: EPIC: 902-794-7225 || Youth Peer: 902-539-8228

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