Outside of her busy practice, Dr. Witer has been involved in numerous professional and community organizations. She served on the Board of Directors of the Vision Institute of Canada for 10 years, including 3 years as President in which time she was instrumental in negotiating the inaugural co-management agreement between the Vision Institute and TLC, the template of which continues to be used today. During her presidency, she participated in government submissions, meetings and conferences, supporting optometric goals.
Marta is a past member of the Board of the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) and served on Association and College committees in the areas of strategic planning, communications and children’s vision. As chair of the OAO political action committee, she organized and implemented grassroots political action campaigns on the then current issues facing the profession. Last year, Marta returned to the Board of Directors of the OAO and is currently focusing her efforts on building relationships with other health care stakeholders.
Dr. Witer is a volunteer for the University of Waterloo School of Optometry acting as a champion for their expansion and renovation project and is an advocate for the re-establishment of the School’s northern outreach program. In 2006, Marta organized and implemented a fundraising initiative for Class of 1979, raising over $278,000 toward the addition. Marta and her husband Ian have also made a personal leadership commitment to the project of $500,000. The largest gift the School has ever received from an alumnus.
Marta has been very active in her community and in past years volunteered in many capacities for educational and youth organizations. She is currently working in a strategic planning and fundraising capacity to re-build a summer camp for youth and helping raise funds for a secure unit for seniors with cognitive disorders in a nursing home in Toronto.
Marta and her husband Ian have supported many schools and arts organizations. Through their philanthropic activity, they have set up a scholarship for gifted students at the Glen Gould School for piano performance study at the international level. They also spearheaded and funded the film “Shaping Canada: Our Voices and Stories”, shown at the ROM, which explores the ways Canada’s immigrant groups have shaped the development of our country. In 2007 Marta received the honour of being named a Fellow of Royal Conservatory of Music.