Employment Standard Development Committee

The goal of the employment standard is to make sure that persons with disabilities, Deaf and/or neurodivergent persons have equitable access to employment. The standards will help them find, maintain and advance in meaningful employment.

About the committee

The majority of committee members identify as having a disability. Committee members include:

• persons with disabilities
• representatives from organizations that provide services to persons with disabilities
• representatives from sectors impacted by the standards, like the human resources and business sectors
• representatives from the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, the Department of Community Services and the Public Service Commission

Committee members

Charlie MacDonald, Chair – Retired Nova Scotia Public Servant and former Executive Director NS Disabled Persons Commission, Halifax

Alice Evans, Vice-Chair – Executive Director, Prescott Group, Halifax

Nick Beynon – CEO, Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Nova Scotia, Halifax

Carla Bezanson – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Nova Scotia Public Service Commission, Halifax

Cynthia Carroll – Executive Director, Autism Nova Scotia

Marcilyn Cianfarani – Disability Advocate/Disaster and Emergency Management Specialist, Cleveland

Brittany Davidson - Manager, Employment Support Services, Department of Community Services, Enfield

Emily Duffett – Coordinator, Work Integrated Learning, Accessible Learning Services, Acadia University, Port Williams

Pele Gallant – Coordinator of Service Development, Summer Street, Trenton

Ryan Gannon – Employment Program Facilitator, reachAbility Association, Halifax

Melissa Myers - Accessibility Advisor, Halifax Regional Municipality, Head of Jeddore

Steve Noel – Employment Advisor, Fred Smithers Centre of Support for Students with Disabilities, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax

Jeff Overmars – Communications Advisor, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Dartmouth

Tyler Roy- NSCC Business Administration graduate, Liverpool

Gordie Snook – General Manager, Facilities and Operations, Town of Port Hawkesbury, Port Hawksbury

Hannah Stegen – Co-Founder, CultureAlly, Dartmouth

Jennifer Thorne – Corporate Strategist, Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration

Jennifer Wagg – Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Employment Nova Scotia

Leslie Yorke – Student Advisor, NSCC, Marconi Campus