As a founding parent, Sue Simpson has been part of the Waterloo Region Family Network (WRFN) story since the beginning. She has watched the network grow from a small group of volunteer families into a thriving organization that’s equipped to support thousands of people touched by exceptional needs. In her role as executive director, Sue oversees all operations and represents WRFN on many community collaboratives. Sue has been an active advocate for disability-related issues since the premature birth of her youngest son 34 years ago. Her personal and family journey with critical and emergency medical issues has shaped her inclusive approach to supporting other families facing similar experiences. She believes in building strong reciprocal relationships and a community of respect and belonging for all. A Wilfrid Laurier University graduate, Sue enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband, two adult sons, and her daughter-in-law. She is the proud recipient of the 2018 Empowered Kids Ontario (EKO) Tribute Award for Leadership.
Dr. Phoenix and authors explore the metaphor “a seat at the table” in the context of including Disabled People and their families in system-level service design and research. They challenge us to consider inclusivity by interrogating this vision of “the table” in terms of ownership, participation, and consequences after a discussion ends.