Rethinking Disability Conference 2022

ODEN is proud to announce the return of our Annual Rethinking Disability Conference for 2022
“The Future of Work”
This conference is designed for employment service agencies and businesses from across Ontario, to enhance their professional development, increase capacity, and learn new skills to apply to their services and inclusive hiring processes.
This year ODEN has added a Business Sector Stream on Tuesday November 15. This is an exclusive opportunity for businesses and employers to develop or improve their disability awareness and confidence, learn from other businesses that are successfully implementing disability inclusive hiring and retention, and meet employment service providers from across the province who have the talent pool you need to gain that competitive edge for the future of work. Register for the Business Stream now.
** The ODEN RDC 2022 conference meets the requirements for Professional Development Hours for CCDP recertification in Ontario under CDPCBO (Career Development Practitioners Certification Board of Ontario).
Program
Monday November 14, 2022 |
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7:30am-8:45am | Richmond Ballroom
Registration & Breakfast |
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8:45am-9:00am | Richmond Ballroom
Welcome |
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9:00am-10:15am | Richmond Ballroom
Opening Keynote – Joe Roberts “From Skid Row to CEO – Inspiring Possibilities” |
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10:15am-10:45am | Networking Break sponsored by Career Find | ||
10:45am-12:00pm | Thornhill
1A – Energy Health Management Workshop Joe Roberts, Skid Row CEO |
Markham A
1B – Employment as a Goal: Engaging with Families Dr. Jennifer Crowson, ODEN |
Aurora
1C – Indigenous Skills & Employment Training (ISET) Program Leela Thomas, Walpole Island First Nation Employment & Training Program |
12:00pm-1:30pm | Lunch NDEAM and Light It Up! For NDEAM Video Presentation |
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1:30pm-2:45pm | Thornhill
2A – Diversification of Funding/Financial Management Ronia Michael, Abilities to Work Malavika Mohanan, ICSS |
Markham
2B – Project SEARCH – Information Session Carolyn McDougall, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Erin Riehle, Project SEARCH |
Aurora
2C – What’s Your Hashtag? Communications & Media Training For ESPs
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2:45pm-3:15pm | Networking Break sponsored by Career Find | ||
3:15-4:30pm | Thornhill
3A – Developing Talent for the Future of the Employment Service Sector Gillian Johnston, CDPCBO |
Markham
3B – Project SEARCH Canada -Lessons Learned – Preparing to launch your PS site Carolyn McDougall, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Tracey Morrow, CL Oakville Jennifer Way, MODC Sudbury Vesna Frankovich, HWDSB |
Aurora
3C – Re-Imagining Change: Creating, Embracing & Harnessing Organizational Change Corey Dalgleish, CL Essex County Cynthia Sparring, Carer Services Brockville Judy Bernstein, OCAPDD |
4:30pm-5:15pm | OTEC – Sponsor Information Session | ||
8:00pm-11:00pm | Networking Social Event
Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar |
Tuesday, November 15, 2022 |
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7:30am-8:45am | Richmond Ballroom
Registration & Breakfast |
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9:00am-9:15am | Richmond Ballroom
Welcome |
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9:15am-10:15am | Thornhill
4A – Disclosure & Accommodations Planning – What do we need to improve job retention for people living with a disability? Monique A.M. Gignac, Ph.D., Institute for Work and Health |
Markham
Business Stream4B – Disability Awareness & Confidence Training For Business – Part 1 Amy Widdows, ODEN Jennifer Hope, ODEN |
Aurora
4C – Working with Educators Tammy Dalgleish, CL Essex County Carol Jones, DPCDSB |
10:15am-10:45am | Networking Break sponsored by Career Find | ||
10:45am-12:00pm | Thornhill
5A – Mental Health & Burnout – A toolkit from CMHA Melanie McGregor, CMHA |
Markham
Business Stream5B – Disability Awareness & Confidence Training For Business – Part 2 Amy Widdows, ODEN Jennifer Hope, ODEN |
Aurora
5C – The Registered Disability Savings Plan and the Canadian Disability Savings Grant and Bond: Invest in the Financial Well-being of People who have Disabilities/Understanding the Disability Tax Credit with CRA Sarah Sweenie, ESDC TBC, CRA |
12:00pm-1:30pm | Lunch | ||
1:30pm-2:45pm | Thornhill
6A – The Real Xchange – Knowledge Translation & Transfer (KTT) Information Superhighway
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Markham
Business Stream6B – Inclusive Recruitment & Retention – A Business to Business Conversation Ronald Peters, City of Toronto Haley Kimmet, Salesforce |
Aurora
6C – Employment Discovery: A Critical Step Towards Job Retention
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2:45pm-3:15pm | Networking Break sponsored by Career Find | ||
3:15pm-4:30pm | Thornhill
7A – Preparing for the Service System Manager (SSM) Employment Transformation Model Diane Lupton, CL Huntsville Grant Collins, FedCap Canada Kelsie Baranski, WCG Services |
Markham
Business Stream7B – How and Why Your Business Should Work with Employment Service Providers John Policicchio, CL Algoma Evan Dawe, CL Sarnia-Lambton |
Aurora
7C – Employment Access Framework Project: Effective Change for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ontarians Anne Marie Langlois, CHHA Lori Cooper, Abilities to Work |
4:30pm-5:15pm | CSBT – Sponsor Information Session | ||
6:00pm-6:30pm | Cocktails | ||
6:30pm-10:00pm | Gala Dinner – sponsored by FedCap Canada
Entertainment – Music & Dancing |
Wednesday, November 16, 2022 |
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7:30am-8:00am | Richmond Ballroom
Registration & Breakfast |
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8:00am-8:45am | Richmond Ballroom
ODEN AGM |
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9:00am-10:15am | Thornhill
8A – Utilizing Technology for your Job Seeking Clients Chad Noonan, Career Services Brockville Ryan Billing, Career Services Brockville Jamie Suderman, MODC |
Markham 8B – Community of Practice presents the 5 W’s of jobPathAmber Ebert, SEGSS April Callus, CL Mississauga Kristin Weiss, CL Mississauga |
Aurora
8C – MentorAbility Canada Project – Increasing Employer Education & Awareness for Inclusive Employment Mary Beshai, MentorAbility Canada & CASE |
10:15am-10:45am | Networking Break sponsored by Career Find | ||
10:45am-12:00pm | Thornhill 9A – Jobs Ability Canada – Harnessing the Power of AI in Job DevelopmentSue Dafoe, ODEN |
Markham
9B – Partnering & Collaborating from a National and Local Perspective Anna Nelson, LiveWorkPlay Keenan Wellar, LiveWorkPlay |
Aurora
9C – Supports and Services that Create Success during Post-Secondary Education Transitions Susan Walters, Mohawk College Patrick Cross, Mohawk College Mary Lou Kelly, Christian Horizons Lan Dinh, Brock University |
12:00pm-1:15pm | Lunch | ||
1:15pm-2:30pm | Closing Plenary – Government of Ontario Panel
Gloria Lee, MLITSD Jacqueline Cureton, MSAA |
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2:30pm-2:45pm | Conference Wrap-Up Surprise Snacks and Drinks To-Go |
Download PDF version
Conference Hotels
RDC 2022 will be held at the Conference Centre that is connected to The Sheraton Parkway Toronto North and the Best Western Parkway Hotel North.
Sponsors and Exhibitor Info
RDC 2022 has numerous marketing and sponsorship opportunities available.
As a sponsor and/or exhibitor your business will:
- Position your company as a thought-leader, action-taker and trailblazer to attract top talent to your organization.
- Promote your products and services to the disability market, which touches 73% of consumers and represents a huge opportunity for business. This represents $538.5 Billion of disposable income.
- Build relationships with over 200 conference delegates from Ontario by providing a venue for private and public stakeholders to learn, network, and grow their employment practice and diversity goals.
- Showcase your company’s profile by supporting an Ontario-wide network of service agencies that deliver employment opportunities for people who have a disability.
Download the Sponsorship and Exhibitor Package
For more information contact Sue Dafoe, Business Services Manager at sdafoe@odenetwork.com or via phone at 1-866-280-6336 Ext. 105.
Accessibility Sponsor:
Platinum Sponsors:

Gold Sponsor:
Gala Sponsor:

Networking Breaks Sponsor:

Silver Sponsors:


Exhibitors:







