Tribute Award of Excellence

Hon. David Onley

David Onley believed fervently in the potential of people with disabilities—and he made it his life’s mission.

A person of immense accomplishment, he is best remembered as a leading and tireless advocate for substantive equality for children, youth and adults with disabilities and their families—before his tenure as Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor, during his term, and after.

David explained his beliefs in 2007, shortly after being appointed Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor.

“I fundamentally believe that words are very, very important. In this case, the word accessibility has come to mean wheelchair parking spots, curb cuts and automatic doors. And while it is all of these things, it is much, much more. Accessibility, quite frankly, is a right. And that is why I believe we need to start using the term in its complete and full meaning. And it is that which allows someone to achieve their full potential.”

A survivor of childhood polio, David first made his mark professionally as an on-air broadcaster and journalist with CITY-TV, a career that lasted more than two decades. He was the first broadcaster in Canada with a visible disability.

He became a beloved Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and made advocacy for people with disabilities a central part of his role and changing the dialogue about disability.

His leadership continued after completing his tenure as Lieutenant Governor in 2014. He was inaugural chair of the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council of the Government of Ontario and worked as accessibility council member for the Rogers Centre and the Air Canada Centre. In 2018, David was appointed to lead a review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. He wrote the seminal Report of the Third Review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, commonly known as the Onley Report, making practical recommendations toward making a barrier-free Ontario, and highlighting existing physical barriers, high unemployment among people with disabilities and ableism as major contributing factors preventing inclusion.

While he was a high-profile leader who made a profound positive change to society, David had the ability to connect with everyone. He spoke at thousands of engagements across Ontario, promoting the significance of identifying and removing barriers for all forms of disability, leading the way for kids with disabilities and their families in this province. His dedication as a role model, to empowering children, and to advancing accessibility has had a significant impact on the lives of countless Ontarians, and an indelible impact on our province.

Tribute Award for Leadership

Dr. Nicola Jones-Stokreef

There are a number of positive adjectives that can be applied easily to developmental paediatrician Dr. Nicola (Nicky) Jones-Stokreef: commitment, determination, leader, innovator, visionary, collaborator, role model, mentor, and many more.

But perhaps the words that describe Nicky’s work at its core is a comment from a colleague: “…she goes above and beyond for the families she supports and ensures that they never feel alone in their journey.”

And as committed as Nicky has been to her patients and their families in Simcoe County, she has expanded her role so that others can improve care for children with developmental challenges. Throughout her distinguished career of more than 20 years, she has gracefully balanced exceptional clinical practice with regional system development and provincial level advocacy. She has been instrumental in advancing the autism diagnostic system in Ontario and has served as a true leader and inspiring role model for physicians, allied health professionals, and others in the child development and pediatric rehabilitation sector.

There are many examples of how Nicky’s leadership and innovation came to improve care for kids with disabilities. A better program for diagnosing autism in children is one. More than 16 years ago, Nicky was providing most autism diagnostic services in Simcoe Country. And there were long waiting lists. Nicky’s vision was to expand the number of professionals in Simcoe County who could diagnose a child with autism.

As part of her plan, she trained five speech language pathologists to administer the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Her guidance and mentorship had a ripple effect – those professionals shared their knowledge with others including occupational therapists and early intervention workers.

While her contributions to service excellence have been immense, Nicky’s work to transform the system for kids with disabilities and their families also exemplifies her talent as a leader. She is kind, compassionate and an assertive advocate. She recognizes the power of her voice and position and leverages it through participation in local- and provincial-level planning committees to ensure that the needs not only of her patients, but all children and youth with disabilities in Ontario are met.

Nicky has a remarkable ability to connect with people. As a parent of three children with autism wrote, “I cannot thank her enough for her help, support, professionalism, and, most importantly, the stability she offered as a specialist and a person. These days, it’s a rare experience. She will remain an important part of our family in our grateful hearts.”

Liviya Mendelsohn

Liv Mendelsohn gets things done. She makes things happen. And the best thing about her work – it’s all for people with disabilities.

She is a connector, an innovator and a fierce advocate for all people with disabilities. Since the beginning of her career, she has been dedicated to bringing the arts, sport, and culture to children and adults with disabilities in an accessible and appropriate way.

And through all of her endeavours, Liv has followed one defining theme: her leadership in removing barriers to inclusion and participation in daily life for people with disabilities.

As the inaugural manager of accessibility at the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre in Toronto, Liv created a new Access & Inclusion department. And that, in turn, led to The Citizenship Project. Launched in 2018, the program immerses young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Toronto’s civic landscape, using creative engagement exercises to explore leadership, self-advocacy and what it means to be a citizen. More than 80 young adults have participated since the program launched.

Liv brought the US-based Reel Abilities Film Festival to Toronto in 2016. Focusing on the work and stories of deaf and/or disabled communities and filmmakers in Canada, the festival is now the largest of its kind in the country.

She expanded the festival’s impact by creating the ReelEducation Program, bringing films and Ontario-aligned curriculum focused on accessibility and equity to students across the province, from kindergarten to grade 12. In 2020, the program grew to include online workshops, virtual screenings and accessible education kits for teachers, reaching more than 30,000 students.

Liv’s tenure at the community centre saw the creation of more than 30 accessible programs. She began her role as a team of one and grew it to include five direct reports and 15 instructors.

In addition to creating opportunities for people with disabilities, Liv also was sure to include activities for other equity-seeking groups, such as LGBTQ+ and racialized communities.

She was an integral partner in the creation and execution of accessible vaccine clinics for children and people with disabilities in the city of Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic, actively supporting the execution of the city run clinics, and personally ensuring that children and people with disabilities could access vaccines in a safe and appropriate way.

In her current role as executive director of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, Liv is creating a movement to support caregivers across Canada. Her experience rooted in the disability sector has meant ensuring that parents of children with disabilities are included as part of their strategy – a major step, given that many parents did not feel they had a place.

Liv has made important achievements over the past many years – innovations that will reverberate positively in our community for decades to come.

Dr. Ripudaman Minhas

Dr. Ripudaman Minhas has a passion for making a difference in the lives of the marginalized and underprivileged. He believes in providing healthcare so that no is left behind. And he practices what he believes.

The Canadian health care system can be difficult to access for anyone. This is especially true for families of children and youth who live with disabilities. And getting the diagnoses and services can be harder still for families who are dealing with any number of forms of marginalization – such as poverty, systemic racism, or immigration status, to name only a few.

Addressing this need is top of mind for Ripu. A developmental paediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto and Assistant Professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Ripu is a member of a team at Regent Park EarlyON Centre, which provides early intervention for families in a multicultural and resource-restricted area of Toronto. He has spearheaded a number of programs aimed at helping marginalized children and youth and their families get the health care they need.

Among his many achievements, Ripu founded Our Kids’ Health, which is bringing evidence-based child health information using social media platforms to 10 cultural-linguistic communities globally and now has more than 200,000 followers. The Maple Circle Project was created specifically for parents with a refugee background to understand how they approach parenting after they settle in Canada, particularly if they have a child who has developmental or behavioural concerns.

He is also using his talent to support other health professionals in communications. In 2019, Ripu was appointed the Communications Lead for the Executive Steering Committee of the Physicians of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Advocacy (PONDA). Through his work with PONDA, Rupu has created digital professional development opportunities – such as podcasts, webinars and workshops -- for physicians and other professionals working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Ripu’s research interests have also focused on advocating for populations experiencing inequity. He is current a co-investigator on a project addressing South Asian health inequities in Canada through Anti-Oppression Training. He is also involved with a project seeking to understand the experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) caregivers who work with children with medical complexities and developmental disabilities and their involvement with Child Protection Services.

“I’m interested in how health care professionals engage with diverse communities,” says Ripu. “We’ve made some progress, but we need to continue to work hard to identify opportunities to ensure health care is easily accessible to everyone.”

Tribute Award for Advocacy

Louise Kinross

How do we tell the disability story?

Children with disabilities rarely see themselves reflected in mainstream media. When they do appear, it is often in stories that present them as either tragic or saintly.

Except when the story is told by Louise Kinross. Louise tells compelling stories that go beyond the headlines while giving people the opportunity to rethink their perceptions of disability and ability. Motivated by experience in caring for her son (she has four children and one grandchild), who has a rare genetic disorder, Louise has become known worldwide as a champion for promoting awareness and providing encouragement for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.

Louise is special projects manager at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. In that capacity she has distinguished herself as an influential voice in the organization and a valued colleague. But she is best known for her brilliant work as the managing editor of BLOOM, an internationally celebrated blog and multi-media platform that explores news and issues surrounding childhood disability. BLOOM is read in 160 countries around the world.

Through her thoughtful leadership and courageous journalism, Louise has propelled BLOOM to become a powerful awareness-building platform. Over the years, Louise has deepened her bold commitment to producing articles, videos and live interviews that advance disability justice and anti-stigma education.

Admirers of her work are many. Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree, says BLOOM “is…an invaluable addition to the literature of disability and difficulty.” And Ian Brown, Globe & Mail reporter and author of The Boy in the Moon, describes BLOOM as “the single best magazine and website about disabilities that I have read. It always addresses practical issues, but it always does so in the widest and deepest way, describing people and perspectives and telling stories that stay with me for months after reading them.”

Accolades aside, Louise remains authentic in her engagement with others, and she is consistently curious to learn more from anyone willing to share their experiences and accomplishments in the disability world. She is driven by an unwavering commitment to ethical journalism, bold storytelling, and anti-ableism that pushes the boundaries of equity, diversity, and inclusion in society. We are lucky to have her voice.

Former Senator Jim Munson

If you are a person living with autism, then Jim Munson has your back.

Jim has long had a passion for supporting people with autism and their families. But this passion is made up of more than words. He has to put it to work.

Just read what people have to say about Jim.

“He walks the talk.” “A constant source of encouragement and wisdom.” “Always open and accessible.” “A strong and valued voice for autism at the federal level.” “There are few people in the world of autism who command the kind of respect that Jim Munson has. If he is present in the room, people pay attention.”

A noted journalist, Jim worked for more than three decades as an acclaimed globe-trotting foreign correspondent, mostly for CTV, covering hot-zone events like the Iran-Iraq War and Gulf War. His reporting was nominated for two Gemini Awards.

After serving as Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s director of communications for two years, Jim was appointed to the Senate of Canada. And it was in this role that he became a powerful and respected voice for people with autism.

It’s been reported that Jim saw a man sitting on the steps of Parliament and stopped to talk with him. The man talked about his concerns for his son with autism. Jim listened. And he made autism one of his chosen causes, along with the rights of children and people with disabilities—with a focus on the Special Olympics.

His main inspiration and guiding force has been his first son, Timmy, who was born with Down syndrome and lived only nine months.

During his 18-year tenure as a Senator, Jim helped to lay the foundation for the creation of a National Autism Strategy. Through his collaboration with key organizations such as Autism Alliance of Canada, Autism Ontario, and the McMaster Autism Research Team, Jim has highlighted the necessity for taking meaningful action to improve the lives of people with autism at the national level.

Jim played a key role in the seminal 2007 Senate committee report, Pay Now or Pay Later: Autism Families in Crisis, which provided a foundation and guide for transformative priorities in autism across sectors for decades to come.

Jim sponsored a private member’s bill that became law with royal assent in 2012: the World Autism Awareness Day Act. Thanks to his leadership, Canada joined 192 countries in annually recognizing World Autism Awareness Day at the start of every April.

He also sponsored the Accessible Canada Act through the Senate and into law in 2019. This act named and formalized the Nothing Without Us key principle, involving persons with disabilities in developing laws, policies, and programs that impact them. The Act aims to build a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

With selfless advocacy, grace and determination to make a tangible difference, and above all, kindness toward others, Jim Munson has played a vital role in creating a more equitable environment and brighter future for Canadians.

Monika Myers

The next time you have a moment of self-doubt, Monika Myers can help you.

She wants everyone to believe in their worth. Not long ago, she started an initiative to empower us all to take a big step forward. She created “wishlets” that say “I AM BRAVE AND BEAUTIFUL.” She has given away more than 700 of them. And with the wishlets Monika sells, she donates part of the proceeds to support local communities.
The maxim on her website expresses her belief perfectly:
Remind yourself often that YOU are BRAVE AND BEAUTIFUL. Believe in yourself. Pursue your own dreams.
The campaign spreads a message about inclusivity, being confident, and true to yourself. It is a message that resonates with everyone.

Monika has Down syndrome. That doesn’t define who she is. She lives life to the fullest. She loves skiing and cycling and is a proud gold medalist in synchronized swimming. She sings in a choir and is an active Girl Guide.

Monika is a confident young woman who has progressed impressively in both the academic and social sides at her Toronto school. She has a wide circle of friends and loves the arts. She’s played an important role in helping to organize social events with her fellow students. As her principal has noted, “Monika goes out of her way to greet everyone with a smile.”

Now the rest of the world is getting to know Monika.

She recently began modelling and was the first model with Down syndrome to walk many runway shows in Canada and internationally—including Toronto Kids Fashion Week, Fashion Art Toronto, and New York Fashion Week. She’s already captured the attention of famous designers who ask Monika to model their designs.

She’s been featured on TV and in newspapers and magazines around the world. This past year, she was awarded Youth Day Global Down Syndrome Ambassador and is honored to have been chosen as the guest speaker for the 2023 Down Syndrome Association conference in Trinidad & Tobago to encourage the inclusion of people with Down syndrome into the education system.

Monika has accomplished all of this as a teenager. It’s not hard to imagine the tremendous good she will do in the decades to come.

Tribute Award for Partnership

Elizabeth Gunner

In 2016, Elizabeth Gunner retired as a school principal in Moose Factory. A new chapter in her career was about to start.

Elizabeth was approached to see if she would be interested in collaborating with the Cochrane Temiskaming Children’s Treatment Centre and Mushkegowuk’s Omushkego Education to lead the development of a new provincial initiative to support children and youth with disabilities.

Elizabeth made an incredible impact. In her newly created role as Community Relations Coordinator, she facilitated the genesis of the James Bay Special Needs Services System Planning Table, which is called MaMouPiMoTaTaa –Together We Walk. Elizabeth met with community Elders to explain the intent of the work and seek guidance on a name that would meaningfully represent the purpose. Not only has Elizabeth’s guidance, presence and contributions brought the voice and perspectives of Indigenous families to multiple service providers, her deep excitement of possibilities has created several innovations.

Among her achievements, Elizabeth was instrumental in helping to develop an adaptation of the speech and language program called Moe the Mouse, which was specific to Cree-speaking children. She led the roll-out of a universal Handwriting Without Tears program in James Bay area schools, was an active participant in the development of a newly created Pediatric Indigenous Rehab Assistant post-secondary program, bridged information technology for families through creating an iPad loan program where tablets are loaded with various programs and apps to support learning, and organized multiple parent gatherings where service providers shared information with families and families shared their stories and their needs.

Not one to shy away from challenges, Elizabeth has graciously navigated and balanced the multiple elements in building relationships and networks so that sustainable child development sector services can be provided to children and their families. Her strong commitment to do the right thing has served as a beacon for many.

In everything she does, Elizabeth is a connector, listener, guide, mentor, voice, questioner, supporter, responder, Elder, educator, and a determined advocate for equitable and meaningful supports to Indigenous children, their families and their communities. Elizabeth’s work continues today—she laid such a strong foundation that multiple components of the distant vision set seven years ago are now a reality that will continue to grow.

“Sometimes,” wrote a colleague, “you do not see the impact a person has had until time has passed and you reflect back and realize the significant contribution that person has made in the lives of children. That person is Elizabeth Gunner.”

Rachel Teplicky

Friends, Family, Functioning, Fitness, Fun, Future. Collectively, they’re called the “F-Words,” coined by Dr. Peter Rosenbaum and Dr. Hans-Willem Gorter of the CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability at McMaster University. They’re more than just words – they represent both a philosophy and a program to support kids with disabilities to reach their potential.

The F-Words program is becoming increasingly popular in the global child development sector. One of the program’s most active ambassadors, sharing the F-Words with families and professionals around the world, is CanChild’s Rachel Teplicky. 

As one of the lead researchers from CanChild, Rachel worked closely with the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and was instrumental in both advocating for the incorporation of the F-words into the ministry’s reimagining of its services and in promoting other CanChild tools to be used across Ontario. A respected expert, she was invited to give a keynote talk, Service Development aligned to the F-Words in Child Disability Framework at the International Changemakers 2023 Conference organized by KIDS Plus in Geelong, Australia.

Rachel’s mastery of the F-Words program is only one of her talents. She has been an invaluable resource from her many roles with CanChild for years, well-known as a collaborative colleague who helps people everywhere to develop their child disability activities. Her understanding of research methods and issues is praised widely and her ability to offer support to people has gained her a solid reputation as a teacher, speaker and workshop leader.

In her current role as CanChild’s Business and Engagement Officer (and a Master’s-trained occupational therapist), she is a keystone in a very important arch: connecting CanChild’s many outreach activities across Ontario and Canada and around the world.

Tribute Award of Excellence

Anne Huot

From the moment she joined the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (OCTC) as Director of Clinical Programs and Services in 1999, Anne Huot quickly made her mark as an approachable, compassionate and skilled leader who could always be counted on to do the right thing for children, youth and families.

She was instrumental in leading OCTC through many significant changes, including expansion of the OCTC mandate to include children with developmental disabilities; opening and staffing new sites across Eastern Ontario to bring services closer to home; and amalgamation with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) to integrate care and simplify the family journey.

Following the CHEO-OCTC amalgamation, she took on the role of Vice President, Child Development and Community Services, where she was responsible for multiple programs serving children and youth with special needs and their families, including CTC- and hospital-based rehabilitation services, complex care, the autism program, mental health and the regional genetics program.

She worked tirelessly with her trademark sense of humour to build a more integrated and responsive system of care, culminating in her role as co-chair of the province’s Implementation Working Group for the new Ontario Autism Program, right up until her recent retirement from CHEO in 2021. She continues to contribute to the service system for children and families through consultative project work, most recently with Children's Mental Health Ontario.

Anne began her career as a social worker after obtaining her Master’s degree at the University of Toronto over 40 years ago. Throughout her career, she consistently focused on improving the service system to benefit children and families.

Under her guidance, OCTC expanded its mandate and embraced a LifeSpan Model so that children with disabilities benefited from a broader range of services, from early intervention and diagnosis to behavioural intervention, respite and transition supports, helping to build their independence, confidence and success.

By launching new service sites in western Ottawa, Renfrew and Cornwall, she made a significant difference for families who no longer had to take time off work and drive up to two hours to receive service. As a co-lead in implementing the system-wide electronic health records and reporting system for Ontario Children’s Treatment Centres, Anne helped ensure they had a consistent way of building care plans and monitoring outcomes so that kids would receive the best possible care.

Amalgamation with CHEO brought further opportunities to improve service across the Champlain region, and Anne made a significant contribution to the vision of One Door, One Chart, One Story, One Team. Families now benefit from a single health record that ensures they do not have to continuously repeat their story—a single entry point that makes their service journey as simple and seamless as possible.

Throughout her career, Anne has been an inspiring mentor to countless staff and leaders, instilling in them a compassionate approach to care that always puts kids and families first. This may be her most lasting legacy, continuing to benefit kids with disabilities for many years to come.

Tribute Award for Leadership

Sherri Smith

It surprises no one that Sherri Smith was a world champion triathlete before she joined the board of THRIVE Child Development Centre in Sault St. Marie eight years ago. She has served the board as a director and as president, while also working as an academic leader at Sault College, and a supporter and volunteer for a variety of community organizations.

At THRIVE, she has demonstrated unwavering leadership, guiding the organization through several significant changes, including two transitions of chief executive officers. She also moved the organization through a change management rebranding process that led to a new Mission, Vision and Values – and a new name for the organization.

Formerly the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre – Algoma, THRIVE Child Development Centre was created with clients at the heart of what the centre strives to do, which is to create a future of possibilities and help children, youth and families thrive. Sherri spearheaded the entire process and helped everyone at the centre think about what they wanted to accomplish as an agency for the people they serve. Her creative thinking always put the children and families foremost, and her leadership proved positive and visionary.

Years ago, she set her goal as winning the world triathlon championship, and in 2004 she achieved it in Funchal, Portugal. This determination, passion and drive is applied to everything she does. She is not only a championship athlete, but an exceptional coach, mentor, collaborator and partner. She has contributed to many local organizations and events, including: founding the St. Joseph Island Triathlon; Chair of the Sault Sports Council; past president of the Sault Stryders Club; founding member and past president of the Sault Athletics Club; and organizing the Eco-Challenge Adventure Race at Searchmont. She also received the city’s Medal of Merit for achieving provincial and national championship status.

Sherri has a love of learning – her Master’s degree from Baylor University in Texas is in history, and at Sault College she is Chair of Natural Environment, Business and Culinary. Personally and professionally, she is a passionate and resourceful leader who always gives 100 per cent in anything she takes on.

Tribute Award for Advocacy

Lucia (Lucy) Goldberg

As a member of the board of George Jeffrey Children’s Centre (GJCC) in Thunder Bay from 2013 to 2021, Lucy Goldberg went far beyond the usual expectations of board directors. Courageously sharing her own experiences, she urged – even compelled – her colleagues to ensure that children and families were always at the centre of decision-making and changes at all levels of the organization.

In addition to her lived experience, Lucy brought a wealth of professional experience to the board as a long-time special education teacher for the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board. She was never afraid to offer an opinion, articulating what many could not and always putting the children first. In this way, she often drove the discussion on topics before the board. Lucy is a firm believer that the purpose of organizations in this sector is to help children become stronger, independent individuals.

Beyond offering her support at board meetings, she also volunteered with her children and family at as many events as possible – collecting donations at the Christmas Parade of Lights, Family Fun Fairs and Christmas parties to name a few. She was a confident spokesperson at many public events, such as the GJCC’s Smilezone event in 2018 and at local fundraising and advocacy campaigns.

Lucy has also been a tireless advocate for children and families across many other organizations, locally and provincially. She has been a volunteer for years with organizations such as Autism Ontario and the Thunder Bay Therapeutic Riding Association. At the association, which provides an opportunity for children, youth and adults with disabilities to improve their physical and mental health through horseback riding, she regularly helped with its Sunday breakfasts along with her family. She also fundraised within her school network and acted a valued spokesperson.

Colleagues describe Lucy as inclusive, compassionate, and knowledgeable—someone who never fails to think of the children first and whose passion as an advocate is unparalleled.

2019 Tribute Award for Leadership

Elaine Whitmore

Throughout Elaine Whitmore’s 17-years as CEO of John McGivney Children’s Centre (JMCC), the centre grew in the numbers of children and families served, volunteers engaged with the centre and its clients, and its staff complement. JMCC also responded to the needs of the Windsor-Essex community by significantly expanding its scope of services.

Committed to ensuring JMCC is a state-of-the-art children’s treatment centre that is welcoming, fully accessible and family friendly, Elaine led an extensive renovation project that was supported by provincial funding, and a successful staff and community fundraising campaign. JMCC also opened Play McGivney together with the adjacent Hotel Dieu Hospital, a fully accessible outdoor playground for all ages and abilities, and completed an indoor Smilezone renovation to create welcoming and fun indoor public spaces.

JMCC achieved many milestones related to improved service delivery during Elaine’s tenure. The centre is the sole provider of School-Based Rehabilitation Services in the area, ensuring the highest quality of rehabilitation services are provided to children attending schools. On-site clinics from London Health Sciences Centre expanded to meet growing local needs for pediatric orthopedic, rheumatology and genetics expertise, eliminating the need for families to travel outside Windsor-Essex for these services. A renewed focus on recreational therapy resulted in expanded opportunities to support therapy goals and social inclusion.

Elaine has been a tireless advocate for ensuring JMCC families are at the centre of care. Under her leadership JMCC adopted a clear family-centred program and developed a Family Advisory Network whose members play an important role in centre decisions.

As a highly respected and involved member of the Windsor-Essex community, Elaine built strong relationships with local system partners, decision-makers and influencers, including in the ever-growing technology sector, to advancer the sector and to promote client independence, improved quality of life and inclusion for kids with disabilities and their families.

Tribute Award for Partnership

Adele Kirby

Collaboration is at the heart of everything for Adele Kirby, who practices and nurtures partnerships with regional agencies and local providers, and with colleauges across Ontario. Her commitment has created interdisciplinary programs that are integral to One Kids Place (OKP), inspirational to centre staff and peers across the province, and that will impact communities for years to come.

One of the first to join the team when OKP was established, Adele later founded the centre’s office in Gravenhurst, and developed the strong programs for the communities of Muskoka and Parry Sound that are today the significant portion of OKP’s services. She worked with community partners across Northern Ontario to create a family-centred service delivery system that benefits all kids with disabilities and their families, and enhances lives. Adele’s work helped make OKP a home to community partners including the Nipissing Association for Disabled Youth, the North Bay chapter of Autism Ontario, PLAYS, EarlyON, and the Section 23 Transition to School Program.

Adele believes that partnership with community agencies improves services overall, and evidence of this is apparent in programs such as the Sound Community Hub in Parry Sound, a unique partnership that co-locates OKP’s office with local service agencies and has become a model replicated by cities and towns across Ontario. Other examples of this collaborative family-centred approach include the Early Start Denver Model, Coordinated Service Planning, Early Years and Best Start, and Get Ready for Kindergarten, a unique outside the box pilot to ensure all kids are ready and able to be successful in school.

A graduate of University of Toronto’s Speech-Language Pathology program, Adele is known for remaining current with trends and advance is her field and her incorporating knowledge into best in class programs and services. She mentors with an ability to listen, motivate and encourage, building team with a depth of knowledge and positive approach to leadership that is respected by all.

“We’re thrilled to see these fantastic colleagues recognized and honoured by their peers and their communities,” says EKO CEO Jennifer Churchill. “Elaine and Adele have shown us how to keep kids at the centre in our evolving environment, and we are inspired by their many contributions to ensuring Ontario kids with special needs and their families live their best lives.”

EKO Tribute Award Nominees represent the best in class. Read about EKO Tribute Award Recipients

2018 Tribute Award – Partnership

Pathways Health Centre for Children

The Aamjiwnaang First Nation

The Walpole Island First Nation

The Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation

Pathways Health Centre for Children, together with the Aamjiwnaang, Walpole Island, and the Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation have undertaken important work to improve service delivery for children living in First Nations communities in Lambton County.

With startup funding from local industry partners Suncor, Esso, Shell, Nova Chemicals, and Arlanxeo, these partners successfully launched programs that deliver developmental services including speech therapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy, to kids and their families in their communities.

These innovative partnerships between Pathways Health Centre for Children and the First Nations communities have led to the development of community-driven models that are increasing access to services, ensuring children and families receive service in appropriate settings, in their own language, and delivered with and by Indigenous therapists.

Positive impacts are already reported for this initiative, which offers tremendous potential to improve developmental outcomes for children in First Nations communities in the future.

Empowered Kids Ontario is pleased to recognize the deserving partners whose dedication to children and youth is at the heart of these innovative and impactful programs.

2017 Award of Excellence

Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann

As CEO of Grandview Children’s Centre, Ms. Sunstrum-Mann has made contributions that will have a lasting and meaningful impact on the Durham Region, on the network of Ontario’s CTCs, and on the lives of kids with special needs and their families. She is well-regarded for building capacity within the Grandview Kids leadership team and also across the province. Under her leadership the Grandview Kids medical team has cut wait times for assessments by more than two-thirds, and increased visits to 250 a day across six sites with a staff of 150 professionals. Always putting the child first, Ms. Sunstrum-Mann has set the stage for collaborative thinking for years to come. She is an unwavering advocate for kids with medical complexity, and is actively involved in local, provincial and national forums. Faced with the challenge of insufficient and inadequate space, Ms. Sunstrum-Mann envisioned and developed a multi-site model to provide service throughout the region, and she has successfully brought partners on side with these plans for a new facility supporting research, care and inclusion for kids with special needs in the Durham Region.

2017 Tribute Award for Leadership

Dr. Ronit Mesterman

Dr. Ronit Mesterman, Medical Director for Developmental Services and Regional Autism Spectrum Disorder Services, McMaster Children’s Hospital

Dr. Mesterman is founding Chair of the Physicians of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Advocacy (PONDA) network, representing clinicians, researchers and leaders across Ontario who work with kids with special needs. Since its founding in 2011, PONDA has become uniquely positioned to contribute to discussions with policy makers, professionals and caregivers, to address the challenges in caring for kids with special needs and their families, seeking to optimize services across the province so kids with special needs live their best lives.

2016 Award of Excellence

Dr. Mary Thain

Dr. Mary Thain has been the Medical Director of Five Counties Children’s Centre in Peterborough for more than 40 years. She has been their only physician and has established the standard for excellence in rural medical services. Her extensive physician networks and lifelong commitment to continuous learning has ensured that the care and treatment that children receive in the Peterborough area is the leading edge. The care and expertise that she provides allows families to remain close to home and benefit from the latest treatments.

In addition to her local leadership, Dr. Thain served as Chair of the Medical Directors meeting at the OACRS conference for many years. This leadership has fostered both communication and collaboration amongst the physicians and has led to several joint initiatives including a peer review system for physicians and the development of a diagnostic database. Dr. Thain is a Developmental Paediatrician that has made significant contributions to promoting excellence in health care to children with disabilities both in her community and the province.

From left to right: Kent Stringham, Board of Directors - Five Counties Children's Centre, Dr. Mary Thain, Diane Pick, Chief Executive Officer - Five Counties Children's Centre

James Robinson Public School

James Robinson Public School is a known for its culture of inclusivity and collaboration. Located in south-east Markham, it is the first school in the York Region District School Board to build a universally accessible eco schoolyard that allows children of all abilities to play together in an outdoor classroom, accessible garden and play area. The school has also installed a paved learning trail and accessible outdoor amphitheatre. This space ensures the children with special needs including those with multiple needs can be included in activities such as gym and recess.

Recently the school converted their library in to a universally accessible learning space, allowing students with differing physical, sensory and learning and/or mental health challenges to create, re-purpose, explore, invent and innovate. To support their students with multiple exceptionalities the school fosters partnerships with families and other service providers in order to provide the best support to students. The culture of inclusivity extends beyond the specialty classrooms and hallways. 

From left to right: Laura Meffen, Parent - James Robinson Public School, Lara Chebaro, Former Principal - James Robinson Public School, Deb Manni, Teacher - James Robinson Public School

2016 Partnership Award

Smilezone Foundation

Smilezone Foundation is an independent charity committed to “putting smiles on children’s faces.” The charity, founded by Adam Graves and Scott Bachly, established the overarching mission of assisting children, and their families, who are facing difficult times and health challenges. Smilezone’s mission is to create, build and transform areas in hospitals, private treatment and development centres, and children’s clinics, in order to improve the lives of children facing illness, disabilities, and physical and emotional obstacles—ultimately putting a smile on their faces.

Since its inception, Smilezone has partnered with a number of children’s treatment centres across the province. Their work is not only a cosmetic refresh of various spaces but a functional improvement as well. Centres have indicated, “As agencies we provide the day to day clinical service for our clients, Smilezone complements our work by providing a holistic experience from the moment the child walks through the door.” Smilezone has brought an incredible lasting impact to our sector that truly does allow each of our Centres to help our kids realize their potential. 

Jennifer Churchill, Chief Executive Officer, OACRS with Adam Graves, Co-Founder, Smilezone Foundation

2015 Advocacy Award

Dr. Peter Rosenbaum

Throughout his career Peter Rosenbaum has made an enormous impact for children with disabilities and their families not only in the province of Ontario but across the country and around the world. The focus of his work: helping kids to be kids first.

Over the past several decades, Peter has been engaged many Children’s Treatment Centres in establishing and implementing best practices in family-centred care, including the role of a key worker, and measuring progress using the Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC). We have benefited from Peter’s work on outcome measurement and classification and his vision for a system that focuses on quality of life for kids with disabilities. Throughout his career, his has patiently and persistently challenged us to practice with “quality of life” foremost in our work with kids and families.

When we have asked for help, he has responded with warmth, honesty and the best knowledge and support he can provide. He has advocated on behalf of children, youth and families with knowledge, passion, persistence, humour and innovation, in a way that makes us all better in serving kids and families.

2015 Leadership Award

Judy Sharpe

Over the past decade Judy Sharpe, Executive Director of One Kids Place worked fervently and adeptly to fulfill the strategic vision of families and community members of Nippising-Muskoka- Parry Sound to establish a Children’s Treatment Centre. Starting with just 3 staff, under Judy’s leadership One Kids Place has grown to 72 full time and 27 part time staff. Judy’s leadership and integrity are evident in her ability to effectively bring services under one roof in order to better support children and families in her community. Judy is admired by her colleagues across the province for her leadership, hard work and commitment to families. She is recognized as an innovator and change agent. Many describe her as a leader who is dynamic and leads with respect, fairness and grace.

2015 Award of Excellence

Louise Paul

Louise Paul is the past Chair of the OACRS Board of Directors and is the Executive Director of the Children’s Treatment Network. Louise was the first Executive Director in over 10 years to take on the role of OACRS Board Chair, her commitment to the association and the importance of speaking in a united voice is always evident. She wears many hats- often at the same time, including those of strategist and mentor. Louise is trusted by government, respected by her colleagues and admired by many. During this past year she has gone above and beyond to provide support to the association as a whole. OACRS is a stronger organization as a result of her leadership.

2014 Leadership Award

Dorothy Harvey

Dorothy Harvey exemplifies what it means to be a leader in health care. Across the province, Dorothy's colleagues recognize her as someone who facilitates change, is a champion of children, youth and adults with special needs and as a clinician who is always challenging us to improve. She is an amazing blend of technical savvy, clinical expertise and great leadership with an eye on the horizon. Dorothy says her role as a mother grounds her in her daily work - putting from and centre her connection to why CTCs do what they do.

Dorothy is an active member and leader in many OACRS-based provincial working groups, task forces, and pilot projects. For many years, she has been a leader in designing and promoting the annual OACRS Conference. Her leadership has helped build and strengthen the critical connection between front-line staff across the sector to increase our capacity to develop and deliver quality and specialized service for children, youth and families.

2013 Leadership Award

Patricia Baldwin

Over a decade ago, as a result of her interest in supporting the self-determination of youth with disabilities, Patricia Baldwin began a journey that would lead to one of the most fundamental shifts in how therapists approach their work with clients at Thames Valley Children’s Centre in London, Ontario.

As a champion of the relationship-centred practice service delivery model, Patricia introduced, trained and then embedded the use of Solution-Focused Coaching (SFC) an evidence-based model which focuses on a strengths based, collaborative, and goal-oriented approach when working with children and youth with disabilities and the key adults in their lives.

Patricia has provided SFC training to 6 other OACRS organizations and 9 service agencies that have all identified staff to continue building internal capacity. Thanks to Patricia, well over 300 paediatric rehabilitation specialists are using Solution-Focused Coaching today.

2013 Award Of Excellence

Linda Kenny (left)

As CEO of OACRS, Linda energized the children's rehab sector. She focused on the association's role as a provincial advocate for children and youth with disabilities and the need for an integrated and streamlined service delivery system.

Linda fostered a culture of engagement with members, governments and other stakeholders. She pushed the association to think differently about how to work with government. She moved the sector beyond the thinking of "what's good for the sector" to positioning us to frame all that we do in terms of what's best for kids and families. She recognized significant contributions made by individuals and organizations for leadership, excellence and innovation that support OACRS' mandate. The Tribute Awards are testament to Linda's legacy of partnerships and participation in the work of OACRS.

Caroline Stone (right)

Caroline knows first-hand the challenge of raising a children with special needs. It was while she was advocating for her daughter, Shannon, she realized the need to advocate on a provincial level, which brought her to become a member of the OACRS Board of Directors. For the past seven years, Caroline has been instrumental in setting up governance policies and practices consistent with best practices of board accountability and transparency. In her understated but incredibly persuasive manner, she was always able to link her experiences to what parents celebrate and struggle with day-to-day in raising a child with special needs. She speaks passionately about how CTCs and OACRS are essential to the service system in raising the bar to help every child reach his or her potential.

2012 Leadership Award Recipients

Stephen Swatridge (left) and Anne Huot (right)

Stephen Swatridge chaired the Project Executive Committee. His leadership of the executive team for the project ensured an effective, transparent and accountable governance structure to ensure that all the participating centres were moving forward in the same direction.

From the beginning, Stephen’s integrity and credibility marked him as the de facto chair of the project executive. A strong advocate for the collaboration was required to develop and implement a project of this magnitude and complexity, Stephen took on this leadership role amongst his peers. He has led the group to a greater level of trust and confidence as a sector and created and modelled a unifying force within OACRS. His commitment to our sector being “stronger as one” is a legacy that will be felt for years to come.

Anne Huot is the Project’s Director and was recognized for her leadership of the Project Steering Committee. Anne was a driving force behind the development of a sound and supportable business case in the early days, while CRISP was still a glimmer in the eyes of a few. Anne’s approach to teamwork, communication, attention to task and motivation has positioned her as a leader who is well admired by her peers. She has been pivotal in the success of this project as Chair of the Steering Committee and Project Director.

A committee colleague describes Anne as tenacious and a force for good. Her vision has always been focused on the end goal: improvement of care and service delivery for children and families.

2012 Partnership Award Recipient

Client Rehabilitation Information System Project (CRISP) Steering Committee

Since January 2011, the CRISP Steering Committee has been working develop and implement a client information system customized for the unique needs of the children’s rehabilitation sector. This dedicated team was made up of two representatives from each participating CTC, software provider GoldCare Inc. and our project management firm of Healthtech Consultants, have created a customized tool for our sector.

Regular teleconference meetings and participation in monthly meetings by all project team members was imperative and served as a strong motivator of team spirit, project excellence and planning engagement. Joint problem solving and working towards common goals in a positive, encouraging and respectful atmosphere inspired and motivated team members. Every team member had a contribution to make – leadership, practical problem solving, issue identifiers, anxiety busters, clinical expertise and technological know how.

As a result of this tremendous commitment to CRISP, a true network has emerged. The project team has learned from challenges and best practices, resulting in a new level of support and collaboration across the sector. The team will continue to collaborate to develop standardized assessment templates for specific disciplines, sharing best practices and utilizing report data to inform CTC program planning.

Throughout this project, we have used a canoe analogy to represent the commitment, resilience and motivation for the project. To accomplish a goal of this magnitude, it required a trust, a belief that in the end everyone would be in the same canoe, would be paddling together and would be heading in the right direction – together.

The legacy of their work will live on to benefit our sector and most importantly the children and families we serve. Congratulations to the members of the OACRS CRISP Steering Committee

2011 Advocacy Award

Lynn Ziraldo

For the past 36 years, Lynn has been a tireless advocate for children with special needs. As the parent of two sons with special needs, Lynn has taken her knowledge and passion about services needed by kids and families to leaders, so that they can make critical decisions with the information they need. Through her involvement with the Learning Disabilities Association locally, provincially, and nationally, she has advocated for all students with special needs. And by leading and participating in local, provincial, and national boards, committees, and workshops, she has impacted education policy and practice, always focusing on equity, inclusion, and quality.

Lynn continues to be a trailblazer for families of kids with special needs, and a strong voice that urges us to work together—an optimistic, patient, respectful, (and respectfully forceful when needed), knowledgeable, humorous, and child and family-centred voice! She has used her voice to articulate social, health, education, and legal issues to educate leaders and policy-makers, and collaborates with them to find solutions. Leaders have listened to that voice, and it has made all the difference for kids with special needs.

2010 Advocacy Award

Parent Advocacy Committee of the Niagara Peninsula Children's Centre
The Parent Advocacy Committee of the Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre was formed in 2009 to develop strategies and actions to bring government attention to the needs of children in our sector. They enthusiastically began a letter writing campaign to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. When Laurel Broten was appointed our new Minister in October 2009, the parents of Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre were pleased to host her in one of her first CTC visits.

Building on the work undertaken by this energetic group of parents, OACRS devised the “Every Kid Matters” family postcard campaign, resulting in over 500 cards being received by Minister Broten from every part of the province.

OACRS, its member CTCs and families work very hard to develop a positive relationship with MCYS.

This past year is evidence of that work and the strong impact parent advocates have on government representatives.

OACRS is delighted to acknowledge the Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre Parent Advocacy Committee for their initiative, enthusiasm, and hard work.