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Our city is enriched by the contributions of persons with disabilities. Our community is strengthened when everyone is included.
The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) provides advice and recommendations to Council about facilities and other infrastructure, programs, services, activities and policies. This aims to improve the City's livability, inclusiveness and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
The Committee may:
Online applications to fill Committee vacancies are accepted in the annual December/January Recruitment Campaign.
| Name of Appointee | First Appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Councillor Keren Tang | Nov 10/21 | Council's Inaugural Organizational Meeting in 2025 |
| Name of Appointee | Date Appointed | Term Expiry Date |
|---|---|---|
David Achuroa | May 01/22 | Apr 30/26 |
Dana Antaya-Moore (Chair) | May 01/22 | Apr 30/26 |
| Carleen Brenneis | May 25/20 | Apr 30/26 |
| Marie Dancsok | May 01/22 | Apr 30/26 |
| Dreena Davis | May 01/25 | Apr 30/27 |
| Karima Ewig | May 01/23 | Apr 30/26 |
| Tyson Joyce | May 01/25 | Apr 30/27 |
| Tonia LaRiviere | May 01/18 | Apr 30/26 |
| Stephannie Leach | May 01/25 | Apr 30/27 |
| Sam Mason (Vice-Chair) | May 01/23 | Apr 30/26 |
| Daniel Purcell | May 01/25 | Apr 30/27 |
| Douglas Rudolph | May 01/22 | Apr 30/26 |
| Katie Thomas | May 01/24 | Apr 30/26 |
| Zachary Weeks (Vice-Chair) | May 01/21 | Apr 30/26 |
| Kimberly Wood | May 01/25 | Apr 30/27 |
David Achuroa, holds a science degree in community nutrition from the University of Development Studies in Northern Ghana, and a Master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Calgary. His graduate thesis explored the web of cultural practices and systems that influence parental understanding and caring of children with disabilities among the Bulsa in Northern Ghana.
David, a disability advocate, nutritionist, social anthropologist, and policy analyst, undertakes research that increases our knowledge in how institutional, attitudinal, environmental, and communication barriers impact the lives and well-being of people with disabilities. He is a strategic thinker and his knowledge and disability experience has informed decision-making on social supports and services. He loves to volunteer, and has dedicated part of his free time to serve non-profit organizations in Edmonton and Calgary. He currently lives in Edmonton.
Dana Antayá-Moore has over 30 years’ experience, in both education and government contexts. She holds a Master of Education in Educational Psychology from the University of Alberta, a Foundations of Public Participation certificate from the Canadian Trainers Collective and an Essentials of Program Evaluation certificate from the Canadian
Evaluation Society She has also completed GBA+ training.
Dana is currently a member of the Friends of the Steadward Centre board: focused on facilitating adapted physical activity and parasport opportunities for everyone; and the Ability Centred Employment Service (ACES) board: with a vision is to enable each individual, regardless of disability, to live a full life and be integrated into the community.
Relationships matter to Dana and she is known for her ability to bring people together and create space for conversation and learning to occur. She is able to listen in to conversations, identify the common threads or throughlines, and pose questions that draw out the conversation and surface new understandings.
Dana loves spending time with her husband and son, as well as reading, knitting, and spending time outdoors, be that walking with friends, cross-country skiing, cycling, or paddling.
Carleen is a lifelong Edmontonian, who enjoys living and working in this Northern city. A Registered Nurse, with a background in transitions, seniors and palliative care, Carleen is focused on community care. She has a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration and her interests are in compassionate communities and knowledge translation. Being involved in education, research and policy, Carleen is able to assist in interpreting results and applying them to improve communication and care.
Carleen is also a board member of the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council which works with senior service agencies and other stakeholders in the seniors sector to build an Age Friendly Edmonton. Carleen is aware of issues and successes related to accessibility through her work in transitions of care, caregiver support and family and friends.
Marie (she/her) has been involved in Mental Health and Disability issues for over 30 years. Marie’s career started as a Psychiatric Nurse in Canada and abroad. Upon returning to Canada Marie was the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Regina. Along with that role Marie sat on the Regina Access Advisory Committee. Marie’s mental health profession has been complemented by working for organized labour as a Vocational Counsellor, Labour Relations Officer and as an Educator.
Throughout her career Marie has always been an advocate for Mental Health and Disability Issues. She spent 10 years with the Mental Health Commission of Canada as an advisory member and championed several projects related to Mental Health in the workplace including participating in the CSA Approved Psychological Safety Standard and chairing the Aspiring Workforce project. Marie received her Masters in Disability and Community Studies in 2014 and identifies as a lifelong learner.
Marie is passionate in helping create accessible and inclusive communities and workplaces. Marie is an avid champion of the Psychological Safety Standard and in ensuring services and resources are recovery focused.
Dreena Davis, M.A., is a Certified Mediator with extensive experience in disability inclusion, peer support, and conflict resolution. She holds a Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University and has worked across nonprofits, government, the military, and private sectors to champion accessibility, systemic change, and equitable opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Dreena’s work is shaped by both professional expertise and lived experience. Having personally navigated systemic, she has overcome barriers in education, employment, and daily life. She successfully operated her own consulting firm and has worked extensively to improve accessibility in workplaces, community programs, and public policy. While working within the federal government, she transformed a toxic work environment by reducing harassment and improving inclusivity. Additionally, she has raised her children, who struggled with learning disabilities, supporting them in overcoming barriers to achieve academic and professional success.
As a certified Life Skills Coach trained in Peer Support Competencies, Dreena is committed to fostering equitable access, representation, and meaningful change. She continues to advance policies that support accessibility, employment equity, and community engagement for individuals with disabilities.
Karima is a Residential Coordinator at Excel Society. She was born in Alberta, but raised in Toronto. Karima brings nine years of education and over fifteen years of experience in the field of disabilities. Karima’s advocacy stems from her lived experience with epilepsy and challenging the stigma around it.
Karima has had the opportunity to partake in many awareness campaigns for epilepsy. She currently is the Chair of the Board of Directors for Epilepsy York Region in Ontario. Karima has served as a member in the past for the National Youth Forum in Ottawa to promote an
Accessible Canada, Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee and many different National campaigns promoting epilepsy awareness.
Karima moved back to her home province in 2020, for new opportunities of growth. She found herself quickly purchasing a home, and has now turned it into a support home, where she supports two individuals on a daily basis with community participation and integration. When Karima is not at work, she is exploring the City of Edmonton and finding new avenues to gain involvement in the disability community.
Tyson has held many leadership positions in private and public sector organizations that led the creation and enhancement of sustainable accessible policy and inclusive processes to improve the experience for people with a disability towards accessing programs and services and rewarding employment opportunities. These successes in improving the experience for people with a disability have been accomplished through fostering collaboration, engagement, and providing education as a valued partner with stakeholders to create inclusive and thriving relationships.
Through strong policy development, identifying creative solutions to reducing barriers, and partnering with many business and community groups, I am excited to continue to enhance the infrastructure, program development, and education across Edmonton to ensure accessibility for all is paramount to our city's approach to growth and wellbeing.
Tonia LaRiviere was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when she was 12 years old. Since then, she has experienced various degrees of disability. Since 2015 she has been participating in para-sport, where she experienced first-hand the difference that can be made in lives when the proper supports exist in a community.
For over 20 years she has been working in communications and events supporting different not-for-profit festivals, campaigns and initiatives in the city as a publicist, director and board member.
She currently sits on the Alberta/Northwest Territories Divisional Board of Directors for the Arthritis Society and has contributed to educational advancements at the Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement.
Stephannie is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist with Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada serving clients across Northern Alberta and the North West Territories who have vision loss or deaf-blindness. Originally from southwestern Ontario, she has called Edmonton home 2017.
Stephanie is a graduate of Mohawk College with post-graduate certificates in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy and Concurrent Disorders, as well as a Diploma as a Developmental Services Worker from Fanshawe College in Ontario.
Stephannie had been a member of several committees in Ontario from transit and municipal advisory committees to post-secondary accessibility advisory committees. She also volunteered with the Epilepsy Support Center of Ontario and several Developmental Services programs to support individuals with developmental disabilities around southern Ontario. She enjoys sports, reading, traveling and being outdoors. Having vision loss herself and utilizing a guide dog or white cane to navigate through work and life this helps to drive Stephannie’s passion for inclusion, independence, empowerment and accessibility.
Sam Mason (they/she) was born and raised in Edmonton (amiskwaciwâskahikan). They were the Provincial Accessibility Coordinator at Voice of Albertans with Disabilities for 6 years. In that position, they did accessibility audits of many Edmonton landmarks and built relationships with many citizens that are committed to accessibility. Graduating from MacEwan University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Commerce, Sam has brought her skills in marketing, economics and sociology to the non-profit sector as she has always been passionate about improving the lives of others. Sam believes every business, industry and service can be improved when there is a focus on accessibility.
Sam is the current chair for the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights (CJHR) where they continue to push for equality and justice for all people. Sam is increasingly engaged in anti-poverty work and advocating for both accessible and affordable housing. They believe in the principles of harm reduction and intersectionality and practice meeting people where they are at and understanding that everyone’s experiences differ.
Daniel is a public relations professional who uses his communications knowledge to easily explain complex topics. He enjoys volunteering and supporting causes that are important to him. Others would describe him as a compassionate, determined, humourous and likeable individual.
In his spare time, he enjoys watching sports, listening to music or podcasts, travelling and spending time with his partner. You can find him carving the slopes on a sit-ski in the winter, and riding a wave on an adapted waterski in the summer.
Prior to my moving to Edmonton in 2020, I had the opportunity to sit on a multitude of boards within the not for profit sector. Both boards directly had impact on the lives, and inclusivity of persons with visual impairments, one being directly involved with service delivery & programming and the other being a provincial sports governing body. In conjunction with this amazing experience, I also had the opportunity to work within the Government of Saskatchewan, in the Ministry of Social Services Disability Programs unit, which had a direct impact in bettering the lives of persons with various disabilities.
I believe that one factor of a great community, a great city is ensuring accessibility and inclusivity to everybody, within all sectors of one's life, environment, and innovative thinking as to how one can improve the lives of people by implementing features that one may have not thought of as being needed. I have always thought this way as a result of my own disability, which has guided my direction in life and work/volunteer opportunities.
Katie Thomas has lived in Edmonton her entire life and is currently living in the downtown area. She is someone with lived experience of dwarfism and is the only person in her family with the condition.
Katie works at Homeward Trust as the Programs Training Specialist, and cares greatly about her community.
Born and raised in Edmonton, Zachary has been featured in the media as a spokesperson on disability issues since he was 18. He has consulted on a variety of building developments, including the Glenrose's Bill Black Auditorium, the Walterdale Theatre and Rogers Place. Zachary was a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and is an alumnus of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. He was co-chair of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities planning committee in Edmonton from 2011 to 2014. He has been an active member of the City of Edmonton’s Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) since 2013, serving as chair of the Community Engagement Committee until 2016, and then as chair of the AAC until 2019. His personal interests include cheering on the Edmonton Oilers and spending quality time with his wife and family.
Kimberly is a visionary leader and passionate advocate for accessibility and inclusion, with over 20 years of experience championing the rights of individuals with disabilities. As the founder and chair of the Canada Deaf Grassroots Movement (CDGM), she has led transformative initiatives that amplify the voices of the Deaf, Deaf Indigenous, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind (DDIHHDB) communities, while breaking barriers to accessibility across Canada.
With extensive experience in policy advocacy, stakeholder collaboration, and strategic planning, Kimberly has been instrumental in advancing inclusive hiring strategies, governance frameworks, and accessibility policies. Her dedication to fostering a more equitable society is matched by her ability to inspire and mobilize communities, making her a respected leader in the field of accessibility and advocacy.
Checklist for Accessibility and Universal Design in Architecture
Bylaw 17002 Accessibility Advisory Committee Bylaw
Accessibility Advisory Committee
18th Floor, Edmonton Tower
10111 - 104 Avenue
PO Box 2359
Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4
| accessibility@edmonton.ca | |
| Phone | 311 |
| Fax | 780-577-3525 |
