Contributor & Editor Biographies
(organized alphabetically by first name)
Contributor Bios
Aïssa was an undergraduate student at McMaster from 2008-2013 in the Arts and Science Program. She currently works for Oxfam supporting communications and learning in international gender justice programs. She is always on the hunt for a good treat wherever she finds herself.
Alek Montes is a 3rd year undergraduate student in the department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster. He can be contacted at montesa@mcmaster.ca for any follow up information.
Celeste Suart is currently completing her PhD in biochemistry and biomedical sciences at McMaster University. Her laboratory research focuses on a rare neurodegenerative disease called Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1. Celeste’s teaching and learning research centres on laboratory education and post-secondary science education, with a focus on accessible teaching practices and disability. As an educational development fellow at the MacPherson Institute, she has supported multiple accessible teaching initiatives, including co-writing the chapter “Accessibility in Online and Technology-Enhanced Learning” in Forward with FLEXibility: A Teaching and Learning Resource on Accessibility and Inclusion. Outside of work, Celeste enjoys baking and graphic novels.
Emunah Woolf: See Editor bios below.
Grey Isekai is a graduate of the MSW program at McMaster University and not afraid to speak about her experiences as a Black woman with a disability. Grey is an advocate for disability rights whilst challenging the neoliberal practices of Accessibility Services in post-secondary institutions. She is intentional about holding space for the experiences of all folks who use and/or want to better understand this service in order to foster peer support and a greater understanding of what access to education looks like for students with disabilities. To read more of her work, visit: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/27199.
Jason Waddle has a B.A. in English literature from McMaster University. He has also studied Psychology at Concordia University. Jason is a full-time writer who has built a life with his wife and son in Ontario, Canada. He has over thirty published poems and short stories, including the novel, Awake in Dreams, Sleeping Death Away. His upcoming books are Falling Through the Cracks and Sounds from the Basement. Jason is also a two-time Rockford Poetry Contest winner. Outside of writing, he enjoys martial arts, and has spent time volunteering with Good Shepherd and Parkview Church.
Jess H. is working on completing her PhD in anthropology at McMaster University; in fact, she did her undergraduate degree here as well. Her disciplinary research involves studying infectious disease in archaeological human remains. Her teaching and learning research focus on how much TAs have to offer about teaching and connecting those lessons to scholarly literature. As an educational development fellow at the MacPherson Institute, she has taken accessibility workshops and reflected on teaching accessibly in her academic life and in her work as a yoga teacher. In her spare time, she is reading disability literature. Outside of work, Jess loves doing yoga, running near water and trees in beautiful Hamilton (good views help her run longer ;)). She also enjoys playing with her dog and trying out different places to swim with friends. Jess really likes trying new recipes, and is mostly vegan, so she has learned a lot about flavour and awesome cooking since making this change. Jess submitted her piece because the rates of depression and anxiety are much higher in graduate students than the average person and she has faced these issues herself as well as seen her peers struggle with them. She hopes that talking more openly about mental health in grad school will help other grad students and any staff they might interact with.
Joanne Lewis is a McMaster student currently pursuing a degree in Automation Engineering Technology. She is an animal lover who enjoys creative writing, editing, sci-fi shows, playing the trumpet, and spending time with friends. Joanne is also passionate about equitable treatment, especially regarding mental health, and tries to use her experiences to offer support to other struggling students in the McMaster community.
Lisa Shen (she/her) is a disabled, pansexual, Chinese-Canadian writer. Her work focuses on women’s rights, abusive relationships, and eating disorders. She loves examining the world through the lens of poetry, especially through the creation of imaginative worlds or scenarios. Lisa was the first place winner of Britta Badour Open Drawer Poetry Contest in May 2020. Her work has also been featured at multiple poetry festivals, including the 2020 Voices of Today Festival and Hamilton Take Back The Night 2020.
Luise Wolf is a queer, neurodivergent and disabled nature lover with a fondness for trees and historical costume. As a Third Culture Kid, Luise has spent her life inbetween worlds, a trend she has brought to her professional experiences. She holds an undergraduate degree in Chemical Biology and a master’s degree in Forensic Toxicology, and is happy to be exploring a life without using either at the moment. She has worked as a music teacher, a technician, in community radio, on an archaeological dig, and in a museum. One day, she’ll write a novel about human connection and she hopes people will read it.
Maccess Executive 2020/2021: MSU Maccess is a peer support, community building, and advocacy organization run by and for students experiencing disability, neurodivergence, madness, mental health concerns, chronic illness, and other experiences that fall under the Disability Justice umbrella. The 2020/2021 Executive Team included eight members and a Coordinator from across different faculties and years of study at McMaster. They focused on transitioning the service online due to COVID-19, hiring and training a team of volunteers, running a drop-in space over Discord, offering 1:1 and group peer support, planning and hosting events over Zoom and MS Teams, advocating for disabled students across the university, and building community with one another and beyond.
McMaster Disability Zine Team: See Editor bios below.
Michelle Sayles is a community-engaged artist and illustrator, with roots spread across the northeastern U.S. Through her art and collaborative projects, she strives to shine a light on environmental and social justice issues to inspire critical awareness of this world we inhabit. Her recent projects include contributions to a book on how to talk to kids about racism, and graphics for the No Coal No Gas campaign. Michelle currently works for an inclusive arts program in Central Massachusetts. She is a queer white woman in a continuous process of unlearning, and identifies as neurodivergent.
Nicole Rakowski is currently completing her PhD in Health Management at McMaster University and is also part of the sessional faculty. She currently works as a Patient Experience Specialist at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and is a Clinical Manager of the HHS Vaccination Clinic. Prior to this role, Nicole was a consultant for the Hamilton Health Team, and was the Health Links Transformation Lead for Hamilton and Niagara Northwest for two years (through HHS). Nicole has also held the position of Administrative Resident to the VP of Public Relations and Communications at HHS and has experience working as an Administrative Resident for the President and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences.
R. Keane is a Black woman who has learning, physical, and mental disabilities. She has 19 years of lived and employment-related recovery experience and is a health and disability advocate, with a focus on supporting Black consumer-survivors of the mental health system. R. Keane is a graduate student and works as a social worker in the mental health field.
Renee is a 2nd year Business Management student at McMaster University with a concentration in Human Resources. Her passion is to help others. She was born in Barbados and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. She gives back to her community through donating her time through food drives and fundraising for causes such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation walk. Struggling to find herself and learning to cope with her disability, she wants others to know that they are not alone. Her hobbies include baking, reading, and long walks with her dog.
XZ is a disabled queer Asian femme, who studied Health and Society at McMaster. Their work is informed by their intersecting identities as well as their experiences as an intercountry adoptee, and enduring intensive mental illness treatment such as institutionalization. During her time at McMaster, she was an engaged volunteer and community member of Maccess. XZ’s hobbies are taking care of her plants, spending time with their bunny, cooking, baking, creating, drinking coffee, and listening to music.
Editor Bios
Alise de Bie: Alise was an under/grad student at McMaster University for 11 years, most recently completing their PhD (Social Work/Gender Studies) in 2019. During this time and in response to persistent loneliness as a Mad/disabled student, Alise founded and facilitated the Hamilton Mad Students’ Collective (2012-2016), a peer support and advocacy group of and for students who identified as Mad, psychiatric survivors, and/or with mental health disabilities. Alise discovered audiobooks during the pandemic and loves “reading” while taking evening walks around their East Hamilton neighbourhood.
Danny P. is a graduated Integrated Science student (Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour concentration) in the process of completing their Bachelor of Social Work. They enjoy watching bad movies with friends, overly complicated strategy games, and playing in their local community concert band. They are deeply passionate about finding creative ways to support youth mental health.
Emunah Woolf is a queer, Jewish, Mad, and disabled disability studies enthusiast/researcher. Emunah is passionate about community building, peer support work, harm reduction, and using art as a tool towards connection and activism. They have founded and been involved in various advocacy, organizing, and arts-based projects including those focused on LGBTQ+ Jews and youth with chronic pain. Some other activities Emunah enjoys include cooking, creating colouring pages, and spending time outside with bugs.
Evonne is a student researcher and Student Partner at the MacPherson Institute. A woman of colour herself, she is passionate about equity and inclusion, especially in education and health care. Evonne is also a Cognitive Science of Language student. Her love for language transcends the classroom and workplace as she is an avid writer – a poet – and often publishes in local and on-campus publications. Some of her favourite moments are also spent enjoying good food with even better people.
Kate Brown is the Accessibility Program Manager in the Equity and Inclusion Office at McMaster University. A graduate of a combined honours degree in Indigenous Studies and Linguistics from McMaster in 2017, Kate has spent the past 4 years developing McMaster’s Accessibility Program to translate accessibility legislation into policy and practice, working closely with student, staff, and faculty disability communities to inform the work.
Tanisha W. is a science student and student partner at McMaster University. She channels her passion for mental health and disability advocacy into community work, both within and outside of McMaster. She hopes to continue related research and advocacy work in the future. Tanisha is a firm believer in art as a tool for social change. When she isn’t studying or waiting (endlessly) for an HSR bus, you can find her shooting film photographs, drawing cartoons, or buried in a Stephen King novel.
Vikita M. is a Student Partner at the MacPherson Institute, and is passionate about social justice and inclusion especially in the realms of education and health. As an Arts and Science student, she has diverse academic interests varying from philosophy and political science to human biology. She has a deep passion for community work and policy advocacy, which led her to co-found Disable the Difference, a non-profit that supports disabled youth during the pandemic and advocates for inclusive education across Ontario. She enjoys reading a good book in the sun, playing board games with her friends and family, and spending hours on an intricate paint-by-numbers.