Biographies: Members of Accessibility Standards Canada's Board of Directors

Since January 2021, J. Paul Walsh has been the Chief Executive Officer at the Autism Society of Newfoundland & Labrador. He is responsible for the overall direction of the organization and oversight of its daily operations.Previously, Mr. Walsh worked in the private industry in the banking and utility sector for 35 years. During that time, he was also a course instructor at the Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Master of Business Administration, and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management.

Over the years, Mr. Walsh has done various community and volunteer work on boards, committees, and councils. These include the St. John’s Transportation Commission, the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities-Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Advisory Council for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.

He is a mentor, coach, and leader with a strong track record of developing emerging professionals. Mr. Walsh was the recipient of EmpowerNL’s 2020 Cecilia Carroll Award for Independent Living in recognition of his personal commitment exceeding 20 years to the full inclusion of people with disabilities. He was also a finalist for the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Award. 

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William Adair is the Executive Director of Spinal Cord Injury Canada, a charity that helps people with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities to be able to do more on their own and be fully part of their community.

Mr. Adair has a lot of experience in the areas of healthcare and disability. He was one of the members who started the Canadian Disability Policy Alliance, the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, and Candlelighters Canada. He has also helped the Government of Canada through the Federal Accessibility Legislation Alliance, the Working Group on Alternate Format Materials and the Parliamentary Precinct Advisory Panel.

Mr. Adair has a Bachelor of Science (University of Minnesota). He did the Executive Leadership Course on the Management of Non-Profit Organizations (Harvard University). He received Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal in 2016, which is an award for great Canadians who have done wonderful things that bring honour to our country.

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Wissam Constantin is a well-known leader in the Deaf community since moving to Canada in 2017. Mr. Constantin is a Community and Events Manager at Canadian Administrator of Video Relay Services (CAV) since 2022.Mr. Constantin shares his true passion as a Deaf advocate for a better quality of life in the Deaf community, especially those who use sign language as the primary language of communication. He was involved with the Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD) for several years as a former President, Vice-President and Project Director.

Mr. Constantin participated in federal government consultations on policy developments and accessibility implementations, especially public proceedings with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). He was also on the Canadian Association of the Deaf’s committee for organizing and advocating for ASL-LSQ legal recognition in Canada in 2018-2019.

Mr. Constantin was the first Deaf university graduate in Lebanon, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology and a Master’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science for Canadian Politics and Public Policy, with a minor in Law at Carleton University, Ottawa.

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Maureen Haan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work. This organization helps persons with disabilities to overcome obstacles with getting a job and also helps bosses to become leaders in hiring and keeping employees with disabilities.

Ms. Haan speaks American Sign Language and she has a lot of professional and volunteer experience. From 2001 to 2012, she was the Executive Director of Silent Voice, an organization that has programs and services for deaf adults, children and their families in American Sign Language.

Ms. Haan defends the rights of persons with disabilities and has been a member of many groups and committees. She is a board member for the Canadian Association of Supported Employment and a board member for the College of Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals. She is a member at the Canadian Standards Association, and a member of the Disability and Work Canada Conference committee.

Ms. Haan has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (York University).

Joe McLaughlin started McLaughlin Educational Consulting Services and has been President of the Canadian Branch of the International Catholic Deaf Association since 2012. He uses American Sign Language.The research done by Mr. McLaughlin includes social justice (creating a more fair society), development of non-profit organizations and studies on deafness. He was the Dean of Deaf Studies and Special Services at Ohlone College in Freemont, California, from 2004 to 2008. He is an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia.M. McLaughlin has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.) and a Masters of Arts in Education and Counselling Psychology (University of British Columbia). He also has a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration (Alliant International University, San Francisco, California).

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Christopher T. Sutton has more than two decades of executive experience, where he has made significant contributions to organizations serving individuals with disabilities in the United States and Canada. He has assumed leadership positions across the not-for-profit, public, and start-up sectors. Currently, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility.Mr. Sutton is widely recognized as an expert in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). He actively engages in multiple national and provincial committees, and his involvement in various consumer/industry working groups has fostered accessibility and inclusion for diverse audiences. His personal experience with hearing loss and the barriers he faced while living with a disability have informed his deep commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

Mr. Sutton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gallaudet University and a Master of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario. Further demonstrating his passion for lifelong learning, he is currently enrolled in the Director Education Program at the University of Toronto - Rothman School of Management.

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