Our Team

Dr Jonathan Lai is the Executive Director at Autism Alliance of Canada. He also holds an Adjunct Faculty position in Health Services Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

At Autism Alliance of Canada, Jonathan’s work involves responding to emerging national policy gaps in the autism and disability sector. Through his career, he has experience working at the interface of research, community and policy to affect systems change in the health and social services sector across Canada and internationally. From designing surveys and analyzing data on service use for people with developmental disabilities to facilitating policy dialogues on autism and disability, he champions the use of data and community perspectives to inform decision making.

Jonathan has bee appointed to serve as the Vice Co-chair of the Minister of National Revenue’s Disability Advisory Committee to improve how the Disability Tax Credit and other federal disability tax measures are delivered. He is also a former Maytree Policy School fellow.

His graduate research training was in Neuroscience at the University of Guelph and McMaster University focused on gene-environment influences on the developing brain, funded by Ontario Mental Health Foundation and subsequently, as a CIHR Vanier Scholar. This was followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at York University in knowledge mobilization and a CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship at McGill University.

Deepa Singal (PhD) is the Scientific Director of Autism Alliance of Canada where she provides strategic and scientific leadership, working at the intersection of research and policy. Dr. Singal has a Ph.D. in Community Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba and Executive Education in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and a decade of experience in academia, government, and the not-for-profit landscape. Her expertise in quantitative child and maternal health research and public policy drives her leadership in pan-Canadian, multidisciplinary initiatives.

Dr. Singal’s mission focuses on generating community-driven evidence to shape national-level policy, advocating for the full inclusion of neurodivergent people in Canadian society. Her work is supported by numerous national grants, and has been widely disseminated to policymakers and the media. Dr. Singal has testified at the Canadian Senate to support legislation for the creation of Canada’s first National Autism strategy and presented at the United Nations, and various national and international conferences. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta and an Adjunct Research Scientist at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Dr. Singal is an alumna of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Health System Impact Post-Doctoral Fellowship, a recipient of the CIHR Rising Star Award and was recently awarded Canada’s first CIHR Health System Impact Embedded Researcher Award.

Franziska Morin (M. Sc) is the Executive Coordinator at Autism Alliance of Canada. Franziska completed her post-graduate studies in Marketing Management at La Trobe University Melbourne (Australia) and her graduate studies in Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences in Worms (Germany).

Franziska has several years of experience working as an Executive Assistant for various multinational companies. During this time she gained extensive knowledge into developing and implementing successful strategic and marketing projects. As a newcomer to Autism Alliance of Canada who joined the team in November 2021 she is thrilled to help form the future of the organization.

In her free time Franziska loves doing all kinds of outdoor activities with her family, such as hiking, running and biking.

Rakhee Chowdhury (M.Sc.) is the Communications & Inclusion Manager at Autism Alliance of Canada and Ready, Willing & Able.

Rakhee completed her graduate studies at l’Université de Montréal (Québec) in Psychology at the International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research, where her work focused on the intersection of language and music processing in children on the spectrum. Over the 15 last years, Rakhee has been involved in a variety of projects centering the needs of neurodiverse youth and their families.

At the Centre for Innovation in Autism & Intellectual Disabilities, Rakhee led EmploymentWorks, a pre-employment initiative for Autistic youth, adults, and persons with disabilities, and provided parent coaching supports to families of pre-school children on the spectrum.

At McGill University, Rakhee led the operations of accommodated exams for students with disabilities at the Student Accessibility & Achievement and contributed to the unit’s leadership team during the shift to a remote academic environment.

Rakhee strives to create accessible and inclusive spaces for all persons. Outside of work, Rakhee loves creating pantry concoctions, watching all sorts of movies, and exploring the outdoors.

April MacAleese-Jay is a dedicated and results-driven professional based in Moncton, NB, with a robust background in operations management, financial oversight, and leadership. Fluent in both English and French, April has demonstrated expertise in managing human and financial resources, overseeing project operations, and driving organizational success.

Over the past decade, April has been a trailblazer in student accommodations and adjustments within post-secondary education, advocating for students with disabilities. Her journey continued in the supportive employment sector, where she championed inclusivity nationwide. Her commitment to fostering inclusive employment shines through her impactful leadership roles. Passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, April is eager to leverage her skills and experience to contribute to the mission of the Autism Alliance of Canada in the role of Operations Manager.

In her spare time, April can often be found drawn to the ocean, enjoying moments with her husband and two children. With a heart dedicated to both family and fostering a more inclusive world, April embodies a commitment to balance, harmony, and the pursuit of joy in every aspect of her life

Mackenzie Salt (PhD) is an Autistic autism researcher and a postdoctoral fellow with Autism Alliance of Canada and McMaster University Autism Research Team (MacART). He is also a CIHR Health System Impact Fellowship Program alumnus. His current project, the Canadian Autistic Adult Needs Assessment, as multi-phase project to understand the needs of Autistic adults in Canada and apply the findings to policy. The first phase was a survey, co-developed with other Autistics, to determine the needs of the community, along with information about quality of life. The current phase involves focus groups to prioritize and generate policy recommendations based on specific results from the survey. This project will directly inform the development of a National Autism Strategy.
Previously, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship working with the Pathways in ASD study via MacART. He completed his PhD in Cognitive Science of Language in 2019 at McMaster University and has a background in qualitative linguistic research as well as research and study design involving autistic participants. He recently completed the Certificate course in Family Engagement in Research offered by the KBHN and CanChild and has been advocating for and working to improve research engagement with the autism community since. He has designed a number of research engagement projects and also service evaluation projects for autism service providers incorporating research engagement principles. He is also currently the Editor-in-Chief of the all-autistic editorial board of the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity. 

Alexia Ostrolenk (PhD) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Life Science from Sorbonne Université in Paris, and two Master’s degrees in Cognitive Neuroscience from University College London and École Normale Supérieure. She completed her PhD in Psychiatric Science at Université de Montréal.

Her research is focused on reading and language development in autistic children, and she advocates an approach to autism based on its strengths rather than its deficits. She is also a passionate science communicator and co-founder of ComSciCon-QC, a free science communication training workshop for grad students. Alexia is the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Health System Impact Fellowship award that supports her postdoctoral training.

Amber Rieder (PhD) is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Strong Families Lab at the Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University under the mentorship of Dr. Andrea Gonzalez.

Amber recently completed a 3-year Postdoctoral Fellowship at Duke University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Autism and Brain Sciences under the mentorship of Dr.’s Geraldine Dawson and Lauren Franz, where she worked on improving accessibility of supports and services for autistic children in the United States and in the Global South. Amber’s research interests lie at the intersection of equitable and accessible assessment and intervention using task-sharing approaches (e.g. community- and family-mediated interventions, technology-assisted reach, and the use of non-expert providers).

Amber is thrilled to participate in the Data-to-Policy Fellowship and is looking forward to growing her Canadian research community through authentic and engaged teamwork and collaboration.

Alisha Stubbs (she/her) is a PhD(c) in the Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her dissertation research will focus on autism, gender, education, and the role of school social workers.

Alisha’s research experience has included work with the Laurier Autism Research Consortium, as well as working on other research projects that have included learning disabilities, and neurodiverse hiring practices. Alisha’s motivation for working in the world of autism is personal. When professional and personal experiences converged was when Alisha’s passion emerged.

Alisha is excited to engage in data collection and analysis and to foster professional connections.

Grant Bruno (PhDc) is nehiyawak (Plains Cree) and a registered member of nipsihkopahk (Samson Cree Nation), one of the reserves that makes up maskwacis (Bear Hills), Alberta.

He is a PhD student in Medical Sciences – Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. Grant Bruno is a father, two of his children are on the autism spectrum. His PhD research will explore redefining autism from a nehiyaw lens, gathering stories with families and individuals who have experiences with autism using a strength-based approach, as well as gathering data on the perspectives of autism in Maskwacis.

Margherita Cameranesi (PhD) has a background in clinical and developmental psychology and a PhD in Applied Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB, Canada).

The overarching goal of Dr. Cameranesi’s program of research is to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable, marginalized, and underserved children, youth, families, and communities nationally and internationally by fostering their resilience to chronic stress. Dr. Cameranesi has substantial experience in conducting applied, interdisciplinary, strength-based mixed methods research with Manitobans with neurodevelopmental disabilities aimed at promoting their resilience and wellbeing by reducing the health inequalities and barriers to accessing healthcare that they face.

It is Dr. Cameranesi’s belief that the Autism Alliance Canada Data-to-Policy fellowship will provide her with the opportunity to broaden her research nationally by connecting with a network of Canadian researchers, clinicians, and organizations in the field of neurodevelopmental disabilities, and use her research skills to study Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions at the national level.

Angela MacDonald-Prégent (PhDc) is a Doctoral Candidate in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at McGill University.

Having worked over ten years as a speech therapist supporting autistic children who have language difficulties, she developed an interest in nonspeaking children on the autism spectrum. Noticing that the scarcity of research for this subgroup, she returned to school to complete her doctoral degree where she has led and participated in a variety of autism-specific research projects. Her dissertation examines the efficacy of teaching methods for nonspeaking autistic children when learning to use a non-spoken communication system.

As a fellow for the Autism Alliance of Canada’s Data-To-Policy Fellowship, she is looking forward to sharpening her ability to engage in a “bottom up” approach where key stakeholders, including autistic people, drive initiatives.

Urwa Ghazi started at Autism Alliance of Canada in the beginning of 2021 as a student assisting in the initial stages of the Canadian Autism Data Network project. Currently, she holds the position of Communications and Membership Specialist working to assist in Autism Alliance of Canada’s communication strategies and membership engagement.

In her free time, you can find her camping in a forest, biking up trails or watching UFC.

Simone Daniels (M.Sc.) is a research intern at Autism Alliance of Canada She recently obtained her Master’s degree in Kinesiology from York University.

She previously worked for Autism Alliance of Canada in 2018 as a communications coordinator, where she reviewed autism advocacy- and policy-related materials. She looks forward to working for Autism Alliance of Canada again and conducting research to help persons on the autism spectrum reach their full potential.

In her spare time, you could find Simone reading, listening to music, exercising, walking her dog or enjoying the biggest and fastest roller coasters at Canada’s Wonderland.

Marina Schor, MSPH, is the Research Coordinator at Autism Alliance of Canada. Marina was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, before moving to Vancouver to complete their Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology at the University of British Columbia. They then continued on to pursue their graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where they completed their Master of Science in Public Health.

Marina has an extensive research background, primarily focusing on qualitative methods. She is passionate about health equity and justice and aims to continually push for structural change in her practice, which is what brought her to the Alliance. She is thrilled to continue to help make a difference for Autistic Canadians and their families and is excited to do so alongside such a kind and powerful team.

Paola Ipanaque is the Finance Officer at Autism Alliance of Canada.  She completed her bachelor’s in Accounting and finance, as well as an honours degree in business commerce.  Paola has several years working as an accountant in the not-for-profit sector as well as the insurance industry.  During this time she gained knowledge in compliance and audit requirements, as well as methods of implementing business systems for better internal control and transparency.

She also has her own firm, where she manages the financial health and resources of her clients in the not-for-profit and construction industry, as well as prepares them for year-end audits.  She loves her time with her family, which includes her little Maltese named Bella.  She also enjoys travelling, summer walks and international movies.  She is very passionate about community work for single mothers and families in need, and as a board member in her home church, she leads these community activities throughout the year.

Paige Newton is the Website Maintenance Specialist at Autism Alliance of Canada. Paige was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington, before moving to Vancouver to complete their Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts at the University of British Columbia. They have worked in communications and development roles for the last six years with organizations that seek to directly impact and provide support that corresponds to the individual needs of their community.

In managing our website, Paige supports updates for new programs and campaigns, identifies gaps in user experience, and reports on performance to ensure growth and security. They are thrilled to join the team and hope to have a meaningful impact on the accessibility and amplification of the Alliance’s work.

Meet Vanessa Sophie, the Bilingual Communications and Social Media Specialist at Autism Alliance of Canada. Born and raised in France, Vanessa embarked on a new chapter in Canada. With a robust background in communications, graphic design, and project management, she excels in crafting compelling content strategies.

In her downtime, Vanessa can be found practicing yoga and diving into video games. She savors matcha lattes and robust dark coffee blends.

Analpa Vishwanath is a practicum student at Autism Alliance of Canada. She is currently pursuing her honours bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at McMaster University, with a specialization in Child Health.

With a background in participatory-action research, technical writing, and community-building efforts, Analpa is passionate about advancing equity, diversity and inclusion. Through these experiences, Analpa has honed her ability to engage communities actively, ensuring that their voices are not only heard but also central to the decision-making process. Furthermore, her community involvements underscore her commitment to building environments that are inclusive, supportive, and reflective of diverse perspectives. Analpa is excited to apply these skills to her work with Autism Alliance of Canada.

In her free time, you could find Analpa going on runs, reading philosophy, cooking, or playing the piano.

Stephen Gentles (MSc, PhD) is a Research and Policy Consultant at Autism Alliance of Canada with a health information background. His work at the Alliance is diverse and has included moderating policy development working groups, coordinating summit sessions, and writing and editing policy- and research-related documents. He has also developed several large provincial and national autism surveys for various organizations.

Stephen completed a CIHR Health System Impact Postdoctoral Fellowship with Autism Ontario and Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University. He holds a PhD in Health Research Methodology from McMaster University, and a MSc in Neuroscience from McGill University. He has research training in clinical epidemiology, knowledge translation, and stakeholder-engagement in research, and has authored papers on qualitative research and systematic review methods.

Courtney Weaver (M.A) is the Project Coordinator for “Navigating Working from Home for Autistic Employees” at Autism Alliance of Canada, a project that seeks to highlight the challenges and best practices of working from home for neurodivergent employees in order to better inform employers. The hope is that this will help them in their efforts to employ and retain neurodivergent talent as well as create and maintain workplaces where such talent can thrive.

Courtney obtained her Master of Arts in Critical Disability Studies from York University and since then she has been, and is, involved in a variety of autism and disability roles. These include Program Support Officer for the Accessibility, Accommodation & Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) Program, office assistant to MP Mike Lake, and self-advocate advisor to the Autism Mental Health Literacy and Housing Through an Autism Lens Projects (AMHeLP and HAL).

In her spare time, Courtney loves to do a variety of activities including reading, writing, taking long walks and bike rides and making up her own pun jokes just to name a few!