D.E.A.F
Deaf Educational Advancements Forum
Meet Our Presenters and Moderators
Dr. Cathy Chovaz
Dr. Cathy Chovaz is an associate professor in the Psychology Department at King's University College at Western University with a cross appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University. She teaches courses in clinical psychology and her area of expertise is mental health and deafness. Dr. Chovaz' active research lab feeds her practice and vice versa. She has many published journal articles and has published a book, co-authored with Dr. M. Du Feu, entitled Mental Health and Deafness with Oxford University Press. Dr. Chovaz is an internationally sought presenter. Most recently she presented a key note address at the World Congress on Mental Health and Deafness in Belfast, Ireland. The topic for this year's congress was the Pathway to Rights. Dr. Chovaz presented on the right to an accessible language for deaf children. Dr. Chovaz has also been invited to be a keynote speaker at the World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in Istanbul, Turkey in July, 2015. Dr. Chovaz is Canada’s first Deaf clinical psychologist and she maintains a consultation private practice.
Judith Thomas
Judith Thomas is the staff interpreter at King's University College at Western University in the Psychology Department. She has been interpreting for 16 years. Judith has an undergraduate degree from Western University and completed her interpreter training at Cambrian College. Judith has provided supervision to interpreting students as a placement host. She has worked in various mental health settings with d/Deaf consumers and professionals. She provides educational seminars to agencies across Ontario on mental health interpreting and is currently working on gathering data to produce a qualitative look at the experiences of interpreters in Ontario and across Canada. Judith, along with Dr. Cathy Chovaz and Angela Core, submitted a poster presentation at the World Congress of the Deaf in Belfast, Ireland on Intersectionality Theory and its relevance to mental health and deafness.
Angela Core
Angela L. Core graduated from the Interpreter Training Program at Sheridan College in 1989 at which time she moved to the east coast and worked as both an educational and community interpreter. Upon her return to Ontario, Angela obtained OIS status and began working towards her goal of community interpreting. In 1996 she started working for The Canadian Hearing Society in London and has been there ever since. Over the years she has developed an interest and passion in mental health and wellness which led her to attend the Mental Health Interpreter Training (MHIT) program in Montgomery Alabama in 2012. Angela is a member of OASLI and AVLIC. Angela, along with Dr. Cathy Chovaz and Judith Thomas, submitted a poster presentation at the World Congress of the Deaf in Belfast, Ireland on Intersectionality Theory and its relevance to mental health and deafness.
Adele Routliff
Adele Routliff gratefully acknowledges her Deaf parents and many members of the Deaf community for their investment in her. She has worked as a professional interpreter since 1978 and obtained certification from the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (AVLIC) in 1994. She is a recipient of the AVLIC Phyllis Joynt Mentorship Award and enjoys the privilege of coming alongside newer interpreters as a trainer in the Ontario Interpreting Services (OIS) Interpreter Internship Program (IIP) and as an AVLIC Certification Evaluation System (CES) workshop facilitator.
Marc Gervais
Marc is a Deaf CHS Connect counsellor forBelleville/Kingston/Brockville areas and before he planted his feet in Kingston, he obtained his BA in psychology at McGill University and a Master’s degree in mental health counselling from Gallaudet University in 1997. He was a general support worker for Deaf-plus individuals near the beautiful mountains in Vancouver, BC for 2 years and then worked as a counsellor-in-supportive-relations at MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation centre in the Deaf and hard of hearing program for 12 years in his hometown Montreal. He has experience providing a range of psycho-social services to Deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened clientele which includes psychotherapy, support groups, educational workshops, case management and general social services.
He is married to an English-French translator, has a second job as a taxi dad for 2 daughters, is a rabid Habs and Alouettes fan, goes fishing when he can and enjoys puttering around the house and writing. He has written a humorous fictional journal, “Smelly Hearing Aids and Fishy lips”, slated for self-publication this year under a pen name, Marc Heyez.
Dr. Jonathan Chapman
Jonathan is a child/adolescent psychologist who works at the London Family Health Team. Over the past few years, Jonathan has been involved in providing psychological services with Deaf students at various schools for the Deaf in Ontario. Overall, he has worked in multi-disciplinary educational and clinical settings, providing assessments and developing strategies for future planning for clients and their families. Jonathan's work also includes intervention, consulting, and research. Dr. Chapman has also developed and taught numerous university courses related to psychology. Some of Jonathan's professional areas of interest include psychological experiences of Deaf/hard of hearing people from various backgrounds, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Autism, CBT, family attachments, and collaborative problem solving.
Robert Campbell
Robert is the pharmacist at the London Family Health Team and at Prescription Shop with St. Joseph's Health Centre- SJHC. Previously, Robert was manager of the retail pharmacies at LHSC for 12 years. Prior to that Robert was a manager at SJHC and a clinical pharmacist. Robert has a special interest in sleep issues, anticoagulation, dementia and dermatology.
Robert likes to spend his spare time gardening and refereeing basketball.
Rosalie Vissers
Rosalie studied at Red River Community College, Winnipeg, Manitoba, in the Interpreter Training Program and graduated in 1984.
Registered with Ontario Interpreter Services since 1985.
Worked at the Canadian Hearing Society, Hamilton Region for 5 years.
Worked at Pah! Mental Health Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Youth for 3 ½ years where she gained valuable insight into the specialized field of interpreting in mental health settings.
Currently, she is a freelance interpreter full time.
She also teaches part time in the ASL and Deaf Studies Program at George Brown College.
She has a passion for mentoring new and emerging interpreters and loves to see them grow and develop as professionals.
She adores great coffee and enjoys hanging out with friends, both old and new.
Dr.Jamie MacDougall
Born to wonderful Deaf parents in Ottawa, Dr. Jamie MacDougall is currently the President and CEO of the Canadian Deafness Research and Training Institute based in Montreal and an Associate Professor (Post-Retirement) in the Department of Psychology at McGill University where he has taught a course on deafness and disability for over 35 years. Dr. MacDougall has served as an expert witness in a number of high profile cases involving Deaf people – including the well-known Roy (1994) case in Nova Scotia, and the Suwarak case in Nunavut. In 1985 he was given the "Man of the Year" award by the Canadian Association of the Deaf. He was also recognized by the Canadian Psychological Association through the “2000 Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community and Public Service”, and he was given the prestigious “Larry G. Stewart 2000 Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology and Deafness” by the American Psychological Association in Washington D.C. In 2002 he was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame in Toronto and in 2003 he received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Metal for his work in deafness and disability. Dr. MacDougall was appointed to the Order of Canada in July 2010, and he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Azad Najfi
Azad Najfi is a Child Youth Worker at PAH! in Milton Ontario. PAH! provides mental health services to Deaf and hard of hearing children and youth, and their families. PAH! and is a partnership between Bob Rumball Association for the Deaf (BRAD) and Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK). Services are client centred and strength based. the services offered include individual and family counselling, group programs, Art and Expressive therapy and consultation to agencies and professionals. Services are culturally and linguistically accessible. Azad has been working in the field of mental health with a focus on children, youth and families, and hearing children of Deaf Adults for more than 5 years.
In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, exploring the great outdoors, and loves to play indoor volleyball and softball.
Sue Allen
Sue Allen is a Social Worker with over 30 years experience in Children's Mental Health. She has worked in many different settings including - residential treatment, day treatment, counselling services and systemic advocacy for families at CAMH. Sue is currently the Clinical Manager of the PAH! program which provides counselling for Deaf and hard of hearing children youth and families and hearing children of Deaf adults.
Dr. Jane Upfold
Dr. Jane Upfold is a family doctor in London with a focused practice in psychotherapy. Earlier in her career Dr. Upfold worked as an Emergency physician. She has worked with mental health interpreters with Deaf clients and appreciates the complexities involved in psychotherapy with this population. Jane loves her kids, cats and camping.
Tim Mallach
Tim was born to Deaf parents and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Tim attended Gallaudet University from 1985-1990. He is the proud father to two Deaf children. Tim has most recently become partner and co-owner of Sign Language Interpreting Services (SLIS) serving Southwestern Ontario. Tim also works as a freelance Deaf Interpreter. Tim is a member of the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (AVLIC) and Ontario Association of Sign Language Interpreters (OASLI) and is currently sitting on two AVLIC committees; Interpreting Development and AVLIC’s name change committee.Tim has extensive experience teaching ASL at post secondary institutions such as; the Canadian Hearing Society, Fanshawe College, George Brown College and Brock University. Tim actively participates in many different workshops and professional development opportunites in the interpreting field across Canada and the U.S. In addition Tim provides a variety of workshops and training in the interpreting field, including being the lead on a new and innovative Deaf Interpreting Training program. Tim has participated in two-time World Deaf Golf Championship (USA and Ireland), attended the Deaf Olympics (Australia) as a photographer; and the World Deaf Athletics Championship and Toronto Deaf International Film Festival as an International Signer (IS).
Jessica Bouffard
Jessica Boufford is a CONNECT counsellor with the Canadian Hearing Society providing mental health counselling to d/Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing individuals and families. She also provides a monthly support group for individuals experiencing Tinnitus. Jessica graduated from Fanshawe College in 2004 from the Developmental Services Worker program and worked for several years supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in a variety of settings. She graduated with her Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2010 and has worked both in the General Support Services and CONNECT programs with CHS since 2009.