Strengthening Accessibility & Inclusion within Professional Programs

Ann Thomas has a background in psychology and rehabilitation teaching and has been working as an Adaptive Technologist in post-secondary education for over 20 years. She is currently an Adaptive Technologist in Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto.

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia, OT Reg. (Ont.), PhD, FRSA, is an occupational therapist and assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto. Dr. Nowrouzi-Kia and holds the Emily Geldsaler Grant Early Career Professor in Workplace Mental Health and is an Affiliate Scientist, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital – University Health Network. His research focuses on workplace mental health through a bio/psycho/social framework. 

Ben was drawn to his work by an interest in the philosophical underpinnings of human rights and how they support social justice. He promotes compliance to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, seeking ultimately to lead the University beyond compliance. Ben helps the University community understand legal obligations, how accessibility is broadly defined, and how we can create a universally designed institution that values disability and the changes in perspective it brings. Ben holds Master of Laws from the University of Warwick in International Development Law & Human Rights.

Donna is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto and was the department’s Director of Clinical Education for 15 years. Previous to her 2006 appointment at the university, Donna worked for twenty years in the health care system as a clinician and occupational therapy practice leader.  Donna’s research interests include: student accommodations in clinical education, innovation in clinical education and clinical education within private practice.

Severe dyslexia kept Blake Charlton from learning to read until age 13, when he began sneaking novels into special ed study hall. With a lot of help, he went on to graduate summa cum laude from Yale College. After an interlude as a high school English teacher, football coach and special ed tutor, he started writing novels and short stories, mostly sci-fi and fantasy, for young people with disabilities. Meanwhile, he attended Stanford Medical School and then University of California San Francisco, where he trained as an interventional cardiologist. He now practices in Anchorage, Alaska.

Dr. Camille Munro is an Assistant Professor and Clinician-Teacher with the Division of Palliative Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Dr.Munro received her medical degree from Dalhousie in 1991, did a rotating internship at Royal Columbian Hospital, University of British Columbia, and then moved to Ottawa. After practicing part-time in Family Medicine for 16 years while raising her children, Dr. Munro’s interest in Palliative Care led her return to an academic setting. Dr. Munro’s current interest is to pursue excellence in patient care and improve the clinical delivery of palliative care.

Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami is the Director of Student Accessibility & Accommodation Services at the University of Michigan (UM). He is also an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Urology at Michigan Medicine, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCLA. He has received multiple awards and sits on several national boards and committees. He earned his MD before matching into Orthopedic Surgery at Yale, where in his 3rd year, a spinal cord injury paralyzed him from the chest down. He navigates the world as a proud wheelchair user.

Fatima Hassan is in her third year of the Mechanical Engineering program at the University of Toronto. From Toronto, Fatima is interested in engineering and teaching. She has done some work with the Engineering Outreach Office and has been part of the Engineering Society. She also loves photography and music.

Dr. Heather Kelly is the Executive Director, Student Life Programs & Services in the Division of Student Life at University of Toronto, St. George campus and is responsible for a comprehensive program of programs, services and resources for students. She is committed to supporting all students, particularly underrepresented and equity-deserving students, in finding their purpose through the integration of curricular and co-curricular experiences that encourage meaningful goals and interests. She holds a Doctorate in Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at U of T.

The Hon. Carla Qualtrough was first elected as the MP for Delta in 2015. She has served as Minister of Employment, Workforce Development & Disability Inclusion since 2019. Minister Qualtrough has previously served as Minister of Accessibility, Minister of Public Services & Procurement, and Minister of Sport & Persons with Disabilities. A successful lawyer, dedicated volunteer and Paralympic swimmer, Minister Qualtrough is a strong advocate for Delta, with a commitment to addressing inequality and championing diversity. Read her full bio.

Irene is the Neurological Team Lead at Accessibility Services (U of T) and has over 27 years of experience in neuropsychological assessment of neurological disabilities including learning disabilities, ADHD, brain injury, ASD, MS and HIV. Irene ran a head injury clinic for a Toronto trauma hospital and was the clinical manager of a multidisciplinary neurological disorders assessment clinic. Irene is active in community advocacy work for individuals with brain injury and ASD, and was a member of the panel that developed the Ontario Neurotrauma Guidelines for Concussion Management for Adults.

Jaimie is an Assistant Profession, Teaching Stream in the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto. She is Academic Lead of the cardiorespiratory course, Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education and Graduate Coordinator for the MScPT students. Jaimie completed a Bachelor of Physical Education and Health and a Master of Science in Physical Therapy both at U of T. She has also completed a Master of Health Management at McMaster University and holds the Certified Health Executive (CHE) designation.

Jason (Jay) is the Lead of the Modern Work and Security business at Microsoft Canada. His team is responsible for enabling organizations to amplify the ingenuity of their people, while protecting their data and assets. Jay’s work frequently involves detailing the future of the workplace, including culture development, prioritization of people, employee wellbeing and the innovative use of technology. Jay is also an advocate for technology enabling inclusivity and accessibility and leads Microsoft Canada’s Commercial Accessibility Initiative.

Jessica Chaikof holds an M.A. in Sociology Research & Practice from American University and is starting a PhD in Social Policy this fall. As an undergrad, she advocated for the inclusion of students with disabilities by co-founding WheAccess, the first club on campus to support disabled students and to educate members of the college community. Her research focuses on chronic illness, disability and accessibility in higher education. As an individual living with a disability, Jessica is familiar with obstacles that students with disabilities face in requesting and advocating for their rights.

Jheanelle Anderson MSW, RSW is the On Location Accessibility Advisor at University College at U of T. She is a Black disabled social worker and researcher focusing on disability-affirming therapy and equity-based research with marginalized populations, particularly those with intersection of Blackness, disability, and immigration. Her latest work examines gaps in research, policy and service delivery for Black Canadians with disabilities titled “The Intersection of Blackness and Disability”. She has a background in community-engaged research with Black survivors of homicide victims. 

Jill Stier, MA, BMR (OT), is an Assistant Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. Jill’s role as the Graduate Coordinator involves the coordination of services and programs affecting student life. Jill chairs the Student Affairs Committee, which is responsible for admissions and awards, recruitment, student advising, academic performance including marks and the appeals process, student bursaries and scholarships. Jill has expertise with accessibility and accommodation strategies for graduate students. 

Joanna Lau has worked in higher education for over 15 years and is currently an Educational Developer within the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto. In her role, she is committed to working with instructors and staff to increase UDL and accessibility practices within course design and student services. In addition, Joanna has a passion for design and creativity and currently develops and designs learning resources as the eLearning Developer at The Center for Implementation. 

Dr. Kevin Stoddart is Founding Director of The Redpath Centre and Adjunct Professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, U of T. He has worked in the fields of autism, developmental disabilities and child and adult mental health. Since the 1990s, his clinical focus has been children, youth and adults with Asperger Syndrome and the co-existing social and mental health problems that affect them. An active clinician, he sees about 150 people and their families yearly. Dr. Stoddart’s research and publications center on the clinical and psychosocial needs of autistic people and their families.

Lake Porter has been working in the field of adaptive/assistive technology (AT) for over 20 years in both developmental and service roles. Lake comes to AT from an interesting perspective having been trained as a musician and also having a certificate in Information Management with a specialty in Information Architecture. One of Lake’s formative experiences with AT was developing the sounds for Sun Microsystem’s audio interface for the SwingSet framework.

Lauren is a current Master of Social Work student at the University of Toronto finishing their first year of the two-year program in the Health and Mental Health stream. Lauren has also been working with Accessibility Services as both a Peer Advisor and Peer Facilitator since September of 2020. Lauren identifies as a student with a disability and is an advocate for accessibility within academic and professional programs.

Malayna directs the Faculty of Information’s Learning Hub. In this role, she coordinates programs that support student and instructor learning and well-being. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in the Learning Sciences at Northwestern University, where she studied literacies, resource pedagogies, and teacher identity. She holds a B.A. in English from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where she studied literature and nonfiction writing. Malayna taught at Northwestern University, the University of Maryland, and West Virginia University, before joining the faculty at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Michael Quon is a General Internal Medicine specialist at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and Lecturer at the University of Ottawa. He is a determined advocate to improve inclusion of physicians with disabilities after his own experience following a terrible road cycling crash and a traumatic brain injury. As part of his efforts, he is a member of an EDI working group at TOH and the Board of the Canadian Association for Physicians with Disabilities.  He will soon be joining EDI advisory groups at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and Canadian Medical Association.

Michal Kasprzak is Assistant Director at the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI) for the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP). He provides pedagogical support to faculty and teaching assistants who want to integrate effective educational approaches into their teaching. His interests include multiple presences in online learning, mental health and accessibility, UDL, and graduate student advancement.

Olivia E. Wallace is a visual artist and teacher from Brampton, ON who recently completed the Master of Teaching program at OISE, U of T. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management, Studio and Art History and was awarded the Orpheus Prize in Humanities in 2017 (UTSC). Olivia has worked with several arts organizations and galleries, and currently sits on the Programming and Collections Committee at Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives. She is passionate about art education and community-based art, and her research has focused on socially-engaged hip hop in multiethnic schools.

Dr. Pearl Levey has worked in the field of learning disabilities for over 40 years and holds a Ph.D. degree in Special Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in Toronto. She has worked as a Disability Advisor at Accessibility Services at U of T since 1990 and in 2017 she has been in the role of Accommodations Specialist for Practicums, Placements and Laboratories. In addition to her work at U of T, Dr. Levey had a private practice in Toronto from 1986 until 2017 where she conducted psycho-educational assessments and provided consultations for both children and adults. 

Reshma Dhrodia is a social worker and educator whose work focuses on equity/diversity/inclusion, gerontology, and gender-based violence. Since 2016, she has worked in the University of Toronto St. George Campus Accessibility Services office to accommodate students with disabilities. She is the Chair of their EDIA Committee and Team Lead of 11 On Location Accessibility Advisors. In 2021, she received the Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Award, and Excellence through Innovation award. She is on the Board of Directors for the Urban Alliance on Race Relations and the Leonard Foundation.

As Vice-Provost, Students Professor Sandy Welsh works closely with Principals, Deans and academic divisions across the three campuses to enhance the student experience at U of T. She is responsible for University-wide policies and procedures affecting students. Professor Welsh’s current research explores how changes in federal and provincial regulations affect the adoption and implementation of workplace harassment and work-family policies. Previous roles include Provostial Advisor on Graduate Student Funding and Vice-Dean, Graduate Education & Program Reviews at the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Sari L. Springer has been practicing law for over 30 years; her practice focuses on employment as well as higher education law. Sari has particular proficiency in the human rights arena. She has acted for multiple universities throughout her career, and defended these universities in connection with numerous human rights applications. Sari has been lead counsel on several occasions for groups of universities across Ontario in the context of high stakes, precedent setting systemic discrimination cases, and has succeeded in having all of those cases dismissed.

Throughout her career in higher education, Stephanie created programs and services primarily focused on addressing the needs of students. After a short stint in Accessibility Services, she developed a much greater understanding of UDL principles, accessibility-focused approaches to student engagement, and how a collaborative approach worked most effectively for all parties involved. It is this approach that directed her work in the Faculty of Information. Stephanie recently left U of T for the role of Director of Program Management at the Professional Engineers of Ontario.

Dr. Pignatiello is the Associate Dean in the Office of Learner Affairs, Temerty Faculty of Medicine. He is a Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Associate Professor with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and the Medical Director of the Provincial Pediatric Telemental Health Services at The Hospital for Sick Children. He has worked in many academic and community-based settings, and has won awards for his teaching, mentorship, and work in virtual mental health care.  

Verne Ross is from Cote First Nation, a Sealteaux Nation belonging to Treaty 4 in Saskatchewan. He has always worked with traditional healers and language interpreters. Verne is not an Elder, however, he works with Elders’ guidance and is one of the Traditional Knowledge keepers. Verne holds a B.A in Indigenous Studies and a Master of Social Work. Currently in a PhD, his research focus is Two-spirited people; he has also taught several courses at the Centre for Indigenous Studies Department (U of T). Verne continues to be a social worker, teacher and mentor for students from all walks of life.

Dr. Wendy Duff is a professor and Dean in the Faculty of Information where she teaches courses in the areas of archival access and community archives. Her research and publications have focused on archival access, archives and social justice, and archival users. In her current research she is exploring the emotional impact of archival work.