Dr. Hsien Seow, PhD, is the Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care and Health System Innovation, an associate professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University. Hsien is also the director of the McMaster-ICES satellite site. His research expertise is in innovating the palliative care health system and improving quality of care, particularly in the home and community.

The goal of his work is to improve the experience of patients and family caregivers facing serious illness along the entire illness journey. He has worked with RAND Health, Health Canada, provincial ministries of health, and policy makers nationally and internationally to improve palliative care. He is the co-host of the podcast, The Waiting Room Revolution, and author of The Tao of Innovation: Nine Questions Every Innovator Must Answer.

Scott is a direct support professional with a strong interest in evidence-based practices and the science of support. Scott has been doing this work for more than 20 years. In addition to providing services, Scott speaks at conferences on a variety of topics related to his extensive experience as a DSP.

Scott shares: “I noticed not everyone is, or wants to be, a leader; some struggle with following. I find myself supporting leaders, learners, followers and those who are undecided, uninformed or in between.”

Scott has passion for breaking down the silos and working toward a fully inclusive community. As part of that, Scott can often be heard talking about the importance of a role he loves – being a grandfather – in addition to his many roles in the community.

Katrina Prescott can’t resist a creative challenge.  An accomplished media producer who honed her skills in New York and Vancouver, she was thrust into caregiving at the height of her career.

Her personal experiences caring for her mother who was living with dementia compelled her to embark on a secondary career in caregiving advocacy and education.

By combining her media prowess and insights from lived caregiving experiences, Katrina produced the widely viewed web series “Therapeutic Fibbing.”  Seen by over 1 million people to date, this innovative educational series is a caregiving and dementia advocacy tool that not only invites learning but has also garnered significant caregiver engagement.

As a passionate community advocate who believes any action can have a big impact, Katrina designed and launched a range of programs to support Indigenous led organizations, mitigate isolation, address hunger and encourage zero waste initiatives.

Katrina is an unexpected change agent, whose creativity, passion and commitment to improving the lives of people around her, shines through all of her work and leaves a lasting impression.

Yona Lunsky is the director of the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and leads the health care access research and developmental disabilities program. She is also a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

A caregiver herself, she is very involved in research dedicated to understanding caregiver needs and designing mental health interventions for family caregivers of people with developmental disabilities, as well as service providers.

James Janeiro MPP is a public policy and advocacy professional with over a decade of experience in politics, policy and government relations. As director of policy and government relations at the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, James leads an ambitious national and pan-Canadian advocacy and policy development agenda focused on substantive and practical reform.

He began his career in the Ontario Public Service working on disability legislation. He then transitioned to the political policy space and served two successive Ontario ministers of community and social services as senior policy advisor on social assistance, poverty, disability, and veterans’ issues.

In 2014, James assumed a new role serving Premier Kathleen Wynne as her social policy advisor. In this position, he was responsible for a diverse array of policy areas, including poverty reduction, housing, the Basic Income Pilot, disability issues, autism services and municipal affairs. In 2018, James left government for a senior role in the not-for-profit sector. He was director of community engagement and policy at Community Living Toronto from 2018 to 2022. In this role, James developed and executed advocacy strategies focused on housing, income security, and service improvement.

He holds an honours BA in political science, history, and languages and a master’s in public policy from the University of Toronto. James lives in Toronto with his wife, dog and two cats.

Juanita is a proud Black woman born to Caribbean parents.

She is a CUPE member in the Ontario region and is a lead steward for Local 2191. Juanita has served the membership through various elected and appointed positions. She is currently a co-chair of CUPE’s Human Rights and Racial Justice committee in Ontario, and she is the Equity and Inclusion representative for the Social Service Workers Coordinating Committee in Ontario.

Juanita is also the chair of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Region One Under 40 Committee.

Jodie is the vocational counselor at the Chilliwack Society of Community Living where she works with participants of a new service called L.I.F.E. Jodie is a strong advocate for the individuals she supports, her coworkers and the community at large. Jodie looks forward to serving fellow DSPs as part of the DSP Fellowship Program. Jodie has been working in the social service field for 30 years and resides in the lovely community of Rosedale BC.

Claudiane is passionate about the wellbeing of direct support professionals who work with individuals with severe behaviours. Claudiane is currently completing her master’s degree in psychoeducation at Université de Montréal, where she will be pursuing her studies as a doctorate student in fall 2023. Claudiane comes with 16 years of experience as a special education instructor.

Claudiane recently completed her final internship with the Service Quebecois d’expertise en troubles graves du comportement, where she planned projects related to competency-based training and creating tools for health workers working with people with severe behavioral disorders that are under the health and social services system’s authority. Claudiane brings a warmth to the DS Fellows, representing the interests of Francophone DSPs as well.

John Yip is the president and CEO of SE Health, one of Canada’s largest social enterprises. As a transformative, values-based leader with a strong commitment to community advancement, John is evolving SE Health’s vision to forever impact how people live and age at home through its business of caring, social impact, and strategic investments.

Prior to joining SE Health, John held various roles including president and CEO at Kensington Health and vice president of Corporate Services at Health Quality Ontario. He also ran his own boutique management consulting firm focused on integrated care models for vulnerable and under-served populations; and worked with clients across the healthcare continuum as a consultant with the national health care and life science practices at KPMG, PWC and CGI.

John holds an MBA in Health Services Management from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University and undergraduate degrees in arts and sciences from Dalhousie University. John is a member of the Institute for Corporate Directors and currently serves on a variety of boards including HealthcareCAN, Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto, the Centre for Effective Practice and Triathlon Canada.

Dr. Allison Williams is a professor in the School of Geography and Earth Sciences at McMaster University. A health geographer by training, Dr. Williams currently leads a multi-year Canadian Institute for Health Research/Social Science Humanities Health Research (CIHR)/SSHRC Healthy Productive Work Partnership Grant. Through the partnership grant, the work of academic researchers, business and non-profit leaders is helping employers to adopt the CSA Carer-Inclusive and Accommodating Organizations Standard. In doing so, workplaces have the potential to enhance work-life balance, retention, autonomy and reduce health insurance costs.

A strong advocate for policy and practice improvements at the national, provincial, and local levels, Dr. William’s work also informs international carer-friendly workplace policies. Her insights, skills, and knowledge lead to strong collaborative partnerships with organizations representing caregiver advocacy, health services, and labour. She cares for her aging parents and uncle and has two lovely children living at home with her and her partner.