Annapolis County IDEA Committee

Description: 
The Annapolis County Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility committee (IDEA) provides advice to Municipality of the County of Annapolis, Town of Annapolis Royal, Town of Middleton and Village of Lawrencetown in identifying, preventing, and eliminating barriers in municipal programs, services, initiatives, and infrastructure to ensure they are inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible.

Vision: 
We imagine a place where everyone is treated fairly and can take
part in their community without any obstacles. Our goal is to ensure
that all municipal leaders consider accessibility and inclusion in
everything they do. This means everyone, regardless of
background or ability, should have a voice and be respected. We
want to create a community where there is no racism or prejudice,
where everyone feels safe and included, and where both visible and
invisible disabilities are recognized and respected.

Introducing the Annapolis County Inclusion Diversity Equity Accessibility Committee:

Cameron Stiff - Acting Chair
 
Cameron (he/him) cares about creating safe and healthy communities, a theme that has run through his diverse career history working on environmental issues, community development and in the arts. As a realtor, he knows how important for a place to truly feel like home! He’s thrilled to be part of AR Pride, bringing years of business and non-profit management to the team. In his spare time Cameron loves to hike and camp, play ice hockey in the winter and garden in the summer, and enjoy theatre and film all year round.

Brenda MacDonald - Member

Brenda is a strong advocate for the rights of accessible persons both visible and invisible.
She is legally blind and brings a youthful knowledge of the challenges faced in creating new opportunities for persons with disabilities to break down barriers for greater community independence. She strongly believes that education and awareness makes a difference and is looking forward to participation on the Annapolis County Accessibility Advisory Committee and the development and implementation of an accessibility plan. She loves to travel and has participated in the Canada Games downhill skiing when she was introduced to the sport with a guide at Martock.

Elizabeth Mason-Squires - Member 

Elizabeth resides in the Annapolis Valley and holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Yorkville University. With a background in psychology and educational administration, she is a dedicated advocate for neurodivergent children and their families. Elizabeth has extensive experience in the non-profit sector as the founder and Executive Director of Rowan’s Room Developmental Society, an organization she established in 2016 to bridge gaps in specialized educational and developmental support. She recently gained national attention for her successful twelve-year battle against the Nova Scotia government to eliminate "discriminatory" IQ-based eligibility for disability funding. An active community member, she also serves as the General Manager for the Valley Minor Football Association and contributes to the local arts scene. Elizabeth looks forward to collaborating with partners to remove systemic barriers and foster a truly inclusive environment for all residents of Annapolis County.

Catherine (Jean) Voysey - Member

Since 1983, the Annapolis Valley has been Jean’s home. Throughout her career, as an educator and consultant, she has advocated for children and youth with diverse needs. Jean’s passion is to ensure equal community access for all individuals - regardless of their intellectual, mental, sensory or physical needs. Jean is pleased to be part of the Annapolis County Accessibility Advisory Committee and believes that a municipal accessibility plan will help all residents of Annapolis County to have improved access to their community.


Tina Hiltz - Member

Tina Hiltz has lived in Kings and Annapolis Counties most of her life and presently resides in Cornwallis Park with her husband and two fur babies. Her exposure to disabilities started as a teenager, caring for a child who was a paraplegic, and evolved into several years of work in Special Education where she enjoyed working with students in three provinces who had physical, cognitive, hearing and vision challenges, among others. She also volunteered in, and now assists family members with, cognitive and mobility issues in long-term care. As a long-time member of a military family, a 22-year volunteer with a humanitarian agency, as well as a volunteer in Federal Corrections, she has been privileged to partake in a broad range of courses and experiences that increased her accessibility awareness significantly. Most notable were participating in access-a-thons in a wheelchair and a hands-on disability empathy awareness workshop, sleeping in the snow in -22 C temperatures in a refrigerator box, studying Mental Health First-Aid for Veterans and Refugees, providing services to individuals in homeless situations, as well as extensive concussion-related programs and personal research. (You do not have to bang your head to get a concussion.) Tina is a former volunteer broadcaster with VoicePrint/Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) and, having personal experience with concussions, is a member of the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia (BIANS) and a participant in research being done by Providence Care and Queens University in Ontario. Having a deep love of the Valley, Tina is excited to be part of a motivated team to improve accessibility and situational awareness for everyone, and to bring the empathy programs to Nova Scotia. One of her favourite educational lines is, “We’re all just one accident away from being different”.

Michael Worthington - Member 

Michael (Mike) Worthington recently made Annapolis Royal his permanent home with his husband, drawn by the community’s strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health and brings training in community needs assessment, data‑driven planning, and equitable policy development, with a focus on supporting the health and well‑being of all residents.

As an invested member of the community, Michael brings both professional insight and lived experience to the IDEA Committee, particularly in relation to LGBTQ+ inclusion, while working collaboratively on broader accessibility and diversity issues. He is deeply motivated to help ensure Annapolis Royal remains a welcoming and equitable place for everyone and is proud to contribute his time, skills, and perspective to the committee’s work.

John Smith - Member 

John is originally from Ontario, raised in Newfoundland & Labrador and now resides in Beaconsfield, Nova Scotia. A paraplegic for 30 years, John has a background in Occupational Health and Safety, Business, Education and honorably served in the Canadian Armed Forces (Navy). John has over 30 years of volunteer experience and is involved in multiple boards and committees in the community. He is the chair of the Annapolis Community Health Board, Chair of the Annapolis Active Kids Healthy Kids Society, Vice-Chair of the Soldiers Memorial Hospital Foundation, a member of the Mid-Valley Region Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee and an member of the Town of Middleton Accessibility Advisory Committee. He looks forward to working with others in creating partnerships and providing educational opportunities and actions to make Annapolis County barrier free.

LARRY PETERS
Information coming..

STAFF 
Chief Administration Officers 
Annapolis County - Rob Frost
Town of Annapolis - Sandi Millet-Campbell
Town of Middleton - Ashley Crocker
Village of Lawrencetown - Melissa Roscoe 

Annapolis County 
Debra Ryan - Director of Community Development
Alyssa Blais - Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
Rachael Browne - Community Development Admin 

Town of Annapolis
Noah Scanlan - Active Living Coordinator

Town of Middleton
Lisa Fenton - Active Living Coordinator

EDI PLAN

ACCESSIBILITY PLAN 

IDEA STRATEGY and TERMS OF REFERENCE