About Us
Making communities more inclusive for children and youth
Inclusive Communities Canada (ICCan) is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to bring together tools, learning resources and recreational programs to enhance inclusion within communities for all children and youth.
ICCan takes a holistic, lifespan approach whereby we believe that in order to make communities more inclusive for children and youth we must acknowledge the importance of multiple community spaces (e.g. schools, playgrounds, sports) and we must teach about and discuss inclusion with individuals of all age groups and occupations.
ICCan was built on three foundational pillars: Learn, Engage, Connect. Through these pillars we aim to improve inclusion within communities by: helping community members (e.g., children/youth, parents, educators and recreation leaders) learn about inclusion and best practices for fostering inclusion, engaging children and youth through fun, inclusive programs that foster a sense of belonging and connecting with and supporting other organizations within communities that also work to enhance inclusion. We believe that through connecting, supporting and advocating for likeminded organizations we can, together, make a greater impact.
Meet the Team
Co-Founder, President
Matt Renaud, MSc
Matt brings over a decade of experience empowering children and youth of all abilities through recreation, sport, and community engagement. He has international experience in the space and has worked across multiple municipalities to create programing and promote meaningful change. He holds bachelor's and graduate degrees in neuroscience and is currently pursuing a medical degree at Western University. He passionate about bridging health, advocacy, and community to make inclusion the standard—not the exception.
Co-Founder, Vice-President
Maeghan James, PhD
Maeghan James is a post-doctoral fellow at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario working with the Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) Research Group. Maeghan's research program is focused on supporting active play for children of all abilities in a vareity of settings including at home, school and in the community. She has over 10 years of experience designing and implementing inclusive and adapted recreational programs for children of all abilities and is passionate about working collaboratively across sectors to make communities more inclusive.
Treasurer
Stephanie Babij, MScOT
Steph is a registered Occupational Therapist in good standing with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario. She has experience working with children and youth of all ages and abilities, within a home, school and clinic setting. Steph strives to incorporate children's strengths and interests to foster independence in achieving their meaningful goals. In her spare time, Steph enjoys camping, hiking, yoga and spending time with family and friends!
Director, Inclusive Recreation
Dragana Javorina, MScOT
Dragana Javorina is a registered Occupational Therapist with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario and a member of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists. She has experience working with adults, children, and youth with brain injuries, disabilities, strokes, and in both acute care and community settings. Her work includes assessing and treating neurosurgery/neurology patients, orthopaedic sarcoma patients, and motor vehicle accident clients. She provides client-centred interventions to enhance independence, addressing physical, cognitive, perceptual, sensory, and psychosocial needs.
Director, Communications
Jess Thieu, MPK
Jess is a Master of Professional Kinesiology graduate from the University of Toronto, with a specialization in adapted physical activity.
She has worked with many different sport and recreation organizations that look to create greater opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in ways that are meaningful to them. With her free time, Jess enjoys playing various sports, watching movies and catching up with friends!
Director, Student Groups
Sydney Sharp, BKin
Sydney is a Bachelor of Kinesiology graduate from the University of Toronto, who currently works as a Client Care Lead at Kids Physio Group. She has experience working with children of all abilities through programs, and research with the goal to make play accessible for all. Sydney enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family and friends. Fun fact, she is from Alberta!