Connecting the Dots Toronto 2025 Speakers

Jade Ondrik is a passionate advocate, communicator, and leader living with low vision, dedicated to inclusion, empowerment, and meaningful connection in the vision loss community. As Specialist, CNIB Guide Dogs, she supports the recruitment, onboarding, and engagement of more than 300 volunteers nationwide, driving the success of CNIB’s growing Guide Dog program. She also serves as Media Officer for the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) Goalball Committee, promoting the global goalball community, and is a dedicated athlete herself. With a background in the performing arts and expertise in communication and leadership, Jade is honoured to Emcee this year’s Connecting the Dots conference, helping guide conversations, amplify diverse voices, and celebrate innovation and resilience. 

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Jimmy is from Moose Cree First Nation and the community of Moose Factory, Ontario. He is fluent in the Cree language and is a Teacher/Educator on Native Culture and Spirituality. He is an Elder and guest speaker at international conferences and is an active volunteer and board member. Jimmy has been actively involved in Toronto’s Indigenous community since 1975 and is a member of the Eagleheart Singers drum group. 

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Jane Muir Savidant, ICD.D serves as Chair of the CNIB Board and has been a Board member since 2018. As former Chair of the Strategy Committee, her leadership was instrumental in guiding the development and presentation of The Way Forward Strategic Plan to the Board for approval.

Professionally, Jane founded Result Inc. in 1981, serving as its President for 30 years, with a focus on strategic development and content consulting.  From 2006 to 2010, she was General Manager and Senior Consultant at Hill & Knowlton Strategies after they acquired Result Inc. Jane became a CNIB client in 2017. She joined CNIB’s National Board in September 2018 and is a member of the Governance Committee, bringing a 35-year business career in financial/investor communications and public/government relations to her work on the board. 

Jane has volunteered and participated in numerous not-for-profit boards over the years, most notably with the Calgary YMCA (Chair of the Board), WinSport Canada and the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter. 

Jane is a graduate of Carleton University with a B.A. in English and Journalism. 

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Elizabeth Toller is seasoned policy and public sector leader within the Government of Canada with a passion for health issues. As the Director General of Health Care Strategies at Health Canada, she facilitates pan-Canadian collaboration on shared health priorities, including the Government’s Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan.

Previously, as Executive Director of Digital Health and Primary Care within the Health Care Strategies Directorate, Elizabeth and her team worked with provinces and territories to improve access to family health services and modernize the health system with health data and digital tools. Her team was key in advancing collaboration on connected care through better health data interoperability.

Elizabeth has also led initiatives at Health Canada’s Health Product and Food Branch, driving regulatory changes for food and drugs to support innovation and safety. She has held policy roles in various federal departments, including Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, and the Privy Council Office. Outside of work, she is a mother of two and enjoys exercise and gardening.

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Paul Hamilton (he/him) is a passionate advocate for inclusive talent strategies and a champion for building workplaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. As Director of National Talent Attraction Strategies & Operations at KPMG Canada, Paul leads the charge on campus and experience hiring across the country, helping shape the future of work through innovative, people-first approaches.

With over two decades in talent management, Paul brings deep expertise in leadership development, workforce transformation, and Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (ID&E). He’s known for pushing boundaries—whether it’s reimagining how organizations attract and grow talent, or challenging executive teams to think differently about culture and belonging.

Paul’s work is grounded in empathy, strategy, and a belief that when we design with inclusion at the core, we unlock the full potential of our people. Whether mentoring emerging leaders or driving national hiring programs, he’s committed to creating spaces where diverse voices thrive and are empowered.

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Rafay Khan is a Manager in KPMG Canada’s Transaction Services practice, where he advises middle-market clients on financial due diligence and other issues related to the M&A transaction process. With over a decade of experience in assurance and advisory services, Rafay brings a strong analytical lens and a collaborative approach to helping organizations navigate strategic growth and transformation.

Beyond his client work, Rafay is a brain hemorrhage survivor that serves as the Lead of KPMG’s Disability Inclusion Network (DIN), a community of professionals advancing accessibility and inclusion across the firm. Since 2020, he has led various initiatives, including national and global panels on disability inclusion, worked closely with leadership to enhance recruitment, retention, and self-disclosure of employees with disabilities, and helped co-author KPMG Canada’s multi-year disability inclusion action plan.

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Kimberly Pellett is a Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Scotiabank, where she leads with purpose and passion to create a more accessible and inclusive workplace. With over three years on the DEI team and a rich background in advocacy, Kimberly brings a unique lens shaped by her studies in ASL Interpretation, her work in Financial Crimes investigations with a focus on human trafficking, and her longstanding commitment to supporting marginalized communities.

Identifying as neurodivergent and as a person with non-visible disabilities, Kimberly channels her lived experience into meaningful change. Her impact includes founding Scotiabank’s Neurodiversity Employee Resource Group, developing a comprehensive people leader guidebook on accessibility and inclusion, launching the Accessibility Operating Model to address systemic barriers, and establishing the Employee Accessibility Advisory Committee. She also plays a key role in evolving inclusive language and practices across HR policies.

Kimberly’s work is driven by a deep belief in equity, dignity, and the power of inclusive design — ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to thrive.

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Cheyenne is artist voice actor and CNIB talent pool member. She's worked on many projects her most prominent ones being created by kids for kids and unseen perspectives podcast. During her time on the unseen perspectives podcast, during her time on the unseen perspectives podcast, she got to rekindle her love for interviewing and sharing people's stories. She was also a producer cover artist and ear promptor. An ear prompter is someone who reads lines to visually impaired actors like a prompter would show sighted people their lines except with  verbal cues. Because of her time on the podcast, she discovered that she would like to spend more time interviewing people and she would like to explore maybe doing voice over work or descriptive audio for a smaller productions in the near future.

Created by kids for kids is not necessarily a CNIB exclusive project, but it is a research-based collective creation project involving children of all ages and differences. During this project, Cheyenne plays the role as co-facilitator. And accessibility consultant.. so far they've done one in-person session and it went off really well. Now they're looking at what they can do to transform the in-person work into a digital format so we can get more people involved with created by kids for kids around Canada.

As for her own personal projects this year alone, she's been felting hundreds of bees And that has been an arduous Journey with lots of twists and turns as of writing this, she still has half a box to finish polishing up, so maybe you'll get one in your swag bag at the end of this event.

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Mia de Freitas is a passionate advocate for inclusion and accessibility, currently leading enterprise-wide accessibility initiatives at RBC as the Director, Accessibility Enablement. In this role, she partners with teams across the organization to redefine accessibility practices and standards, embedding inclusive design into every aspect of the employee and customer experience. 

Mia is focused on identifying and implementing solutions that strengthen awareness, build skills, drive cultural change, and remove barriers for persons with disabilities. Through developing tools, resources, and programs to support employees with disabilities, she helps ensure accessibility is not just a compliance requirement but a shared responsibility and core value across the enterprise.
With a commitment to creating inclusive experiences for all, Mia continues to champion innovation, collaboration, and education as key drivers of lasting accessibility transformation.

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The Honourable Carla Qualtrough is a human rights lawyer, Paralympic swimmer, disability rights advocate, and former federal Cabinet Minister.  She was Canada's first-ever Minister responsible for persons with disabilities.  In this role she created the Accessible Canada Act, the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, and the Canada Disability Benefit.  Her other Cabinet roles included Public Services and Procurement, Employment and Workforce Development, and Sport and Physical Activity.  Carla has recently founded CQ Solutions, an innovative consultancy firm focused on disability rights and inclusion.

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Tim Murphy is Executive Vice President & Chief Strategic Affairs Officer, working with Aecon’s leadership team to drive and execute Aecon’s strategy with responsibility for identifying opportunities where Aecon can grow and scale, partner to achieve operating sector objectives, and foster strong relationships with key clients and stakeholders. Mr. Murphy has over three decades of experience in legal and management, public service, and private and public transactions with a focus on infrastructure, project finance and Public-Private Partnerships. Prior to joining Aecon, he served as Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer of McMillan LLP, as well as Managing Director of McMillan Vantage Public Affairs. Mr. Murphy previously served as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada, Chief of Staff to the Finance Minister of Canada, and as an elected Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario. He serves on the Board of Morguard REIT and the Canadian National Institute of the Blind and was also previously Chair of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority Board of Directors, as well as a variety of public, private and non-profit Boards. Tim is the author/editor of Construction Law in Canada and author of Public-Private Partnerships in Canada. Mr. Murphy holds a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto, where he is currently an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law.

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Suzanne Decary has 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 services to individuals of all ages impacted by blindness and low vision before moving into management. In her current role as Senior Vice-President of CNIB, Programs, Suzanne oversees Programs and Operations across the country and is the executive lead for CNIB’s work with children, youth and families. 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.    

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Adam Wilton, PhD, COMS is the Program Manager of PRCVI and ARC-BC. He has been an educator for 18 years, working primarily as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist. In addition to his role at PRCVI, Adam is a Director for Braille Literacy Canada, the Coordinator of the BC Regional Braille Challenge, and the Vice Chair of the Canadian Association of Educational Resource Centres for Alternate Format Materials. 

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Kim Setzer is the Manager of Learning Innovation and Technology with CNIB Deafblind Community Services, where she leads a dynamic team of Skills Development Specialists. For over 20 years Kim has been passionate about empowering individuals with the courage and confidence to develop the skills needed to live independently. Kim is a strong advocate for inclusive, equitable, and accessible education.  Kim believes that everyone can learn when they are placed in the right environment and given the tools and support that match their individual needs.  In addition to championing the Skills Development program, Kim is also involved in researching, testing, and sharing information on new technology that will benefit the Deafblind community.  This self-professed tech junky knows that the right adaptive device can offer new opportunities and open doors for folks that were once slammed shut.

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John-Ross (JR) Rizzo, MD, MSc, FACRM is a physician-scientist-leader at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Rizzo is the Health System Director of Universal Access and Vice Chair of Health Equity & Innovation at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He also holds appointments in the departments of neurology, ophthalmology, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and biomedical engineering at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He heads the Visumotor Integration Laboratory, exploring motor control with a special emphasis on visual guidance and biomechanics in blindness, and the Rehabilitation Engineering Alliance and Center Transforming Low Vision Laboratory (REACTIV), exploring bio-inspired, multi-sensory assistive technologies with a special emphasis on advanced wearables. He is an advisor to multiple startups and early ventures focused broadly on technological disruption for those with visual impairments of all kinds and holds a series of board and advisory roles at leading NPOs, inclusive of the MTA, National Academies, Lighthouse Guild, FFB, CRF, City Access, and more. Dr. Rizzo capitalizes on his lived experience with vision loss in all aspects of his work. 
https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/johnross-rizzo

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With 20+ years working in disability inclusion, and 6+ years developing a fitness business that pivoted through the pandemic, Lee-Anne's passion for inclusion and curiosity for innovation merged together to create Sekond Skin Society, the most accessible and inclusive fitness app in the market! Lee-Anne is a proud thought leader, advocate for accessibility, inclusion and belonging, disruptor in fitness tech, speaker, coach and mentor, and a great listener. 

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Sue Marsh-Woods, Manager of Health Care Operations has dedicated over 40 years to advancing vision rehabilitation services through her work with CNIB and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada. She began her career as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, later transitioning into intake and counseling, where she provided crucial support to individuals adjusting to vision loss.

For many years, Sue has served as a manager in Toronto, leading a large team of vision rehabilitation specialists with a focus on collaboration, professional growth, and high-quality client care. She is recognized for her expertise in community development, her strong commitment to health equity, and her ability to build meaningful partnerships that improve access to services.

A lifelong learner, Sue continues to contribute to the field through participation on multiple committees aimed at expanding services for clients with complex needs. Her career reflects a deep dedication to empowering individuals with vision loss and strengthening the systems that support them. Sue is the recipient of CNIB’s Employee of the Year Award, the United Way’s Bhayana Family Foundation Award for Creativity and Innovation and the Canadian Council of the Blind Visionaries Leader Award.  
 

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Sarah Savery has served as the Northeastern Regional Sales manager for Polara since January of 2025. In her role, she leverages her knowledge of ITS and traffic to provide innovative solutions with a focus on APS and PROWAG/ADA compliant products. Sarah Savery is known for her client-centric approach and finds her work with advocates in the blind/low vision community to be the most rewarding part of her career with sight loss, as part of CNIB Come to Work.

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Joe Weber joined Be My Eyes in 2019 to help lead the company's profit-with-purpose business model. Joe creates corporate partnerships benefitting Be My Eyes' community of nearly 1 million users, including Amazon, Emirates, Hilton Hotels and Spotify. His passion for the disability community started at birth, his twin brother Jack being born non-verbal and autistic. He lives in Denver, CO with his partner, Saeda, and cat, Salem. He enjoys performing music locally and serving as a guide for blind and low-vision hikers in the Rocky Mountains.

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Ruba Al-Nazer is a passionate advocate for building stronger communities through innovative engagement and impact initiatives. With a focus on community investment, workforce development, and Indigenous relations, she’s committed to creating pathways for meaningful change. Ruba has a knack for designing programs that connect people, empower underrepresented voices, and foster partnerships that last. When she’s not working you can find her passionately debating football (and no, it’s not called soccer) or on a quest to discover the best snacks.

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Callie Leshchyshyn is a Senior Manager of Come to Work at CNIB, leading national initiatives that help individuals with sight loss gain and retain employment. She oversees the assistive technology, outreach, and venture pool teams, driving programs that build technology skills, create employment opportunities, and foster entrepreneurship. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit management and public engagement, Callie is dedicated to reducing employment barriers and expanding opportunities across Canada.

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Khunsha, from Mississauga, Ontario, has a background in psychology and is partially sighted. She became involved with CNIB’s Come to Work program first as a talent pool member and later as an intern supporting the GTA region. In this role, she recruited and oriented participants, maintained program files, and supported job seekers, while also contributing to initiatives such as co-creating a podcast on employment for individuals with sight loss. Her experience with Come to Work provided her with meaningful professional development, including knowledge of assistive technology, practical job search strategies, and confidence in public speaking. It also gave her a unique perspective—both as a participant and as a staff member—on the life-changing impact the program has for individuals pursuing employment opportunities. Beyond CNIB, Khunsha has held client-focused roles through a hospital co-op and community volunteer work. She credits Come to Work not only with helping her build new skills and career experience but also with fostering lasting relationships with colleagues across regions. Khunsha is grateful to CNIB and partners like Pearson for the opportunity to share her journey and highlight the importance of empowering programs like Come to Work.

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Stella has worked for the federal public service for over 13 years. She previously worked in various roles for the Canada Pension Plan before moving to Public Services and Procurement Canada, leading real property projects and managing real property portfolios. 

In her current role as Policy Advisor, Stella is responsible for providing insights through data reporting and making recommendations on how best to engage with diverse businesses and to increase participation of underrepresented groups in federal procurement.

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Hector has worked at the cutting edge of accessibility and assistive technology (AT) for almost 30 years. He has held roles in enterprise, from innovative startups to established edtech and health industry focused businesses,  regularly contributing to global government consultations on disability inclusion. As the Director of Commercial Accessibility, Hector sets strategy and leads global teams engaging in their regions with governments, major employers, Microsoft’s commercial partner network and a wider set of community stakeholders to showcase inclusive design, product accessibility, inclusive hiring practices, the role of disability employee resource groups and accessibility innovation. Hector is in his final year as the UK Government Disability and Access Ambassador for the Tech Sector and Websites, supporting the tech sector to deliver on disability employment and inclusive customer and product experiences. 

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Yanique Williams is Uber’s Public Policy Manager for the Canadian Prairies and Federal Affairs, where she leads and supports policy initiatives that strengthen safety on the Uber platform across Canada, with a focus on road, personal, women’s, and health-related safety. She also collaborates with Uber’s Product Inclusion team and serves on the Fairness Working Group, helping design inclusive products that meet diverse community needs and deliver positive social impact. Prior to joining the technology sector, Yanique spent over eight years in Canadian politics, advising on international trade, rural economic development, small business growth, gender equality, gender-based violence, and the federal government’s diversity and inclusion commitments. Outside of her professional work, she actively supports community initiatives and organizations that shaped her journey, finding fulfillment in giving back and creating opportunities for others.

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Yvonne Felix is a dynamic leader known for driving innovation in accessibility, inclusion, technology, and the arts. With a strategic vision, Yvonne has led teams toward greater impact and success, holding influential roles such as Head of Research Operations at CNIB. They have leveraged their lived and professional experience to effect positive change in their community. As Founder and Creative Director of Resight, Yvonne has made significant contributions to inclusive arts education and programming. Beyond professional achievements, Yvonne volunteers and mentors, promoting accessibility and empowerment in every endeavor they pursue.

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