OUR TEAM

Darby Lee Young, ADAC

Founder and Principal Accessibility Strategist

Certified ADA Coordinator (ADAC)

IOC (International Olympic Committee) Safeguarding Officer Certificate 2023

Designated Rick Hansen Foundation (RHFAC) Professional

“The moment there is the slightest barrier, my independence is gone.”

Darby is an Accessibility Changemaker who blends lived experience with professional expertise to drive inclusive change. Born with mild cerebral palsy, and a former competitive para-alpine skier she uses her unique insight to identify barriers and lead purposeful change in her work and day-to-day life.

She is a certified ADA Coordinator and IOC Safeguarding Officer who is currently expanding her expertise through the Venue Access Academy and IAVM’s Venue Management School. This training deepens her understanding on how venues function, furthering her ability to connect with venue managers and develop accessibility solutions that work in real-world settings, not just in theory.

In 2015, she founded Level Playing Field to address the gap between code compliance and real inclusion. Since then, she has guided a wide range of clients in applying forward-thinking universal design solutions to both new and existing facilities. Today, LPF collaborates across North America with architects, developers, municipalities, and venue teams to embed universal design into every stage of a project, from concept to occupancy.

She’s also spent years shaping policy, serving two terms on the City of Calgary’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility from 2011 to 2015, including time as co-chair, and was a member of the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities from 2017 to 2020. Named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (2018) and a Top 25 Woman of Influence (2021), Darby keeps breaking barriers. In 2020, John Fluevog Shoes released the Darby shoe in her honour

Darby leads with grit, humour, and the belief that accessibility isn’t just about ramps and elevators, it’s about designing a world that works for everyone.

Thea Kurdi

Accessibility Education and Policy Strategist

Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments Level 2 – Expert (IAAP)

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Affiliate

Dip. Arch. Tech

Kurdi has been a trusted and respected built environment accessibility and universal design consultant and post secondary educator for the last 24 years for hundreds of architectural and urban planning projects of varying size and complexity. Known for her honesty and passion for disability equity, she has worked on accessibility drawing reviews, building audits, writing and illustrating client design standards, while also creating and delivering many accessible and universal design courses and education materials.

Thea lives with several invisible disabilities as do 75% of all disabled people. She prefers identify first language as her disabilities are integral to who she is and how she sees the world. Thea has been a frequent invited guest speaker at government events, conferences internationally, nationally and locally, as well as at schools of architecture and interior design programs. She has been a contributing author for many industry references and guidelines and the creator of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s (RAIC) Introduction to Successful Accessible Design course. She has also written many articles for magazines, been interviewed by the press on accessibility issues including CTV’s Your Morning, a recurring guest on TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, and for two years was a monthly universal design contributor to AMI’s Now with Dave Brown Show. In the past, Thea has also served as a board member for ArtsBuild Ontario and the Universal Design Network of Canada.

Thea has focused her career on helping clients create beautiful, inclusive and universal designs that focus on use-ability; designs that are actually better design for everyone, that respond to our rapidly aging population and intersectionality, but most importantly, comply with the Human Rights Code. Thea believes nothing is smarter, a better investment, or more sustainable than accessibility.

The future is accessible and Thea has dedicated her career to helping make that happen as soon as possible.

Kristin Westlake

Accessibility Lead
Designated Rick Hansen Foundation (RHFAC) Professional

Kristin’s background in commercial interior designer brought her to Level Playing Field. Since joining in 2020, she has been an integral team member, serving as both an accessibility lead and project manager on numerous projects from concept through to completion. Her work has involved addressing complex design challenges and implementing innovative, inclusive accessibility solutions. Kristin’s experience spans a wide range of public and private realm projects, including streetscapes, public parks, event centres, recreational and sporting facilities, and campus-wide educational spaces.

She earned her Bachelor of Applied Interior Design from Mount Royal University in 2013, holds certification from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and is a Licensed Interior Designer with the Alberta Architects Association. Kristin has also been a designated Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) professional since 2020.

Kristin’s passion for universal design was sparked early in life, influenced by her mother’s work as a nurse with Alzheimer’s patients. Her dedication deepened through her experience working in senior living environments, where she saw first-hand the need for inclusive design. She believes that whether someone has a physical, cognitive, or visual impairment, is aging, or simply navigating a stroller through snow, equitable access must be a fundamental principle of design.

Outside of work, Kristin enjoys outdoor activities such as biking and sports with her family. She is also
passionate about creating, sculpting, photography, and digital art.

Corinne Osmanski

Accessibility Strategist

Corinne joined the Level Playing Field team in 2023, bringing a diverse background in construction, historic restoration, and architecture that informs her thoughtful approach to accessible design. She believes that all spaces should offer equitable opportunities and be inclusive of everyone. As an Accessibility Strategist at LPF, Corinne has delivered high-level architectural and technical design audits, accessibility analyses, and recommendations for a wide range of public and private sector projects. Notably, she played a key role in LPF’s comprehensive campus-wide accessibility audit of the University of Manitoba, which included 182 buildings spanning over a century of construction, demonstrating her belief that no space is too outdated to be made more accessible.

Corinne earned her Master of Architecture Studies from the University of Calgary in 2023, where she explored her love for design, art, and architecture. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Boise State University. Following her undergraduate studies, Corinne worked as an architectural conservator in Chicago, Illinois, restoring historic masonry buildings. This experience deepened Corinne’s fascination in how all aspects of our built environment; from small residential buildings to grand urban realm projects, can and should evolve to better serve everyone.

Corinne is passionate about designing future-minded, inclusive spaces that prioritize accessibility. She advocates for universal design to be at the forefront of all planning, arguing that inclusive environments benefit people of all ages and abilities. To her, design is not just the manifestation of an idea, it shapes how people experience and navigate the world around them. She hopes her work leaves a meaningful, lasting impact on the communities she serves.

In her spare time, Corinne enjoys researching topics related to social and environmental sustainability. She has a long-standing passion for building projects using reclaimed materials, finding creative potential in what others overlook. When not immersed in a creative project, she can be found solving puzzles, spending time with her two cats, McCoy and Tuesday, or enjoying the outdoors.

Meredith Lougheed

Communications Strategist

Meredith joined Level Playing Field in 2025 as Communications Strategist, bringing over a decade of experience in the design industry spanning communications, sales, project management, and team leadership. She holds a BFA from Concordia University and a certification from the Interior Design Institute, combining creative vision with a clear, analytical approach to messaging that is both visually impactful and concise.

Meredith has managed procurement and project coordination for large-scale hospitality, commercial, and residential design projects across North America. Through this work, she developed an understanding of ADA and CDA design standards and recognized the ongoing need for truly universal design solutions. Meredith is passionate about how clear, intentional communication can enhance collaboration and support the creation of inclusive, people-centered environments. Meredith spent nine years living and working in Montreal and is a fluent French speaker.

Outside of work, she is often immersed in creative pursuits, from sewing and upcycling to painting, creating music, reading, and language learning. She is also dedicated to environmental preservation, with a love for gardening and involvement in seed saving initiatives.