Board of Directors

ARCH is guided by a dedicated and committed volunteer Board of Directors. ARCH’s Board of Directors is consumer-controlled and more than half are people with disabilities.

Jason Mitschele, Chairperson

Jason Mitschele has been practicing law as a Federal Prosecutor since 2003 for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. His practice involves the prosecution of firearms and narcotics offences. He currently leads the Toronto Superior Court Team.

He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto in 2002.

Jason is a proud advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities and contributes to the following organizations as:

• National Advisor for Persons with Disabilities, Public Prosecution Service of Canada
• Board Chair, ARCH Disability Law Centre
• Member of the Ontario Courts Accessibility Committee, Secretary, Criminal Law Practice Group of the Advocates Society
• Director, Canadian National Institute for the Blind Foundation (CNIB)
• Volunteer Faculty, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, Trial Advocacy Program
• Co-founder and co-chair, National Counsel of Employees Living with a Disability, Public Prosecution Service of Canada
• Action Canada Fellow for 2006-2007 where he was selected as one of 15 young Canadians from across Canada to work on a public policy project regarding the promotion of clean technologies in Canada

In July, 2019, Jason was proud and honoured to be the recipient of the National Heads of Prosecution Courage and Perseverance Award in Quebec City.

Jason continues to argue criminal cases at Provincial Court, The Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Jennifer Hiseler, Vice-Chairperson

Jennifer is an accessibility specialist with a background in the built environment, training, and policy work around the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. She is a graduate of the Accessible Media Production programme at Mohawk College and works with the City of Toronto in the People and Equity Division.

Other experience with accessibility, disability, and inclusion comes from her education as an Orthotic and Prosthetic technician, work as a custom seating technician for high technology wheelchairs, and volunteer involvement with various organizations, primarily with #a11yTO (or Accessibility Toronto). Jenny also wears a prosthesis and always has. This lived experience brings insight and depth to her professional and volunteer work.

Ashfaq (Kash) Husain

Kash, as he is known by most of his colleagues, is a graduate of Mount Allison University and Dalhousie University, where he obtained a B. Eng. in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduation, Kash worked as a Consulting Engineer designing Electrical Power and Distribution Systems for large industrial plants. These would include: Oil Refineries, Pulp and Paper Mills, Waste Water Treatment Plants, Airports, Dockyards, to name a few.

All that changed on March 31, 2000, when Kash left his employment because he was experiencing severe vision loss. Kash had been diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative condition of the retina. They say that when one door closes another one opens.

In his case the door was labeled “Volunteerism”, something Kash was familiar with. He could now spend more of his time sharing his knowledge and experience with others. He volunteers with the City of London, sitting on DIAAC and the Accessibility Advisory Committee – where he was their inaugural Chair (2001-2005). He also volunteers with the CNIB, FFB (Foundation Fighting Blindness), the UWO School of Occupational Therapy and the IEEE.

Kash strongly believes that sharing his knowledge, experiences and collaborating with others can build an inclusive and welcoming community for all.

Kash has a long history of volunteerism in London, Ontario including: Diversity, Inclusion and Anti Oppression Advisory Committee.  Member representing persons with disabilities; Accessibility Advisory Committee, Inaugural Chair;, Community, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy Committee, Co-Chair of the City wide initiative to insure the City of London is a welcoming and inclusive community for all of its citizens.  This will also include addressing the issues raised by the “Black Lives Matter”, London movement;  Fighting Blindness Canada; Independent Living Centre London and Area; CNIB Foundation; Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers: (IEEE).

Kash received the following award:  2012 – Queen Elizabeth 11 Diamond Jubilee Medal; 2011 – June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism in Ontario;  2011 – Wally S Read Award for Volunteerism with IEEE Canada.

Claudette Paul

Claudette has been on other boards for at least 5 years total. She has lived experience living on reserve for 11 years and work experience on reserve for 15 years. On and off reserve, she has been an advocate for marginalized indigenous people including those with disabilities in such roles as a National Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Program worker (addictions worker), an Early Childhood Educator, a Family Support worker, an Aboriginal Best Start Service Connector, and her current role as an Indigenous Student Advisor. She continues to advocate for those that need her to be their voice.

Dolly Menna-Dack

Dolly is the Clinical and Research Bioethicist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Youth Engagement Strategy Lead.

She is particularly interested in pediatric rehabilitation issues that arise in both clinical care and research with children and youth with chronic illness and disabilities. Dolly was the first former patient to join the SickKids Research Ethics Board as a Community Member and has held progressive leadership positions on REBs since, including Ethics member, Vice-Chair and Interim Chair. Dolly has over fifteen years’ experience on pediatric research ethics boards, acute and rehabilitation focused boards as well provincial review boards.

Dolly is a nationally and internationally sought after leader in Lived Experience roles and has been the Youth Engagement Strategy Lead at Holland Bloorview since its inception in 2012. Dolly has extensive experience training and supporting youth and young adults in advocacy and partnering in the areas of service & care delivery, teaching & education of healthcare providers, clients & families, as well as research and policy.

Dolly’s own lived experience of growing up with a physical disability led her to advocate for a Lived Experience role on the clinical healthcare teams. Dolly created the Youth Facilitator role, which has been Ministry-funded since 2006 at Holland Bloorview. Over the last five years she has led the expansion of the role to multiple healthcare teams. She has also supported the implementation of the Youth Facilitator role at Toronto Rehab, UHN.

Ellen Cohen

With her own personal experience of mental illness and as a supportive family member, Ellen always knew she would be a helper. As an advocate, educator and organizer.  She has enjoyed a long career in advocacy, social work and working in mental health. She holds a degree in Sociology and Social Welfare, and a diploma in Social Services, is a lifelong learner. Ellen has held positions experiencing all levels of government; as a social service worker with the city of Toronto, Ontario probation and parole as a probation officer and as an early childhood educator. She has worked for over 30 years in community mental health, facilitating and supporting the development of the Ontario infrastructure of consumer – survivor peer led organizations.

She has volunteered in community on a variety of boards and committees and shares a long history with the National Network for Mental Health. She has a keen understanding of mental health across the lifespan and the issues facing people living in Canada with mental illness and the intersection of mental illness within the disability and deaf communities. Ellen is the current co-chair of the Canadian Alliance for Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) where she represents the consumer perspective as a member of the National Network for Mental Health (NNMH).

Shifting their focus to the disability community, NNMH now plays a pivotal role in bridging the mental health community to the larger disability movement, and bringing awareness of the intersections of disability into the mental health sector. This is shift into the disability community has enabled the NNMH to become actively involved human rights and social justice work along side our partners from the disability community. Working on issues relevant to the good health and well being of all Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Harjot Kaur Dosanjh

Harjot Kaur Dosanjh has a passion for advocating for the rights of vulnerable communities and protecting the environment. She is the first lawyer in her family and currently serves as counsel with the OPGT where she advocates for incapable adults primarily in family law and civil matters. Her past experiences include the Disability Law Intensive with ARCH, where she worked on client advocacy, public legal education and law reform; as an advocate with the Fair Change Pro Bono Legal Clinic advocating for street-involved individuals; and as a volunteer on the Distress Line at the Canadian Mental Health Association. She is also an organizer and volunteer with the Sikh Family Helpline which is a peer-to-peer helpline servicing the Sikh community in Canada in Punjabi and English to connect the community with linguistically and culturally appropriate resources. Harjot’s experiences have taken her across Canada and the world, including international development work in Cambodia with the Legal Aid of Cambodia, and an arctic expedition with the Canada C3 journey with a focus on the environment, reconciliation, diversity and inclusion and youth engagement. These experiences have strengthened Harjot’s commitment to advocating for marginalized communities and working towards an inclusive society.

Hengameh Saberi

Hengameh Saberi is Associate Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School with expertise in international law, disability law and human rights. She has lived, worked in the Middle East, the U.S. and Canada, and brings decades of experience with and a global approach to disability law and human rights advocacy.

Jeevan Bains

Jeevan works as an accessibility professional who has 18 years’ experience increasing accessibility for organizations. She is also a Member of the Accessible Canada Act Technical committee for developing the emergency egress standard. Jeevan is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competency (CPACC) with the International Association for Accessibility Professionals. Jeevan is passionate about providing equal opportunities as she has encountered barriers and advocated for change as an individual who is blind.

Logan Wong

Logan identifies as a Trans, bi-racial, Autistic wheelchair user. As an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Consultant. Logan has been involved equity and advocacy work in his community from a young age, in June of 2012 Logan received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Awarded by The Honourable David Onley, Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, for outstanding community service. He has worked on numerous task forces and executive committees focused on Anti-racism, Anti-oppression, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ARAO-DEI) at institutions such as Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation and The CHILDBRIGHT Network.

Currently Logan is the chairperson of the National Youth Advisory Panel (NYAP) at the CHILD-BRIGHT Network and an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Task Force member at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Logan has dedicated his career as a social worker to work within the equity space conducting training, writing equity-focused policies/proposals, and supporting the creation, implementation, and sustainability of diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace cultures.

As a graduate of the social work programs (BSW, MSW) at Toronto Metropolitan University, Logan has a deep understanding of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) frameworks, principles, advocacy, and policy that will support in providing leadership and guidance on ARCH’s Board of Directors

Natalie MacDonnell

Natalie MacDonnell holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science and Political Science from McMaster University and is a graduate of the Joint Master of Environmental Studies and Juris Doctor Program at Osgoode Hall Law School and York University.

Natalie has had a long involvement with social justice causes such as human rights and environmental protection. She is also passionate about disability rights, accessibility and access to justice.

Natalie has practiced law in a variety of different areas including housing, privacy, social assistance, human rights and environmental law. Natalie has experience working for the provincial government as well as for legal aid clinics. During her studies, Natalie completed placements with environmental non-profit organizations and the Human Rights Legal Support Centre.

Norah Dillon-Cheetham

Norah Dillon-Cheetham (she/her) has an Hons. B.A. from the University of Ottawa and an M.Ed. from the University of Toronto. Norah is a proud member of the disability community.

During her time at the University of Ottawa she worked as an advocate for students with disabilities and in the federal Office for Disability Issues on youth labour market entry. She worked for over 5 years at the Human Rights Legal Support Centre on the intake team on a large body of cases. She now works as a human rights investigator with the Toronto District School Board on education and employment cases. Norah enjoys policy and research.

Norah has also volunteered with Barrier Free Canada, the Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto District, Citizens with Disabilities Ontario, the Malvern Family Resource Centre, West Neighbourhood House and People for Education.

Paul Scotland

Paul was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario with the neuro tube birth defect, Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus. He hold an Honours, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from York University and graduated from the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law.

He has an interest in promoting and growing equality seeking groups and wants to see the disabled community continue to visibly advocate for breaking down barriers that impede accessibility to a society and environment responsive to equity, diversity and inclusion everywhere!

He is a member of the Criminal Lawyers Association, Diversity Committee; Criminal Lawyers Association, Abilities Discussion Group; and, the City of Richmond Hill, Accessibility Committee.

Robert Barber

Robert Barber is a licensed paralegal and the CEO of Prevail Paralegal Services Professional Corporation. Robert is active in his indigenous community, serving as a Community Councillor on the Niagara Region Métis Council and is a paralegal member of the Indigenous Bar Association in Canada. Robert volunteers as a paralegal coach with the Law Society of Ontario’s Coach and Advisor Network, and as a member of the Dentistry Accreditation Review Committee for the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. Robert has also given presentations for the Law Clerk Section of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association. When not acting as an advocate for his clients, peers and community, Robert enjoys shooting sports and spending time with his wife and son.

Ryan Hooey

Ryan Hooey graduated from Spring Arbor University in Jackson, MI in 2008 with a Bachelor degree in Marketing and Public Relations. Ryan then successfully completed a Bachelor degree from the University of Windsor in Sociology and in 2013 completed a certificate in Volunteer Management and Coordination from Mohawk College. He has since worked in the not-for-profit world as an advocate for those living as a part of the disability community. He also works part time for University Health Network in Toronto as a Research Associate with the diabetic retinopathy and foot care team in hopes of bringing more sustainable and available care to people living with diabetes across Canada. He is an avid audiobook listener and has a weekly remote television segment with AMI featuring audiobook trends, author interviews and news called The Chatty Bookshelf. Ryan is a guide dog handler of a 5-year-old CNIB Lab named Joe and the father to a wonderful 4-year-old daughter Abigail.