Presenter Biographies

Rasika Aklujkar lives and works in Richmond, BC. Rasika’s work with an out-of-school program led her to discover her future career path in child care. Rasika also has a passion for the arts, which has led to a self-employment as a storyteller through classical South Indian dance. Rasika sits on a Community Council for Community Living BC where she participates in an advisory capacity. She is also an office assistant at Community Living BC In Richmond and a trainer of People Planning Together.

Wendy-Sue Andrew is a parent of three young adults ages 19, 20 and 22. Her oldest has autism and cerebral palsy. She served two, six- year terms on the Community Living Victoria Board, 10 years of those as President. She is currently the Executive Director of Lifetime Networks Victoria and resides in Victoria with her husband and children.

Cathy Anthony works as the Coordinator of Family and Individual Support with the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living. She credits her son Josh, who is 25 and lives with the challenges of having a disability, with being her greatest teacher. She has worked and volunteered in the Community Living field for over 20 years.

Chuck Dickson is a former board member of Community Living Victoria and a strong advocate for appropriate and affordable housing for people with developmental disabilities. Chuck’s son Phillip has been living in an affordable BC Housing building managed by Pacifica Housing that has designated suites for Community Living Victoria.

Gladys Duran is 25 years old and works as a peer advisor at Semiahmoo House Society. Over the last few years she has presented workshops on different subjects and experiences in the community living movement.

Tina Fabbro is a service provider in Ladysmith. Since 2005, she has delivered creative, innovative, and integrated support services for young adults with developmental disabilities through a community development approach. Her passion is to facilitate connections and to support people in gaining valued roles in their community as employees, friends, and citizens.

Barb Goode is a well-known self advocate who has spoken up about many important issues regarding the rights of people with developmental disabilities. Barb serves on several committees for Community Living BC and other organizations.

Ryan Groth is a self advocate that lives in Richmond BC. Ryan interests are giving self advocates a voice trough training and his experience. Ryan wishes to use his skills in technology to create different trainings and resources to help other self advocates through the coop.

Aaron Johannes is the Co-Director of Community Based Services for the Spectrum Society for Community Living and the proud nephew, cousin and uncle of people with disabilities. He and his partner have been foster-parents for ten years to teenagers with disabilities and also have a young son. Among various other roles Aaron has been a provincial advisor for BC People First and a facilitator with the Vela Microboard Association.

Krista Flint has spent 15 years in the field of inclusion and disability culture. She is widely published in the disability and mainstream literature, including both of Canada’s national newspapers. Krista is a mom, an advocate, a writer, and a thankful participant in the disability rights community.

Mike and Jo-Anne Gauthier are the proud parents of two beautiful teenage girls. Mike is the founder member of Cranbrook People First. Jo-Anne is on the Board of Directors for the BC Association for Community Living and the BC Self Advocacy Foundation. Crystal at 15 years of age attends high school and is a gifted musician. Sylvia at 19 years of age works at Save-On-Foods and is exploring her options for the future.

Shane Haddad is Past-President of People First of Canada, a long time member of People First of Saskatchewan and Regina. Shane has dedicated 29 years advocating on behalf of people labeled with an intellectual disability. Shane currently resides in Regina, SK with his wife of 20 years, Brenda, their three children Tyler, Matthew and Whitney, and owns his own landscaping business. He is also a board member of the Canadian Association for Community Living.

Saima Fewster has taught in Special Education for 25 years and is the past president of the Special Education Association. She is a District Resource Teacher in Prince George and recently worked with the BC Council of Administrators for Special Education(BCCASE) on a Teacher Learning Series project for new Special Education teachers in BC.

Karyn French has extensive experience in independent living for seniors, persons with disabilities and families plus supported living programs for persons with disabilities. She is currently the Executive Driector at the Pacifica Housing Advisory Association.

Cindy Frostad believes in the value and potential of the individual and is a member of the Inclusive Education Committee with BCACL and a member of the BC Teachers Federation. She is a Resource Parent with the Family Support Institute and works to drive initiatives for change in her community. She is the mother of two daughters, the eldest of whom was born with severe cerebral palsy, and is a contemporary artist in her spare time.

Vince Gowman is the founder of Remembering to Play Events and is a certified professional life coach trained through one of the world’s top accredited coaching programs, the Coaches Training Institute, and their leadership program. He has also received advanced training in Organization Relationaship and Systems Coaching. 

Rachelle Hole is an assistant professor at UBC Okanagan School of Social Work and a co-director of the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship at UBC. Her research is informed by critical disability theories and her interests have focused on principles of social justice and inclusion. She is interested in exploring how policies and practices promote or hinder principles of inclusion for individuals living with disabilities.

Catriona Johnson most recently worked with the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration where she managed home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Prior to that she was a policy analyst with the National Disability Rights Network and worked with the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. She lives in Saanich with her husband and two of her three children, one of whom has a developmental disability.

Elsie Kipp works with the Kinex Youth Program at PeerNetBC where she coordinates projects to support and involve young people in a meaningful manner. She is especially passionate about doing work that helps young people understand the important contributions they can make in their communities.

Laura Klassen has worked for 16 years with the Williams Lake Association for Community Living. She is a Self Help worker and has been an advisor for the self advocate group for five and a half years.

Laurie Larson lives with her family in Biggar, SK. She has 3 sons who are all young adults now and 2 of them have disabilities. Laurie has been involved in all levels of the Community Living organization over the past 12 years and is currently the Vice-President of CACL. She is also Chair of the National Network of Family Leaders and Co-Chair of the National Action Committee on Family Leadership and Grassroots Engagement.

Cindy Lee has worked in the Coquitlam School District for 20 years as a Work Experience/Transition Facilitator. She is a Board Member of Community Ventures Society that focuses on the needs of the family who has a family member with a disability. She is on many committees for the City of Coquitlam such as the Accessibility Awards, Park and Leisure, Tri-City Chamber of Commerce.

John Lord is a community researcher, social innovator, parent and author. He has published widely in the areas of independent living, and innovative community supports for vulnerable citizens. For decades, his mission has been to use research and education to create positive change in human services and communities, so that vulnerable citizens can achieve full citizenship, participation, and equality.

Kevin Lusignan is a parent, the project coordinator of familyWORKs, a past-president of the Burnaby Association of Community Inclusion (BACI), past chair and member of the BACI Advocacy Committee, a participant in the BCACL Website Committee and the BCACL Member Engagement Working Group. Kevin is now on staff at BACI as the Manager of Community Development.

Norm McLeod has over 35 years of experience working within government. Norm had responsibility for the design and implementation of the PDD community governance structure in Alberta and was appointed in 1998 as the first CEO of the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Provincial Board. He retired in 2001 and is currently on the board of CACL and co-chairs the People First of Canada/ CACL Task Force on Deinstitutionalization. Norm is also an advisor to People First Society of Alberta.

Amy McMillan is a young woman who lives in Ladysmith BC. She works in the bakery department of the local grocery store and volunteers with young children. Amy loves to entertain and perform. She recently joined Toastmasters to become a better public speaker. In 2009, she was able to fulfill one of her long time dreams, which was to produce a film about friendship - a topic that is close to her heart.

Anna MacQuarrie is the Director of Policy and Programs for the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL). She has a Masters degree in Human Rights from the University of Essex. She worked actively on the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and continues to advocate for its domestic ratification and implementation.

Karen Martin is the Emergency Preparedness Project Coordinator for the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD). She is the Co-Chair of the BC Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities Committee (EPPDC). Karen has presented on emergency preparedness and people with disabilities at provincial and national conferences, seminars and workshops.

Pat Mirenda is a Professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special
Education and Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA) at the University of British Columbia.

Aimee Morry is an advocate, community builder and leader in the family movement. She has a Bachelor Degree in Social Work from the University of Victoria and is the parent to two children who happen to have a label of a developmental disability. Her children have inspired her to walk alongside others to build a world that is just, welcoming and inclusive for all citizens.

Dixie Lee Mitchell works as an early learning and child care consultant with the New Brunswick Association for Community Living. She has been the coordinator for Opening the Door to Quality Child Care and Development Project for 8.5 years. This project has worked with centre staff and with families to enhance the global quality of early learning and child care centres and to sustain the capacity of centres to include all children.

Shelley Nessman is the Self Advocate Advisor for Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) and has a deep passion for supporting people to discover and nurture their gifts and to share them with a waiting world. Shelley respects the diverse abilities of all people, that everyone has something of value to share and that our world is a better place when we are doing what we were sent here to do!

Tanya Norman works at the Powell River Association for Community, the Lotto and Post Office, the Employment Support Services through the Powell River Association for Community Living (PRACL) and at the Laundromat. Tanya is also involved in the Youth Self Advocacy group and the Adult Self Advocacy group, the BCACL Caucus and is on the Special Olympic Board as the Athlete Representative.

Jasmyne Quaife is 18 years old and lives in Nanaimo. She is the eldest of 5 children. Her brother Dallen has multiple labels of a developmental disability and her sister Mia was born with a label of Down syndrome. Jasmyne has recently graduated from Cedar Secondary School. She is currently attending Vancouver Island University where she plans to complete a degree in teaching.

Bryce Shaufelberger is a long-time advocate for the equal rights of people with disabilities and the recipient of several awards for excellence and community service. As a self advocate himself, Bryce is active with a number of groups including being instrumental in SelfAdvocate.Net, an online forum for self advocacy.

Tamara Shaw is the program manager for Infinite Employment Solutions at AiMHi in Prince George, BC. Tamara has worked in vocational rehabilitation and counseling in BC, Alberta and Australia throughout her career. She is a strong advocate for people with disabilities, and strives to improve practices ensuring people can attain their goals and become fully engaged citizens in their communities.

Jessie Stainton is a grade 10 student in Delta. She has 3 siblings, one of which has a developmental disability. She has many interests: drama, acting, film and fashion and is an active member of her church and youth group.

Helen Stovell is the Transition Planner at the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living. She is the proud parent of two adult children, one of whom has extra support needs. Helen has been a strong advocate for families in her community for many years and is a Family Support Institute volunteer Resource Parent.

Sue Swenson is an experienced non-profit and US federal government leader in the field of advocacy and support for people with developmental disabilities and their families. She is a frequent public speaker and enthusiastic participant in forums designed to improve the lives of citizens like her son.

Ellen Tarshis is the executive director of Community Living Victoria. Ellen has participated in many Ministry committees and has been involved in volunteer and professional activities during her many years in the community living movement. Her commitment to the movement is grounded in her family, and a brother who lives with a developmental disability.

Bruce Uditsky is the Executive Director of the Alberta Association for Community Living (AACL) Canada. Bruce was instrumental in developing Alberta’s education policy on the placement of students with disabilities, which mandates the inclusive classroom as the primary placement option. He is the parent of two adult children, one of whom is adopted and has developmental disabilities.

Keenan Wellar is the co-founder and CEO of the LiveWorkPlay organization, supporting people with intellectual disabilities to live as included and contributing citizens in Ottawa, Ontario since 1995. Keenan was an early adopter of social media as an important social marketing tool for non-profit organizations, and he provides pro bono presentations and consultations to Community Living and other agencies in support of their social media strategies.

James White has been in the community living movement for over 25 years. James has worked closely with a group of self advocates in creating their own coop and accomplish your dreams and have a voice trough the skills the have and what they can offer the hole world.

David Wetherow brings thirty years of experience in designing individual and family supports, developing Microboards and Microboard Associations, conducting values-based training and teaching person-centered planning. As parents, Faye and David shared their lives with a beloved adopted daughter who lived with significant mobility, communication and health challenges until her passing in 2004.

Yknlude has been creating inclusive art for the past five years.This inclusive art collective uses visual and expressive art to explore life. Ynklude weaves their stories of exclusion, passion, romance, hatred and love into art. Membership include professional and emerging artists.

Sylvie Zebroff, M.Ed. is a mom of a teenage son with developmental disabilities. She works with Community Living BC as their provincial Family Partnership Advisor and has a master degree in Community Rehabilitation and Disability studies. She has worked in community as a grass-roots advocate and with academic networking initiatives around disability health issues.