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What Is Your Educational Background?
- Bachelor of Arts (History) University of Ottawa (1991)
- Bachelor of Education University of Ottawa (1993)
- Additional Teaching Qualifications: Special Education I, English as a Second Language I, Physical & Health Education I, Reading I
- Master of Arts (Linguistics & Applied Language Studies) Carleton University (2001)
- Professional Certificate in Public Sector and Non-Profit Marketing, Carleton University (2010)
What Are Some Of Your Previous Work Experiences?
From 1995-1997 I worked for a technology company managing a national education project for the federal SchoolNet program. Prior to that I worked in schools and for various non-profit organizations, mainly in Special Education and delivering community programs for people with intellectual disabilities.
How Long Have You Been With LiveWorkPlay?
I have worked for LiveWorkPlay from the beginning (1995), full-time since 1997.
What Is Your Motivation For Your Work At LiveWorkPlay?
It's really exciting to see people realize their goals. Many of the people I have worked with at an intimate level have broken through barriers that at times appeared insurmountable. This of course is a great gift to me in staying motivated and enjoying what I have chosen to do.
In recent years I have started to understand how the actions of individuals - when they come together as communities of interest - can change the world. LiveWorkPlay is transitioning from a small social services agency to a social change agency that can influence positive outcomes. It is about people with intellectual disabilities acquiring the rights and opportunities of full citizenship, and that takes many shapes and forms - if you are an employer looking to diversify your workplace, give me a shout!
What Do You Find Challenging?
Supporting direct services to people while at the same time being involved in administration, strategic planning, social marketing, and other tasks can make life rather complex at times. But working with people as a matter of routine keeps me very grounded and connected with what LiveWorkPlay is all about.
How Would You Describe The LiveWorkPlay Work Environment?
It is an organized form of chaos. We are always changing what we do (sometimes in a big way, sometimes just a tweak here and there) because that is the only way to improve - and, hopefully, because we are listening. Being responsive to changing needs and situations is demanding works. You need a good team around you to thrive in this environment. I don't think I have ever heard a LiveWorkPlay staff member complain of being bored. If that ever happened, it was temporary!
What Have You Learned About People With Intellectual Disabilities?
The world is a very challenging place with lots of barriers that impact particularly heavily on people with intellectual disabilities. But people with intellectual disabilities aren't broken and it is not my job or anyone else's job to fix them. My views have changed a lot over the years thanks to all the people I have had the honour of working with, and understanding the difference between support and control is not as easy as it seems. It takes constant effort, self-reflection, and an openness to internal and external criticism (and even then, mistakes will be made!).
What Have You Learned About Family Members Of People With Intellectual Disabilities?
When it comes to walking that fine line between support and control, parents and siblings of people with intellectual disabilities have the toughest job in the world. They generally run into a lot of roadblocks in a role of lead advocate, and as a result they tend to be very self-reliant and it can take a long time to earn enough trust for them to relinquish part of that role. To earn and keep their trust you have to work hard at being transparent about what you are doing and you also need to be very patient. There are a lot of times where it might appear that your efforts are not appreciated but you can't dwell on that, you need to dismiss it in the same way you should dismiss excessive praise.
What Have You Learned About Societal Attitudes Towards People With Intellectual Disabilities?
Speaking in very general terms, I don't think most people have developed an attitude about people with intellectual disabilities because they haven't thought about it very much. For those people who do have something to say, I've learned it is impossible to predict what they will think or say based on their age, life experience, or other factors. People can really surprise you (in positive ways and negative ways). It's an unfortunate reality that it is often people "in the field" that have the most challenging attitudes and that is why it is important to be outward-thinking and not become locked into systemic barriers.
What Has Been Your Most Interesting LiveWorkPlay Experience?
It's impossible to pick just one, but the "Bridge 58 Incident" stands out: I "enjoyed" capsizing in a canoe with two of our adult members on a LiveWorkPlay camping trip. We shared a raw human moment where the three of us went from shock, to distress, to uncontrollable laughter all in the course of about three minutes (note: always wear a life jacket!).
Being part of the On Our Own Together housing projects was very memorable, because as individuals and as a group there were "firsts" happening almost every day. It was mentally exhausting but also quite a thrill to be a part of it. In recent times nothing can top the On Our Own Together Too transitional housing initiative. But I think the best experience of all is just observing someone who is living their life under their own terms. That's not easily achieved for people with intellectual disabilities.
When You Are Not At LiveWorkPlay What Do You Do?
I like to play tennis, bike, and kayak. I enjoy wildlife, and it doesn't have to be exotic. I get a big kick out of squirrels, muskrats, hawks, and other critters that can be seen in the urban and suburban environment. I definitely enjoy a good meal, and I'd rather go out just once in a while to a quality restaurant than eat at chain restaurants or fast food. I spend a lot of time with my wife and we enjoy most of the activities above together. I like spending time with friends and family, although the holiday season tends to stress me out!
I am working on learning to relax, but I still spend a lot of my personal time on work-related activities, especially tuning up the LiveWorkPlay website, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Social marketing (with social media as a key tool) is a really important way for our organization to communicate and promote changes in attitude and behaviour.
Building a start-up non-profit has never left much time for pleasure travel, but I am trying to make up for lost time. However, I think I am kind of a classic Ottawa native when it comes to my attitude about travel, because often the best thing about travelling is to realize how much I like where I live!
I believe in volunteerism as a fundamental necessity for good citizenship. I have been involved with Meals on Wheels Ottawa for about ten years, and I am very proud of my 1000 hours pin, I like to wear it on my tie (when I wear one, which is not that often). I recently moved to the New Edinburgh area and am currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the New Edinburgh Community Alliance.
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