CWDO Board Members 2015-16
MICHELE GARDNER - Toronto, Ontario
Interests: ADD/ADHD, mobility, mental health, parenting, attendant services, housing, aging and disability and human rights
Background: Michele received her Social Service Worker Diploma with Honors at Humber College in 1991 and a Bachelor of Social Work Degree at Ryerson in 1998. Michele is a Registered Social Worker and works in her field full time in a non-profit organization that provides housing and support services for adults with mental health disabilities. In addition, she has been involved in social activism for disability rights and other marginalized communities for over 26 years. Michele founded a support group called Single Parents with Disabilities on Facebook which has approximately 200 members and growing. Michele had a son in 2003 and is a member of the Parenting with a Disability Network through the Center for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) and is on the Direct Funding Program as a Self-Manager of her own Attendant Care. Michele has recently participated in Project Re-Vision's Theater Performance: Small Acts of Saying. Michele has had numerous stories and articles published and has appeared in film and in many documentary television shows regarding disability and parenting with a disability. Her most recent was in partnership with CILT, was on the show called AMI This Week on the telvision channel Accessible Media Inc. on the topic of Nurturing Assistance.
TIFFANY GERVASI - Thunder Bay, Ontario
Interests: Accessibility standards, human rights, recreation, mobility, chronic pain and brain injury
Background: Tiffany has her Honour Bachelor of Kinesiology degree from Lakehead University and a diploma in Recreation Therapy from Confederation College. She is an individual who lives with a physical disability. Tiffany has experience working in not-for profit organizations and has an understanding of working with individuals who have disabilities. Tiffany believes that recreation and physical activity is important and modifying it to include all is important to her and she has started to help individuals to gain access. Tiffany was able to work with the Canada Games Complex and design a fitness guide that was designed for individuals who have spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
TERRANCE J. GREEN - Ottawa, Ontario
Interests: Disability Law, strategic planning, education, housing, recreation, transportation
Background: Terrance has advocated for over four decades, with advocacy groups, and on his own, to enhance and protect the rights of people with disabilities. Starting in Nova Scotia with the Blind Rights Action Movement and the Canadian Council of the Blind, and a newspaper called Touchstone, uncovering and removing barriers. Employed with Transport Canada, he received an award of excellence for his work in equity in human resources planning.1992, in Ottawa, most of his activities were issue driven; i.e., Federal, Provincial and municipal elections, transportation, education, and audible pedestrian signals. In 2001, as a lawyer, his areas of interest became access to justice, transportation, education, and community or social participation.
ALEX JACKSON - Thunder Bay, Ontario
Interests: Human rights, technology, identity issues faced by all people with disabilities, mobility, stamina and vision
Background: Alex is a 26 year old born with spastic cerebral palsy who is particularly interested in theoretical and philosophical issues facing the disabled community in western society. He achieved a Master's Degree in Literary studies at Lakehead University in 2014 and is currently set to undertake a PhD in Theory and Criticism with a focus on Disability Studies and apocalyptic rhetoric at the University of Western in 2015. For Alex, the intersection of disability and human society is of primary interest, and finding ways to navigate our modern existences both practically and existentially in today's high-production culture is a contentious and important issue. As such, issues of accessibility, human rights, technology, expectation and inclusion are essential pivot points moving forward. Moreover, Alex believes that the disabled point of view is unique and essential to human society, and as such, disabled representation in arts and culture, and the ability to speak openly about identity, personal, and philosophical issues from the disabled perspective are both major focuses of his ongoing work and study within the disabled community.
CHER MONTELEONE - Thunder Bay, Ontario
Interests – accessibility and general disabilities
Background – Born in New Brunswick, Cher came to live in Thunder Bay at a young age with her adopted family and has lived there ever since. She is a graduate from St. Patrick's High School where she enjoyed playing basketball and met some lifelong friends. While working for a new Tim Horton's, Cher advocated for accessibility features like automatic doors which were installed, ensuring that the Tim Horton's would be accessible for people with disabilities. Cher works for Community Living Thunder Bay in the “Doggie Bakery,” K-9 Delights. Cher has had opportunities to work with people with vision impairments, providing support and mobility assistance. Cher lives with her husband and two children. In her free time, Cher enjoys reading and TV dramas. Cher joined CWDO to learn more about issues that matter to people with disabilities and to help people get the information they need to live, work and play in the community.
TRACY ODELL - Scarborough, Ontario
Interests: mobility issues, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, vision disabilities, hearing disabilities and Deaf culture
Background: Tracy Odell is a life-long advocate for independent living and the right of people with disabilities to live in the community. Tracy has assisted in founding numerous supportive housing programs with attendant services, is credited with the establishment of "Nurturing Assistance," has published articles and appeared in videos to raise awareness of issues relating to disability. She is currently a member of the Executive of CWDO. Tracy has a Masters degree in Critical Disability Studies, and a B.A and B.Ed. in English and Special Education. Working full time and self-managing her attendant services, Tracy lives with her husband in Scarborough.
SAM SAVONA - Toronto, Ontario
Interests: Accessibility standards, attendant services, transportation mobility, speech and electing people with disabilities to all levels of government
Background: Sam Savona has worked for the full equality of people with disabilities for many of years. He has been active on numerous committees, advisory boards, boards of directors, and worked for an organisation, which advocated for the rights of people with disabilities. He also advocated successfully in bringing accessible taxi service to the city of Toronto, and wheel-chair-accessible bus service to Pearson Airport.
Sam has been a constructive critic of the Toronto Transit Commission for many years because he believes it must be accessible to all. One of his major achievements thus far is that he, along with his fellow activists, convinced local politicians to begin to retrofit the conventional public transportation system for wheelchair accessibility. As a result, Sam was one of the first people in an electric wheelchair to board the subway unassisted. Sam is the first person to successfully be appointed five terms by the Toronto Transit Commission to its Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit. He has filled the Chair position when asked, and was elected for one year. Sam as also sat on the city of Toronto’s Disability Issues committee as Co-Chair.
In the summer of 97, Sam ran in the Federal Election as a candidate for the New Democratic Party in the Eglinton-Lawrence riding. He placed third out of five candidates, and brought up the support vote for the NDP three percent.
In 2013, Sam was honoured the medal of Ontario’s Good Citizenship for his advocacy work on accessible transit in Toronto. In 2009 an accessible playground was named in his honour, and in 2007 was given the City of Toronto Unsung Hero Award for his advocacy work within the disability community.
PAT SEED - Thunder Bay, Ontario
Interests: strategic planning, technology, marketing, information technology and communications, aging and disability, attendant service quality committee, built environment, education, employment, fundraising, housing, mental health, recreation, and transportation
Background: Pat holds her B.A. in Speech Communications. She has taught and continues to teach Speaking with Confidence and Public Speaking to Broadcasters and other Professionals. She is also a professional Public and Motivational Speaker, as well as a Writer. Pat is totally blind from birth. She originally used a white cane for mobility, but has been travelling with Guide Dogs at her side since November of 1996. Pat has worked for Bell Canada and Confederation College. She also was employed as the Information and Referral Coordinator of the Thunder Bay Independent Living Resource Centre for seven and a half years. Pat began her Professional volunteering career for non-profit organizations, her Parish church, and other organizations in 1980. She still volunteers today and is now a Consultant and Resource person in many areas for many organizations. Pat is currently the Senior Technical Support and Resource Person for IDEAL Registered Online Conferencing, A member of the Steering and Logistics Committees for the Thunder Bay Leadership Forum 2007, a member of the Business Women's Network of Thunder Bay, as well as many other organizations. "If you think you can, you might; if you Know and Believe you can, you Will!" © May 2004 by Pat Seed.
JEFFREY STARK - Kanata, Ontario
Interests: IT, assistive/adaptive technology and accessibility
Background: For the last 20 years, technology has been Jeffrey’s focus both professionally and personally. Professionally, Jeffrey is widely respected as an expert in his field of interest and has been a guiding voice in a number of accessibility initiatives in Canada. He has provided training for developers, publishers, technicians and a wide variety of other audiences across Canada on topics such as accessible application design, web accessibility and adaptive computer technology. Jeffrey manages a program which continues to be a driving force in the fields of accessibility and adaptive computer technology and has been internationally recognized for the unique services provided to persons with disabilities, injuries and ergonomic requirements. In his personal life, Jeffrey has been advocating for accessibility and inclusion within Canada. Jeffrey strongly believes in the need for institutionalization of accessibility requirements into all areas with an IT component. There are internationally recognized standards that developers need to follow in order for a system to be accessible. This is a little like the accessibility standards in the build environment (i.e. doorways have to be a certain width to accommodate a wheelchair, ramps, signage, contrasting colors etc). The same exists in web content, applications and other systems. Accessibility means that people with and without disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with information, services and applications. The adoption of accessibility standards, guidelines and best practices ensure that systemic barriers are eliminated prior to individual accommodations. Jeffrey is very aware of the technology that is deployed across Canada in the general public. He regularly volunteers his technical services in the general public to persons with disabilities and families of persons with disabilities who require technological accommodations.
_____________________________________________________________
DAVID WOODS - London, Ontario
Inrerests: Learning disabilities, mobility, chronic pain, employment, education and transportation
Background: David is a person with multiple disabilities both visible and invisible, and has managed to be the first in his family line to obtain graduate level professional education. He completed his Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. David works in private practice providing counselling and psychotherapy services to individuals and couples seeking assistance in overcoming their challenges, whether dealing with depression, anxiety, overcoming.
SOUSAN ZARIBAF - Toronto, Ontario (Deceased December 15, 2015)
Interests: Aging with a disability; Arts and Culture; Attendant services; Accessibility; Employment; Housing; Recreation
Background: While in University, Sousan began advocating for increased accessibility on campus for students with disabilities. She formed a union for students with disabilities and facilitated opportunities for students to meet with faculty and administrators to secure sign language and special tutorial services for deaf students as well as negotiating wheelchair accessibility around campus.
Sousan received her Bachelors in Psychology in 1987. Later, she served on the Board of Directors of Aldebrain Attendant Care Services of Toronto and participated in negotiations with the Ontario Ministry of Housing to secure funding for construction of an apartment building with wheelchair accessible units designed by people in wheelchairs. Sousan met with the Minister of Health to discuss funding the project for attendant care services. Securing funding for supportive housing allowed many people with disabilities who were waiting in hospitals and other institutions to live in their own home, reunite with their families, and gain independence in the community.
Sousan has served on the board of directors of The Canadian Cancer Society as Chair of The Health Promotion Committee, which creates awareness on cancer prevention through healthier lifestyles. She organized a breast cancer forum to raise public awareness and fundraise. Sousan has served on many panels at events organized by her employer, Toronto Dominion Canada Trust to raise awareness for employers from many private sectors to explain the economic advantages in hiring more persons with disabilities. Most recently, Sousan served on The CWDO board as Vice-Chairperson.
Last Updated: June 20, 2015