About Me

Hi, I’m Alicia. I'm a diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, researcher, and culture consultant based in Toronto. I was born and raised in a small rural community just outside of Stratford, Ontario, and moved to Toronto to pursue my post-secondary education.

 

Following the War Amps philosophy of "amputees helping amputees," as well as, taking a human-centered and research-informed approach, my background allows me to see products as experiences and treat them as such. I have more than 10 years of professional experience contributing to all stages of the product and design life cycles — from running discovery research to leading international programs. I have a proven passion for developing innovative solutions that combine cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of human needs. 

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By day, you'll find me enabling and empowering teams at Bell Canada. I solve problems at the intersection where business goals, human needs, and technology meet. In my spare time, you'll find me on the Board of Directors for Access 2 Accessibility and the Universal Design Network of Canada; as well as, engaging with the accessibility and design communities and, taking on passion projects like the A11y Project.

 

I cannot even begin to talk about accessibility and inclusive design without talking about Cliff Chadderton and The War Amps first. The War Amps was always, and still continues to be a very important influence in my life. The Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program taught me just as much about accessibility and inclusive design as any blog, book or video ever has. CHAMP was started in 1975 by Cliff, a man who devoted his life to making the lives of others better. Cliff was and always will be a great mentor in my life and the example he set for me and so many others, is one I continue to follow today.

 

I am IAAP certified in Accessibility Core Competencies and I am also a Certified Scrum Master.  

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If you're interested in what I do, please drop me a line.