Ontario Association of Parliamentarians
Board of Directors

Get to Know Us

The Ontario Association of Parliamentarians is led by a Board of Directors composed of the officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer), presidents of units, and the Chairs of all Standing Committees. The parliamentarian shall serve as an adviser to the Board of Directors.

Mateus Forte

President & Maple Leaf Unit President

Mateus Forte holds a degree in Sports Administration, which has served as a strong foundation for his career. Currently, Mateus serves as the Club Manager for a prominent local youth soccer club, where he has been instrumental in creating a thriving and inclusive environment for young athletes to develop their skills.

Mateus is the President of the Ontario Association of Parliamentarians (OAP). In the past, he served as Treasurer.

Mateus currently serves as the Charter President of the Maple Leaf Unit of Parliamentarians, which is the only active Canadian unit of NAP. As Unit President, Mateus is focused on furthering the education and promotion of parliamentary procedure on a regular basis.

Mateus also serves as the District IV Provincial Coordinator for Ontario, overseeing and reviewing the membership information on an annual basis, in addition to driving growth within the association.

Driven by a desire to excel in his field, Mateus is keen on becoming credentialed in the near future. He is dedicated to continuous learning and professional development.

If you have a question about OAP, please contact Mateus at: president@parliamentarians.ca

Marla Bouffard, JD

Vice President

Marla Bouffard, JD, serves as the association's Vice President; Marla is a proud Northern Ontarian with roots in Sudbury.

She brings to the Ontario Association of Parliamentarians a strong commitment to service, governance, and leadership.

As a lawyer, she is experienced in guiding clients through important processes with clarity, fairness, and attention to detail.

Marla has also been deeply engaged in civic life, from her work in the House of Commons to mentorship and volunteer initiatives. This commitment to community has strengthened her appreciation for parliamentary procedure as a tool for effective, inclusive, and orderly decision-making.

Fluently bilingual, Marla is dedicated to ensuring accessibility and supporting members across Ontario in advancing their knowledge of parliamentary law.

Atul Kapur, MD, Msc, CPP-T, PRP

Secretary

Atul Kapur, MD, MSc, CPP-T, PRP had to teach himself parliamentary procedure so he could defend his rights during Student Council meetings at university.

That knowledge assisted him in his various roles as a director and/or presiding officer of charities, local government boards, provincial and federal medical associations, and the provincial and federal branches of a major political party.

He is a graduate of the Governance Essentials Program for Not-For-Profit Organizations from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

He holds the NAP’s top credential, Professional Registered Parliamentarian, and serves on its Bylaws Committee.

He was OAP’s Vice-President before serving as Secretary. Atul has also earned the top credential of Certified Professional Parliamentarian-Teacher from the American Institute of Parliamentarians and is also Vice President of its Executive Committee and a member of the AIP Opinions Committee, where he advises members in complex and unclear situations.

Atul serves a variety of clients throughout North America as a professional parliamentarian, teaches workshops on parliamentary procedure, trains chairs and boards, and assists with bylaws reviews.

He also continues to practice as an emergency physician in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Justin G. Pappano, PRP

Treasurer

Justin G. Pappano, PRP, is the Treasurer of the OAP.

Justin is a past OAP President, the NAP District IV Director, a member of the NAP Bylaws Committee, Membership Extension and Retention Committee, and the International Service Committee. He has been the Coordinator of the District's Conference and Educational Program and is currently the District's Education Program Coordinator.

Justin is a frequent speaker on topics regarding parliamentary procedure.

Professionally, Justin leads Pappano Consulting Inc., a boutique management consultancy firm that specializes in governance, rules of order, and Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. In this capacity, Justin is one of the very few full-time professional parliamentarians who practice as a career.

Lori Lukinuk, PRP, CP-T

Legislative Committee Chair

Lori Lukinuk, PRP, is the association's Legislative Committee Chair, dedicated to advancing the discipline of parliamentary procedure through advocacy to all levels of government.

Lori is an honourary member of the association, a past OAP President, and a former member of the NAP International Service Committee.