Speaker Biographies
Keynote Address
Victoria Parlatore
Victoria Parlatore (she/her) is a doctoral student studying Higher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Her research interests include accessibility, student experience in education systems, and lived-experiences of disability. She strives to bring more attention to disabled students’ experiences navigating higher education and together offer insights and suggestions for improvement to inform policy and practice, ultimately fostering more inclusive learning environments for all. Victoria’s graduate research and studies have been generously funded, presently through the multi-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral Award. In addition to her academics Victoria serves on several advisory committees dedicated to improving accessibility, volunteers with Rotary International, and enjoys mindfulness activities to encourage connection and well-being.
Panel #1: Barriers and Accessible Futures in Learning Environments
[Image Description]: Elizabeth smiles at the camera in front of an evergreen back drop. She is wearing a floral patterned blue dress shirt and has long brown hair.
Elizabeth Ball
Elizabeth holds a BScH from Queen's University and an MSc in Medical Science from McMaster University. She is currently a Part-Time Instructor and Research Engineer at McMaster University, as well as the co-founder of a bioinformatics consultancy. Her professional journey across industry, government, and academia reflects a deep passion for research and discovery.
Her personal experiences have fueled her commitment to accessibility and inclusion, driving her active participation in McMaster University's Student and Alumni Accessibility Committee. Elizabeth is passionate about uniting diverse voices to develop innovative solutions, emphasizing the importance of actively facilitating these practices in educational settings and beyond.
Marcus Chan
Marcus Chan (he/him) is a fourth-year Knowledge Integration student at the University of Waterloo, with minors in English and Cognitive Science and specializations in Collaborative Design and Science, Technology, and Society. As a student facilitator for the Student Disability Community Network, Marcus creates and hosts welcoming spaces for students with disabilities to connect and thrive. He is currently writing an autism-centric novel, offering a grounded and contemporary portrayal of autism, and his fourth-year thesis focuses on designing and facilitating workshops that cultivate growth mindset and resilience in students, guided by principles of Universal Design for Learning.
Panel #2: From Clubs to Co-op: Reimagining Accessibility Beyond the Classroom
[Image Description]: Elizabeth Mohler smiles at the camera.
Elizabeth C. Mohler
Elizabeth Mohler (ABD) is a doctoral candidate at Western University in the department of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Occupational Science Field; she holds a 4-year SSHRC fellowship. Her work discourses and practices within Direct Funding shape how disabled persons access services, and in what ways service users resist and negotiate these discourses.
Elizabeth holds a BA from Wilfrid Laurier Brantford in Contemporary Studies and an MSC from Western University in Occupational Science. Elizabeth runs a consulting business (EM Disability Consulting) where she helps companies develop accessibility plans under the Accessible Canada Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Elizabeth currently is the vice-president for the Society of Graduate Students at Western University. Elizabeth brings a human approach to activism, and her work in this space includes sitting on the Canadian Institute of Health Research External Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Systemic Ableism; co-authoring a book on accessibility in the sciences; and, presenting for large and small groups on accessibility and inclusion within higher education.
When not focusing on work and studies, you can find Elizabeth training for her next triathlon or out on the trails on her tandem bike.
Moderated Fishbowl: Systemic Barriers, Inclusive Innovation, and Your Stories
[Image Description]: Samantha smiles at the camera. She has blonde curly hair and is wearing large glasses and a black blouse.
Samantha Fowler
Samantha (she/her) is a science communication specialist and PhD student currently living with chronic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, and bulimia nervosa. She navigated being a student with disabilities at the University of Waterloo, graduating Valedictorian with a BSc in 2019, as well as Laurentian University, graduating with a MScCom in 2020. She currently works at the University of Waterloo as the Disability Inclusion Coordinator and is a lead for the STEM With Disabilities project. Samantha is a PhD student in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Waterloo studying critical disability studies.
[Image Description]: Emma sits on a bench next to her black Labrador service dog, Marlowe. Marlowe sports a blue service vest and is licking Emma’s face. Emma wears a back brace.
Emma Collington
Emma Collington (she/her) is a PhD candidate in molecular genetics at the University of Waterloo. She studies mitochondrial metabolism in anaerobic eukaryotes, with a particular interest in parasitic helminths. Emma has a genetic connective tissue disease caused by mutations in collagen and fibrillin, which results in her joints, organs, and blood vessels being too elastic. When not studying or sleeping, Emma is involved in her local disability community, and volunteers with the program that trained her own service dog, Marlowe.