our people
Meet the people behind Disability Without Poverty. From our board to our provincial coordinators, from our staff to our leadership table, from our volunteers to our community partners, we bring people together with the goal to bring prosperity, passion, power and full participation to everyone with a disability in Canada.
Click on each member to learn more about them.
Board of Directors
Michelle Hewitt
Chair
In addition to chairing DWP, Michelle volunteers on local and provincial disability committees and is a PhD candidate at UBC Okanagan.
Luca Patuelli
Vice-Chair
Best known to dance lovers around the world as Bboy Lazylegz, Luca Patuelli wants all people with disabilities to live their lives with “no limits”.
Meenu Sikand
Vice-Chair
Meenu Sikand was the executive lead for equity, diversity and inclusion at Holland Bloorview Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto.
At this time, DWP is redesigning its leadership model. Our work continues to be led by disabled people.
Click on each member of our Leadership Table to learn more about them.
Leadership table
Ali Mohamed
Ali Mohammed has a specific interest in helping racialized people with disabilities from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds build stable and secure lives in Canada.
Andrea van Vugt
Andrea van Vugt is the founder and president of the Disability Pride Alberta Foundation with the mission to celebrate, educate, and empower the disability community.
Andrea Zackary
Andrea Zackary is a former Deaf Olympian and World Championship qualifier in track and field.
Brenda Lenahan
Brenda Lenahan founded BC Complex Kids Society, a grassroots organization that advocates for better support for children with medical complexity.
Clare Li
Clare Li works in procurement for the aviation industry and has a passion for bringing human rights and sustainability practices to her work.
Elizabeth Lowe
Elizabeth Lowe has and interest in activism, campaigning specifically for the cause of people with disabilities, and has spoken on issues concerning the quality of Quebec City’s paratransit service.
Tom Jackman
Tom Jackman is currently a board member at Autism Canada, and has previously served on the board of the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Tricia Lins
Tricia Lins began an advocacy group in Langley so self-advocates have a stronger voice in the community, and always looks for new ways to encourage people to participate.
National Staff
Click on each member to learn more about them.
Rabia Khedr
National Director
Rabia Khedr leads the Disability Without Poverty movement. She previously served as a commissioner on the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
Sabrina Latif
Operations Manager
Amy Ma
Communications Manager
Provincial Team
Click on each member to learn more about them.
Don Slater
Alberta coordinator
Jan Nass
Alberta Coordinator
Amanda Lockitch
BC Community Organizer
Kat Wong-Perrotta
BC Administrative consultant
Janet Rodriguez
Ontario Community Organizer
Andrea Zackary
Ontario Community Organizer
Lisa Presutti
Ontario Administrative Assistant