Speakers and Presenters
Welcome to Connecting the Dots!
We are thrilled to introduce the dynamic and accomplished speakers and presenters who will be sharing their expertise and insights at this year's event. From thought leaders to industry pioneers, our speakers are at the forefront of innovation, hinting at the exceptional content and connections awaiting you as we explore the intersection of education, technology, and employment.
Menelaos (Manny) Argiropoulos
Regional Manager, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) – Procurement Assistance Canada – Ontario Region
Mr. Menelaos (Manny) Argiropoulos has been working for Public Services and Procurement Canada, Ontario Region for over 20 years. He has held various positions, ranging from Real Estate Advisor to Geomatics Project Manager and is currently the Chief, SME Stakeholder Engagement with Procurement Assistance Canada in Ontario Region. Mr. Argiropoulos is responsible for supplier outreach and engagement for PAC-OR. He also delivers seminars that assist and inform suppliers on how to do business with the Government of Canada, how to navigate the federal procurement system and how to utilize canadabuys.canada.ca, the Government Electronic Tendering Service.
Jennison Asuncion
Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism, LinkedIn
Jennison Asuncion is Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism at LinkedIn. He has worked in digital accessibility since 2006, starting in Toronto on RBC’s IT Accessibility team. He co-founded Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) in 2012. This annual event draws focus to digital access and inclusion by and for people with disabilities. On the occasion of GAAD’s tenth anniversary, Jennison co-founded the GAAD Foundation. Its mission is to disrupt the culture of technology and digital product development to include accessibility as a core requirement.
A former long-time CNIB volunteer, SCORE Program alum, and a CNIB Century of Change awardee, Jennison was born and educated in Montreal. He now lives in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Babar Baig
Senior Financial Advisor, CIBC
Babar is a Senior Financial Advisor at CIBC Square. Babar has been at CIBC for over 5 years where he started out as a customer service representative and worked his way through various roles in the banking centre. Prior to this, he worked in retail management. Throughout his career he has always worked on the frontline as his passion lies in providing the best level of service and financial planning for his clients.
Monika Borchert
Manager, Early Years Digital Literacy Project, CNIB
Monika has taken her love for Project Management along with her passion for inclusion to manage and lead the Early Years Digital Literacy Project at CNIB, which aims to gamify the ABCs of iOS manual to support building digital literacy skills amongst our youngest CNIB participants.
Joanne Close
Project Manager for Project Inclusion, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Joanne is a mother to an adult son who has autism and an intellectual disability. Project Inclusion allowed her to combine her commitment to furthering inclusion for people with disabilities and her experience as an adult educator and instructional designer. The bulk of Joanne’s experience is in the area of professional development for K to Grade 12 educators, administrators, and educational staff in the form of books, online learning modules, and courses.
Meaningful engagement and inclusion must begin in the early years, throughout a child’s education, and finally as a valued participant in all facets of adult life. In her role as Project Manager for Project Inclusion, Joanne worked with a range of individuals—those with lived experience, educators as contributors and reviewers, Holland Bloorview staff, and other agency and mental wellness stakeholders. Our shared goal was to create a learning resource that places the lived experiences of people with a range of disabilities at the centre of learning and provides an opportunity for educators to engage in collaborative inquiry that furthers meaningful inclusion of all students in their education, both in and out of the classroom.
Suzanne Decary-van den Broek
Vice President, Central Canada, CNIB
Suzanne Decary-van den Broek has close to 20 years of experience in the field of vision loss. A Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT) with a background in Psychology, Suzanne started her career at CNIB as a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist delivering client-centered rehabilitation and habilitation services to individuals of all ages impacted by blindness and low vision before moving into management.
In her current role as Vice President of CNIB, Central Canada and Executive Lead, CNIB Next Generation, Suzanne oversees Programs and Operations in Ontario and Quebec. She is committed to removing barriers for Canadians living with sight loss and has a special interest in the areas of education equity and inclusive communities, working with educators and community service providers to create a seamless journey for students with sight loss, and their families, to navigate as they move through life’s transitions.
Robert (Bob) Fenton
Chair, Board of Directors, CNIB
Robert Fenton is an esteemed member of Canada’s legal community, currently holding the role of Director of Legal Services for the Calgary Police Service. His three-decade legal career is marked with many highlights, including acting as legal counsel for Team Canada during the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
For more than 20 years, he has been a key member of CNIB’s volunteer leadership team and has made an incredible impact on our organization through various volunteer roles. He has been a member of CNIB’s Alberta Board of Directors, National Board of Directors, CNIB Guide Dogs Fundraising Committee, Risk Committee, Finance Committee, and Strategy and Programming Committee. He also served as Chair of both our Investment Committee and Risk Committee, and currently serves as Chair of CNIB’s Board of Directors.
Praveck Geeanpersadh
Managing Partner, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Deloitte
Praveck is the Managing Partner for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Deloitte Canada and Chile. He was appointed to the role in June 2021 and is responsible for strategy maintenance and execution.
Praveck is partner within the Financial Crime practice, focused on Anti-Money Laundering & Sanctions and anti Fraud & Corruption. He joined the team in Toronto in 2017 from Johannesburg where he led the forensic team for Deloitte Africa and was a partner there for thirteen years. Prior to that, Praveck served with a law enforcement agency focused on serious economic crimes, leading the forensic accounting division, working with local and international agencies.
Praveck co-developed the Trust value proposition for Deloitte Canada. The proposition was developed in consolation with clients and Harvard Business School faculty. This lens on problem solving and managing stakeholder relations is a key differentiator for Deloitte.
Lui Greco
Lead, IT Accessibility & Assistive Technology, CNIB
Lui has been with CNIB since 2011, holding various roles across Canada. He has lived in Calgary, Fredericton, Saint John, Markham and now lives in Halifax. Lui has been active in several service clubs including Lions and currently with the Dartmouth Rotary Club. He is currently working his 4th guide dog, a 6 year old yellow lab named Reid.
When not trying to make the world a better place for everyone, Lui can be found on the Halifax Harbour sailing on a 29 Foot sailboat, enjoying outdoor patios sampling the worlds many unique dishes.
Jean Hammond
Family Partnerships Specialist, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Jean is a caregiver to her 18-year-old daughter with a developmental disability who was born with a rare genetic condition. She has been a Holland Bloorview Family Leader for over 12 years, serving as Co-Chair of the Family Advisory Committee and member of the Quality Committee of the Board. In her staff role as a Family Partnerships Specialist at Holland Bloorview, Jean helps to recruit, train, and support over 80 Lived Experience volunteers in the Family Leadership Program. Engaging with clients and families is a core value and embedded practice at Holland Bloorview, with every committee, project, and initiative collaborating and co-designing with clients and families. Jean connects Family Leaders (Lived Experience volunteers) with staff across the hospital, ensuring that the client’s voice and experience are represented in all discussions. Jean and the Family Leadership Team continuously expand and enhance family partnership and engagement at Holland Bloorview and in the community.
For Project Inclusion, Jean provided her own lived experience in the development of the online modules and worked with over 30 students, caregivers, and educators to understand their lived experience with inclusion in the school community, and to help distill their wisdom and expertise into all five virtual training modules.
Paul Jurkovic
Senior Manager, Group Experience Design Manager, Deloitte Canada
Paul has been driving innovation and creating human-centred digital experiences for almost 20 years. He is a design leader who is passionate about integrating emerging technology, inclusive and accessible design into his craft in an effort to support positive social change. Paul strives to generate awareness and educate industry professionals in methods for ensuring products we create benefit the lives of humans, society and the world in which we live.
Damian Milczarski
National Accessibility Program Manager, Microsoft Canada
Damian (he/him) is the National Accessibility Program Manager at Microsoft Canada and helps drive equitable conversations with organizations to empower workplaces across the Americas on adopting accessibility into daily interactions. He is passionate about creating barrier-free opportunities for all by helping educate and build disability confidence, strive for accessible adoption in collaboration environments, and empower people of all abilities with the tools to build modern workplaces for everyone. When Damian is not in his home office or working from downtown Toronto, Damian enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants & establishments, and hanging out at the cottage.
April Mitchell-Boudreau
April Mitchell-Boudreau is a Niagara-based multi-disciplinary artist, designer, and proud Indigenous entrepreneur. Founder and CEO of Lofttan convertible jewelry, April is a member of the Mohawk Nation with roots at Six Nations.
Victoria Nolan
Manager, CNIB Next Generation, CNIB
Multi -talented Victoria Nolan is a three-time Paralympian and the most experienced member of Canada’s Para rowing. In 2016, the visually impaired athlete was part of the Canadian crew that won’s Canada’s first ever Paralympic Games in the medal in the sport as they took bronze in the mixed fours.
She is also a six-time world championship member earning three medals including gold in the mixed fours in 2010. Nolan is also the mother of two, an author and a television host. Her book Beyond Vision: The Story of a Blind Rower, was published in 2014.
Marta Rzeszowska
Vice President of Products, Moneris
As the Vice President of Products at Moneris, Marta brings over 15 years of industry experience, having worked in a variety of areas including software development, consulting, solution design, and platform management. Marta currently leads an enthusiastic and dedicated product team, and is always looking to see how technological innovation can help solve business problems. She is a Certified Payments Professional (CPP), certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds an MBA with a specialty in global business.
John M. Rafferty
President & CEO, CNIB
CNIB’s eighth president and CEO, John M. Rafferty, joined the team in 2009 and has since been a catalyst for extraordinary change and for the modernization and growth of one of Canada’s oldest and most trusted charities. Under John’s leadership, CNIB has expanded by more than 50 per cent and unified its service offerings across the country, making them more accessible and available nationwide. He also spearheaded the landmark trifurcation of CNIB into three separate organizations, each providing vital and distinct services to Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, or Deafblind. At the same time, John was a driving force behind the implementation of many of CNIB’s most groundbreaking programs – including CNIB Guide Dogs and Come to Work – as well as a wide range of virtual programs. Under John’s leadership, CNIB has also led the charge on a number of landmark accessibility victories, including the launch of the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), among many other accessibility wins.
Carole Mendonca
National Lead, Accessibility, Deloitte
Carole Mendonca is Deloitte’s National Accessibility Leader and co-authored Deloitte Canada’s AccessAbility Action Plan. In her role, Carole is responsible for overseeing the Accessibility team, AccessAbility Employee Resource Group and the execution of Deloitte’s Accessibility strategy and action plan. She co-founded Deloitte’s Accessibility client service offerings in Canada to assist provincial and federal organizations with the development of their accessibility strategy, action plans and consultations with people with disabilities and neurodivergent people.
Carole has over a decade of experience working in the private and nonprofit sector specializing in management consulting, program development, community investment, risk management, compliance and stakeholder engagement. Carole has a Bachelors of Honors in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Carleton University, a graduate diploma in Inclusion and Leadership and holds an active designation in Accessibility from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).
Paired with a business mindset and a strong passion for accessibility, disability inclusion and neurodiversity, she is committed to furthering positive change and creating a stronger future for all.
Zubin Sanyal
Senior Digital Strategist, Enterprise Canada
Zubin manages advertising at Creative Currency, crafting omni-channel marketing campaigns through multi-million budgets for clients across the healthcare, government, and not-for-profit sectors. He co-founded the small dollar donor program for the Ontario Liberals, managed the Prime Minister’s advertising program in 2019 and transformed Prime Minister Trudeau’s digital strategy in 2021 to earn him a third mandate with Canadians. He’s even worked with a national progressive party in Europe to build their email and voter ID functions—from the ground up.
Jesse Shea
Senior Consultant, Public Affairs & Communications, Enterprise Canada
Born and raised in Hamilton, Jesse has a wealth of experience in political campaign management and policy development. At the heart of his work are his connections in Hamilton, at Queen’s Park and on Parliament Hill. From working with the federal All-Party Steel Caucus on issues pertaining the renegotiation of NAFTA, to helping small and medium-size enterprises and grassroots community organizations navigate the complexity of government, Jesse has ensured that corporate and local voices are heard in government decision making.
Jesse has worked closely with the Liberal Party of Canada and Ontario Liberal Party, as a staffer, campaign manager and senior volunteer. With his strong professional network, political intuition, and deep understanding of local dynamics he is able to provide dynamic solutions to ensure that clients succeed.
Peter Tucic
Director of Strategic Partnerships, HumanWare
Peter Tucic graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. Peter is currently the Director of Strategic Partnerships for HumanWare. He works closely with key partners throughout the field of vision loss as it relates to assistive technology. Peter has presented at the National ACB and NFB, in addition to the CSUN and ATIA conferences amongst many others. Peter has also been published in Closing the Gap magazine and regularly creates written and video tutorials for a wide array of HumanWare blindness products.
Loran Upton
DE&I Program Manager, Global Talent Acquisition Strategies, Scotiabank
Loran is a DE&I Program Manager at Scotiabank. With over 8 years of experience in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, she is passionate about enabling the Talent Acquisition team with the tools to hire diverse talent. Her portfolio includes Persons with Disabilities, Veterans, LGBTQ+, Newcomers and Women. She leverages her skills in social networking, presentations, coaching and mentoring to build relationships, educate stakeholders, and promote best practices. Loran holds a Change Management Certificate which helps her to implement effective and innovative DE&I strategies and programs. Her mission is to create a more inclusive and accessible workplace for everyone.
Andrea Voss
Manager, SmartLife Business Development, CNIB
Andrea is an expert in assistive devices and technology who has spent 17 years helping the business and education sectors with accessible solutions for their staff and students.