Our Leadership Team

As CEO, Doramy Ehling leads the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) in its’ vision to create an inclusive world where people with disabilities are living to their full potential.  

Prior to her appointment as CEO in December, 2018, Doramy held the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Foundation for 11 years and supported the development of several innovations including the Rick Hansen Institute and the RHF Accessibility Certification™ program. 

Previous to joining the Rick Hansen Foundation, Doramy held several positions within the Government of Canada at Canadian Heritage, which included portfolios within Sport Canada, and the 2010 Federal Secretariat for the  2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.   

An active volunteer in the sport community over the past 30 years, Doramy has served on the Boards of Volleyball BC, Sport BC and the Sport Medicine Council of Canada. Currently Doramy is Chair of the Volleyball BC Board of Directors and the Host Committee of the National Women’s Volleyball Training Centre.
 

France Gagnon is the Chief Financial Officer and the VP of Operations. France holds a Bachelor of Administration degree from SFU and she is also a CPA, CMA. She has over 15 years of experience working in the not-for-profit sector. 

Before joining the Foundation, France held senior financial positions at various not-for-profit organizations such as Raincity Housing and Support Society, Burnaby Family Life, Variety the Children’s Charity and New Vista Housing Society. France was born in Quebec and is fluent in French. France is driven by her passion for making a difference and developing best practices as well as transparency in the not-for-profit sector.

Brad McCannell is the Vice President of Access and Inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation, where he is responsible for the content and integrity of the Foundation’s Accessibility Certification™ program (RHFAC) and supporting training. Brad also helps the Foundation support disability causes nationally.

As a leader in the field of accessibility for the past 27 years, Brad has extensive experience in the practical application of universal design across the whole built environment, providing accessibility consultations globally. Projects include the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, the International Paralympic Committee’s technical working group on accessibility (Bonn, Germany), Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur’s International Airport, Naussau International Airport, along with many Vancouver area landmarks including Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver’s Rogers Arena, Richmond Olympic Oval, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Island University, the Vancouver Convention Centre(s), BC Ferries, the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, among others. 

Brad is also a member of the Accessibility Standards Canada Board, which is tasked with the development of accessibility standards for the federal government of Canada, in collaboration with industry and the disability community. He also provides recommendations for accessibility standards via the International Standards Organization - Technical Management Board’s Strategic Advisory Group on Accessibility, in addition to addressing and monitoring key issues in the industry.  

Brad uses a wheelchair and service dog on a daily basis.
 

Mike is a seasoned senior fundraising executive with over 22 years of diversified experience in the not-for-profit sector, and expertise in significant private sector revenue generation.

Currently, Mike is the Vice President of Resource Development at the Rick Hansen Foundation. As a key member of the Foundation’s Senior Executive Team, Mike is responsible for all aspects of the Foundation’s Resource Development department. Mike’s portfolio also includes all individual and corporate major gifts, through both sponsorships and donations, along with overseeing all government relations, community giving and special events in support of the Rick Hansen Foundation and its respective programs and initiatives.

Mike received his Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia with a concentration in Physical Education. Prior to joining the Rick Hansen Foundation, Mike was the President and CEO of his own private security firm which employed over 300 staff and specialized in event security, personal protection and private investigation.

Mike lives in Richmond, BC and has two beautiful sons.

Sarah McCarthy is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Rick Hansen Foundation, where she is responsible for providing strategic oversight to RHF's program initiatives including RHF Accessibility Certification, the RHF School Program and our awareness initiatives.

She brings national and international experience to this role, previously working for an association management consulting firm where she served as Executive Director of several non-profit professional healthcare organizations. Sarah has an MSc in pharmacology and therapeutics and an MBA in strategic management from the University of British Columbia.

Before assuming the role of Senior Director, Programs, Amanda was Director – Accessibility Certification, providing strategic and operational direction to launch and develop the program since 2017. Amanda brings a global outlook, having worked and studied across 5 continents.

Before RHF, she worked in London and Singapore, managing cross-functional teams and developing external networks to deliver high-level global summits for the oil & gas sector and infrastructure industries with a geographic focus on Asia, Europe and Africa. Amanda has a law degree from UBC and a business degree from SFU. 

Laura leads the Foundation’s marketing and communications team in the development, execution and evaluation of integrated marketing and communications activities that increase awareness of accessibility, engagement in our programs and initiatives, and demonstrate the impact of the Foundation’s work. As a Past President of the BC American Marketing Association with over 20 years of experience building brands and a passion for accessibility and inclusion, Laura’s goal is to inspire all Canadians in the movement towards a world for everyone, everywhere. 

When she’s not driving her son to sporting activities or watching his games, Laura can be found walking the dog or cultivating peace on her yoga mat.

Kevin is the Director of Technical and Program Content for the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program. He oversights the RHFAC technical materials, RHFAC Training, and Accessibility Professional Network (APN). He has played a major role in the evolution of RHFAC program, having led its last update in 2020. Kevin also acts as a subject-matter expert on behalf of RHF in various research partnerships advancing accessibility and inclusion.

Prior to joining RHF, Kevin worked as an accessibility consultant for over ten years in Canada and internationally. His experience includes developing accessibility design standards, conducting accessibility audits, and completing accessible design reviews for various projects in healthcare, education, public, recreation and residential sectors.

Kevin grew up in Mauritius, a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, before moving to Toronto, where he currently resides, to complete his degree in Urban and Regional Planning. When he’s not working, Kevin can be found baking delicious treats or exploring different neighbourhoods in the city on his bike.

Katherine works closely with Rick Hansen to develop his leadership initiatives as Founder of the Foundation. Previous to this she has spent the last 19 years developing integrated marketing and communications strategies to drive results in both profit and non-profit environments. After graduating from SFU, Katherine immersed herself in the sports apparel industry which offered her tremendous opportunity to help build powerful global brands in addition to working on numerous international fundraising partnerships. Katherine has held senior roles at The Canadian Cancer Society as well as The Terry Fox Foundation. 

Outside of the office, Katherine can be found chasing after her son, on the ice rink playing hockey or riding her road bike.  
 

As Director, Resource Development for the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF), Sandra is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Resource Development team and ensuring all philanthropic strategies are maximizing revenue and ROI for RHF. She oversees strategy for growing our robust community giving program and serving as director for the #EveryoneEverywhere national campaign to improve accessibility for Canadians of all abilities wherever they work, live and play. With over 20+ years of experience, Sandra is a skilled fundraising professional with a focus on building diverse revenue-generating programs, and cultivating high-value relationships across corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Based in Toronto, Sandra is an avid hiker and enjoys finding new trails to explore, as well as honing her cooking skills for family and friends on weekends.
 

As an internationally experienced architect with an ocular disability, Roman brings a wealth of lived experience to his role. He is responsible for providing a range of advisory services designed to support multi-site and large-scale public and private organizations on their journey towards increased accessibility and inclusion, in the built environment and beyond.

Roman is sessional faculty in several higher education institutions in Canada, having taught courses in architectural design, theory, and accessibility, including the RHFAC Professional Designation. He currently sits on Waterfront Toronto’s Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Passionate about client success and meaningful business relationships, Roman speaks five languages, and has worked in customer success and advisory in industries such as banking, international relations, and hospitality. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Design degree from OCAD University. 

Outside of work, Roman can be found playing tennis, painting, or riding his bike along Toronto’s waterfront, where he resides.

As Head, Accessibility Practice, Matthew helps RHF teams, stakeholders and clients develop accessibility strategies that remove barriers and solve social and business problems. 

Born with a degenerative deafblind condition, Matthew is a recognized expert in accessibility legislation, policy and practice across industries and sectors, and has collaborated with governments and design and construction industry professionals to encourage accessible development. 

Before joining Rick Hansen Foundation, Matthew founded two consulting practices serving corporate, non-profit and public sector clients. He has also held leadership roles in Canada’s charitable sector. 

Matthew writes and speaks about disability and serves on various committees and boards, including Vice Chair of Accessibility Standards Canada, Chair of the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council for the province of Ontario, and Vice Chair of Canadian Blind Hockey, the fastest growing parasport in Canada.