Maddy Dever

Board Chair

I’m an Autistic advocate, writer, speaker, and parent of four Autistic young adults (ages 17–26). I live in the small rural town of Smiths Falls, just outside Ottawa, and bring both lived experience and governance knowledge to the table.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked across Canada to shift the conversation about autism and disability toward strengths, acceptance, and inclusion.

I advocate at all levels of government and with organizations across the country to ensure Autistics and their families are not only heard but meaningfully involved in shaping the policies and programs that impact us.

I’ve served the past four years as Co-Vice Chair of the Autism Alliance of Canada and am currently the Interim Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Autism Network. I’ve also been involved in research, education, and health care initiatives that prioritize co-design and lived experience leadership.

I am continuing to serve on the National Autism Network’s Board of Directors to support our mission of helping Autistics thrive by guiding governance with transparency, compassion, and the belief that real inclusion starts when we lead together.

Dani Marshall

Board Vice-Chair

My name is Dani, and I live with my family in Gatineau, Quebec, where I’m a proud mother to two daughters. I am an Innu woman and a member of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation (Mashteuiatsh). My lived experiences deeply inform my work, and I am committed to ensuring Indigenous voices are heard and valued at every table I sit at.

I work as a Project Management Advisor with Indigenous Services Canada, focusing on child and family services reform and data modernization. I hold a Project Management Professional certification and am passionate about leading initiatives that support and empower communities.

As a neurodivergent person with lived experience of ADHD and autism, I bring a unique and intersectional perspective to both my professional and volunteer roles. I believe that representation matters—and that Indigenous and neurodiverse voices must be central in shaping the policies and communities that affect us.

Outside of my public service career, I volunteer with Girl Guides of Canada and actively organize within the Infinity Network, a community for neurodiverse public servants.
I am excited and honoured to be elected Board of Directors of the National Autism Network. I am looking forward to contribute my skills in governance, project management, and community building. Most importantly, I want to help strengthen a national voice that centres the perspectives, rights, and dignity of autistic and Indigenous people in Canada.

Amanda Hutchison

Hello/Bonjour, my name is Amanda Hutchison and I’m a settler on Qayqayt First Nation land, colonially known as New Westminster, BC. With a professional background in provincial and federal public service, I exercise my creative spirit as a writer who breaks down cultural and societal trends to become more accessible.

To combat the time I spend online, I beach glass hunt, as it combines exercise, proximity to nature and pattern recognition, lighting up my neurodiverse brain. I self-diagnosed on the ASD in 2003 when a friend shared her clinical diagnosis with me, where I related to every single word on the document.

Today, I live openly as an Autistic adult which is due to disability support organizations such as AutismBC, The Canadian Centre for Rehabilitation and Work, and Neil Squire. My desire to be on the Board of Directors of the National Autism Network stems not only from my lived experience as an unsupported Autistic youth, but to speak for Autistic adults like myself who cannot maintain sustainable work and live on or below the poverty line.

I promise to advocate for enhancing and expanding investment in employment programs so many more Autistic people living in Canada are successfully employed.

Corey Walker

I live in Dawson Creek in Northern BC with my autistic wife. I am an autistic motivational speaker who equips and empowers autistic individuals and other neurodivergent people, as well as their families, to live full lives by sharing some of the strategies I’ve used to overcome many of the challenges in my life.

I believe that everybody has a right to a full and enriching life. I also share how their uniqueness can be used as a strength.

I was diagnosed as autistic while in my early 20s and have experienced both success and discrimination because of my diagnosis.

I have been involved with the Autism Alliance since 2019, joining their board in 2020 and have worked for various autism organizations between 2012 and 2022. During that period, I authored a toolkit on autistic employment (reflecting 172 autistic voices) and pushed for full inclusion of the autism community in society.

I joined the National Autism Network board because I feel we need voices from both smaller and larger centres to ensure Canada’s national autism strategy reflects the needs of the entire autism community. I will be a tireless advocate for all of those in the autism community, regardless of their location or background.

Debra Brin

I live in a rural Saskatchewan community and spend my time reading, writing and gardening. I discovered that I’m Autistic after retirement from a wide range of occupations that I could never figure out why they were not a good fit.

I was also the single parent of an Autistic son who lived to age 36. He was born in 1974 and also lived undiagnosed as we were both “skilled maskers”. There was awareness (and self-awareness) of our difference from others but not of our struggles.

I believe that I can help bring to the board the voice of the late- or non-diagnosed Autistics who never have the chance to make informed choices about their life’s path, their related medical issues, how to access support or even how to find other Autistics.

Many of us with sensory issues do eventually find each other in small towns, once we get a pension, where life is slower and quieter, and where we might afford housing.

Many of us end up unhoused at any stage in life. As well as perspective, I have skills and insights gleaned from my participation and leadership in social justice groups that could be valuable in the struggle to improve our opportunities and outcomes in life as Autistic people.

The National Autism Network gives me hope that we can make positive changes, even in light of the flood of misinformation coming into our country right now.

Evan Rubin

Evan Rubin, from Richmond, BC, is a passionate people connector, advocate, and strategic thinker with over 25 years of leadership experience across nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Known for his people-centered and creative approach, he has built strong relationships with grassroots organizations, national networks, government partners, and business leaders to advance inclusion and community collaboration.
Evan’s professional experience spans multiple sectors, including work as a Business Analyst and QA Project Manager for a multinational B2B retail procurement platform, establishing and managing the West Coast operations of a national recruitment agency, and most recently, a community-facing inclusion engagement role with an autism organization. There, he led initiatives focused on meaningful inclusion, community engagement, and lifespan support while strengthening partnerships and amplifying the voices of Autistic people and families in shaping inclusive practices.
In both professional and volunteer roles, Evan has built meaningful corporate and community partnerships and helped organizations grow through strategic planning, new program development, and new business initiatives. His collaborative approach has helped secure significant funding for nonprofits by creating new fundraising opportunities and corporate partnerships, cultivating donor and community engagement, and crafting and supporting successful grant applications.
As the proud dad of an Autistic son, Evan brings more than 20 years of lived and living experience. His family’s journey has given him deep insight into the barriers faced by Autistic people and families such as screening and diagnosis, economic inclusion, and access to services and resources. This fuels his drive to build a more inclusive Canada for Autistic individuals like his son and for families like his own.
Evan believes Autistic people and families must be meaningfully included in shaping priorities and action. His goal on the National Autism Network Board is to help drive real, lasting change, ensuring that policy, programming, and funding are informed by community wisdom, accountability, and sustained follow-through.

Lisa Lintott

My name is Lisa, and I’m from Calgary, Alberta. I hold a Master of Public Health and work as a Research and Evaluation Specialist for a non-profit organization.

I’m passionate about learning and appropriately using data to create meaningful change. Outside work, I enjoy reading extensively and spending quality time outdoors with my family.

Recently, at age 53, I was diagnosed as Autistic and ADHDer, which has provided both clarity and new challenges. These diagnoses have initiated my journey toward a deeper understanding of myself and my needs, while also prompting questions about my identity and the support I require. 

I am now receiving services from a local autism organization and starting to engage with the wider community. I joined the National Autism Network’s Board of Directors to share my lived experience, research skills, and neurodivergent perspective.  

I aim to help develop inclusive policies and practices. This also presents an opportunity to learn from others, enhancing my life and bolstering my advocacy efforts. I value the importance of representation and collaboration and am excited about contributing to a world where everyone is heard, supported, and celebrated.  

Lydia Clarke Rehman

My name is Lydia Clarke Rehman, and I’m from Toronto, ON.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, a Bachelor of Laws, and a Master of Public Health in Indigenous Health, as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Autism and Behavioural Science.

I have over five years of professional experience working in health research and supporting student success within higher education. I’m a lifelong-learner and I enjoy writing, reading, painting, travelling, community engagement, crafting jewelry, and fishing in my spare time!

I am autistic, and my experiences navigating systems that have often been inherently ableist have deeply shaped my passion for advocacy. These challenges have given me a critical perspective on accessibility and the need for meaningful inclusion of autistic and neurodivergent voices.

I am committed to building a Canada where the lived experiences of autistic individuals and their families shape policies, systems, and communities.

I bring my education, policy expertise, leadership, and lived experience to advocate for inclusion, equity, and opportunity across education, policy, and community life.

Serving on the Board of the National Autism Network will allow me to use these experiences to strengthen representation and create meaningful opportunities for autistic people nationwide.

Mathieu Giroux

I am an autistic person and considered unfit for employment. In addition, I live with multiple mental health diagnoses: anxiety, depression, self-harm, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal episodes.

Despite this, I am very involved in the autism community in Quebec. For over 10 years, I have been a co-researcher in autism. I have co-authored several studies on various topics related to the inclusion of autistic people and developed a theoretical model on social camouflaging.

For the past five years, my focus has been on research projects that promote self-determination and stigma-free care for autistic people. I am also active at the provincial level as a member of the management committee of the Réseau National d’Expertise en TSA (RNETSA) and of the Réseau pour transformer les soins en autisme (RTSA-TACC).

My lived experience, combining strengths and challenges, along with the intersectionality of being part of the LGBTQ+ community and living with economic precarity offers me a valuable perspective on the diverse issues within the autistic community.

My interest in serving on the Board of Directors of the National Autism Network is rooted in the proverb: “Alone, I may go faster, but together we go further.” So, let’s go further, together!

Robin Carrey

My name is Robin Carrey. I’m an AuDHD educator in Whitehorse, Yukon. I’m an avid reader, a diver-into-rabbit-holes, a dog-mom, and learning geek.

During my career as an educator, my teaching passions have been Theatre, Social Studies (via a social justice lens), English, and supporting my neurodivergent students.

Currently I work at our Department of Education as a Project Manager, my efforts split between our RISE (Reimagining Inclusive and Special Education) and Student Support Services divisions.

I grew up at a time when ADHD/Autism were not considered disorders that were found among little girls. It took decades to get an ADHD diagnosis, and my Autism remains self-diagnosed. My health care team all agree that I’m autistic, but no one is interested in taking on the cost of helping me get diagnosed (which is particularly difficult for a grown woman in the North).

I want to help create a Canada where the stigma against all NDs, including Autism, is dispelled, where we’re recognized interacting with, perceiving and processing the world differently, rather than being flawed. I want my students to live in a world where their ways of being in the world are accepted, valued and accurately understood.

Tom Jackman

Tom is an advocate for acceptance of people on the autism spectrum.

He has been invited to speak and do presentations at many national conferences, including the Geneva Centre for Autism conference in Toronto, the pre-eminent international conference on autism.

Tom is featured in the film Autism Grows Up, a Kelly Brothers/Ability Hub production, which takes a look at the employment challenges of young adults living on the spectrum. He is also featured in the book “Autism: The Gift That Needs to Be Opened”; a resource aimed at improving the lives of parents, educators, and of those on the autism spectrum.

In 2013, Tom received a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal to recognize his volunteer work with the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In 2023, Tom received the second annual Jim and Ginette Munson Autism Leadership Award from the Autism Alliance of Canada, in recognition of his demonstrated leadership and commitment to autism awareness and acceptance.
Tom was part of a team of Autistic adults and family members that assembled a Mental Health Literacy Guide for adults on the spectrum. 

The Autism Mental Literacy Project (AM-Help) is available online, and is a project of York University, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. This project also produced six animated YouTube videos about understanding autistic mental health and wellbeing, and the supports that are available.

Tom is a leader/ambassador for neurodiversity at Motormind Garage. Motormind Garage is a new innovative and inclusive Motorsports oriented program that brings together people from neurodiversity, plus many other brain related backgrounds such as concussions and dyslexia.

Motormind believes in the Power of Motorsports.  Our activities revolve around Motorsports, from engine therapy to car builds.  This unique and inclusive program for those into racing, race simulators, karting, and track racing allows individuals to be involved with automotive technology and motorsports, while developing transferable skills, which can lead to employment and future lifelong opportunities.

Tom recently completed a lengthy board term at Autism Canada, and has previously served on the board of the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.  
Tom is on the Autism Action Council in Newfoundland and Labrador which implements the provincial Autism Action Plan.  The plan is an initiative by the provincial government to improve autism services through a more integrated, “whole government” approach.  The plan focuses on expanding and enhancing support for individuals with autism, and their families.

Tom is a community ambassador at Disability Without Poverty. From our board of directors to provincial coordinators, from our talented staff to visionary leadership, and from our board of directors to our community partners, disability without poverty is united with a shared purpose to foster prosperity, harness collective power, ignite passion, and ensure full participation for every person with a disability across Canada.

Tom is a member of the Autistic Advisory Team at (ACT) – Autism Community Training.

Tom lives in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador.

If you want to connect with Tom Jackman, you can contact him via email: tagjackman@gmail.com 

Ying Wu, PhD

Calgary, Alberta
I am a PhD-trained scientist with over 30 years of experience in brain research at universities in China, the United States, and Canada.

Alongside my scientific career, I have been deeply involved in community initiatives focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and family support. For more than a decade, I have supported local Chinese immigrant families raising children with ASD.

Since 2022, I have served as a member of the Provincial Parent Advisory Committee – Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD). Since 2023, I have also served as a peer mentor and family advisor with Family-to-Family Connections at Alberta Children’s Hospital, and as a board member at Janus Academy, a private school dedicated to students with ASD.

As the proud mother of an autistic youth, I have developed a profound appreciation for the unique strengths and potential of every autistic individual. My lived experience has strengthened my belief that, with the right supports and inclusive environments, autistic individuals can thrive and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

In 2024, I co-founded Spectrum Promising Association (SPA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing understanding, inclusion, and opportunities for autistic individuals.

Through a strength-based approach, SPA strives to create inclusive environments where individuals with ASD can flourish and be valued for their unique contributions.
I am eager to contribute my scientific expertise, community experience, and personal journey—while learning from others across Canada. By working together, sharing diverse perspectives, and building on our collective strengths, I believe we can create better outcomes for autistic individuals and their families.