Health and Wellbeing in Developmental Disabilities

February 5 & 6, 2025

Committee

A special thank you to the Self-Advocates, family members, and support persons involved in our Advisory Council:

Gabriel & Paul Cervenko
Self-Advocate & Parent

Maggie May
Self-Advocate
International Adult Leadership Collaborative (ALC) of FASD Changemakers

Niko Pupella
Self-Advocate
Community Living Ontario

Chelsea Rinquinha
Self-Advocate

Yvonne Spicer
Self-Advocate

Amber Taylor
Self-Advocate
Community Living Ontario

And also a special thank you to the Self-Advocates who contributed to our Program Committee:

Michelle Goos
Self-Advocate
Community Living British Columbia

Robert Smith (he/him)
Self Advocate
Secretary, Community Living Ontario Council
Member, Community Living Respite Northumberland
Chair, Ateam Northumberland

Theresa Somerton
Self Advocate

And finally, a thank you also to all the additional people involved in helping to plan this conference:

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

Oluseye Akinkunmi
Health Services Manager
Nova Scotia Health

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

Azra Bhanji MPH (she/her)
Project Manager

Rémi Castonguay MLIS MA
Information Resource Manager
ACT – Autism Community Training

Michelle Everton MPH MBA (she/her)
Doctoral Student
Royal Roads University

Melanie Forbes (she/her)
Manager, Corporate Education
St. Amant Research Centre

Christopher Chipman BA BEd
Business Development Officer, Continuing Professional Development
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Trevor Cuddy BCom BA MEd DBA(c)
Director, Continuing Professional Development Portfolio
Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

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

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

Stephanie Henthorn MSW RSW (she/her)
Dual Diagnosis – Social Worker
Brightshores Health System

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

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

Lindsay McCombe MA (she/her)
Manager
St. Amant Research Centre

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

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

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

Brianne Samson (she/her)
Manager – Services & Community Development – Health
Community Living British Columbia

Nicole Staples Dorey MA
Developmental Case Manager, ABILITY Program
SickKids Hospital

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

Alicia Thatcher MD CCFP (she/her)
Family Physician

Lori Vaanholt (she/her)
National Vice Executive Director
L’Arche Canada


We are currently recruiting for our 2025 committees – if you are interested in joining, please contact Megan Primeau. Use the links below to access the committee lists from past events: