Speaker Biographies - Rainbow Health Ontario

L G B T Q
Jacques Abourbih received his medical
doctorate from McGill in 1973. After a year of
internship at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal,
Jacques continued training in surgery at University
of Toronto. Jacques specialized in Urology, where
he practiced surgery urology for 27 years. In the
past 10 years, he taught at the Northern Ontario
School of Medicine where he is currently associate
professor of surgery and recipient of Professor
Honorarius at his retirement on May 2nd, 2014.
Alex Abramovich has worked in the
area of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer, questioning, and 2-Spirit (LGBTQ2S)
youth homelessness for 10 years. Alex is an
internationally recognized leader in the area of
LGBTQ2S youth homelessness and is one of few
Canadian researchers studying the phenomenon
of queer and trans youth homelessness. Alex
completed his Doctorate at the Ontario Institute
for Studies in Education (OISE), University of
Toronto. Alex currently works at the Centre for
Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the Social
and Epidemiological Research Department, where
he is researching LGBTQ2S youth homelessness
and access to mental health services. Alex’s
research focuses on issues regarding
homophobia and transphobia in shelters and
youth serving organizations, the experiences that
LGBTQ2S young people have in the shelter system,
and how broader policy issues serve to create
oppressive contexts for LGBTQ2S youth.
Alex Abramovich concentre ses travaux
sur l’itinérance chez les ja travaillé pendant 10
ans auprès des jeunes itinérants, qu’il s’agisse
de personnes lesbiennes, gaies, bisexuelles,
transgenres, queers, en questionnement ou
bispirituelles (LGBTQ2S). Reconnu à l’échelle
internationale comme spécialiste de cette clientèle,
Alex est l’un des seuls chercheurs canadiens à
s’être penché sur le phénomène de l’itinérance
chez les jeunes queers et trans. Alex Abramovich
a obtenu son doctorat à l’Institut d’études
pédagogiques de l’Ontario (IEPO) de l’Université de
Toronto. Alex travaille présentement au Social and
Epidemiological Research Department du Centre
de toxicomanie et de santé mentale (CAMH), où
il poursuit ses travaux sur les jeunes LGBTQ2S
sans domicile fixe et l’accès aux services de
H E A L T H
M A T T E R S
santé mentale. Ses travaux portent sur les enjeux
entourant l’homophobie et la transphobie dans les
refuges et dans les organismes voués à la jeunesse,
sur l’expérience vécue par les jeunes LGBTQ2S
dans les réseaux de refuges et sur la façon dont les
enjeux politiques plus larges créent des contextes
d’oppression pour les jeunes LGBTQ2S. Barry D. Adam is Distinguished University
Speaker Biographies
B E C A U S E
Professor of Sociology at the University of Windsor,
and Senior Scientist and Director of Prevention
Research at the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.
He collaborates with community groups to work on
research solutions to the health needs of the diverse
populations of gay and other men who have sex with
men including Resonance, Gay Strengths and the
Trans MSM studies.
Ronnie Ali (they/them) is a Counsellor at
Egale Youth Outreach, providing mental health
counselling, case management and advocacy
support to LGBTQ2S youth, ages 29 and under,
experiencing homelessness and/or suicide
crisis, or if they are not sure where else they
can go for help. They have a Master of Arts in
Counselling Psychology, 3 years of experience
providing psychological services to young adults,
with a specific focus on providing trans-positive
approaches to therapy.
Dawn Atwell, Practice Manager, Hamilton
Family Health Team and Ken Burgess, Family
Physician, Hamilton Family Health Team. These
participants will share the story of the steps their
primary care practice team took to increase positive
space and what the outcomes have been.
Inali Barger is a longstanding member of the
London Poetry Slam community. Having made the
local finals stage multiple years, performed on the
2012 Nationals team, hit a nationals stage at the
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in 2014, and made
the national team again in 2015, Inali has had a wide
variety of performance opportunities. In the 8 years
performing in London as a spoken word artist, Inali
has also featured at AGMs for organizations such
as Family Services Thames Valley, written work
specifically for events such as the London History
Symposium at Aeolian Hall, and facilitated spoken
word writing and performance workshops for all
ages. Some of their performance themes include
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H E A L T H
O N T A R I O
Betty Jo Barrett is the Assistant Dean of Academic
and Student Success for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and
Social Sciences and an Associate Professor of Social Work
and Women’s Studies at the University of Windsor. For over
ten years, she has conducted research on intimate partner
violence. Prior to her current position, she contributed to antiviolence efforts as a feminist social worker serving survivors
of sexual violence and families involved with the child
welfare system.
Bruce Baskerville is a Senior Scientist with the
University of Waterloo, Propel Centre for Population Health
Impact and an Adjunct Professor with the University of
Waterloo, School of Public Health and Health Systems. He
is a mixed-methods researcher with over 20 years of public
and private sector experience in applied research and
program evaluation in the behavioural and management
sciences putting research into action to create change. At
Propel, Bruce conducts tobacco control research with a
focus on reducing health disparities.
and Graduate Chair in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, in
the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western
University. She has almost two decades of training and
experience in quantitative health research methodology
specific to LGBT communities. She has published 36
academic papers or chapters on lesbian, gay, bisexual and/
or trans health topics, including 8 on research methodology.
the YMCA Peace Medallion. She was the facilitator of the
youth group Pride and Prejudice Grey Bruce through ARCH,
compiled the book “Growing Up Gay in Grey and Bruce”,
and organized Owen Sound pride celebrations, collaborated
on compiling a Rainbow resource box and wrote an
educational guide available for youth workers and teachers.
She is also the educational consultant and key support
person to youth involved in Sheatre’s “Be Our Ally”.
Maud Bélanger PhD obtained her medical degree
in 2005 from Laval University in Quebec City. In 2010, she
completed her residency in plastic surgery at the University
of Montreal and went on to do her fellowship in microsurgery
and breast reconstructive surgery at the renowned University
of UZ Ghent in Belgium. Prior to dedicating her medical
practice to a purely private one, Dr. Bélanger was an
attending doctor at Hôtel Dieu de St-Jérôme. She receives
patients in Montréal and also at her office at St-Jérôme.
Dr. Bélanger is a member of:
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• Quebec Association of Specialists in Plastic and
Aesthetic Surgery
• Collège des Médecins du Québec
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Société Canadienne de Chirurgie Esthétique Plastique
recherche, Université de Waterloo, Propel Centre for
Population Health Impact, professeur adjoint, Université
de Waterloo, École de santé publique et des systèmes
de santé, Waterloo (Ontario). Chercheur utilisant une
méthodologie de recherche mixte, il compte plus de 20 ans
d’expérience dans les secteurs public et privé en recherche
appliquée et évaluation de programmes dans le domaine
des sciences du comportement et de la gestion, et travaille à
transposer la recherche en action concrète afin d’amorcer le
changement. Chez Propel, Bruce travaille en recherche sur
le contrôle du tabagisme, particulièrement en réduction des
disparités en matière de santé.
Greta Bauer, PhD, is an Associate Professor
C O N F E R E N C E
Joan Beecroft is a retired teacher and recipient of
Stigma and Oppression, Youth Empowerment/Power of
Voice, Strength/Hope/Experience, & General Showcase.
Their workshop themes include Speak Your Truth/Show
the Love, Tarzan Ropes/Original Metaphors, Poet Activism,
Community building through the arts.
Bruce Baskerville est préposé principal à la
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• World Professional Association for Transgender Health
Conseil Médical Canadien (LMCC)
Monica Bennett has over 25 years of experience
in the not-for-profit sector creating successful partnerships,
developing and implementing programming, and
developing policies and practices that improve personal and
organizational health. She has a specialized background
in commercial tobacco control, sexual health and sexual
and gender diversity. Monica currently work’s for Smokers’
Helpline as a regional coordinator dedicated to increasing
the capacity of health care providers, community service
organizations and others to integrate tobacco cessation
into their practice and programming and the knowledge
of cessation support services that are available both to
practitioners and to quitters.
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H E A L T H
Sonny Berenson is a trans-identified community
facilitator and artist. As a coordinator and facilitator, they are
dedicated to continually creating safer, accessible spaces
for individuals and the complex intersectional identities they
hold. As a community based artist, they have organized and
participated in numerous events across Canada and value
the power of art in asking questions, challenging assumptions
and building community. They use a variety of art mediums
throughout these programs, in ways that promote self-care,
and access to community and relationship building.
Vincent Bolt is a Laurentian University Alumnus with an
Honours Degree in English Literature. He is currently enrolled
in the School of Indigenous Relations Honours Bachelor of
Indigenous Social Work Program at Laurentian University. He
has been active in the transgender community since 2007. He
is passionate about his work as the Project Coordinator for TG
Innerselves. When he has spare time he likes to spend it curled
up with a good book and his adopted bunny Winter.
Jackie Bootsma MSW, RSW, Mental Health
Counsellor, is an active member of the Hamilton Family Health
Team’s Positive Working Group and active in community
advocacy.
Dale Boyle is the Community Development Coordinator
at the Gilbert Centre. Dale has over four years and 100 guest
speaking roles supporting LGBT work in rural and suburban
communities. Previously, he worked as the Gilbert Centre’s
Youth Programs Coordinator, facilitating youth groups
throughout the county. Dale also started the Ally Campaign,
which focuses around providing LGBT awareness and
education workshops to not for profits, educational institutions,
community groups, and more.
M A T T E R S
Jay Bruneau is a youth from Sudbury who has been
advocating for 4 years now. Jay is a youth from the foster
care system who believe that the voice of young people are
important and believes that everyone voice should be elevated.
Julie Bull is of Inuit descent and is a member of
NunatuKavut, from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. She
is currently the Executive Director of the Toronto Aboriginal
Support Services Council (TASSC) – a research and policy
organization that aims to address the social determinants of
health to ensure a rich and vibrant Indigenous community
in the city of Toronto. Julie is an award winning Indigenous
scholar whose research work examines research ethics and
the governance of research in Indigenous communities. She
has published and presented on this topic nationally and
internationally. Julie is an active volunteer in various communitybased organizations in Toronto, including the Mood Disorders
Association of Ontario Research Advisory Committee and is
a mentor in the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership
through the Coady International Institute at St. Frances Xavier
University.
Ken Burgess, Family Physician, Hamilton Family Health
Team and Dawn Atwell, Practice Manager, Hamilton Family
Health Team. These participants will share the story of the
steps their primary care practice team took to increase positive
space and what the outcomes have been.
Sarah Burtch has been working in the HIV sector for
15 years. In her role as the Women’s Community Development
Coordinator at Positive Living Niagara she has been working to
enhance local community capacity to serve women living with
or at risk of HIV. Sarah is also one of the co-investigators on
the What’s Up With Older LGBTQ Folks in Niagara? project.
Melissa Carroll is of mixed Irish and Mi’kmaq descent
David J. Brennan, PhD, is an Associate Professor
of Social Work at the University of Toronto and Ontario HIV
Treatment Network Applied HIV Research Chair in Gay and
Bisexual Men’s Health. Dr. Brennan’s community-based
research program focuses on marginalized gay, bisexual, twospirit and other men who have sex with men. He has examined
resilience among two-spirit HIV-positive men, body image
among gay men of color, and online outreach and health
promotion via mobile apps. His research is also supported by
the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, and focuses on
the health and well-being of gay, bisexual, two-spirit and other
MSM.
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from Prince Edward Island. She is a queer woman and Two-Spirit
activist and an active member of both the Native and LGBT*QI
communities. Holding a Doctorate in Cultural Studies from
McMaster University, Melissa currently works as a community
researcher and was most recently a consultant for Native
Child and Family Services of Toronto where she completed the
policy paper “Closing the Gap: An Education and Employment
Framework for Aboriginal Youth in Scarborough.” Melissa was
also the head researcher for the Toronto Aboriginal Support
Services Council (TASSC) in 2013-2014 and completed such
projects as “The Forgotten Voices Project”—a youth-led
Indigenous research project with 2-Spirit, LGBT*Q and Asexual
Indigenous homeless youth in Toronto. Since the research stage
of the project, Melissa has been encouraging, facilitating, and
mentoring Indigenous youth in their development of ODE, a
R A I N B O W
H E A L T H
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C O N F E R E N C E
Lara Descartes has a PhD in Anthropology from the
unique drop-in program envisioned by and for the youth called
which opened January 2015.
Joan Chandler is a producer, director, writer, arts
educator and workshop facilitator. Her work focuses on
interactive productions about social issues, and on plays that
celebrate community and the creative spirit. Joan has a keen
ability to work with groups, collaboratively spinning new plays
with, by and about their own stories and concerns. She is also
an award-winning script writer. She is the founding Artistic
Director of the professional community arts company Sheatre.
Joan lives near Wiarton, Ontario.
Tamara Chipperfield is the Director of Mental
Health and Addictions at Centretown Community Health
Centre in Ottawa. Tamara has worked in the field of Mental
Health and Addictions for over ten years in the Ottawa area.
Over the last year Tamara has had the pleasure of supporting,
along with her CCHC colleagues, capacity building within the
community health sector.
Victoria Corbett is a youth from Sault Ste Marie who
has been advocating for two and a half years. Victoria uses
her own lived experiences to create change in her community.
Kusha Dadui is the Tran Program Coordinator at
Sherbourne Health Centre in Toronto. He came here as a
refugee from Iran about 20 years ago and has worked with
The 519 Community Centre, Iranian Queer Organization and
a Chelteke, a queer collective to improve the lives of Queer
and Trans refugees. He currently works with trans* youth and
mostly trans* newcomers.
Andrea Daley is Associate Professor in the School of
Social Work at York University. She has published on social
justice issues including those impacting sexual and gender
minority communities with a particular focus on access
to equitable and good quality health care; lesbian/queer
women’s experiences of psychiatric services; and gender,
sexuality, race, and class and the interpretative nature of
psychiatric chart documentation as it relates to psychiatric
narratives of women’s mental distress.
University of Michigan. She is faculty in Family Studies at
Brescia University College. She has published on the topics
of LGBT health and aging, qualitative research, support
exchange, work and family, and media and family. Her current
work is with sexual minority single parents.
Christoffer Dharma is an MSc Candidate in
Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University. He earned
his BSc at Simon Fraser University in statistics and psychology.
His master’s project evaluates different measures of sexual
orientation commonly used in population health surveys.
Joël Dickinson is a Laurentian University professor
with expertise in statistics, cognitive processes, and schema
and reading, and equally co-chair of the Sexuality and Gender
Diversity Committee at Laurentian University. In the past five
years, she has focused on helping to create the new Cognitive
Health Research Laboratory at Laurentian University, while
teaching and supervising honours and graduate students.
Some typical projects include the supervision of The
Lesbian Motherhood Survey, and research which led to the
2011 publication of her article ‘’The Impact of ‘Violating the
Heterosexual norm’ on Reading Speed and Accuracy’’. Joël
has a BA and a PhD from the University of New Brunswick.
Tuval Dinner is a parent, a partner and violence
prevention educator. Over the past ten years he has facilitated
workshops and delivered presentations for thousands of
young people, educators, parents and community members
on issues relating to sexism, healthy relationships, gender
equity and eliminating violence from our lives. Tuval has
worked for the Victoria Women’s Sexual Assault Centre’s
teen program, Project Respect and for White Ribbon. Tuval
coordinates outreach and public education for COPA.
Sharp Dopler is of Sauk/Fox, Cherokee and Irish
Ilana David is a social worker with the Gender-Based
Violence Prevention Office in the Toronto District School
Board, providing a range of support and consultation services
to schools and families. Ilana facilitates groups for parents/
caregivers of trans* and gender independent students; provides
counselling services to students in the Triangle Program,
Canada’s only LGBTQ alternative school; and advocates for
safe and inclusive school climates across the TDSB. 77
descent and has worked on LGBTT2SQA issues professionally
and personally since coming out around 1983. Sharp has
extensive experience as a presenter including presentations
at National and International gatherings. Sharp serves the
Indigenous community as a traditional Helper to the Elders in
ceremony and enjoys sharing the gift of the drum. Sharp has a
Master’s Degree in Canadian Studies and an honours diploma
in Social Service Work. Sharp also holds a second Dan (or 2nd
degree) Black Belt in Taekwon Do..
B E C A U S E
L G B T Q
Sharp Dopler dont l’origine autochtone
descendante des Sauk-Fox et des Cherokees se mêle à du
sang irlandais, porte un intérêt professionnel et personnel
aux questions LGBBTTQA depuis l’affirmation de son
identité, vers 1983. Sharp possède une vaste expérience de
présentateur et est monté en tribune à maintes reprises lors
d’événements nationaux et internationaux. Sharp travaille
auprès des communautés autochtones en tant qu’aide
traditionnel aux aînés lors de cérémonies et aime partager
sa passion pour le tambour. Sharp est titulaire d’une maîtrise
en études canadiennes et d’un baccalauréat spécialisé en
assistance sociale. Sharp est également ceinture noire 2e
Dan en taekwondo.
Sabrena Dorris, BSc, MA - Sabrena is currently
the Communications/Operations Manager at the Hamilton
Family Health Team (HFHT). She has been with the HFHT
for 10 years and recently completed her MA in Professional
Communication. Prior to joining the HFHT Sabrena worked
for the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster
University and began her professional career working for
Franklin Covey, a global company specializing in leadership,
productivity and performance improvement. As a member of
the HFHT Positive Working group, Sabrena brings a passion
for raising awareness and educating interprofessional teams
in family practice settings on how they can create positive
spaces for the LGBTQ community.
Anne Dubé is a clinical nurse and a member of the
Ordre des infirmiers et infirmières du Québec who joined the
GRS Montréal team in 2012. She works mainly as a pivot and
liaison nurse for the trans clientele and works closely with
the various stakeholders involved in the surgical process.
Anne plays a vital role for the trans clientele by carrying out
personalized follow-ups and ensuring the most beneficial
experience possible, all in an environment that emphasizes
the quality and safety of care and services.
Max Ducsharm is a harm reduction worker at Queen
West Community Health Centre. He has been involved in
initiatives to improve health and social services for trans folks
for over 4 years. He continues to work from a communitydriven, harm reduction perspective to try to break down
some of the barriers experienced by trans folks who are
living in poverty.
H E A L T H
M A T T E R S
Karly Dudar is a recent graduate of the Master of
Public Health at Queen’s University, and a member of the
OPHA. Karly is a former committee member of the Sexuality
and Gender Diversity at Laurentian University where she
participated in knowledge translation around their Climate
Survey, which assessed the LGBTQ2-S climate across
campus including faculty, staff, and students. Karly has
equally been involved with the Clinical Sciences department
at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in developing
LGBTQ2-S curriculum for undergraduate medical learners,
alongside Dr. Jacques Abourbih.
Sarah Eckler is a family doctor who works at Queen
West Community Health Centre. She has worked in the
Community Health Centre (CHC) sector for the past 9 years.
She has been providing health care to transgender and
gender non conforming clients for the past 5 years and has
a keen interest in this area of medicine.
Lindsay Elin, MSW, RSW, is an individual and family
therapist with an interest in working with trans* youth/young
adults and their parents/caregivers from an attachment
lens. She has done counselling and community-based work
within feminist and LGBT communities for the past 14 years.
She currently works at CTYS in their Pride and Prejudice
(LGBTQ) team and in private practice.
Insiya Essajee is currently counsel at the Ontario
Human Rights Commission. She has a BSc. (2007) from
McMaster University and a JD (2011) from the University of
Toronto, where she received the John Yaremko Award in
Human Rights and Judy LaMarsh Prize for Feminist Analysis
of Law. Ms. Essajee has been at the Commission since
2011, and appeared before the Human Rights Tribunal of
Ontario, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and Court of
Appeal for Ontario.
Stephen Feder, MD, graduated from McGill medical
school in 1976 and became a member of the Canadian
College of Family Physicians in 1979. He obtained his
MPH and clinical fellowship in Adolescent Health from the
University of Minnesota 1991. Dr. Feder is currently Head,
Division of Adolescent Medicine, at the Children’s Hospital of
Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and he has been the Co-director of
the Diversity Clinic at CHEO since 2011
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Stephen Feder, MD, a obtenu son diplôme de
la faculté de médecine de l’Université McGill en 1976 et
est devenu membre du Collège des médecins de famille
du Canada en 1979. Il a obtenu sa maîtrise en santé
publique et effectué son stage postdoctoral en santé des
adolescents à l’Université du Minnesota en 1991. Le Dr
Feder est présentement chef de la division de médecine
des adolescents du Centre hospitalier pour enfants de l’est
de l’Ontario (CHEO). Il est codirecteur de la Clinique de
diversité de cet établissement depuis 2011.
Corey E. Flanders, PhD, is a Postdoctoral
Research Fellow with the Re:searching for LGBTQ Health
Team, affiliated with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health
at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include
understanding the positive and negative experiences of
mental, sexual, and reproductive health among sexual and
gender minority people, as well as the factors that influence
those experiences.
Agnieszka Forfa is a queer-identified cis femme,
community facilitator, artist and counsellor. Coming out as
crazy several years ago, Agnieszka became politicized
about mental health and healing, and found direction,
strength and care in the disability justice movement.
Located in Toronto, with childhood roots on the Baltic Shore,
Agnieszka spends most of her time thinking, dreaming,
talking and creating around madness, healing and justice.
Most recently, she has been published in Make/Shift
magazine, facilitated the Our Mad Selves group at SOY, and
continues to work in her counseling practice.
Anna Gaby-Trotz, printmaker and photographer,
believes in the transformative power of art. She has a BA (Fine
Arts) from the University of Guelph and MFA (printmaking)
from the University of Alberta. She has built inner city arts
programs in Edmonton, worked for the Haliburton School of
the Arts and Georgian College, and founded a printmaking
studio in Huntsville. Anna also travels to the most remote
places in Canada to explore our relationship to the land. She
is the technical lead of Open Studio, Toronto and Associate
Artist with Sheatre, based in Kemble, Ontario.
Lorraine Gale, MSW, has built CAS-Toronto’s
capacity to provide affirming and equitable services for
LGBTQ children, youth and families for 18 years, through
education, consultation, policy and celebration. She authored
CAS-Toronto’s Out and Proud Affirmation Guidelines: Practice
Guidelines for Equity in Gender and Sexual Diversity, using a
strength-based, anti-oppressive approach. She also designed
and facilitated workshops for parents of LGBTQ youth through
Delisle Youth Services in Toronto.
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C O N F E R E N C E
Kathleen Gamble is a PhD candidate at York
University in the Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies
Program and is the CRT’s research assistant Her research
focuses on historical and legal representations of HIV/AIDS,
histories of sexualities, Canadian health policy, and the social
determinants of health. As well, Kathleen has held sessional
teaching positions at Queen’s University, Western University,
Trent University and the University of Toronto where she has
taught on a variety of topics related to her research interests.
Elys Gardiner is an 18 year old activist, musician,
writer, and political science student at the University of
Ottawa. They identify with the labels: agender, bisexual
and mentally ill, using lived experience from these
communities and the stories of others as sources for their
activism. Originally from Brockville, Ontario, Elys began their
advocacy work through founding the Equity Group at their
high school. From there, they went on to give presentations,
teach workshops, and do consultations with the Upper
Canada School Board, and Ministry of Education for Ontario.
Since joining the “You Are Not Alone” project and “Be Our
Ally” subcommittee through the Office of the Provincial
Advocate for Children and Youth in 2013, they have
journeyed with the group through organizing submissions,
creating recommendations, writing videos and giving
presentations to diverse audiences. Apart from advocacy
work, Elys spends their time studying, writing music, and
debating at Ontario Youth Parliament. They continue to learn
and grow as a person, seeking to advocate for the rights of
marginalized groups politically and in daily life. Golnaz Ghaderi
is a master’s student in the
Applied Psychology program at Laurentian University.
Golnaz obtained her BA (Honours) in psychology from
York University, and Master of Education in Developmental
Psychology and Education from OISE, the faculty of
education at University of Toronto. Golnaz is a committee
member of the RSIG at OADD conference, where she
participates in planning and organization of annual
conferences in developmental disabilities. Golnaz is also a
member of Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).
Laura Gibbon is an Education and Training
Specialist and Facilitator at The 519. She works specifically
on anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia campaigns and
delivering queer and trans inclusion training to a wide range
of organizations across the GTA. She has primarily focused
her efforts on working with folks who provide services to
older LGBTQ adults, ensuring that care environments are
safe and welcoming for aging members of the community.
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H E A L T H
Rachel Giblon completed her undergraduate
M A T T E R S
Roya Haghiri-Vijeh obtained her Bachelor of
degree in biophysics at York University, with a focus on
electrophysiology and neural response patterns. More
recently, she has become interested in working in community
research, addressing the social and economic barriers
faced by gender minorities, in particular those face by trans
people. She is currently finishing her MSc. in Epidemiology
& Biostatistics at Western University, investigating health
inequalities for trans people living in Ontario.
Margaret F. Gibson, MSW, PhD, is a researcher,
social worker, and LGBTQ parent. She is the editor of a
recent book collection, “Queering Motherhood: Narrative and
Theoretical Perspectives” (Demeter Press, 2014) as well as
the author of articles appearing in journals including Signs:
A Journal of Women and Culture; the British Journal of Social
Work; The Canadian Social Work Review; and Culture, Health,
and Sexuality.
Loralee Gillis is responsible for supporting the
development of LGBT health research in Ontario and for
encouraging public policy that supports LGBT health. In her
role she supports a network of 40 researchers across Ontario
whose work focuses on LGBT health. She hosts networking
and skill building opportunities related to research and public
policy for the network, as well as service providers and
community members. Loralee is a coinvestigator on several
large team grants which focus on different aspects of LGBT
health.
anya gwynne is a performance artist and professional
queer living in Peterborough, Ontario. They facilitate the
Rainbow Youth Program at Peterborough AIDS Resource
Network and are passionate about creative approaches to
education.
Nursing in 2007 from University of New Brunswick in
Collaboration with Humber College. She completed her
Masters of Nursing (Honours) with stream in Health policy and
Education from Ryerson University. Roya has been involved as
co-investigator in several research projects on topics of policy,
online education, simulation, and peer mentorship for nursing
students and sole author of the article “The Importance of
Including Needs of the LGBTIQ community in Millennium
Development Goals and the Education of Healthcare
Professionals” for the Journal of Global Citizenship & Equity
Education. Roya has been a faculty of nursing program at
Centennial College since 2010.
Peter Hall is a Registered Psychotherapist, Canadian
Certified Counsellor, and Canadian Certified Counsellor—
Supervisor working on the LGBT Team at the Sherbourne
Health Centre (an established community-based primary
healthcare centre in downtown Toronto). He is also an
Associate Faculty member at Yorkville University, and an
Adjunct Instructor in the University of Toronto’s FactorInwentash Faculty of Social Work. His clinical, educational,
and research interests include LGBT issues, psychotherapist/
counsellor education and supervision, education in the
health professions, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
He is currently involved in post-doctoral studies in the field
of education in the health professions in the Faculties of
Education and Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University.
Darlyn Hansen is 75 years old and came out in 2006.
She is one of the founding members of TG Innerselves, and her
role is Community Relation and Education to the general public
and making aviaries of who we are.
Eric Hargreaves has been supporting queer youth
Sharon Hagan-Vetzal has been involved with the
trans community for many years, attending conferences in
Ontario and the U.S. She has volunteered with PFLAG Canada,
Durham Region since 2010, during which time she assisted
with LGBTQ educational presentations, facilitated monthly
group drop-in meetings for LGBTQ people, allies and family
members looking for support and information, as well as being
on the Board of Directors for a year. She has also assisted with
a Gender Journeys group for Parents of Transgender children
in Oshawa with the Oshawa Community Health Centre before
joining the Gender Journeys CMHA HKPR.
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in the Quinte Region for many years and has been a loved
fixture in the LGBTTQQ community for many more. He is a
talented and experienced workshop facilitator. He brings his
sense of humour, joy, and gentle compassion to each project
he tackles. Don’t let his playfulness fool you – there is no
stronger advocate for queer youth in the Quinte community.
With a background in mental health and theology, Eric has
shown himself to be consistently and reliably available to his
community.
R A I N B O W
H E A L T H
O N T A R I O
Kate Hazell identifies as queer and femme. She works
as a Facilitator of Education and Training at The 519 and she
is a certified Activation Coordinator with a specialization in
gerontology. Kate has been a front-line worker in long-term
care, adult day program and drop-in settings. She volunteers
as a pen pal for the LGBTQ Prisoner Correspondence
Project and as the editor of a collaborative (maga)zine called
Femmes in Space.
Beck Hood is a trans identified Trainer and Public
Educator at Family Services Ottawa. He provides community
development, education, advocacy and workshops
regarding gender identity and gender expression. Beck
works closely with families, school boards, resource and
health centres to provide education and support around
social transitioning.
Sue Hranilovic, MN, NP-PHC, ACRN, considers
herself an “old nurse” and a “newer nurse practitioner”. As
a Masters-prepared Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner
and an AIDS Certified Nurse, Sue has provided hospital,
community and primary health care in Toronto’s inner city
for over 25 years. Her practice has included patients living
with HIV, those injecting drugs and those on methadone
maintenance, transgender patients, patients with mental
health issues and those infected with hepatitis C. She has
a commitment to continuing involvement in professional
development and community-based volunteer activities
which have included Board of Directors positions for the
Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, the Ontario
HIV Treatment Network and Fife House Foundation. Sue
is proud to have been one of the founding members of the
Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment and to have
participated in volunteer nursing in Zimbabwe. She has done over 60 presentations to colleagues, patients
and community and has received ten awards related to
excellence in academia and clinical care. Sue’s high
level of expertise and commitment to working with diverse,
marginalized, stigmatized, at-risk and vulnerable populations
has served her both locally and internationally, and she
hopes to continue nurturing the resilience of the clients she
walks with, learns from and serves.
Sue Hranilovic, MSc, inf., IP – soins primaires,
IP – soins du SIDA, se considère comme une « vieille »
infirmière et comme une « nouvelle infirmière praticienne ».
En tant qu’infirmière praticienne spécialisée en soins
primaires titulaire d’une maîtrise, elle offre des soins en
milieu hospitalier et communautaire et des soins primaires
à Toronto depuis plus de 25 ans. Dans le cadre de sa
pratique, elle a pris en charge des personnes vivant avec
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C O N F E R E N C E
le VIH, des personnes utilisatrices de drogues injectables
ou en traitement d’entretien à la méthadone, des patients
transgenres, aux prises avec des problèmes de santé
mentale ou atteintes de l’hépatite C. Mme Hranilovic travaille
en continu en développement professionnel et à des
activités communautaires bénévoles. Elle a notamment siégé
aux conseils d’administration de la Canadian Association of
Nurses in AIDS Care, de l’Ontario HIV Treatment Network
et de la Fife House Foundation. Sue Hranilovic est fière
de faire partie des membres fondateurs du Committee for
Accessible AIDS Treatment, et d’avoir travaillé comme
infirmière bénévole au Zimbabwe. Elle a effectué plus de
60 présentations à des collègues, des patients et dans
des communautés, et elle a reçu 10 prix d’excellence dans
le domaine universitaire et des soins cliniques. Son degré
d’expertise élevé et son engagement à travailler auprès
des personnes marginalisées, stigmatisées, vulnérables et
à risque l’ont motivée tant à l’échelle locale qu’à l’échelle
internationale, et elle espère continuer à favoriser la résilience
des personnes qu’elle sert, auprès de qui elle chemine et qui
lui permettent de poursuivre son apprentissage.
Jaden Hsin-Yun Peng graduated from Gender
Studies and Mental Rehabilitation (Clinical Psychology), as a
vocational case manager who worked on the issue of gender
and work quality. She is a person with strong passion and
positive attitude. Her work experience equipped her with
advanced empathy and counseling skills to work with clients
in radical acceptance. To serve underprivileged people in
non-government organization and city welfare department
inspires her to be an open-minded person who is motivated
and willing to give.
Josh Hyatt is a healthcare risk manager, medical
ethicist, compliance professional, lecturer, and professor.
He has worked in healthcare and risk management for
more than 25 years and has achieved the designation of
certified professional in health care risk management. He
received his doctorate in health science, has a graduate
degree in health law, and his academic interests primarily
focus on the relationships between health law and medical
ethics, especially related to LGBTQ health disparities. Dr.
Hyatt current works with a major MPLI as a Senior Risk
Management Specialist and is an adjunct and visiting
professor with several universities, teaching on topics such
as health law, bioethics, health leadership, health policy and
analysis, and strategic management. He has written and
published on topics of healthcare disparities and workplace
issues, social media in healthcare, and medical ethics.
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H E A L T H
Stephan Imbeau is a third year medical student
from rural Northern Ontario. Born and raised in Elliot Lake he
attended Laurentian University in Sudbury where he received
his Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. He then
worked in the emergency care setting at Health Sciences
North while participating in research on Aboriginal adolescent
diabetes management. Now in his third year of medical school
at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine he has participated
in the formulation of an epidemiological/educational tool for
the betterment of LGBT2-SQ health care. He is the co-editor in
chief of the OnExam App and is the 3rd year representative for
family medicine on the East campus. His interests include family
medicine, anesthesia, emergent care and the insurance that all
demographics receive exceptional and equal health care.
Andy Inkster, MA is the Health Promoter for the LGBTQ
Parenting Network. Andy has been involved in queer and trans
family planning work since 2005 as a member of the Trans
Fathers 2B working group. He co-facilitates Queer & Trans
Family Planning, a course developed in partnership between
The 519 and the LGBTQ Parenting Network.
Randy Jackson is a PhD candidate in the School of
Social Work at McMaster University. Originally from Kettle and
Stony Point First Nation (Anishinaabe), Jackson’s research has
been supported by CIHR and by the OHTN. Jackson explores
lived experience among Aboriginal peoples living with HIV and
AIDS (APHAs). Working alongside community organizations,
his thesis focuses on experiences of depression among
APHAs in ways that adapt life course in narrative inquiry using
Indigenous knowledge.
Sarah James-Abra, MSW, RSW, is a Social Worker
in the Child, Youth, and Family Program at Lakeridge Health in
Oshawa, Ontario. She received an Honours Bachelor of Arts
in Psychology and Sexuality Studies from York University and
went on to complete her Master of Social Work at the University
of Toronto. For her Master’s thesis, Sarah explored trans
people’s experiences with assisted reproduction (AR) services,
under the supervision of Dr. Lori E. Ross.
M A T T E R S
Olivia Kamgain is a Public Administration Master’s
Candidate at the École Nationale d’administration publique
(ENAP). Her areas of interest include social inequalities in
health, gender studies and equity in public administration.
Rob Kerr, MD, CCF(EM), FCFP, is a family physician
from Hamilton and a member of the Hamilton Family Health
Team (HFHT). Chair of the HFHT’s Positive Space Committee
(HFHT Positive), he was recently honoured by the College of
Family Physicians for his work in furthering LGBT health in the
Hamilton region.
David Kinitz is a recent graduate from York University’s
MSW program. Previous experience working with queer
communities led to his research on the prevalence of
whiteness within them.
Ed Kucharski is a Regional Primary Care Lead (Toronto
Central LHIN South) for Cancer Care Ontario. He is also a
practicing Family Physician at Sherbourne Health Centre where
he was Medical Director from 2009-2012. Ed focuses on health
inequities of marginalized populations, Quality Improvement and
teaching LGBT Primary Care. Dr. Kucharski holds his Doctorate
in Medicine from the University of Ottawa and completed his
residency in Family Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Maaya Kuri Hitomi is a Master’s student in Applied
Social Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan and
a vocal advocate for transgender rights in Saskatoon. Her
research addresses the issues of transgender identities
and the prejudice and discrimination faced by transgender
communities, and is written to highlight explicitly the
oppression and marginalization faced by these communities in
the healthcare fields.
Tara La Rose, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Trent
University BSW Program. Her research focuses on digital
media as a tool for professional critique and community
education.
Ashley Lacombe-Duncan is a second year PhD
Olivia Kamgain est candidate à la maîtrise en
administration publique à l’École Nationale d’administration
publique (ENAP). Ses champs d’intérêt couvrent les inégalités
sociales en santé, les études sur le genre et l’équité en
administration publique.
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student at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the
University of Toronto. Over the past few years, Ashley has had
the opportunity to work in a research and evaluation capacity
in diverse settings including: community-based mental health
and health organizations, a research institution, a private
charitable foundation, a policy/advocacy group, and hospitals.
Ashley’s work focuses on hard-to-reach women living with
HIV who were experiencing homelessness, mental health and
substance use issues and/or were involved in sex work.
R A I N B O W
H E A L T H
O N T A R I O
Lu Lam, M.Ed, C.C.C., is a Chinese- Taiwanese trans-
identified Counsellor for David Kelley LGBTTQQI2SA+
& HIV/AIDS Counselling, Family Service Toronto. Lu
is a trained adult educator who is skilled in facilitating
processes that bridge complex theories into simple
practices. He has provided gender identity awareness
and mindfulness based trainings on burn out and
compassionate listening/communication for the Toronto
community health, social service and post-secondary
sectors. His graduate research focused on developing
conceptual counselling frameworks for diverse trans
and gender diverse clients by integrating decolonizing
and trauma informed approaches. Lu has over 17 years
of frontline counselling and group facilitation serving
communities who are marginalized. He is passionate about
framing mindfulness as pedagogy for social justice in the
mental health field. To find a wakeful balance in his work,
Lu has a daily meditation practice of 7 years, and attends
yearly meditation retreats.
Marjolaine Landry completed her internship at the
Centre de solidarité lesbienne and was later hired as a case
worker. She specializes in spousal abuse, and sexual and
sexological orientation. In addition to being a case worker,
Ms. Landry facilitates the lesbian discussion group. She also
prepares and delivers workshops on sexuality, which are very
popular among lesbians at the CSL. She has recently started
a sex column for Lez spread the word (LSTW), a go-to social
media site for lesbians.
Marjolaine Landry a effectué son stage au Centre
de solidarité lesbienne et par la suite, elle a été embauchée à
titre d’intervenante. Elle se spécialise en violence conjugale,
orientation sexuelle et sexologique. Outre l’intervention, Mme
Landry anime le groupe de discussion pour lesbiennes,
conférence, cinéma, etc. De plus, elle prépare et présente
des ateliers sur la sexualité qui sont très courus et appréciés
par les lesbiennes du CSL. Depuis peu, elle a une chronique
sexologique pour Lez spread the word (LSTW), référence
lesbienne dans les médias sociaux.
Julie Lassonde est une avocate bilingue, membre
du Barreau du Haut-Canada et du Barreau du Québec. Au
cours des dernières années, elle a développé une entreprise
de consultation, de recherche et de traduction se spécialisant
dans les domaines du genre, de la sexualité et de la justice
sociale. De 2010 à 2012, l’un de ses projets principaux a
été la construction de la première maison d’hébergement
francophone à Toronto. Pour plus d’information, voir www.
jlassonde.com.
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C O N F E R E N C E
Julie Lassonde is a bilingual lawyer and member
of the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Barreau du
Québec. Over the past few years, she has developed a
consulting, research and translation business specializing in
gender, sexuality and social justice. From 2010 to 2012, one
of her main projects was to build the first Francophone safe
house in Toronto. For more information, go to www.jlassonde.
com.
Mari LeBlanc is a researcher and student in the
Ryerson University Bachelor of Social Work program. She is
interested in research on the social determinants of health as
they relate to LGBTQ communities and creating spaces that
are inclusive of LGBTQ health needs. In 2015, she did a social
work placement at the Canadian Cancer Society. Her research
poster summarizes research she did during her placement.
Lezlie Lee Kam identifies as a brown, carib, trini,
callaloo dyke. Lezlie advocates for lesbians of colour and is
a co-founder of Lesbian Organization of Toronto, the proud
and visible coalition and world majority lesbians. Lezlie
currently volunteers at Bridgepoint Active Healthcare, as a
health ambassador with the Canadian Cancer Society “Get
Screened” program and with The 519. Lezlie co-chairs the
Senior Pride Network. Lezlie lives their life from an AOP and it
‘colours’ their view of the world.
Laura Legere completed her Master’s of Science in
Nursing at York University, was the recipient of York’s 2015
Nursing Thesis Award, and was also awarded an Ontario
Graduate Scholarship for her qualitative thesis on lesbian and
bisexual reproductive cancer survivors and their interactions
with health care providers. She currently works as a Nursing
Research Associate with the Registered Nurses’ Association
of Ontario and is an active member of the Rainbow Nursing
Interest Group.
Melissa L. Legge, MSW, is a PhD student at
the School of Social Work at McMaster University and a
member of the Re:searching for LGBTQ Health Team. Her
doctoral research focuses on the well-being of humans,
including LGBTQ people, and other animals in shared social
environments through an analysis of the involvement of otherthan-human animals in social work practice in Ontario.
B E C A U S E
L G B T Q
H E A L T H
M A T T E R S
Bridget Liang is a mixed race, queer, transfeminine, Judith MacDonnell is Associate Professor in the
neurodiverse, disabled, fat fangirl. They came into their
queerness in Hamilton Ontario and co-founded RADAR
Youth Group at the LGBTQ Wellness Centre (the Well), the
first queer group in a high school in Hamilton, and were
instrumental in the passing of an equity policy in the HWDSB.
They have worked for a number of queer/trans organizations
and groups over the years both in Hamilton and Toronto. They
have been involved with community research, workshop and
group facilitation, and doing performance art.
Bridget Liang est métisse, handicapée, queer,
transféminine, neurodiverse et fat fangirl [fanatique
enthousiaste grosse]. Bridget s’est d’abord affirmée queer à
Hamilton, en Ontario, où elle a cofondé le groupe jeunesse
RADAR (RADAR Youth Group) du LGBTQ Wellness Centre
(« The Well »). RADAR est le premier groupe queer dans
une école secondaire à Hamilton. Bridget a joué un rôle
essentiel dans l’adoption d’une politique d’équité au district
scolaire de Hamilton-Wentworth. Au fil des années, Bridget
a travaillé auprès d’un grand nombre d’organismes et de
groupements queer et trans, à Hamilton et à Toronto. Bridget
a aussi participé à de la recherche communautaire et à des
ateliers, animé des groupes et évolué dans les arts de la
scène.
Carmen Logie is an Assistant Professor at the FactorInwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto and
an Adjunct Scientist at Women’s College Research Institute.
Dr. Logie’s research focus is health equity, with particular
attention to the associations between intersectional forms
of stigma, access to care, and health outcomes. She has
active programs of research in collaboration with LGBTQ
populations, and people living with HIV in Canada, Jamaica,
Swaziland and Lesotho.
Stacey Love-Jolicoeur, in addition to her work
with Gender Journeys, volunteers as the coordinator with
the TRANSforum group in Belleville Ontario. She is an active
member for the RYO (Rainbow Youth Organizing
Committee) and the organizing committee for Belleville
Pride. Stacey is a two-spirited Métis Trans woman with a
strong passion for the betterment of the LGBTQ2S
community. Her work involves coordination, group
facilitation and presentations on diversity that supports
the LGBTQ2S community. Her passion and insight into
Tran’s issues is a welcomed resource to the many groups
with whom she works.
School of Nursing at York University and studies LGBTQ
access and equity issues in health and education. She
completed graduate work in Sociology and Equity Studies
in Education. and was a founding member of the Rainbow
Nursing Interest Group of the Registered Nurses Association
of Ontario (RNAO).
Yaz Martens is a Toronto youth artist and advocate.
She is dedicated to bettering the lives of youth with a
personal focus on mental health and queer advocacy.
Betsy Martin is a queer mother, grandmother,
and great grandmother who lives in Kaministiquia – a rural
community north of Thunder Bay. Betsy was raised in the
Mennonite community where she did not have any exposure
to “gay people”. She quit school and left home at a young
age, and aside from parenting she spent the first half of her
life as a physical labourer. Betsy later completed her HBSW
at Lakehead University, and has been a social worker in the
north for the past 25 years. During the 90’s she worked in
a women’s shelter providing groups and services for adult
survivor’s of child sexual abuse. She spent several years
in another small program that worked with First Nations
residential school survivors. She has been working with
Children’s Centre Thunder Bay, a local children’s mental
health agency for the past 15 years. The bulk of Betsy’s
work has been assisting children and families who have
been affected by violence, bereavement, and trauma. Betsy
is also a co-facilitator for The Other 10% - a youth group
for kids who identify as LGBTTQ, and are often struggling
with identity, isolation, and minority stress. She had her first
opportunity to work with Rainbow Health Ontario several
years ago as a member of the advisory committee for the
gender independent children’s project. Two beliefs that
guide my own work are an understanding of the capacity
of the human spirit to “become whole” under adverse
circumstances, and an understanding of the role that
community plays in nurturing and advocating for each other,
resisting violence together, and creating healthy spaces. Betsy Martin est queer, mère et grand-mère.
Elle vit à Kaministiquia, une petite communauté rurale
au nord de Thunder Bay. Betsy Martin a grandi dans
une communauté mennonite, où elle n’a jamais eu de
contact avec des « personnes gaies ». Elle a cessé de
fréquenter l’école et quitté le foyer familial très jeune.
En plus d’être parent, elle a passé la première partie
de sa vie comme travailleuse manuelle. Plus tard, elle
a obtenu un baccalauréat spécialisé en travail social à
l’Université Lakehead, puis elle a œuvré en travail social
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dans le Nord au cours des 25 dernières années. Au
cours des années 1990, elle a travaillé dans une maison
d’hébergement pour femmes, où elle offrait des services
individuels et de groupe aux adultes ayant subi des
agressions sexuelles dans leur enfance. Betsy Martin a
passé plusieurs années comme travailleuse au sein d’un
programme de plus petite envergure visant à aider les
membres des Premières Nations qui ont vécu dans les
pensionnats autochtones. Au cours des 15 dernières
années, elle a travaillé au Children’s Centre Thunder
Bay, un organisme local de santé mentale pour enfants.
La majeure partie de son travail consiste à aider les
familles et les enfants touchés par la violence, un deuil
ou un traumatisme. Mme Martin est aussi coanimatrice
du groupement The Other 10 %, un groupe destiné
aux jeunes qui se désignent comme LGBTTQ et qui
sont souvent confrontés à des problèmes d’identité,
d’isolement et de stress associés à leur statut de minorité.
Elle a travaillé pour la première fois avec Santé arc-enciel Ontario il y a plusieurs années, en tant que membre
de son comité consultatif pour le projet pour les enfants
de genre indépendant. Son travail s’appuie sur deux
croyances : comprendre la capacité de l’esprit humain à
« ne faire qu’un » dans l’adversité et comprendre le rôle
de la communauté pour permettre à ses membres de se
nourrir les uns les autres et de défendre leurs droits, de
résister à la violence et de créer des espaces de vie plus
sains.
Carys Massarella, MD, FRCPC, is an attending
emergency physician at St.Joseph’s Health care in
Hamilton and is also the lead physician for the Transgender
Care Program at Quest Community Health Centre in St.
Catharines. Dr. Massarella sees and treats transgender
identified clients of all ages and is a leading expert in
transgender care in Ontario. She teaches at the Degroote
School of Medicine and is an Assistant Clinical Professor
there. Dr. Massarella lectures widely on transgender
health care and has also done a TEDx talk on “The
Depathologization of Trans Identity”. She recently appeared
at TEDx Hamilton where she presented “The False Narrative
of Deception”. Dr. Massarella also appeared in the CBC doc
zone documentary “Transforming Gender”. She was the first
transgendered person to be a President of a large teaching
hospital medical staff anywhere in the world and was named
one of the World’s 50 Transgender icons by the Huffington
Post. She also sits on the gender advisory committee for
gender independent children for Rainbow Health Ontario, is
a member of WPATH
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C O N F E R E N C E
Carys Massarella, ussi médecin-chef du
Transgender Care Program (programme de soins aux
personnes transgenres) du Centre de santé communautaire
Quest de St. Catharines. La Dre Massarella rencontre et traite
la clientèle qui s’identifie comme transgenre de tous âges; elle
est aussi une experte de premier plan en soins aux personnes
transgenres en Ontario. Elle enseigne à la Degroote School
of Medicine, où elle est professeure adjointe en clinique. La
Dre Massarella prononce régulièrement des conférences
sur les soins de santé aux personnes transgenres et elle a
aussi livré une conférence TED sur la « dépathologisation »
de l’identité trans. Récemment, elle est montée en tribune
lors des conférences TEDx, pour une présentation intitulée
The False Narrative of Deception (La représentation faussée
de la déception). La Dre Massarella a aussi participé au
documentaire Transforming Gender, diffusé dans le cadre de
l’émission Doc Zone du réseau CBC. Mme Massarella est la
première personne transgenre au monde à occuper un poste
de présidence au sein d’un grand établissement hospitalier
universitaire. Elle a été choisie parmi les 50 personnalités
transgenres les plus influentes au monde par le Huffington
Post. Elle siège au comité consultatif sur les enfants de
genre indépendant de Santé arc-en-ciel Ontario, est membre
de la WPATH et a été récemment nommée au conseil
d’administration de la CPATH.
John Maxwell, Executive Director of the AIDS
Committee of Toronto, is a leader in the HIV/AIDS movement
for over 20 years and has extensive experience in the area
of HIV prevention and sexual health promotion. He has been
an active participant in many community-based research
projects and is a member of numerous local, provincial,
national and international HIV/AIDS working groups.
Tim McConnell is a trans-masculine person with
lived experience of mental health, substance misuse and
trauma. They have previously worked as a peer support
worker and substance abuse counsellor at a youth residential
addiction treatment facility in New Brunswick, and as a
community outreach worker and workshop facilitator with
several agencies in Toronto. They write extensively on trans
accessibility, institutional cisgenderism and Insidious Trauma,
and have presented their work at Grounding Trauma 2014
and the Canadian Conference on Child and Youth Care.
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Tim McConnell est une personne trans masculine
qui a des antécédents en santé mentale et en toxicomanie.
Ayant lui-même souffert d’un traumatisme, il a travaillé en
soutien pour les pairs à titre de conseiller en toxicomanie
dans un centre de désintoxication pour les jeunes du
Nouveau-Brunswick, ainsi que comme intervenant sur le
terrain et animateur d’atelier pour plusieurs organismes
de Toronto. Il a également signé un grand nombre de
textes sur l’accessibilité pour les personnes trans, la
discrimination dont sont victimes les personnes cisgenres et
les traumatismes insidieux et a présenté ses travaux dans le
cadre de l’événement Grounding Trauma 2014 et lors de la
Canadian Conference on Child and Youth Care.
Owen McEwen is the Director of the Ontario
Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH). Prior to this,
Owen was the Prevention Services Coordinator for the
Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN) where he
managed the agency’s harm reduction and gay men’s
outreach programs.
Lauren B. McInroy is a doctoral student in the
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of
Toronto. Her work investigates the impact of engagement in
the contemporary media environment on LGBTQ youth and
young adults, and the implications of this participation for
multi-level social work practice. A particular focus is the role
of online community participation and resource consumption
on identity development and negotiation, and health and
mental health.
Robbie McLaughlin is a Registered Nurse with
H E A L T H
M A T T E R S
Colleen McTigue has been an active leader
and activist in the Niagara and Southern Ontario LGBT
community since 2012. Since 2014 she has been facilitator
of Transgender Niagara, the Trans peer support group in
St. Catharines. She has had several op-ed columns on
Trans issues published in the Hamilton Spectator, and has
done radio and TV interviews in Hamilton, St. Catharines
and Sarnia. In September 2015 Colleen was invited to
Washington D.C. for a White House Policy Briefing for
Bisexuality Awareness Week, and she is also active on
the steering committee of the Rainbow (LGBT) Employee
Resource Group where she works, in which capacity she has
attended the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in 2013 and
2014. She is an alumnus of the Fall 2010 Gender Journeys
workshop in Toronto, and is a staunch advocate of Trans
Rights and Bisexual Visibility. In 2015 she launched a social
media campaign against changes to Bill C-279 which would
have enshrined transgender oppression in Canadian law. Colleen lives in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Kate Miller is the current Director at YMCA Sprott
House, a transitional housing program for LGBTQ2S youth
in Toronto. She has written about inclusive environments for
youth and Child and Youth Workers, and works as a youth
content editor at Shameless Magazine. Kate also works at
the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the
Concurrent Youth Unit as a frontline case worker. She has
worked in multiple roles in arts organizations in Toronto
supporting young artists and arts projects.
LeeAndra Miller has more than 20 years’
experience in community health services, specifically home
and primary care. He has been working with the London
InterCommunity Health Centre since May 2014, and has an
innate interest in LGBTQ2+ issues and concerns. Robbie
provides ongoing support and clinical care to transgender
clients, and participates in the development of the Health
Centre’s trans positive services.
experience as a psychotherapist specializing in arts
based therapy. LeeAndra works at Central Toronto Youth
Services in the Pride & Prejudice Program since 2001,
providing individual counselling and facilitating groups for
Transgender youth. LeeAndra’s expertise is in providing
positive and affirming psychotherapy for Transgender youth,
adults and their families. LeeAndra has a Master’s degree
and is a Registered Psychotherapist.
Lesley McMillan is a community worker who
Steven Mock is Associate Professor (at the
focuses on knowledge mobilization to prevent, reduce
and end youth homelessness. As the Program Officer with
Eva’s Initiatives, Lesley works with other youth serving
organizations to disseminate emerging and promising
practices. Utilising a collaborative approach, Lesley
develops tools for organizations working to end youth
homelessness; most recent is the national toolkit for
youth organizations to better support LGBTQ2S youth
experiencing homelessness.
University of Waterloo) and an adult developmental
psychologist with research interests in the areas of aging
and retirement, coping with stigmatization, sexual minority
adult development, and leisure as a coping resource. His
research has been funded by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of Canada and the RBC
Retirement Research Centre. Dr. Mock is also the recipient
of an Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of
Research and Innovation to support research on retirement
planning among diverse family forms.
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Paul Morneau, BSc, ACP, is Acting Commander
(Professional Standards) at the Ottawa Paramedic Service.
He is in his 25th year as a practitioner and leader within the
profession. He is also a past-president of the Paramedic
Association of Canada where he advocated for both patients
and paramedics. Paul is also a very active member in the
Service’s Diversity Champion Program and, as an openly
gay man; he has been a key advocate for both LGBT
patients and staff.
Andrew Morrison-Gurza is a Disability
Awareness Consultant with an MA of Legal Studies
specializing in Persons with Disabilities. Andrew also has
the experience of living as a Person with a Disability. He
understands that the concept of disability is one that many
individuals are very new to, and may not feel comfortable
discussing. Through his work, Andrew aims to give everyone
the opportunity and most importantly, the permission to
start the conversation by discussing his day to day lived
experience and making disability accessible to everyone.
Andrew works within a number of different communities
educating through his lived experience. These include:
LGBTQ communities, educational institutions, business
organizations, etc.
Nick Mulé is an associate professor in the School of
Social Work at York University. His research interests include
the social inclusion/exclusion of LGBTQ populations in
social policy and service provision and the degree of their
recognition as distinct communities in cultural, systemic,
and structural contexts. He also engages in critical analysis
of the LGBTQ movement and the development of queer
liberation theory. A queer activist for many years, Nick is the
founder, past chairperson and currently member at large of
Queer Ontario. In addition, he is a psychotherapist in private
practice serving LGBTQ populations in Toronto.
Ashley Murfin, MA, ACP(f), is Commander
(Operations) at the Ottawa Paramedic Service. Ashley is a
founding member of the Diversity Champion Program. His
passion for celebrating diversity comes from his extended
family. His family is represented with links to Ireland, France,
Argentina, Portugal, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Métis, as
well as, Gay & Trans people. Ashley enjoys discussing the
social & biological aspects of gender & believes we are all
far more similar, than society allows us to believe.
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Damien Murtha is a peer leader and fashion force,
as his drag persona Visa DeKline. He enjoys morphing into
characters through make up and bringing his own small
town charm to presentations on making services better for
LGBTQ folks.
Kate Murzin, MPH, works as the Health Programs
Specialist at the Canadian Working Group on HIV
and Rehabilitation, which strives to build and nurture
relationships between the HIV, aging and chronic illness
sectors and to foster collaborative initiatives which improve
the health and quality of life of older adults living with and
vulnerable to HIV in Canada. She facilitates workshops,
engages in community-based research, and supports the
development of tools and policies that address the needs of
older adults.
Devan Nambiar has a Masters of Science in
Integrated Health care and coordinates Rainbow Health
Ontario’s training and education initiatives. He has been
working in the gay/ethno-racial MSM/HIV sector for 22 years.
In his previous position at CATIE, he worked as treatment
educator and co-authored/co-edited four publications;
Managing Your Health (CATIE, 2009), contributing editor
to the Practical Guide to Nutrition for PHAS (CATIE 2007)
and A Practical Guide to Complementary Medicine and A
Practical Guide to Herbal Therapies for PHAS (CATIE, 2004).
He was Co-principal Investigator of Improving the Capacity
of the HIV Sector to respond to the Ethno-Racial MSM:
Tapping Front-Line Expertise and Wisdom, OHTN (2006)
and Co-investigator of Canadian Transgender Research,
Canadian AIDS Society (2014). Devan has been practicing
and teaching Kriya and Hatha yoga for close to thirty years.
In his professional capacity, he lectures on complementary
medicine, provides input on community based research
and has served on numerous boards and ethics review
committees. He is currently completing his doctoral study.
Nancy Nicol (Producer, Director, Editor), is a
professor in the Visual Arts and Art History Department,
York University, a documentary filmmaker and the principal
investigator for Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights,
an international research project that brings together 31
partners in 12 countries to research and document LGBT
rights and social movement histories. Nicol’s award-winning
documentaries have screened widely in international
film festivals and are used in universities and colleges
internationally. Her films include the four-part documentary
series From Criminality to Equality (2002-2009) on the
history of lesbian and gay rights organizing in Canada; One
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B E C A U S E
L G B T Q
Summer in New Paltz, A Cautionary Tale (2008) on the civil
disobedience same-sex marriage movement in the USA;
and Dykes Planning Tykes: Queering the Family Tree (2011).
www.envisioninglgbt.com
Tony Nobis is Ojibway from Rocky Bay First Nation in
northwestern Ontario. Working in the field of Aboriginal HIV/
AIDS since 1996, Tony was the first male Aboriginal Person
living with HIV/AIDS representative on the Board of Directors
of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network. Tony currently
serves as Executive Director of the Ontario Aboriginal HIV/
AIDS Strategy, a non-profit social service agency serving to
address the needs of Aboriginal people infected/affected
with HIV/AIDS.
Rita Olink is a Community Relations Representative for
TG Innerselves, the Sudbury based transgender support
group. Rita has had a lifelong struggle with dealing with
being transgender and has now successfully resolved
the issue in a wonderful way and enjoys living here in our
community. Rita is a lifelong northerner and a proud Sudbury
citizen. Rita also volunteers with the Canadian Cancer
Society and helps as a Lay Health Educator.
Celeste Pang is a PhD student in Anthropology at
the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the formal
and informal economies surrounding later life care for older
LGBTQ persons in Ontario. It explores the structural forces
shaping the options people have, and how care is obtained
from various sources. Celeste is committed to research
that can feed back to the community, and is interested in
how ethnographic research can effectively draw from and
helpfully inform broader public discussions.
Sebastien Pangallo, RSW, MSW, is currently a
registered Social Worker with the Adolescent Medicine and
Rheumatology teams at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern
Ontario in Ottawa, ON. He completed his Bachelor of Social
Work from the University of Ottawa, and afterwards went on
to complete a Masters of Social Work. His clinical interests
include adolescents with chronic illnesses, as well as
children and adolescents who are gender nonconforming..
Sebastien is an active participant in research, focusing
on support groups for gender diverse teenagers and their
siblings.
H E A L T H
M A T T E R S
Sebastien Pangallo, MSW, RSW, est
présentement un travailleur social inscrit partie des équipes de la médecine de l’adolescence et de rhumatologie au
Centre hospitalier pour enfants de l’est de l’Ontario à Ottawa,
en Ontario. Il a complété son baccalauréat en travail Social à
l’Université d’Ottawa et puis complété une maîtrise en travail
Social. Ses intérêts cliniques comprennent les adolescents
atteints de maladies chroniques, ainsi que les enfants et les
adolescents qui sont de genre non conforme. Sebastien est
un participant actif dans la recherche, mettant l’accent sur
les groupes de soutien pour adolescents de diverse genre et
leurs frères et sœurs.
Sonali Patel is a second year student at the
University of Toronto with a passion for equity and inclusivity.
Recognized by Harmony Canada, Sonali consistently strives
to foster a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+
community. She successfully spearheaded campaigns for
gender-neutral washrooms, sexual health education lessons
to be more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ population, and for
school guidelines to accommodate transgender and gender
non-conforming students in her high school. Sonali believes
it is crucial for LGBTQ+ youth to meet each other, thus
she has been involved in planning events such as Halton
Pride and the Halton Pride Semi Formal. Sonali is constantly
involving herself in projects that will create a more inclusive
environment.
Sonali Patel est étudiante de 2e année à l’Université
de Toronto. Passionnée par tout ce qui touche l’égalité et
l’inclusion, elle a été reconnue par Harmony Canada et
travaille sans relâche à favoriser un environnement sûr et
inclusif pour tous les membres de la communauté LGBTQ+.
Sonali a entre autres mis sur pied des campagnes visant
l’aménagement de salles de toilettes neutres et de cours
d’éducation sexuelle plus inclusifs aptes à accommoder
les étudiants transgenres ou de genre non conforme.
Sonali estime qu’il est essentiel pour les jeunes LGBTQ+
de fraterniser. Dans cette optique, elle a participé à
l’organisation de Halton Pride et de Halton Pride Semi
Formal, deux événements liés à la fierté gaie dans la région
de Halton. Sonali Patel s’engage régulièrement dans des
projets visant à favoriser un environnement plus inclusif.
Jacquelin Pegg delivers human rights education
and leads sectoral change projects and inquiries into
systemic discrimination, in areas such as transit, housing,
sexual orientation and gender identity issues. She
contributed to OHRC policies on family status, housing,
gender identity and expression and sexual orientation,
and provides LGBTQ human rights training for staff, OPS
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Daniel Pugh, BSW, MSW, RSW is a clinical social
employees and the LGBTQ community. She volunteers with
OPS Pride, Out and Out Toronto, and Dharma Friends.
worker and mental health counsellor on the LGBT Team at
the Sherbourne Health Centre. Daniel is also the student
director on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Association
of Social Workers. Prior to shifting into clinical social work,
Daniel spent the last ten years actively working in gay men’s
health and HIV, including with Ontario’s Gay Men’s Sexual
Health Alliance.
Shoshana Pellman, a mature Orthodox Jew
became a TransLesbian activist in 2005. Over the years she
has spoken at TransPride and Trans Day of Remembrance.
In addition she has presented or co-presented at various
workshops and conferences in places in Ontario including
Oakville, Guelph and GTA. She featured in The Current CBC
special “Back in The Closet” that was aired June 20, 2011
and in summer of 2011. She is a SPN member and sings in
Singing Out a LGBTQ choir in Toronto.
Jennifer Purkiss is a Registered Nurse with
Education at Trent University. She has recently completed
a study on gender and gender transgression in Grade 4-12
students in Ontario rural schools. Results of her study can be
found on the Facebook Forum “Tomboys and Other Gender
Heroes,” and in her upcoming book Only Girls Ride Horses:
Gender Confessions from the Classroom. She is the author
of Are You a Boy or a Girl and screenwriter of the animated
film Tomboy.
Centretown Community Health Centre since 2012. She
graduated from the University of Ottawa and began nursing
7 years ago on the neuroscience unit of The Ottawa Hospital
- Civic campus. She taught the Medical-Surgical clinical
rotation of the Practical Nursing Program at Algonquin College
for 3 years. Jennifer is a member of the Canadian Association
Neuroscience Nurses and is their marketing and subscriptions
chairperson, as well she holds certification from the Canadian
Nurses Association in this specialty. At Centretown CHC
Jennifer is an Urban Outreach Nurse who visits the family
shelter floors at the YMCA every Thursday and the Trans*
Health Nurse Navigator for the Champlain Region.
Leanne Powell is a public health nurse, working
Polina Rakina has been working with LGBT
Karleen Pendleton Jiménez is a Professor in
Newcomers for over 5 years. Coming from International
Relations educational background, she is also deeply
interested in counselling, mental health and social justice. As a first generation Ukrainian Canadian, Polina has a
firsthand settlement experience. She works as an LGBT
Refugee Programs Coordinator at The 519, located
downtown Toronto.
at the Middlesex-London Health Unit in the area of Sexual
Health Promotion. Her passion is LGBTQ health issues
and is actively involved with community to help improve
access and equity. Over the last 14 years she has been
involved with developing resources for the community and
for care providers, participating in research and listening
to community needs. Leanne has partnered with local
agencies and Rainbow Health Ontario to provide training to
health care providers in the Middlesex-London area. Her
most recent work with community partners is developing
a web listing of LGBT2Q positive resources. Leanne is
committed to working with others to make positive changes
for the LGBT2Q community.
Margaret Robinson, PhD, is a Researcher in
Shannon Pringle, BA, MA, is a multidisciplinary
sexuality and gender researcher and educator, whose
work bridges the humanities, social sciences and health
sciences. She frequently lectures in the human sexuality,
gender studies, nursing, contemporary studies and research
methods classes at four Halifax universities, and is a long
term sexuality educator at the award winning Venus Envy,
an educationally based sex shop and bookstore in Halifax,
Nova Scotia.
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Residence at the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN), an
Associate Research Scientist at the Centre for Addiction &
Mental Health, and a member of the Re:searching for LGBTQ
Health Team. She is a feminist researcher and bisexual
activist interested in LGBTQ health and substance use,
bisexual and trans liberation, and the negative health impact
of oppression. A Mi’kmaw who gained Indian status under Bill
C-31, she is committed to Aboriginal cultural continuity, food
justice, and self-government, and has published on Aboriginal
sexuality, cultural values, and education.
Ron Rosenes, MA, LLD (hon), CM, has been living
with HIV for over 30 years and has worked as a volunteer at
the local, national and international levels. He has chaired
ACT, was a founding Board Member of the Sherbourne
Health Centre, and worked on the Canada AIDS Russia
Project. He is a member of several research teams working
on Aging as a Community Scholar. Ron chairs the Research
B E C A U S E
L G B T Q
H E A L T H
Working Group on HIV and Aging housed at CWGHR and
in May of 2014 was awarded the Order of Canada for his
volunteer work. Ron is currently a consultant with OODP, the
Ontario Organizational Development Program that works with
ASOs throughout the province.
Lori Ross, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Division
of Social and Behavioural Health Sciences at the Dalla Lana
School of Public Health, University of Toronto. She is also an
Affiliate Scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health. Lori’s work is mostly focused on community-based
research studies on topics related to LGBTQ health.
Shannon Ryan is the Executive Director of the Black
Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP). Black CAP is a
charitable organization focused on reducing the spread of
HIV infection within Toronto’s Black, African and Caribbean
communities and enhancing the quality of life of Black
people living with or affected by HIV or AIDS. Shannon is
also co-Chair of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Black, African and
Caribbean Network (CHABAC).
Elizabeth M. Saewyc, PhD, RN, FSAHM,
FCAHS, is Professor of Nursing and Adolescent Medicine
at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Dr.
Saewyc heads the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable
Youth Centre there. She is a Fellow in both the Society
for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the Canadian
Academy of Health Sciences. For 20 years, Dr. Saewyc’s
research and clinical practice has focused on how stigma,
violence, and trauma influence adolescents’ health,
coping and risk behaviours, and what protective factors
in relationships and environments can foster resilience
among: runaway and street-involved youth, sexually abused/
sexually exploited teens, LGBT adolescents, immigrants and
refugees, and indigenous youth.
Elizabeth M. Saewyc, PhD, IA, FSAHM,
FACSS, est professeure en soins infirmiers et médecine
pour adolescents à l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique,
à Vancouver. La Dre Saewyc dirige le Stigma and Resilience
Among Vulnerable Youth Centre, un centre pour jeunes qui
se trouve dans cet établissement d’enseignement. Elizabeth
est fellow de la Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
et de l’Académie canadienne des sciences de la santé.
Depuis 20 ans, elle concentre ses travaux et sa pratique sur
les effets de l’ostracisme, de la violence et des traumatismes
sur la santé des adolescents, sur les comportements
adaptatifs ou à risque et sur les facteurs de protection dans
les relations et les environnements susceptibles de favoriser
la résilience chez les jeunes en fugue ou vivant dans la rue,
M A T T E R S
sur les adolescents agressés ou exploités sexuellement, de
même que sur les adolescents, les immigrants, les réfugiés
LGBT, et sur les jeunes autochtones.
Lynx Sainte-Marie is a (dis)Abled/chronically ill,
Jamaican-Canadian, Non-Binary Gender, Afro+Goth Poet
and student who breathes art, social justice, anti-oppression,
critical social work and feminism/s that decentralize whiteness
& cisheteronormativity. Lynx is the creator of QueerofGender,
a grassroots organization and transnational visibility project,
celebrating the various experiences of gender within Black,
Indigenous and People of Colour communities. Lynx serves
on various committees dedicated to disability justice and art
as a tool for social change & collective healing. As a writer
and performance artist, Lynx tackle issues around identity,
isolation and love. As an activist and workshop facilitator,
Lynx stresses the importance of spaces where marginalized
communities can share their stories – stories often erased
from mainstream narratives.
Ayden Scheim is a PhD Candidate, Trudeau
Scholar, and Vanier Scholar in Epidemiology and
Biostatistics at Western University in London. His research
includes a focus on social determinants of health and health
care access in trans communities. He was a member of the
London, Ontario Trans Health Working Group.
Deanna Schofield, BSc, ACP, is Acting
Superintendent (Operations) at the Ottawa Paramedic
Service. Deanna has been a paramedic for 16 years and has
worked as an EMS Coordinator responsible for developing
& delivering continuing education for paramedics. Promoted
to Acting Superintendent, she took on a mentoring role for all
new Ottawa paramedics & teaches cultural safety. She has
worked for positive change through as a Diversity Champion
& advocates for cultural competency for staff & the patients/
families we serve.
Jennifer Searle, BSc, is currently finishing her
undergraduate degree in Nursing at Dalhousie University. As
a queer identified intersectional feminist, who holds a double
major Science Degree in Biology and Social Anthropology,
her unique critical analysis promises to flourish in her future
profession of Nursing.
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C O N F E R E N C E
david sereda has over 30 years of experience and
Bonnie Stephanson has been a counsellor at
Andrew Sharpe is a Nurse Practitioner working at
Theodore Syrette is a 2-Spirited/Queer-Indigenous
a national reputation as theatre artist, singer/songwriter,
composer and producer. He began to write songs because
the ones he was hearing didn’t express his reality as a gay
man in the 1970’s. He has performed across Canada, has
sung with notable choirs and is a seasoned collaborator
on new music theatre productions, and has released three
albums. Author Michael Ondaatje said: “david sereda sings
like an angel and writes like a sinner.”
Somerset West Community Health Centre in Ottawa for more
than 17 years. She has extensive experience in the field of
intimate partner violence and gender-based violence. Bonnie
has been involved with the Trans Health initiative in Ottawa for 3
years, and doing hormone assessments for trans* people with
the counselling team at Centretown Community Health Centre
for the past two years. When she is not working she likes mobile
photography and making things out of clay.
London InterCommunity Health Centre. His clinical work
focuses on people who are facing barriers related to the social
determinants of health. Andrew has an interest in LGBTQ
health and is thrilled to be a member of the Trans health team
at LIHC.
Ramraajh Sharvendiran is a Communications
Studies graduate of York University and has been the Men’s
Sexual Health Coordinator with the Alliance for South Asian
AIDS Prevention (ASAAP), working with South Asian Queer
men in the GTA for the last four (4) years. He has been
working with queer and trans communities in the Greater
Toronto Area for over 8 years in various capacities including:
health promotion, community radio, and GSA’s. Most recently
Ramraajh has completed the Access, Identity, and Men (AIM)
Study funded by the OHTN as the Nominated PI, where he
and his team studied the sexual and overall health of South
Asian MSM populations in the Greater Toronto Area.
Bailey Smith is a spoken word artist, math major turned
roller derby girl. She has been with Rainbow Youth for 6 years
and is enjoying speaking to youth as a peer leader with the
QueeRAdicals.
Rusty Souleymanov is a PhD student at the Factor‐
Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. His
doctoral work focuses on the health promotion of substanceusing gay and bisexual men in Ontario.
artists and advocate, living in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Their
experience in theatre and passion for advocacy for queer/
indigenous peoples, provide them with a unique perspective
and lecture style for any audience. Theodore has worked
with many LGBT2QIA+ focused equity groups such as
EGALE Canada, Jer’s Vision/Canadian Centre for Gender
and Sexuality Diversity, and the Ontario Advocates Office
for Children and Youth - You Are Not Alone Committee and
Be Our Ally subcommittee. They have also provide regular
lectures on diversity and equity for classes at Sault College
and Algoma University.
Theodore Syrette est bispirituel, queer et
autochtone, artiste et militant pour la défense des droits de
la personne. Il vit à Sault Ste-Marie, en Ontario. Personne de
théâtre, passionné par la défense des droits des Autochtones
queer, Theodore se distingue par son point de vue unique et
ses conférences qui rejoignent tous les auditoires. Il a travaillé
avec de nombreux groupes militant pour l’égalité LGBT2QIA+,
notamment EGALE Canada, Jer’s Vision/Canadian Centre
for Gender and Sexuality Diversity et avec le Bureau de
l’intervenant provincial pour les enfants et les jeunes – comité
Tu n’es pas seul-e et sous-comité Sois notre allié. Theodore
donne régulièrement des conférences sur la diversité et sur
l’égalité à l’intention des étudiants du Sault College et de
l’Université Algoma.
Zachary Templeman is a Health Worker for
Melissa St. Pierre is a Post-Doctoral Visitor on the
LGBTTQI Home Care Access Project at York University. She
has been conducting LGBT health research for the past 10+
years. She also enjoys teaching courses in Health Psychology
at York University.
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Transgender Communities at London InterCommunity Health
Centre, and provides one-to-one support to trans clients;
they run Gender Journeys (a group for folks considering or
early in transition). They identify trans positive services in the
community and build organizational capacity to better serve
trans folks. Zach’s passion for LGBTQ2+ work also shines
through their work facilitating Open Closet (an LGBTQ2+ youth
group) and working at Camp Ten Oaks (a camp for youth with
LGBTQ2+ identities, families and communities).
R A I N B O W
H E A L T H
O N T A R I O
Lori Thompson is a bi-sexual ciswoman living
and working in Peterborough. In addition to her work with
Gender Journeys, Lori helped to organize and implement the
CMHA-HKPR Diversity Committee and was its chairperson
for 5 years. Last year, she stepped down as Chair person,
but continues to sit on the Committee helping to organize
trainings, seminars and workshops related to supporting
LGBTQ2S, Anti-Oppression, Newcomers and Indigenous
communities for staff and community partners of CMHAHKPR.
Jan Tkachuk, MA, RP, (a psychotherapist and
clinical consultant for 2 years), provides psychotherapy
for individuals, couples and families and provides clinical
supervision for counsellors and not for profit organizations.
Focusing on LGBTQ2S communities, Jan develops and
implements programs for agency programs. Working in
Peterborough, the 4 Counties and Toronto, Jan continues
to focus on service delivery for trans and gender diverse
communities, their families and allies. Jan’s current priorities:
finding sustainable funding for CMHA HKPR’s Gender
Journeys project and expanding and improving services
through collaborative endeavors to support those who are
isolated, marginalized and stigmatized for how they identify
and who they love.
Audrey Trilène est intervenante au Centre de
solidarité lesbienne depuis 2014. Elle se spécialise dans les
suivis de lesbiennes nouvellement arrivées au Canada qui
proviennent de pays où l’homosexualité est encore paisible
d’emprisonnement. Elle anime le groupe de soutien pour
aider des lesbiennes à faire leur coming out dans différentes
sphères de leur vie.
Audrey Trilène has been a Community worker at the
Centre de solidarité lesbienne [Centre for Lesbian Solidarity]
since 2014. Her area of expertise is working with newcomer
lesbians who come from countries where homosexuality
continues to be criminalized. She facilitates a support group
to help lesbians come out in various spheres of their lives.
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Donna Turner coordonne la conception et la
mise en œuvre de stratégies et de documents de
communication pour Santé arc-en-ciel Ontario (SAO).
Elle est responsable de noter site Web et de notre
présence dans les medias sociaux et de la préparation
de noter infolettre mensuelle. Elle coordonne également
la production d’imprimes tels que des brochures, des
affiches, des cartes postales et des rapports. Elle dirige les
projets SAO à propos de la jeunesse, le tabagisme et le
cancer. Donna aide à la mise sur pied de réseaux locaux,
d’évènements et de partenariats dans les régions suivantes
: North Simcoe-Muskoka, Centre-Est et Sud-Est.
Alexandra Vamos, MA, is a Policy Development
Officer with the Shelter, Support and Housing Administration
Division, Homelessness Partnership Initiative at the City
of Toronto. In her current role, Alex provides policy and
program support to the Housing Stability Policy and Strategic
Investments Unit, which is responsible for developing
policies, strategies and program evaluations that enhance
services in the housing and homelessness service delivery
system. Alex has been involved with the division’s LGBTQ2S
initiatives since 2012, including supporting the youth
transition-to-housing projects.
Carla Vander Voort grew up in Windsor, Ontario,
where she completed her Bachelors and Masters degrees
in Social Work. Since 2010, Carla has worked as a Social
Worker at the Belleville & Quinte West Community Health
Centre. Within this role, she has and continues to work in
partnership with community members and agencies to
establish/expand services for GLTBI2Q+ persons in the
region. She is passionate about grassroots community
development work, and enjoys knitting and reading.
Hector Vargas, JD, is Executive Director of
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality, a
multidisciplinary membership organization of LGBTQ health
professionals and their allies whose mission is to ensure
equality in health care for LGBTQ individuals and health care
professionals. GLMA (formerly known as the Gay & Lesbian
Medical Association) is a leading voice on LGBT health and
employs the expertise of its health professional members in
policy, advocacy and education to advance the health and
well-being of the LGBTQ community. Vargas serves on the
Health Disparities Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee
to the Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and served for four years on President
Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders. He has more than 20 years of LGBTQ and
civil rights advocacy experience, including with organizations
Donna Turner coordinates the development and
implementation of communications strategies and materials
for Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO). She is responsible for the
RHO website, social media, and newsletter. She coordinates
the creation of print materials such as brochures, posters,
and postcards and delivers training. Donna is the RHO lead
on youth, tobacco, and cancer projects. She supports the
development of local networks, events and partnerships in
the following Regions: North Simcoe Muskoka, Central East,
and South East.
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R A I N B O W
H E A L T H
O N T A R I O
2 0 1 6
C O N F E R E N C E
Phyllis Waugh is an activist and community based
such as Lambda Legal, the National LGBTQ Task Force and
the American Bar Association’s Section of Individual Rights
and Responsibilities.
researcher on issues of sexual orientation and gender
identity. She is the Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator
with the international research project Envisioning Global
LGBT Human Rights (2011-2016). She is a former outreach
worker with Rainbow Health Ontario, a member of Senior
Pride Network and former Chair of Rainbow Health Network.
Phyllis has conducted workshops and promoted awareness
of LGBT issues in service agencies, hospitals, colleges and
the labour movement. She worked for 8 years at Toronto’s
largest hospital, University Health Network, where she
received a Champion of Diversity award.
Hector Vargas, JD, est directeur général de
Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality (GLMA), un
organisme multidisciplinaire regroupant des professionnels
de la santé LGBTQ et leurs alliés et dont la mission
consiste à assurer l’égalité dans les soins de santé pour
les personnes et les professionnels de la santé LGBTQ.
GLMA, connue autre fois sous le nom de Gay & Lesbian
Medical Association, est une voix forte en matière de
santé LGBTQ et a recours à l’expertise de ses membres
professionnels de la santé en matière de politique, de
défense des droits et d’éducation pour l’avancement de la
santé et du bien-être de la communauté LGBTQ. M. Vargas
est membre du sous-comité sur les disparités en matière
de santé (Health Disparities Subcommittee) du comité
consultatif du directeur du Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) américain et a fait partie pendant quatre
ans de la commission consultative du président Obama
sur les Asiatiques américains et sur les citoyens des îles
du Pacifique. Il possède plus de 20 ans d’expérience en
défense des droits des personnes LGBTQ et des droits
civils, notamment auprès d’organismes tels que Lambda
Legal, la National LGBTQ Task Force et la section du Barreau
américain sur les responsabilités et droits individuels.
Jenna Webber is entering her third year of medical
school at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Her
interests in LGBT2-SQ health and advocacy were sparked
during her undergraduate education at McMaster University,
during which time she volunteered at a downtown centre for
at-risk and homeless youth. She took the lessons learned
through this experience back to Northern Ontario and
immediately began her collaborations with local LGBT2-SQ
advocacy groups and individuals.
Kate Welsh is a queer crip community activist, artist
and workshop presenter who resides in the Toronto where
she is working on a Masters in Social Justice Education
focusing on critical crip identity. She is passionate about
building communities of care and striving to create safer,
anti-oppressive spaces. Living with both visible and nonvisible disabilities, Kate navigates through complex realities
and experiences through art, activism and community care.
Kate’s interests include community building, intersectionality,
disabilities, queer identities and knowledge sharing.
Stacey Vetzal is a social activist and entrepreneur.
She launched the Gender Journeys program in the Durham
region and is the founder of the Open Gender Journeys
Toolkit - an early stage effort to expand and organize freely
available educational and reference materials for trans and
gender diverse individuals and their allies, specifically to
support the variety of challenges faced by rural and ethnic
communities.
Kate Whitehead is a Palliative Care Physician at
Toronto Grace Hospital. She has diverse clinical experience
in hospital, home, and hospice settings. Dr. Whitehead is an
expert in Conflict Resolution and is a Qualified Mediator. She
is a facilitator with the Centre for Inter-Professional Education
at University of Toronto.
Albina Veltman, MD, FRCPC, is an Associate
Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural
Neurosciences at McMaster University. She is also the
Diversity & Engagement Chair for the Undergraduate
MD Program at McMaster. Dr. Veltman has been the
recipient of numerous awards and grants, including a 2014
AMS Phoenix Project Call to Caring Grant and the 2015
Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Gay
and Lesbian Psychiatrists.
Drew Whatman is a queer trans man actively
working in Peterborough and the surrounding area to
provide education and support for transgender, gender
diverse, and questioning folks, as well as their families and
allies. In addition to working with Gender Journeys CHMA
HKPR, he is a Research Assistant with the Queer, Queering
and Questioning Project and a board member of the
Rainbow Service Organization in Peterborough, Ontario. He
also works with his spouse, Ronnie Ritchie, at Birds N’ Bees
Design and Illustration.
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B E C A U S E
L G B T Q
H E A L T H
Devon Williams came to the Quinte area in 2010
Kathy Witterick is a rebel parent, writer and violence
where he started his journey transitioning from female to
male. He currently works for Peer Support South East Ontario
doing Community Peer Support. Through this he works with
members of the LGBTTQQ community. Devon is patient, calm
and caring. He has interests in music and photography. He
loves meeting new people and hearing their stories.
Geoffrey Wilson is a mixed race gender queer of
prevention consultant, and a Facilitator at the 519 in Toronto.
Two decades of anti-oppression facilitation has led Kathy to
work fostering transformative discussions about gender and
sexual diversity, including working with hospitals to build
capacity for LGBTQ inclusion. Find Kathy’s published work
in GUTS or in Chasing Rainbows: Exploring Gender Fluid
Parenting Practices. Kathy hatches projects at a remote
community-built straw bale cabin.
filipinx descent. They are an activist, grassroots community
organizer and writer. They identify as a sober addict in
recovery. geoff is a graduate of the social service worker
program at George Brown college. Recently, they completed
their undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto,
majoring in equity and sexual diversity studies. They wish to
politicize their experiences with substance use and sobriety
while unravelling the limited representation of the addicted
body. More of their work can be found at < livingnotexisting.
org >.
Geoffrey Wilson est queer et biracial, de
descendance philippine de genre neutre. Activiste,
organisateur d’activités populaires communautaires et
écrivain, Geoff Wilson se définit comme un dépendant
sobre, actuellement en rémission. Diplômé en travail social
du George Brown College, il vient d’obtenir un diplôme de
premier cycle de l’Université de Toronto, avec spécialisation
en égalité et diversité sexuelle. Geoff Wilson souhaite
politiser son expérience des drogues et de la sobriété,
tout en favorisant une représentation simplifiée du corps
toxicomane. On peut avoir un aperçu plus large de son
travail à www.livingnotexisting.org.
M A T T E R S
Sandy Wynia Katz (she/her) is a Child and Youth
Advocate with the Provincial Advocate for Children and
Youth and the Lead Advocate on the You Are Not Alone
Project. She is passionate about human rights and the rights
of children and youth in particular; working to elevate the
voices of those who are seldom heard. Sandy is honoured to
work alongside and support the voices of queer youth in and
from Ontario’s care systems. Sandy has been working with
youth for many years and values their energy, knowledge
and willingness to challenge systems that are not working for
them. Thank you to the YANA team for being great teachers
and leaders.
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