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People

DRPI was founded in collaboration among an international Advisory Committe and Co-Directors Bengt Lindqvist and Marcia Rioux. The project staff include Rita Samson, the DRPI Project Coordinator, and Basharat Tayyab and Paula Pinto who work with DRPI as Research Associates. The work is also supported by a number of graduate students. The following is a list of some of the main groups of people detailed on this page that are working with DRPI:

Directors

DRPI is directed by Bengt Lindqvist and Marcia Rioux.

Bengt Lindqvist

Bengt Lindqvist sitting at a desk

Bengt Lindqvist was the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability from 1994 until January 2003, and was also a Member of Parliament in Sweden, serving as Minister for Social Services and Family Affairs. He has received honorary doctorates in social science (Stockholm University, 1999) and community medicine (Lund University, 2002). By profession, Bengt Lindqvist is a language teacher. He has extensive experience in the movement of people with disabilities, both in Sweden and internationally.

A profile of Bengt Lindqvist was published as a chapter of the book Tänk själv (Think for Yourself). The chapter titled Vulnerable groups lose most when the power of the state diminishes is available online in English (translated from Swedish).

Marcia Rioux

A close-up of Marcia Rioux smiling

Marcia Rioux is a Professor in the School of Health Policy and Management; in the MA and PhD (Critical Disability Studies) and in the M.A./PhD in Health Policy and Equity at York University, Toronto, Canada. She is the Director of the York Institute of Health Research (YIHR).   She works with many disability organizations and has published and consulted widely on disability and human rights and disability policy issues, both nationally and internationally. Marcia has lectured throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. She advises federal and provincial commissions, parliamentary committees, and international NGO's as well as United Nations agencies. She recently published with Brill Press, Critical Perspectives on Human Rights and Disability Law, (Eds. M. H. Rioux, L. Basser, M. Jones).

International Co-ordinating Centre Staff

Paula Hearn

A close-up photo of Paula Hearn smilingPaula Hearn is the Project Coordinator for DRPI AWARE. She holds a Master’s degree in Critical Disability Studies from York University, and a Bachelor's degree in International Development from the University of Guelph.

Paula brings over 7 years of experience working in the disability field. Prior to her current position, Paula was a research assistant with DRPI, having contributed to DRPI's Canadian media monitoring report, and assisted in organizing an international workshop. Additionally, she has provided training on disability awareness and accessibility at the University of Guelph’s Center for Students with Disabilities.

Paula Pinto

Paula Pinto smiles while standing in front of a large, blue body of water.Paula Pinto is a researcher at the Center for Administration and Public Policy in Lisbon, Portugal, and an invited faculty at the School for Social and Political Sciences, Technical University of Lisbon, and the Department of Sociology, New University of Lisbon. She holds a PhD in Sociology from York University, Canada, and a Master’s degree in Family Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.

She has been working in the disability field for over 20 years, as an activist, a researcher and an academic, both in Portugal and internationally. She joined the DRPI team in 2004 as a research associate, having contributed to the development and field-testing of DRPI monitoring tools and methodologies, and acting as support person to local monitoring teams in data collection and analyses. She is the author of a number of articles and book chapters on disability, inclusion, citizenship and human rights, published in Portugal and abroad.

Rachael Dempsey

A close-up of Rachael Dempsey smilingRachael Dempsey is a Research Assistant with DRPI. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Glendon College, York University. As a Project Officer with the Colombia Campaign to Ban Landmines, Rachael contributed to advocacy and landmine survivor support initiatives. As the Program Associate, Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) at the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), she coordinated communications, urgent responses and the monitoring of WHRDs’ rights violations, as well as supported research on the protection of women defenders’ rights.

Regional Officers

Regional Officers plan and supervise disability rights monitoring projects, coordinate regional disability rights monitoring training, seek funding opportunities, foster partnerships, and assist national and local organizations of people with disabilities. Here is a list of DRPI's regional officers:

Europe - Radoš Keravica

A picture of Rados Keravica smilingRadoš Keravica is a person with a disability who studied economics at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of economics, Department for European Economics and Business where he was awarded a BSc degree in 2009. At the moment he is wrapping up his MSc degree course within the same department. Mr. Keravica has been actively involved in the NGO sector since 2006 as a member and volunteer of the South Backa district association of dystrophy. In 2008, he became a member of the Supervising Board in this organization with the task to control organization functioning, its finances and to create financial reports. In 2007, Mr. Keravica began volunteering in the Center for Youth and Social Development RES POLIS and after 3 years of volunteer work he became Main Board President of CYSD RES POLIS in 2010. He began working for DRPI as Regional Officer in 2011.

Latin America – José Viera

A picture of José Viera José Viera was born in Argentina. Blind since he was 8 years old, José says that My disability has never stopped me in developing all of my activities, it has only made me achieve my goals from a different view with the permanent support of my family and closest friends.

José has a Bachelor degree in International Studies and a Masters Degree in Management of Development. Currently, José holds a post as a professor at a local Argentinean university in the Department of International Studies. He has recently completed a research project related to Strategies for Local Development and is now writing his PhD thesis on development. Since last March José has been President of the Blind Federation of Argentina. José began working for DRPI as Regional Officer in September 2011.

Africa - Dagnachew Wakene

Dagnachew Wakene is seated at a desk with a laptop in front of himBased in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dagnachew ('Dag') B. Wakene has his first degree in Law (LL.B) from the Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; and his second degree is a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) majoring in Rehabilitation, Disability and Development, which he completed at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Dagnachew has been working for the past ten years as a researcher, educator, projects coordinator and advocate locally, regionally and internationally with a particular focus on Inclusive Development, Human Rights and Law. While doing his Masters studies, he severed as a Research Assistant in an inter-regional, multi-partnership research initiative known as the African Policy on Disability and Development (APODD) – jointly led by the Centre for Rehabilitation Studies (CRS) at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and the Trinity College Dublin (TCD) of Ireland. Since 2011, he has been working as a Research Associate at World ENABLED – a non-profit initiative created by persons with disabilities based in Berkeley, California. Over the past two years, Dagnachew has actively been involved as a Campaign Associate in the ‘Post-2015 Development Agenda’ deliberations representing the disability cause and his continent at various regional and global fora, including the Conference of State Parties (CoSP) to the UNCRPD and the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, among others. He is also serving as a Board Member at the African Disability Alliance, formerly known as the Secretariat of African Decade of Persons with Disabilities.  Dagnachew is a Polio survivor.  His writings and other contributions on different topics related to disability can be accessed online.

Asia Pacific - Rajive Raturi

A photo of Rajive RaturiRajive Raturi is a post graduate in Business Management with over 17 years of corporate work experience in senior managerial positions in India and Kenya. An accident whilst working in Kenya left him with a visual disability leading him to make a conscious decision to work in the social and developmental sector. He now has over 11 years of work experience in the social sector with disability rights as his core area of work.

In this period he has worked towards building skills of persons with disabilities through facilitation of training in techno enabled employment opportunity areas and their employment in the IT and BPO sector. He has worked with national and emerging grassroots DPOs across the country in capacitating them and providing them access to legal services to strengthen their advocacy efforts in furthering the UNCRPD, has initiated national level advocacy campaigns and supported DPOs in filing Public Interest Litigations to influence policy level changes to further rights of persons with disabilities. He has been a member of the expert committee to draft a new disability law in harmony with the UNCRPD and in drafting guidelines for prevention of ill treatment and abuse of children with disabilities in institutional care and has also supported the development of a resource pack for guiding civil society organizations and duty bearers in combating violence and torture against persons with disabilities.

Rajive has co-authored a 1000 page compendium titled Disability and the Law which serves as a resource material for Judges, Advocates and activists and published a report titled Harmonizing laws with the CRPD and has also scripted an educational documentary titled Access to Rights and developed training modules on Indian and International laws on disability.

DRPI Affiliate Project Coordinators

Consultants

Consultants have been key in shaping DRPI's direction and vision. The following is a list of consultants that have and continue to work with the DRPI project.

  • Annika Akerberg, Lawyer, Farsta, Sweden
  • Anna Bergholtz, Journalist & Disability Rights Activist (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Normand Boucher, Centre interdiscipinaire de recherche en réadaptation et  intégration sociale (CIRRIS), Laval University (Quebec City, Canada)
  • Andrew Byrnes, Professor, The University of New South Wales, Australia
  • Scott Campbell, MA (Critical Disability Studies) Graduate, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Anne Carbert, Lawyer, Toronto, Canada
  • Sandra Carpenter, Centre for Independent Living, (Toronto, Canada)
  • Ray Cohen, Canadian Abilities Foundation, (Toronto, Canada)
  • Christian Courtis, Officer for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva
  • Cameron Crawford, Roeher Institute (Toronto, Canada)
  • Theresia Degener, Professor, University of Applied Sciences, Germany
  • Catalina Devandas, Disability Rights Activist (Costa Rica)
  • Daniel Drache, Faculty of York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Christo El Morr, Faculty of Health, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Steven Estey, Disabled Peoples International, Canada
  • Emil Erdtman, Swedish Association of the Visually Impaired (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director, The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, Australia
  • Patrick Fougeyrollas, Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec (IRDPQ), Laval University (Québec City, Canada)
  • Fiona Given, Lawyer, DRPI and Interights Strategic Disability Rights Litigation Intern (Newtown, Australia, from Interights' Office in London, England)
  • Mike Gourley, Producer and Presenter (New Zealand)
  • Beth Haller, Associate Professor in Journalism / New Media, Towson University (Baltimore, U.S.A.)
  • Judith Heumann, Director, Department for Disability Services, Government of the District of Columbia, USA
  • Rodrigo Jiménez, Rights of Peoples with Disabilities, Costa Rica
  • Jon Johnson, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, York University, (Toronto, Canada)
  • Isabel Killoran, Faculty of Education, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Kalle Konkkola, Executive Director, The Threshold – Independent Living Centre, Finland
  • Andrew Laing, Cormex Research (Toronto, Canada)
  • Paula Lau, Lawyer, Toronto, Canada
  • Richard Light, Disability Rights Activist (London, England)
  • Karin Ljuslinder, Senior Lecturer, Media and Communication, Umeå University (Umeå, Sweden)
  • Lars Lööw, Disability Ombudsman, Office of the Disability Ombudsman (1999-2006), Sweden
  • Allyson Marsolais, MA (Critical Disability Studies) Graduate, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Anuradha Mohit, Special Rapporteur, National Human Rights Commission, India
  • Roxanne Mykitiuk, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Michael Ngunyi, Journalist & Disability Rights Activist (Nairobi, Kenya)
  • Vinod Pavarala, Professor of Communication and Dean, Sarojini Naidu School of Performing Arts, Fine Arts & Communication, University of Hyderabad (Hyderabad, India)
  • Yvonne Peters, Lawyer, Winnipeg, Canada
  • Paula Pinto, PhD (Sociology) Candidate, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Michael Prince, Faculty of University of Victoria (Victoria, Canada)
  • Gerard Quinn, Professor, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
  • Geoffrey Reaume, Faculty of Health, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Eric Rosenthal, Executive Director, Mental Disability Rights International, United States
  • William Rowland, Immediate Past President, World Blind Union & Executive Director, South African National Council for the Blind, South Africa
  • Ann-Marit Sæbønes, National Director, Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs
  • David Shannon, Lawyer, David Shannon Law Office, Thunder Bay, Canada
  • Christina Wahrolin, Vice Chair, Swedish Disability Federation (HSO), Sweden
  • Patrick Watson, Writer, Producer, Director, Actor, Television Host  (Toronto, Canada)
  • Joseph Woelfel, Professor of Communications, State University at Buffalo, State University of New York (Buffalo, USA)
  • Ezra Zubrow, Professor of Anthropology, State University at Buffalo, State University of New York (Buffalo, U.S.A.)

Students

Student support has been a major component within DRPI. A number of students have participated and supported the project in various capacities. The following is a list of past and present student collaborators:

  • Elizabeth Archampong, PhD Candidate, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto
  • Cassandra Ashton, PhD Candidate (Communication Studies), York University
  • Heather Bergink, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Tammy Bernasky, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Natalia Bogdan, MSc Candidate  (Computer Science), York University
  • Alexis Buettgen, PhD Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Francis Charrier, MA Candidate (Political Science), Centre interdiscipinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), Laval University, Québec City, Canada
  • Rebecca Chase, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Christine Chiou, MA Candidate (Design), York University
  • Cameron Crawford, PhD Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • David Fiset, MA Candidate (Sociology), Centre Interdiscipinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale (CIRRIS), Laval University, Québec City, Canada
  • Chelsea Flook, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Hyacinth Francis, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Michael Greenspan, BSc Candidate (Computer Science), York University
  • Paula Hearn - MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Raihanna Hirji-Khalfan, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Jerry Huang, BSc Candidate (Computer Science), York University
  • Morgan Huseby, MA Candidate (History), York University
  • Jason Jia, BSc Candidate (Computer Science), York University
  • Jon Johnson, PhD Candidate (Communication and Culture), York University
  • Arjun Jolly, BSc Candidate (Computer Science), York University
  • Chelsea Jones, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Bhaskar Joshi, BSc Candidate (Computer Science), York University
  • Nadia Kanani, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Izabella Karapetyan, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Amila Kottege, BSc Candidate (Computer Science), York University
  • Carol Krause, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada
  • Shambavi Kumaresan, LLB Candidate, York University
  • Nelson Lai, MA Candidate (Political Science), York University
  • Michelle Landy, LLB Candidate, Osgoode Hall, York University
  • Julie Lanz, LLB Candidate, Osgoode Hall, York University
  • Natalia Levina, MBA Candidate, Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, Canada
  • Charlene Lindsay, MES Candidate (First Nations Treaty Negotiations and Mediation Progress), York University
  • Christopher Lytle, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Shahina Manji, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Anthony Mapp, PhD Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Macey Markowitz, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Iphigenia Mikroyiannakis, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Ilana Mizel, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Vishaya Naidoo, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Chavon Niles, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Gillian Parekh, PhD Candidate, Critical Disability Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada
  • Paula Pinto, PhD Candidate (Sociology), York University
  • Christina Pojrazova, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Hila Ramon-Greenspan, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Joanna Rankin, PhD Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Priyanga Rangan, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Stephanie Renner, MA Candidate, (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Jennifer Rinaldi, PhD Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Blair Roblin, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Simmy Sahdra, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Fiona Sampson, PhD (Law) Candidate, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (Toronto, Canada)
  • Megan Sandhu, PhD Candidate (Communication Studies), York University
  • Seema Shah, LLB Candidate, Osgoode Hall, York University
  • Gemma Sheppard, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Donn Short, PhD Candidate (Law), York University 
  • Ken Singh, LLB Candidate, York University
  • Hengameh Sorouri, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Natalie Spagnuol, PhD Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Julien Subercaze, PhD Candidate (Computer Science), INSA-Lyon, France
  • Scott Tanaka, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Agnes Thomas, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Kristin Tokarsky, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Onar Usar, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Jolyane Vigneau, BA Candidate, Laval University, Québec City, Canada
  • Jessica Vorstermans, PhD Candidate, Critical Disability Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada
  • Laura Vukson, BA Candidate (International Development), York University
  • Jennifer Walker, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Samantha Walsh, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Aurita Julie-Dale Withers, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University
  • Laura Zycla, MA Candidate (Critical Disability Studies), York University

International Legal Education and Research Project

Faculty Project Directors 2003-2007

  • Oleksandra (Sasha) Baglay, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • LeeAnn Basser, Faculty of Law, LaTrobe University
  • Joan Gilmore, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Selina Goulbourne, Department of Law, University of Greenwich
  • Kithure Kindiki, Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi
  • Anna Lawson, School of Law and Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds
  • Angela Laycock, Department of Law, University of Greenwich
  • Roxanne Mykitiuk, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Lora Patton, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Arelene Kanter, Faculty of Law, University of Syracuse

Student Researchers 2009-2010

  • Bridget English, LLB Student, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin
  • Candi Gogar, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Geraldine Soon, LLB Student, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore

Student Researchers 2006-2007

  • Nichol Bondonno, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Natasha Ennin, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Tracy Fuell, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Olivia Hogman, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Aleksandra Kleminska, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Carol Krause, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Mojisola Ojuko, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Ethelbert Oney, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Boniface Obioma Onwubiko, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Seema Shah, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Aminata Sidique, LLB Student, University of Greenwich

Student Researchers 2005-2006

  • Christopher Archer, LLB Student, University of Leeds
  • Vasileios Batalas, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Catherine Bogle, MA (Critical Disability Studies) Student, York University
  • Stephanie Chard, BA Legal Studies (Hons.), La Trobe University
  • Steven Connolly, LLM Student, University of Leeds
  • Stefanie Davison, LLB Student, University of Leeds
  • Judith Farrow, LLB Student, University of Leeds
  • Anna Firth, LLM Student, University of Leeds
  • Phyllis Wangui Kamau, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Muindi C. Kilonzo, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Wendy Litner, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Robert Martin, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Wajahat Masood, LLM Student, University of Leeds
  • Stephen Medley, LLB Student, University of Leeds
  • Iphigenia Mikroyiannakis, MA (Critical Disability Studies) Student, York University
  • Eric Murai, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Shadrack Mwendwa, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Lynette Nyathi, LLM Student, University of Leeds
  • Alfred Oseko Nynachoka, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Amanda O'Brien, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Kimang'a Ontita, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Colleen Orrick, MA (Critical Disability Studies) Student, York University
  • Sandra Oyella, LLM Student, University of Leeds
  • Gillian Quinn, LLB Student, University of Leeds
  • Udish Ramparsad, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Sarah Shindler, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Manjit Singh, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Philip Wamalwa Wanyonyi, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Wabomba Peter Wasike, LLB Student, University of Nairobi
  • Catherine Wasilewski, LLB Student, University of Leeds
  • Laura Wedlinscky, LLM Student, University of Leeds

Student Researchers 2004-2005

  • Nursel Atar, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Jackie Buchanan, LLB / Philosophy Student, University of Greenwich
  • Shirin Choudhury, BA (Honours) Law Student with French Degree Course, University of Greenwich
  • Alex Coutroubis, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Betty-Ann DeGeus, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Hannah Deighton, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Obinna Ikedife, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Lidia Lai, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Helen Ma, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Arshia Sheikh, LLB Student, University of Greenwich

Student Researchers 2003-2004

  • Matthew Harris, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • George Karatzas, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Natasha Kennedy, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Brendon Pooran, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Ioannis Sarakinos, LLB Student, University of Greenwich
  • Cara Wilkie, LLB Student, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University