Admiration.

Jessica Oddi

A freelance designer with a disability, Jess's website is a masterclass in leading with your values. She is transparent about how she works, what output clients can expect, and this clarity is refreshing. Plus, her art brings to life the range of human experiences and intersectionality disability uniquely provides.

Technology for Living

A longtime leader in BC, TIL has a rich history in empowering people living with disabilities across the province and beyond with access to needed respiratory and communications equipment, as well as a peer network. I've gotten to know the Peer Team Lead and Innovation Strategist, Ean Price, who also runs ICAN Resource Group. Ean has helped me develop so many connections and ideas.

The Origin Stories

Dona Sarkar was the best manager during my time at Microsoft, and in addition to being an inclusive and inspiring leader (albeit with some chaos energy thrown in the mix), understands what makes people tick and how to bring out their creativity both at work, but with her constant insistence that everyone needs a side hustle to bring joy and fulfillment to their lives.

Dona introduced me to Jeremiah Marble, who is a wealth of knowledge and ideas for all things entrepreneur-ey. I credit Jeremiah with making me share my screen on a call so I could buy a domain and start a website. He helped me get over the fear of "doing", and instead just "do".

They're both incredible mentors, and I'd suggest checking out their work, including Model 47: A Startup Storybook.

Ioana Tanase

Both an incredible colleague and friend, Ioana is a leader in making AI more accessible to people with disabilities, and also more inclusive in the way AI represents and portrays disability. She's also passionate about helping people navigate career reinventions and has been a great sounding board for me. Plus, she makes incredibly artistic footwear.

Squamish Adaptive

Squamish Adaptive is a women-led organization focused on coaching adaptive mountain bikers that changes the narrative. Where most adaptive organizations are led by nondisabled staff, founder Sierra McCann understands why FOR organizations for the disability community be led BY the community. Squamish Adaptive's newly-formed board is exclusively made up of athletes with disabilities that bring a variety of lived experiences.

MakingTrax

An organization that enabled me to have life-changing tourism experiences in New Zealand, MakingTrax, led by Jezza Williams, is groundbreaking in its approach to inclusive tourism. In addition to providing a network and community for tourists with disabilities, MakingTrax works closely with tourism providers to find creative ways to support disability tourism through education, training, and a mindset shift. Tourists with disabilities are an important and growing demographic, and MakingTrax is showing that inclusive tourism is just good tourism.

Help me expand this list!

There are so many leaders in this space it's impossible to list them all. The connections we make between people and organizations are what truly break down barriers - sharing information and ideas helps us all broaden our impact. I'd encourage you to share this list and help me grow it and my own connections by offering suggestions!