Health and Wellbeing in Developmental Disabilities

Feb 3-4, 2027

Committee

Thank you to everyone currently involved in helping to plan the 2027 conference! A special thank you to the people with lived experience and family members involved in our Advisory Council:

Gabriel & Paul Cervenko (Ontario)

Chantel Meister (Nova Scotia)
Mount Saint Vincent University

Sarah Flint (Ontario)
Surrey Place

Maggie May (Ireland)
International Adult Leadership Collaborative (ALC) of FASD Changemakers

Chelsea Rinquinha (British Columbia)
BC Self Advocate Leadership Network Society

Farrah Sattaur (Ontario)
Center for Addiction and Mental Health

Yvonne Spicer (Ontario)
Co-Founder Lifetime Abilities

William Hulme (Ontario)
People First York Simcoe

And thank you also to all the additional people involved in the Program Committee:

Dara Abells MD CCFP MScCH (she/her) (Ontario)
Family Physician
Surrey Place

Oluseye Akinkunmi (Nova Scotia)
Health Services Manager
Nova Scotia Health

Jennifer Altosaar (she/her) (Ontario)
Manager, Adult Team
Surrey Place

Sarah Ames MD (Alberta)
Pediatrician

Tamara Armitage (Alberta)
Program Director
Wetaskiwin and District Association for Community Service

Ashley Lucas (Ontario)
Student

Natasha Henriques MSc (she/her) (Ontario)
Clinical Research Project Manager
The Hospital for Sick Children

Desiree Cabecinha MA BA CYC (she/her) (British Columbia)
Health Lead (Provincial)
Services and Community Development - Health
Community Living BC

Donna Lee BA MA (she/her) (Nova Scotia)
Faculty, School of Health and Human Services
Nova Scotia Community College
Provincial Advisor, People First Nova Scotia

Michelle Goos (British Columbia)
Service Delivery Advisor
Community Living British Columbia

Theresa Grech MC CCC CPRP (she/her) (British Columbia)
Counsellor and Educator
TMG Counselling Group; Behavioural Group and Developmental Disorders Program,
University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine

Tara Hyatt MA (she/her) (Ontario)
Quality Assurance, Integrity and Innovation Director
Parents for Community Living KW Inc.

Talia Katz (Ontario)
Medical Student
University of Toronto

Jackie Kingsbury (she/her) (Ontario)
Manager, Community Networks of Specialized Care
South East Region, Ongwanada

Kayla Kostal MSc (she/her) (British Columbia)
PhD Student
University of British Columbia

Julia Malchiondo MPH (she/her) (Ontario)
Researcher
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

Preetinder Narang PhD (she/her) (British Columbia)
District Behaviour Specialist
Surrey School District

Kim Nevilles (Ontario)
Director of Services and Supports
Kerry’s Place Autism Services

Megan Primeau MSc (she/her) (Ontario)
Conference Director, Continuing Professional Development
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Sandy Stemp BScN (she/her) (Ontario)
Chief Operations Officer
Reena

Stephanie Griffin RPN (Ontario)
Registered Practical Nurse
Brightshores Health System

Stephanie Henthorn MSW RSW (Ontario)
Case Manager, Dual Diagnosis
Brightshores Health System

Alicia Thatcher MD CCFP (she/her) (Saskatchewan)
Family Physician


If you are interested in joining for this year or next, please contact Megan Primeau. Use the links below to access the committee lists from past events: