Thank you to fellow disabled actors, outgoing Council member George Alevizos and Alexia Vassos, for nominating me for Council.
For the last ten years of my career, I've balanced being a disabled actor and an arts administrator. I spent five years as a fundraiser, producer, and accessibility advocate at The Musical Stage Company in Toronto, then took my skills to producing dance at The National accessArts Centre in Calgary and into my current role as Director of Programs & Development at the Disability Screen Office. This means that I understand firsthand how contracts work, how arts organizations work, and the pressures that producers and engagers are passing on to artists. I want to use my knowledge to advocate for you so that you don't have to advocate for yourself when you're working.
The last census shows that 27% of all adults in Canada are living with at least one disability. I know there are many members who are hiding or downplaying disabilities or access needs because you fear it will affect your employability. A vote for me is a vote for continued disability representation on council and a commitment to put accessibility, health and safety, work-life balance, and care first.