David Berman
David Berman has over 30 years of experience in inclusive design: he strongly believes we can include everyone, without tradeoffs. As author (Do Good Design [Pearson, 2013]), expert speaker, and strategist, his work has brought him to over 50 countries. David is a high-level advisor to the United Nations on accessible Web design thinking. He’s also an International Advisor at G3ICT, advising governments on inclusive design policy, and chair of the Carleton Access Network at Carleton University. He serves on the ISO committee for accessible PDF. Clients include BMO, IBM, the International Space Station, and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Adrian D.C. Chan
Dr. Adrian D.C. Chan is a Professor with the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, Assistant Vice-President (Academic) at Carleton University, and Director of the NSERC CREATE Research and Education in Accessibility, Design, and Innovation (READi) training program. He is a biomedical engineering researcher with expertise in biological signal processing, biomedical signal quality assessment, assistive devices, and noninvasive sensor systems. He is Registered Professional Engineer, a Senior Member of the IEEE, member of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, member of the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society, member of the and Biomedical Engineering Society, and a 3M Teaching Fellow.
Audrey Girouard
Dr. Girouard is an Associate Professor at the School of Information Technology at Carleton University, Ottawa, and leads the Creative Interactions Lab. As a human computer interaction researcher, she specializes in next generation interactions: her work pioneers novel interaction techniques with emerging user interfaces through software and hardware design, development and evaluation. Her research focuses on deformable user interactions, flexible displays, and bend gesture inputs, studying how changing the form factor and shape of devices can provide additional opportunities for interaction. She has recently received the Ontario Early Researcher Award, the Carleton University Research Achievement Award and the Partner in Research Technology Achievement Award.
Emily Harmsen
Emily Harmsen is a master’s student in the Cultural Studies department at Queen’s University; she has a bachelor of design (fashion design) from Ryerson University. She is involved with two committees on campus that focus on the built and virtual environments in relation to accessibility. She has experience working as an IT specialist and continues to work as a freelance artist/designer alongside her full-time employment at Queen’s. Her current thesis is focusing on inclusive design and accessibility in relation to ethical/sustainable manufacturing practices of material apparel items. Emily is happy to be able to support the continued success of the READi program as a member of the program committee this academic year.”
Yazmine Laroche
Yazmine Laroche was appointed Associate Deputy Minister, Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on November 25, 2013. Ms. Laroche has many years of experience in public policy, program design and delivery, communications, strategic planning and corporate management, having served in a variety of federal government departments including Communications, Canadian Heritage, the Canada Information Office, Privy Council Office, Treasury Board Secretariat and Infrastructure Canada. She began her public service career as a communications officer in Transport Canada. She was appointed as an Assistant Deputy Minister in 2000. In 2004, Ms. Laroche joined the Privy Council Office to develop the Government of Canada’s “New Deal for Cities and Communities”. In 2009, she was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Executive Policies and Talent Management in the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer. She was appointed DM Champion for federal public servants with disabilities in November, 2015. Ms. Laroche is a graduate of Carleton University and a director of the Board of Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
Nicholas Berezny
Nicholas Berezny is a PhD student at Carleton University. He researches the interaction between humans and robots, particularly as it applies to stroke rehabilitation. This can include everything from low-level control systems for safe interaction, up to high-level concepts such as engaging the patients using digital games. He is also interested in accessible design and assistive devices, which he continues to learn about through the READi program and apply to work with the Tetra Society.
Mahadeo Sukhai
Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai is the world’s first congenitally blind biomedical research scientist. Mahadeo is the Head of Research and Chief Accessibility Officer for the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind), having previously served as a research scientist at the University Health Network in Toronto. Dr. Sukhai is the Principal Investigator for and co-author of “Creating a Culture of Accessibility in the Sciences,” a book based on his groundbreaking work on access to science within higher education, and serves as the principal investigator for national projects to understand the student experience for persons with disabilities, and to examine accessibility and inclusion within science education and healthcare.
Boris Vukovic
Boris Vukovic is a Disabilities Specialist with 18 years of experience supporting students with high-incidence disabilities at the Paul Menton Centre. Over the years Boris has developed the PMC standards of practice for documentation, accommodations, and support services, and is involved in the development of such standards at the national level. He performs disability screening and formal psychoeducational assessments, and has designed a number of key assessment protocols. His long-standing work, research, presentations, and publications in accessibility has focused on faculty development in inclusive instruction and universal design in education, through many years of collaboration with academic units and the EDC. Dr. Vukovic has taught undergraduate and graduate courses, holds a B.A. in Psychology from Carleton University, M.Ed. in Educational Counselling from University of Ottawa, and a PhD in Educational Psychology from McGill University.