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Workshop Presenter
Profiles
Zuhy Sayeed
Zuhy Sayeed was born in
After receiving advice that their
second son should be “placed in an institution” and “forgotten about”,
Zuhy and Raffath challenged the school system to provide their son with
inclusive education, in a neighbourhood school and in a regular
classroom. Today, Rashaad
is 25 years old; has been through regular high school, received his
diploma at a post secondary level and is now attending University to
work towards his Bachelors Degree.
Their third son, Nesaan is in his 3rd
year of college and is working towards a Diploma in personal Fitness
Training and with a specialty in Sports Psychology.
Both Zuhy and Raffath (who is a Public
School Trustee) have ensured that their sons receive all the supports
necessary for them to be successful young men and full and participating
citizens. They believe very
strongly that every opportunity must be provided to our sons and
daughters to learn and that learning is innate in every human being.
Bendina Miller
Bendina
first joined a Community Living Association in 1968 and has been
involved in local and provincial associations in 4 provinces. She had
the good fortune of growing up in
Community Living involvement in Bendina's most recent province of
residence began in 1981 when she was elected as a Director on the Board
of AiMHi, Prince George Association for Community Living and served on
that board in various positions, including President over a period in
excess of 10 years. She
also served on the Board of BC Association for Community Living,
including a term as Vice-President.
Bendina has been on the Board of the Canadian Association for
Community Living for 7 years, having been the BC representative for 2
years followed by 2 years elected as Director-at-Large and the past 3
years elected as Vice-President.
During this time she chaired the Nominations Committee, the
National Conference Committee, co-chaired the Task Force to Review CACL/Roeher
Relationship, continues to chair the Resolutions Committee and is the
current chair of the By-Law Review Task Force.
In addition, she has been a member of the Executive, Community
Living Foundation, Strategic Planning and Education Committees, and has
made presentations at provincial and national conferences, including the
recent Inclusive Education Conference held at
Bendina was honoured to receive a Life Time Membership with AiMHi and the
City of
The Canadian Association for Community Living plays a key role in
addressing the rights of individuals living with a developmental
disability and their families.
Bendina believes that given the challenges we face as a nation it
is even more critical that strong family and community based
organizations exist to advocate for appropriate supports, lobby for
strong legislation and work to bring individuals, families and
provincial and territorial organizations together with a unified voice.
She is committed to contribute actively to continue the critical
work of ensuring that the rights and needs of all individuals with
developmental disabilities are addressed in a respectful and empowering
manner. Bendina is honoured to accept a nomination for President of the
Canadian Association for Community Living.
Bennie and her husband, Gerry, have 2
daughters, a son-in-law and are proud to be grandparents to Sam who is
in grade 4.
David Pitonyak
David Pitonyak is interested in
positive approaches to difficult behaviours.
He believes that difficult behaviours are “messages” which can
tell us important things about a person and his or her surroundings.
Understanding the “meaning” of an individual’s difficult
behaviours is the first step in supporting the person (and the person’s
supporters) to change.
David also believes (to paraphrase
Jean Clark), that a “person’s needs are best met by people whose needs
are met.” Supporting a
person with difficult behaviours begins with an honest assessment of the
needs of the person’s supporters.
Creating more responsive human services is possible only when we
take responsibility for problems of the workplace culture.
A healthy organization is an organization that invites all of its
members to take an active role in decision-making, provides support to
each member as defined by the
member, and evaluates its success by the degree to which it lives up
to its promises.
David has consulted with families and
professionals throughout the
Paul Rosen
One of the hottest speakers in
Paul and wife Cheryl have three adult
children and live in
Margaret Newbury Jones
Margaret Newbury Jones (B.Ed., Spec.
Ed. Dip., M.Ed.) has been working with people who have disabilities since
her childhood and taught special education in the public school system
from 1988 – 2003. She also
has a family member with a developmental disability.
She now operates SHADE Consulting Ltd. (www.shadeconsulting.ca),
offering social skills, life skills, and sexuality education for people
with disabilities and unique learning needs and the people who support
them.
Patricia Marshall
Pat Marshall began working with
Community Living British Columbia in February of 2007 as the Manager of
Community Development and Planning.
Pat moved to
Jack Styan
Jack is a proven supporter of families and self-advocates. He has
a reputation for being ‘action oriented’ and for ‘thinking outside of
the box’.
Jack has served persons with disabilities and their families for over 20
years. He joined PLAN in
2003 as Director of External Relations, with responsibility for law
reform. He has been Executive Director of PLAN since 2006.
He has been instrumental, along with Al Etmanski in advancing the
Registered Disability Savings Plan.
Jack continues to advance public policy reforms that support
families in being able to secure a good life for their relatives with
disabilities and that nurture welcoming, caring communities where
persons with disabilities will realize full citizenship.
Previously, Jack was Executive Director of Burnaby Association for
Community Inclusion. In this capacity, he assisted the
organization in developing inclusive services, such as child care and
housing; in developing consumer directed employment opportunities, such
as worker coops, and in creating a more ‘caring’ organization and more
‘person-centered’ services.
Jack graduated from UBC with an MSW in 1986. He lives in
Simon Rose
Simon Rose lives
and works in
Shelley Anderson
Shelley Anderson has worked in the
AiMHi Infant Development Program since August 2002.
She has extensive previous experience working with children and
their families for over 25 years as an Early Childhood educator in
daycares and preschools, in a specialized program for children who
witness violence, and a treatment program for children with severe
behaviour problems. She is
a parent of three children.
Shelley has her B.A. in Child and Youth Care from the
Judie Smith
Judie Smith has been with the Prince
George Infant Development Program since December 2000.
She was a director of an Early Childhood and Infant Toddler
Program in
Both Judie and Shelley have additional
training in various parenting programs including:
Active Parenting;
Developing Capable People; Pathways to Competence; Watch, Wait and
Wonder; Make the Connection; and Responsive Teaching.
Dianna Bihun
Dianna Bihun (Registered Dietitian) and Stephanie Munkley (Physical
Therapist) both presently work for NHA.
Their "Beating the
Stephanie Munkley
Dianna Bihun (Registered Dietitian) and Stephanie Munkley (Physical
Therapist) both presently work for NHA.
Their "Beating the
Tanya Bend
Early
childhood educator with a Bachelors of Child and Youth Care from the
Diploma
in early childhood education, infant and toddler care, and special needs
care
Working
experiences include teaching preschoolers at the
Certification in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) and Grief and
Loss (Rainbows/Sunbeams)
Participates in the Ethics and Occupational Health and Safety committees
at the CDC MCFD: Train the trainer education in “Partnerships in Addressing Challenging Behaviours
Jody Edamura
Occupational therapist with a Bachelors of Science in Occupational
therapy from the
Practicing as an OT for 12 years in various locations including
Working
experiences include early intervention and school aged services, adult
mental health, return to work initiatives, disability assessments and
orthopedic care
Collaborates with Aboriginal programs in
Special
training and involvement with autism, FASD, picky feeding issues, and a
member of the Complex Developmental Behavioural Conditions (CDBC)
assessment team
Judy Wakabayashi
Graduated from:
Areas of work have included:
WCB
Rehabilitation Centre
The
past 16 years have been in Home and Community Care with the Northern
Health Authority. The last
9, exclusively working within the Health Services for Community Living
Program (HSCL). Primary
role is to provide community based service and advocacy to persons 19
years or older, who have been diagnosed as having developmental delay,
as well as support their families and care providers.
Wendi Mackintosh
Wendi Mackintosh is the parent of four
children, three of whom have a need for additional support.
Wendi has a background in Special Education and has worked with
Child Development Centres.
Wendi is currently with Semiahmoo House Society, in Family Services,
providing support and services to families who have children who have
extra support needs. Wendi
has been a Regional Resource Parent for the
Si Stainton
Si Stainton has been involved in the
disability community for 30 years: originally in the
Saima Fewster
Saimi has worked in
Marc Lawrence
Marc Lawrence is a Human Resources
Coordinator with AiMHi – Prince George Association for Community Living.
Marc has spent the last 10 years working in different positions
in the social services field, always having a great interest in the
Human Resources aspect of the organizations he has worked for.
Marc is now a CHRP candidate who sat on the CSSEA provincial
recruitment and retention reference group.
The mandate of this group was to look at creative ways to attract
new people to careers in the Community Living Sector.
Through this group, working with Beverely Roest, HR Generational
Issues Expert, and concentrating on marketing to target demographics,
AiMHi is seeing positive results from its recruitment and retention
strategies.
Linda Perry
Linda Perry has worked for and with
people with physical and developmental challenges for over thirty years.
For the last twenty years, she has focused on community
development, inclusion for all, and individualized funding.
Linda is the Executive Director of
Vela Microboard Association and has assisted with the development of
nearly 600 Mircoboards through out
Each of the individuals that has been
supported by Vela Mircoboard Association has experienced some form of
person centered planning.
This has provided Linda with a wealth of experience in practical
application of the principles of person centered thinking and the very
real journey of self determination.
Linda is the recipient of the 1999
Community Living Institute award for Leadership and in 2006 was
recognized at the YWCA’s Women of Distinction awards for her work in
Community Leadership.
Tamara Kulusic
Tamara Kulusic is
the Community Living BC Manager of Child and Family Supports. Tamara’s
role at CLBC is to guide best practice in child and family supports and
implement shared care. She was previously the Family Support and
Inclusive Education Coordinator at the BC Association for Community
Living (BCACL). Tamara has been an FSI Resource Parent since 2006.
She lives in
James O’Neill
James O’Neill is
the Community Development Worker at BCACL.
His primary function is to oversee the implementation of the
multi-faceted Pathways to Citizenship, a community development project
which focuses on employment, family supports, and disability supports.
James has a background in community development and international
development planning.
Dawn Hemingway
Lorna Dittmar
Pat Tesan
Pat Tesan is a well known and respected family leader in the area of
disability in
Pat has four children including a daughter with a disability.
She has worked tirelessly to ensure that people with disabilities
are fully included in their communities and have safe and secure lives.
Her daughter receives support through her microboard to help her
live a full and meaningful life.
Pat has been a resource parent for the Family Support Institute since
its inception and is very involved in advocacy and family support
throughout the lower mainland.
Gayle Magrath
My experience is professional while I looked after patients in the
hospital, teaching the Physical Care Course at CNC in the Social
Services Program for students in the field for over 12 years and of
course my friendship with my life long dearest friend Terry, Bree, and
her family. I spent many years caring for children and their families
while they journeyed through the dynamics of their cancer.
It is very similar to the journey through disabilities. I have
always been an advocate for the patient and the parents.
I guess I could say....
I have been a Holistic Nurse for over 40 years. While my journey
through life has been mainly with Oncology, I can relate to the children
and parents as they journey through the years with their challenges.
The dynamics are very similar. I have been involved with Healing
Touch since 1992 and know this can be a factor in healing and peace for
the whole family.
Carol Goozh
Carol Goozh is on the senior
management team at CLBC, and is the Vice President of Policy and Program
Development. She has 25
years experience working in various positions in the field of community
living, and has a special interest in working with and supporting
families.
Sheldon Harris
I am an Occupational Therapist who has been with the SET-BC.
(Special Education Technology – B.C.)
since the program started. Over the years I have worked
with many types of adaptive technology to support individuals with
physical, vision and or communications dysfunction. I work out of
the Region #5 SET-BC office located in
Mimi Davis
Mimi Davis,
Coordinator, Cridge Respite Resource Service and the Cridge Respitality
Victoria Program
Julie O’Reilly
I am the ‘Community Awareness and Supports Coordinator’ at AiMHi.
My career at AiMHi has stretched beyond 20 years and during that
time I have consistently worked directly with people and their families.
I am very passionate about assisting families, in particular
assisting families with navigating the complex and ever changing
multiple service systems and Government Ministries.
Having a glimpse at the added stress families’ have today it has
been a real pleasure to be involved in the development of the AiMHi
Respitality Program.
Paul Michel
Paul F. Michel, a Secwepmc/Shuswap
First Nations educator, is currently the Director of the First Nations
Centre at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC).
He is also an adjunct Professor for the First Nations Studies
Program. Paul
F. Michel has his Bachelor of Arts Degree (Sociology) and his Masters
Degree in Education both from
In addition, Paul has a diverse
background in First Nations education:
He has been a principal of a
In the Prince George Nechako area
Paul was born and raised in his
traditional Secwepmc territory in the
Jeanette McKay
Jeanette has worked on a number of
projects involving individuals facing significant challenges.
After completing undergraduate studies, she coordinated peer
workshops for university-aged students in BC to meet residents of the
Downtown Eastside. In 2004
Jeanette began working with the BC Schizophrenia Society where she
managed the Monthly Giving Program, coordinated special events, trained
volunteers, and facilitated public presentations about mental illness.
Working directly with families and those with serious mental
illness she assisted in advocacy and locating support services.
Jeanette McKay graduated from
Rory Summers
Father of Alex (a
24 year old young man who has a developmental disability).
An accidental advocate who has become involved in a variety of
organizations that support people with developmental disabilities and
children with special needs that includes:
Past member of
the Board of the Prince George CDC
Current member of
the board of AiMHi (past president)
President of the
BC representative
on the Canadian Association for Community Living
Retired teacher, husband to Beth and father to Amy and Alex.
Gord Robertson
Father of 24 year old Drew and 22 year
old Bree-Anna, who has multiple disabilities, Gord is an “expert” in
repairing and maintaining wheelchairs, standing frames etc., and has
years of experience programming a variety of augmentative speech
devices. He enjoys planning family vacations to accommodate a person in
a wheelchair, especially to
Drew Robertson
Drew is the 24 year
old brother of Bree-Anna who is 21 and has multiple disabilities.
Drew is Bree’s favorite person in the whole world and the feeling
is mutual for Drew. They
enjoy spending time together whether it’s watching movies or going
fishing. Drew prides
himself on treating her like she doesn’t have a disability but can be a
little overprotective at times.
He has a NO Boyfriend Rule that Bree ignores.
Amy Summers
I am the older and only sister of Alex (24) who has a developmental
disability. I have a BSc in
Mathematics from UNBC and and MSc in Statistics from
Penny Soderena-Sutton
Penny is the Self Advocate Peer Advisor hired by AiMHi in 2001.
Penny has a long history with the Prince George Self Advocacy
Caucus and was one of the founding members.
Penny sits on many committees working on issues such as
transportation and accessibility in Prince George.
Penny is an active member in her Church and Choir.
Neil Snead
Neil is a long term resident of Prince George and is currently President
of the Prince George Self Advocacy Caucus.
Neil enjoys all of the community connections he has developed
over the years and is an active volunteer with The Canadian Cancer
Society, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Prince George Crisis Line, and a
number of other charities.
Neil also sits on AiMHi’s Board of Directors.
Andria Teather
Sharon
Bettlestone (Children’s Program)
I have worked in the Early Childhood
Education field since 1983. My educational background includes an ECE
diploma, training in basic ECE, Under 3’s and Special Needs. I have
operated my own group day care for 5 years prior to working for the
Maureen Mitchell (Children’s Program)
My name is Maureen Mitchell; I have lived in Prince George for 11 years.
I am married with three (3) daughters and one (1) grand daughter.
Our 19 year old child is special needs.
I have worked at the Child Development Centre for 11 years as the
primary teacher in a class of 16, 3 – 5 year olds.
I received my Early Childhood Education Diploma and Preschool
Supervisors Certificate in May of 1976 at the College of New Caledonia.
In my 30+ years of working I have attended many courses that have
enhanced my abilities to work with special needs children and adults.
I have been a swim coach, athlete mentor, and full parent
participant for BC Special Olympics.
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