People with a history of hands-on group work can often collaborate electronically. It makes more sense to me to structure opportunities for participation that work with human nature rather than against it. This representative would be there to advocate for the needs of chapters, not the different regions. Chapter interests include support for outreach activities, perhaps a common need for exhibit materials for Health Fairs, or help with collecting dues, etc. Under this plan, obviously there would be one Canadian Board member for each chapter sustained in Canada.
Members also fall into many other categories, such as etiologies of deafness.
Any etiology group that wished to form should be entitled to elect a representative to the Board. Other special interest groups have already formed, indicated an interest in doing so, or in practice begun to meet informally at events such as ALDAcon. Any special interest group that wished to form should be entitled to do so and elect a member to the Board. As complex as it sounds, social groups such as Mensa and many professional associations do exactly this. SIGs have the potential to make the entire organization stronger by permitting people to express these facets of themselves within the organization.