e-Campus - Work Wellness Institute

Vanessa Tomas, M.Sc., is a fourth year Ph.D. Candidate in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto. She is conducting her Ph.D. research at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, in Toronto, Ontario, working under the supervision of Dr. Sally Lindsay in TRAIL (TRansitions And Inclusive environments Lab). She is a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded doctoral student. For Vanessa’s doctoral thesis, she has been working to explore, together with youth on the autism spectrum, experiences and related needs surrounding the complex disability disclosure process and requests for workplace accommodations to create a tangible decision-aid tool. Vanessa also actively engages as a research trainee with additional organizations such as CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research and Kids Brain Health Network to collaborate on and support a variety of initiatives and research projects.

Nicolette Gowan is a registered Occupational Therapist with experience working in mental health, accommodation, ergonomics, stay at work and return to work planning in various industries. She is the President and CEO of a national health and disability management company offering support across Canada and now into the US. Over the more than 30 years, the organization has worked in partnership with employers, employees and unions to develop customized strategies that improve employee success, health and productivity. She has presented on topics spanning from ergonomics to mental health and inclusive accommodation to financial, health care, industrial and charitable organizations. Nicolette has been published in the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapists (2020). She regularly offers webinars, blogs, and newsletters to a broad audience on disability management, health, and accommodation topics. Nicolette has a unique interest in mental health, psychotherapy and mindfulness techniques within Occupational therapy practice and facilitating stay-at-work for persons with disabilities.

Jamie Burton is co- owner and VP of Dolphin Digital Technologies, currently seconded to CCRW as the Chief Business Development Officer. Dolphin is a communication technologies firm widely recognized for the use of technology to tackle social issues. Dolphin has led a fundamental transformation in the modes of work by developing a virtual work environment capable of wealth creation and social cohesion. Their transformative workplace facilitates innovation and the development of a unique approach to profitability; one which allows for social alignment and sustainable, collaborative solutions. Dolphin is the first business in Canada to develop and implement a barrier free hiring strategy for people with disabilities. Jamie Burton helped to design the virtual technical assessment solution (ViTAS) to identify and qualify skills in job candidates. Being able to facilitate unbiased skill assessment led to the recognition of untapped potential, talent mobility and analytic synthesis of career development. Recognizing the value of strategic hiring, Jamie determined to take the opportunity to drive change in business, and founded Dolphin Disabilities Mentoring Day in 2011, which has grown from one city location, to a National event including 20 cities in 5 provinces across Canada, and from four participating businesses to 159. Dolphin DMD has proven that mentoring establishes a shared learning experience which lends to the identification of essential & transferable skills and facilitates increased disability confidence. Jamie Burton has utilized her skills and connections as Dolphin’s Vice President, to establish a sound mentoring model which has now been shared as a responsible, sustainable and economic best practice. She has represented Canada on global stages, championing the business advantage of innovative hiring strategies and employment of people with disabilities, with a lens on technical innovation. Jamie has helped government and businesses develop employment strategy, policy, and best practices, and is currently a member of the Accessible Standards Canada, Technical Committee on Employment. Jamie has been awarded the BMO Celebrating Women- Innovation & Global Growth Award, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, Lt. Gov. Community Volunteer Award, & Rogers Women of the Year-Entrepreneur.