Facilitator and Principal Investigator

Patty Douglas (she/they) is a former special education teacher in Ontario and British Columbia and an Associate Professor of Disability Studies in the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University. She is a Senior Research Affiliate at the Re•Vision Centre for Art and Social Justice at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on rethinking deficit approaches to disability at the intersection of difference in education using critical and creative approaches including disability studies, critical autism studies, mad (m)othering, decolonial studies and arts-based and creative methodologies.

Facilitator and Research Assistant

Haley Clark (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University. Her research focuses on inclusive education, well-being, mentorship, and critical disability studies. Her research explores how systemic barriers, stigma, and educational structures impact the well-being and self-determination of students with ADHD.

Facilitator and Research Assistant

Caelan Ames Carrière (she/they) is a PhD student in Education at Queen’s University. Her research explores the lived experiences of neurodiverse students, educators, and academics, focusing on relationships between identity, belonging and understandings of inclusivity in education. Using arts-based and autoethnographic methodologies, she positions 'participants’ as co-creators of knowledge through transformational research practices. Caelan is a Métis, neurodiverse and invisibly disabled scholar who holds an HBA (Music), BEd, and MEd for Change (Social Justice Education) and is committed to advancing inclusive, community-engaged scholarship and education that amplifies the voices of those who have been underrepresented in these spaces.

Facilitator

Margaret Tuomi is the Coordinator of the Algoma Youth Wellness Hub in Sault Ste. Marie.  She works alongside youth, families, and community partners to strengthen access to integrated mental health and wellness supports for young people ages 12–25 in the Algoma District. She brings more than 25 years of experience supporting autistic children and youth, including ten years working in an Indigenous community with children with complex needs. Margaret volunteers with Autism Ontario and serves as the Special Education Advisory Committee representative for the Algoma District School Board. She is also a proud mother and grandmother committed to inclusive communities.

Photographer

Gina Snooks is a photographer, storyteller, and arts-based researcher. She uses photography as a tool for exploring identity and the world around her. She also helps others use photography as a medium for self-exploration and self-expression. Gina holds a PhD in Women’s Studies and Feminist Research. Gina loves to travel and has been to 11 counties, so far. 

Co-Investigator

Dr. Bobbette is an assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. As an occupational therapist, Dr. Bobbette’s research focuses on promoting meaningful participation and fostering the health and well-being of adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families.

Co-Investigator

Dr. Nicole Ineese-Nash (she/her) is an Oji-Cree educator, researcher, and community helper whose work focuses on Indigenous community development, mental health and wellbeing, education, and land-based practices. She is a member of Constance Lake First Nation in Treaty 9 territory and resides and works in Tkaronto. Nicole is an assistant professor in the schools of Early Childhood Studies and Child and Youth Care at Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as the academic coordinator of the Indigenous Child and Youth Engagement Certificate at the Chang School of Continuing Education. Nicole founded and serves as the executive director of a national non-profit organization called a Finding Our Power Together, which provides mental health resources to Indigenous communities across Canada. Nicole’s educational background is in Early childhood Studies and Social Justice Education, specializing in Indigenous Health, Disability, and Education. Nicole has worked directly with Indigenous youth, children, and communities for over a decade and seeks research and teaching opportunities that promote Indigenous self-determination and resurgence.

Co-Investigator

 Elizabeth Straus (they/she) is an autistic, disabled, and queer white settler nurse scholar and educator and Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University. They conduct intersectional, community-engaged and participatory research with autistic and neurodivergent communities to challenge stereotypes and contribute to affirming practices and cultures in health care, education, and communities. They are currently the Principal Investigator of Beyond the Normative Knot, a SSHRC-funded multimedia storytelling and interview project exploring the entanglements of gender, sexuality, and autism. They are also particularly interested in eating practices of and eating difficulties experienced by autistic adults.

Partner Researcher

Dr. Jonathan Lai is the Executive Director at Autism Alliance of Canada. He also holds an Adjunct Faculty position in Health Services Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. 
At Autism Alliance of Canada, Jonathan’s work involves responding to emerging national policy gaps in the autism and disability sector. Through his career, he has experience working at the interface of research, community and policy to affect systems change in the health and social services sector across Canada and internationally. From designing surveys and analyzing data on service use for people with developmental disabilities to facilitating policy dialogues on autism and disability, he champions the use of data and community perspectives to inform decision making.
Jonathan has been appointed to serve as the Vice Co-chair of the Minister of National Revenue’s Disability Advisory Committee to improve how the Disability Tax Credit and other federal disability tax measures are delivered. He is also a former Maytree Policy School fellow.
His graduate research training was in Neuroscience at the University of Guelph and McMaster University focused on gene-environment influences on the developing brain, funded by Ontario Mental Health Foundation and subsequently, as a CIHR Vanier Scholar. This was followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at York University in knowledge mobilization and a CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship at McGill University.

Research Assistant

Paisley completed her Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Science at the University of Guelph and is currently studying disability justice in the context of autistic graduate students. Her community-engaged approach will lead to collaboratively developed recommendations for university administration based on direct input from autistic contributors.

Research Assistant

Naziba Hoque is a first year PhD student at the Faculty of Education, Queen’s University, Canada. She is an Assistant Professor on study leave at American International University-Bangladesh. She completed her BA in English Language and Literature and her MA in Literature in English and Cultural Studies (LECS) from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. Her research examines the notions of women’s identity. For her doctoral study, she examines Motherhood Studies and Critical Disability Studies using an intersectional lens to explore the complexities associated with mothering.

Partner Researcher

Liliana Scatozza is the Research and Evaluation Specialist at Autism Ontario, where she works to enhance advocacy, programs, and resources through applied research. She holds an MSc in Kinesiology and brings a lifespan perspective to her work, with a focus on the experiences of autistic individuals and their families. Liliana is a strong advocate for the autistic community, committed to generating evidence that informs inclusive, person-centered supports.