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

Darby’s ultimate goal has been to combine her lived experience with her professional life as an Accessibility Consultant. As a person born with mild cerebral palsy, Darby has been able to utilize this unique experience to her advantage, and her previous political appointments and competitive career as a para-alpine skier have provided her with an impactful perspective when approaching projects.

Darby’s previous political appointments and achievements include serving on the City of Calgary’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility (ACA) from 2011-2015, serving as the co-chair for two years. Darby also represented the City of Calgary at the International Summit on Accessibility in 2014. From June 2017 to June 2020, Darby was a member of the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Over the last five years, Darby has been honored with numerous awards and achievements.  In 2018 Darby was selected as one of Canada’s top 40 under 40. In February 2020, John Fluevog Shoes released the “Darby” Shoes. They are now available in multiple colors.  In 2021 Darby was named one of the Top 25 Women of Influence 2021. Darby continues to breakdown barriers for persons with disabilities not only professionally but also personally in hopes that one day it truly makes a difference.   

LPF has allowed Darby to offer her expertise to a wider range of clients. By incorporating universal design features in new builds and conducting accessibility reviews on proposed and existing facilities, Darby’s work continues to make a significant difference for many people living with disabilities and puts her team at the forefront of accessibility consulting. Through this work LPF has successfully contributed to the removal of barriers at the municipal, provincial and national levels, ultimately establishing inclusive environments.

Mark is a Master of Architecture graduate with a passion for socially responsible built environments that embody inclusivity, resilience, and connectivity. He has an extensive background in reviewing plans and drawings at various stages for ongoing educational, retail, hospitality, and government architectural projects, and has been with LPF since 2019. In his spare time, he loves entering design competitions and designing his own furniture collection.

Kristin has been working in the commercial and residential design industry for the past 7 years. She has been on the project team for many centres related to Healthcare, Seniors care, Recovery and Community Health, among others. One of the most rewarding projects she was able to work on was Inclusio; a fully accessible, supportive living home for adults with limited mobility in Calgary, Ab.

Kristin received her Bachelor of Applied Interior Design from Mount Royal University in 2013 as well as her registration through the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).  She is also a designated Rick Hansen Foundation (RHFAC) professional.

Kristin’s passion for accessibility stems from a young age with her mom working as a nurse with Alzheimer’s patients. She has had many experiences working in senior’s homes and has always been an advocate for universal, inclusive design. Whether a person has a physical disability, cognitive or visual impairment, are aging, or a parent struggling to get a stroller through snow at an intersection, it is imperative that everyone has the same opportunity.

In her personal time, she enjoys many outdoor activities such as biking and playing sports. She loves sculpting, photography, and digital art as well as building old cars. She is also a master train set builder for her 2-year-old son Jax.

Yangyang has 10+ years of qualitative research experience (MSc ’11, London School of Economics and Political Science; MA ’13, New York University; PhD ’20, University of Calgary) in the areas of social and cultural psychology, art therapy, and community health sciences. Her doctoral work focused on the experiences of immigrant families raising children with disabilities through which she investigated structural exclusion and provided recommendations for service and policy improvement.

In the past, Yangyang worked in television broadcasting and education across Beijing, Milan, London and the Netherlands. Next to English, she speaks fluent Mandarin, Dutch, and Italian. In Calgary, Yangyang has served on over 30 committees, advocacy councils, and non-profit boards, including for TEDxCalgary, the University of Calgary Senate, and LOUD Art Society. She is passionate about finding accessible and inclusive solutions centered on the voices and needs of people with lived experience and is excited to join the LPF team in her role as a strategist.

Gerrit is a graduate of the Master of Planning program at the University of Calgary and hopes to apply accessibility best practices at the City scale. Through the design of accessible streetscapes, accessible multi-modal transportation networks, and the build-out of complete communities, Gerrit believes an accessible City is possible!

Gerrit’s prior work with Sustainable Calgary focused on active transportation networks at the community scale. He has conducted policy research on active transportation and its impact on public health and equity in Calgary and around the world. He also spent time with volunteer community groups auditing catwalks and laneways for accessibility and assisted in low-cost interventions to improve safety, comfort, and accessibility.

Gerrit’s love for geography and navigation started young and he now explores those passions through the air as a Private Pilot. When on solid ground, he fills his spare time outdoors either cycling, floating the Bow River, skiing, or cheering on the Calgary Flames!