About Me

 Relevant Experience

I have had many careers, and lots of life experience. But none of that was my calling. My son is my world. I want to spend every minute with him, teaching him how to navigate the world around him. He’s my favorite person. The reason I am here…

After giving birth to my son, I became disabled. Genetic conditions that were previously minor or unknown, became major. I spent years in physical rehabilitation, and therapy building myself back up. Strength and stability training is now a lifelong journey of health and fitness. 

Raising a complex needs child, while also struggling with my own disabilities, a marital breakdown, and being a single mother, taught me grit, discipline, strength, self confidence, strong boundaries, resilience, resourcefulness, how to be fierce, and a staunch supporter of human rights, and not to accept the status quo. But most importantly, how to show up as my authentic self, and how to experience joy in the everyday, how to be gentle, kind, and caring, especially in the face of destruction and chaos. I became the change my son needed me to be, and the change I want to see in the world. I am relentless.

My experiences are not unique to me, but what happens when whole communities get left behind, the shared experiences of failed policies. The trauma and stigma those communities face when policy makers do not consider the user experience. The difference in outcomes is how much support folks can get, and how they deal with stress and trauma. 

My words and my experiences are my own. I am not a politician, I am not a smooth talker, I am human and I make mistakes. Those mistakes are how I learn and grow. There will be times I say the wrong thing, but one thing you can always count on is that I show up as my authentic self, spreading joy, happiness, and standing up for marginalized folks. I will be relentless in fighting for our kids, for access to the curriculum, for EA support, for specialized classrooms, for alternative programs and for equity in French programs, accountability and transparency which ties directly to student success and student achievements. I want the best for our kids, because they are the next generation. The generation that will have to navigate all the problems our generation and previous generations will be leaving to them. I want them to be equipped with all the tools to succeed in life. 

My advocacy began in Jan 2019, a round table discussion with the MPP who held the Autism file. Within 2 weeks the province dismantled the Ontario Autism Program. Throwing my family, and many others into crisis. This event changed the course of my life. 

I joined the Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC), becoming a Regional Organizer, and later, joined the Political Action Committee, and the Education Working Group. I knew this is where I needed to be for my son, for all the kids like him, and their families. This is how I learned, first hand, that all of these and other provincial policies and systems are all interconnected. How the chronic and prolonged underfunding of all three would create the kind of crisis that we're seeing now. Education is the dumping ground for every other program, and societal issues. What gets cut elsewhere lands directly into our schools.

In May 2022, I took part in a third party Campaign, organized by the OAC, (Ontario Autism Coalition) advocating for funding and movement into the Ontario Autism Program. We targeted specific ridings across the province, 3 of which were in the Ottawa area, one of which we managed to flip, and 2 Ridings we put a real dent in their numbers. 

In 2022/ 2023, I began watching school board meetings, and SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) meetings online from home, with my headphones on, while entertaining my son, and doing his bedtime routine. Being a single parent, it was difficult to manage, but I learned so much of what was happening at the board level by simply listening to the meetings. By the end of 2023, this actually became a virtual social hour for many parents, where we would have watch parties and chit chat with each other about the content of the meetings. We kept a close eye on the EPR, every time it was mentioned. During this time I supported many parents in their efforts to advocate for their children. What to ask for, and how to go about it. 

By 2024 I took on the role of a Child Advocate, participating virtually in other parent’s meetings, and by the end of that school year, attending in person meetings at schools. I continued teaching parents how to delegate at school board meetings. With the EPR (Elementary Program Review) we watched and scrutinized every board meeting that year doing our due diligence and finding all the material sited during this process. 

Aug 2025 I won the “unsung hero” award with the OAC, for my work with recruitment and advocacy with saving our Specialized Program Classes at the OCDSB. A lot of work went into finding, informing and recruiting families that would be affected by these changes and classroom cuts, long before the big announcements were made. If you were not in attendance at school board meetings, you would not have known what was happening with the EPR until the Board Staff presented their finalized work and proposals on the EPR (Elementary Program Review) to the Board of Trustees to be voted on. 

Sept 2025 rolls around and we have no Trustees. I realize that yet again, our community is left without representation, and without access to meaningful info and guidance. Time to step up again. Now, in regular meetings as a Child Advocate, doing the work of Trustees, I advocate for the needs of the students at the school level, invited in by parents. 

Nov 2025 the Ministry of Education cuts our live feed of the school board meetings, and SEAC. Making the Special Education Advisory Committee inaccessible to our entire population, removing our ability to participate. This was a turning point for me. Yet again, I step up, and overcome another barrier put up in front of the Disabled community. (This story is getting tiring, but here we are, again, having to do it all ourselves, working around poor policy, setting us up to fail as parents and advocates for our children.) So, I did what I always do, I stepped up for the community, and I livestreamed the School Board and SEAC meetings on the OAC’s (Ontario Autism Coalition’s) Youtube page.  We are now livestreaming meetings from all School boards under supervision on our channel, for accessibility and transparency, and to keep the School Boards and Ministry of Education accountable.

I've decided to run for school board Trustee, because there is a huge need for helping parents navigate Special Education, and advocate for their child. In doing this, I will be able to reach more folks, outside of the Autism community. It is particularly difficult when you don't understand the specific language used, and what is available to your child within Ontario's Education System. 

After spending the last few years attending School Board meetings, Special Education Advisory Committee meetings, and School meetings with other parents, as a child advocate, I feel like it's my calling to do this, on a much larger scale. Let me be your voice at the table. 

I have already hit the ground running as a Child Advocate. Need me to attend a meeting with you? I would be happy to!

Memoir 

How I got here, and why this position was made for me

When your baby is born, you see them as a blank slate, so full of possibilities and successes, you want to give them the best of everything. Giving them an “edge” over others. A head start on what society perceives as successful. Good schooling, good academics, good at sports, a great career, followed by finding love and making their own family, no matter what that looks like.

The special needs life is different. It changes what is perceived as successful, it changes the definition of family, and community. 

When my son was 14 months old, his bright and happy-go-lucky nature became angry and withdrawn, he regressed. Unbeknownst to me, a sign of Autism. After another year of being at home with my son, it seemed like it was my fault for my son’s developmental delays. Despite reading all the parenting books, in all the mom groups, doing everything, but still seeminging failing as a mother. We put our son in Daycare at the age of 2. Which was the best decision we could have made, because they very nicely informed us, we needed to get him tested for Autism. And so we did.

Times were different a few years back- We received multiple diagnoses a few months after that. New books, textbooks, new support groups, the learning began. Therapy for my son, Therapy, physio and support groups for me. At the time the waitlist for the Ontario Autism Program was 18 months. Our Social Worker said we would be in fully funded service before he started kindergarten. I even thought he would skip a year or 2 of school, for this program, before entering the school system. 

A few months before we were to be taken off the waitlist, the provincial government changed in 2018. Entry into the program was paused for 5 years and few children went into service from 2018-2023, with some exceptions, and a select few kids testing the pilot program in fall of 2022. This caused a huge crisis for the Autism and Disability Community. Waitlist supports were given, but not core service. This is the precursor to the funding crisis we now see in education across the province.

My advocacy began in Jan 2019, a round table discussion with the MPP who held the Autism file. After which, I knew, things were about to get really really bad for my son and I. You see, having a non-verbal child has taught me to read body language, facial expressions, and emotions. I can identify what someone else is feeling, before they can verbalize it. In real time, I knew that MPP was about to throw the disabled community into crisis. I could see them. Truly see right through the words they were saying.  It was the first time in my adult life, I could see this person’s disgust with every parent at that roundtable, leaking through their fake smile. When it was my time to speak, I yielded my time to receive their feedback on the program. There was still at least 30 minutes left of that meeting, if not more, and that MPP closed their note book, and just left in the middle of discussions, without saying anything. The staffers were equally confused, I could see it on their faces. Everyone at that table knew we were in trouble at that moment.

Feb 6 2019, that date seared into my mind as the day my son lost so much potential, but I gained a new purpose. Major program changes were announced. It was a devastating blow to our community. Words that were said during the roundtable were taken out of context and used against us. I had no words for days, unable to understand and articulate the cruelty towards such a vulnerable and helpless population. Watching that MPP contort our words every day during Question Period became my life. Thanks to this MPP, I, and others, spawned a new pastime obsession. We watch Question Period almost daily, to keep track of every change occurring in Healthcare, Autism, Disability, Education, and many other provincial matters. 

Many of us, having watch parties and chatting about what was being said in the legislature, with the more experienced parents passing down knowledge from the previous years of advocacy, policy and government relations. 8 years later, we have become experts in our advocacy.

How did we have time everyday to listen to Question Period, you ask…? Because our kids were home everyday, unable to go to daycare or school full time, because they were waiting for therapy to get them school ready. Our kids required intensive support, we were excluded from society, waiting for a program. Which meant one parent could not re-enter the workforce, which is bad for personal budgets, tax revenue, and really bad for the economy.

Feb 6th 2019 is also the day I joined the Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC), becoming a Regional Organizer, and later, joined the Political Action Committee, and the Education Working Group. I knew this is where I needed to be for my son, for all the kids like him, and their families. This is how I learned, first hand, that all of these and other provincial policies and systems are all interconnected. How the chronic and prolonged underfunding of all three would create the kind of crisis that we're seeing now. Education is the dumping ground for every other program, and societal issues. What gets cut elsewhere lands directly into our schools.

From 2019-2020 we became trauma bonded, forming playdate groups, and building our own resources, with our own support groups, where our kids could be their authentic selves. No one was coming to save us, we had to do it ourselves. Every Saturday and once during the week, we all had playdates in front of that MPP’s office. Our toddlers, playpens, tricycles, plasma cars and trampolines in tow. We would run up and down the street, with the kiddos, waving hellos to cars going by, some of us holding signs. This became our social hour. Listening on headphones to Question Period during the day and Friday nights were twitterstorm nights, all of us on social media together, making our children’s needs trend. This was the life that was handed to us, and we build community by making it fun and joyous. 

When Covid hit, the world experienced what was our norm. Being isolated, stuck inside, and having to fend for ourselves, with harsh restrictions on movement, and mental health taking a dive. Polite society, appropriate child behaviour, and general accessibility restricted our movements the same way that those policies restricted who you could see, when and where you could shop. 

We are social beings, we are not meant to be isolated, we are supposed to be surrounded by community. So I spent 2020 diving into every online workshop and book I could find. Taking online courses and listening to audio books on how to Organize Communities, how to organize movements, how to create happiness and joy, about the rise of human rights groups, the rise and fall of different empires. I found it fascinating.

In Feb 2022, as the harsher policies of the pandemic were ending, the infamous convoy/ occupation that shut down the downtown core of Ottawa for 3 weeks, also cut off so much support for the disabled community. Families and young children in continued crises and meltdowns without the ability to breath fresh air, or sleep with the constant honking, and noise pollution started flooding my news feeds. Families looking for accommodations outside of the core, requiring mutual aid to help get them safely out, or the delivery of groceries and medications. Again, abandoned by leaders and policy makers, it was time to step up with all the knowledge I had gained and start putting it into practice. Immediately, I jumped into action, and on a call with a number of Community Organizers across the city, the movement became known as Community Solidarity Ottawa. Learning from experienced Organizers, I immediately started to learn ground organizing, crowd control, and how to be a safety marshal, and Logistics - which is my jam. Much of this, I knew in theory only, but studying and doing under pressure are 2 different skill sets. Problem solving, helping to organize mutual aid networks, safe walks, Solidarity events, and protecting events put on by minority groups across the city. An increasing need for the community to protect racialized and LGBTQ+ events from individuals spreading hate and misinformation, and attempting to disrupt events became the norm, call outs for support keep coming in. Networking and community building across the city, and working in solidarity with so many different groups, became a work of beauty.

I participated in the Battle of Billings Bridge (Feb 13 2022) another policy failure, the day the residents of Ottawa said enough was enough, the group started with 15 dog walkers at 9am, and by 11am had grown to over a thousand residents, standing in front of a convoy headed to join the occupation. Town hall style, it was democratically voted on that each vehicle was to be stripped of their flags and jerry cans, turned around and they could go home. There were teams of residents that were ensuring that those in their vehicles had food, water, hot paws, and safe walks to the restrooms. 

I was on the Strategic Planning Committee and Logistical Teams for a number of defenses, notably, NAC drag story time defense of Feb 2023, Broadview Defense - June 9 2023 and April 2025, when a few well known fascist groups converged to intimidate children in our schools, spreading hate, misinformation and fear.    

In May 2022, I took part in a third party Campaign, organized by the OAC, (Ontario Autism Coalition) advocating for funding and movement into the Ontario Autism Program. We targeted specific ridings across the province, 3 of which were in the Ottawa area, one of which we managed to flip, and 2 Ridings we put a real dent in their numbers. Of course, one of the target ridings was the MPP that had destroyed all the provincial support in 2019 when there were only 20K children waiting for service, and had since ballooned to 50K kids waiting. (Now in 2026, we have hit 70K children waiting for the Ontario Autism Program.) That MPP’s campaign kept covering up our signs, with theirs, or surrounding our one sign with many of theirs.

The first few nights this occurred, we noticed it was widespread across the entire riding. To ensure visibility and election compliance, we started moving our signs, out and away from the mess of those signs. But night after night, it became clear, our signs were being targeted by that one campaign. And so began the sign war. Every evening after dinner, we had teams of families going out, taking care of their adopted areas. Babies, toddlers and kids in tow, armed with post pounders and drills, we took back our signs, and put up more, or bigger signs, taking photos of before and after, so we could monitor the changes every night, posting them in our group chats and Advocacy groups, spreading awareness, and eventually making the local and provincial news. 

This brought the entire Autism Community together in solidarity, for the second time in 3 years.  We were not going to let our kids be bullied by a sitting MPP. We don't have typical social lives, with sports, dance or game nights, as that is not accessible for our community with substantial needs. This is our life, these are our kids, and our community, and what they didn't understand is that we are Relentless. 

2022-2023: After this election, it was time to turn my attention to community building for resourcefulness and resilience - which we should not have to do, but, it was quite evident, we were getting left behind from society and in our Education System.

Once my son was secure and thriving in his specialized classroom in the OCDSB, I could see how that classroom was able to meet my son’s basic needs, the benefit, the successes, and the curriculum being accessed. I could see student achievement and student success. I want this for every child in our school board. It should not be a struggle for parents to get their child's basic needs met in school, so that they can see the same student achievement and successes as my child. 

I created new playdate groups, parent support groups, and a birthday club for the kids that don’t get invited out. It was time to re-socialize ourselves. This is how I meet the families that require help with navigating the school system. Telling them the key phrases that need to be said, in writing, to get things actioned. (It should not be this way- this would be another policy failure.) 

In 2022/ 2023, I began watching school board meetings, and SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) meetings online from home, with my headphones on, while entertaining my son, and doing his bedtime routine. Being a single parent, it was difficult to manage, but I learned so much of what was happening at the board level by simply listening to the meetings. By the end of 2023, this actually became a virtual social hour for many parents, where we would have watch parties and chit chat with each other about the content of the meetings. We kept a close eye on the EPR, every time it was mentioned. During this time I supported many parents in their efforts to advocate for their children. What to ask for, and how to go about it. (Remembering, many of us still watch Question Period every day, so there is often chatter on what was said and done at Queens Park.)

During the Covid lockdowns I had the opportunity to view the documentary “Back Packs Full of Cash", with Matt Damon, it details the defunding of the American public education system, and corporate reforms which opened the door to tax payer funded for-profit schools, harming many vulnerable children.

As someone with a business background, Public Education should never be run like a business. This is not a business.This is a publicly funded service, paid for by our tax dollars, for us to educate and prepare the next generation of adults. There's no profit to be made in a publicly funded service. 

There are, however, multiple factors at play. It does not take a Bachelor of Business Administration to see that defunding a system, with increasing needs, makes it less stable, and less user friendly. 

Funding the education system to its needs, would enrich every child and family’s life with a well rounded, education, and supportive environment. Don’t we want the best for our children...? Why are we holding an entire generation of children back, making them learn in environments where class sizes are so big that staff can’t answer all their questions, instead of giving our kids the tools to succeed…? 

Example: The city of Ottawa gave the OPS 2026 Budget a $26 million increase, based on what the OPS said was an increasing need. (at a 5% property tax increase) This is classified as a public service. 

I compare this, because, when this service has needs, it has historically been addressed. But not Education. With Education, we are chronically staving it. If we want to talk business or finance, the answer is increase the budget to meet the increasing need of the community. 

On Aug 13 2020, the Education Minister Stephen Lecce told School Boards to dip into their reserve funds to pay for all the additional Covid related expenses. Years later, that reimbursement has never come in. This has caused structural deficits across the province with many reserves wiped out. There is no mechanism to force the Province to reimburse as the language used was framed as a choice. 

There is also an increase in students with substantial needs. Many of whom are autistic and missed out on early intervention Therapy, with a 5 year gap in core services.  An increase in “lockdown babies” or the “pandemic generation”, where they missed normal peer interactions causing them to face a different set of challenges. That could be solved with much smaller class sizes and ECEs, and EAs, SLPs, OTs, and alternative programming. Other children also facing other exceptionalities would also benefit from this.

By 2024 I took on the role of a Child Advocate, participating virtually in other parent’s meetings, and by the end of that school year, attending in person meetings at schools. I continued teaching parents how to delegate at school board meetings. With the EPR (Elementary Program Review) we watched and scrutinized every board meeting that year doing our due diligence and finding all the material sited during this process. 

Aug 2025 - I won the “Unsung Hero” award with the OAC, for my work with recruitment and advocacy with saving our Specialized Program Classes at the OCDSB. A lot of work went into finding, informing and recruiting families that would be affected by these changes and classroom cuts, long before the big announcements were made. If you were not in attendance at school board meetings, you would not have known what was happening with the EPR until the Board Staff presented their finalized work and proposals on the EPR (Elementary Program Review) to the Board of Trustees to be voted on. 

Sept 2025 rolls around and we have no Trustees. I realize that yet again, our community is left without representation, and without access to meaningful info and guidance. Time to step up again. Now, in regular meetings as a Child Advocate, doing the work of Trustees, I advocate for the needs of the students at the school level, invited in by parents. 

Nov 2025 the Ministry of Education cuts our live feed of the school board meetings, and SEAC. Making the Special Education Advisory Committee inaccessible to our entire population, removing our ability to participate. (And later, the minutes stripped of content.) This was a turning point for me. Yet again, I stepped up, and overcame another barrier put up in front of the Disabled community. (This story is getting tiring, but here we are, again, having to do it all ourselves, working around poor policy, setting us up to fail as parents and advocates for our children.) So, I did what I always do, I stepped up for the community, and I livestreamed the School Board and SEAC meetings on the OAC’s (Ontario Autism Coalition’s) Youtube page.  We are now livestreaming meetings from School Boards under supervision on our channel, for accessibility and transparency, and to keep the School Boards and Ministry of Education accountable.

This was the catalyst to launching the Ontario Education Coalition, a tool I created and launched in Jan 2026. Capacity building was our mission so we could carry out structure testing to see how the parents of Ontario felt about our Education System. These networks are also built to serve as mutual aid networks in the future. 

I wanted to structure test how many other parents in the province felt the same as I. Frustrated at the lack of access and accessibility and transparency to information, and the rapidly deteriorating school system, and continued barriers being put up in front of our families and children, in what feels like a bar on participation.  For a ministry that wants Student Success and Student Achievement, they sure are putting up so many barriers for our children and parents.

Our preliminary structure test was very successful, and gave us lots of data. I have passed this tool off to Ontario Parents for Education Support, to continue the work where I left off, so that I could launch a Campaign to run for your Trustee.

I want to be your Trustee to further the work that I have been doing, on a larger scale, and help more families access the curriculum. I want to see equity with the French and alternative streams for students and families. I want transparency for families from the School Board, and the Ministry. I want to fight for you and your families. I want to help you navigate the school system.  I want to push for student achievement and success. I want to be your voice at the table.

My mother used to say: “You are the sum of the people you surround yourself with - So- choose wisely.” I am so honoured to be surrounded by so many inspirational people in my life. Community building and overcoming so much adversity, and unnecessary barriers has taught me not to accept the status quo. 

So join me. Let’s do better for our Children.