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Please visit my Keenan Speaks blog for media appearances!
July 12-15, 2014
I’ll be contributing what will likely be a unique perspective on accessibility at this highly anticipated summit. “Access” is an issue traditionally associated with physical disabilities – and in terms of public perception, most commonly considered with respect to wheelchair access. While there is still much room for improvement for physical access to our communities, systemic and attitudinal barriers facing people with 
intellectual and developmental disabilities (such as autism or Down syndrome) are of a fundamental nature – segregated housing, segregated lifestyles, and an absence of reciprocal relationships. Even with an investment approaching $2 billion per year in Ontario, there are long waiting lists for government supports and services. Can we refocus our efforts on a different approach – one that is person-centred and community-based – and realize dramatically better results at the same or lower cost? I say YES! And I believe I can convince you! @SocialKeenan @LiveWorkPlay @ISAccessibility #ISAccessibility
July 1-3, 2014
Along with my colleagues Julie Kingstone and Jen Bosworth, I’ll be attending and presenting at the 25th Annual APSE (Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst) National Conference in Long Beach, California. APSE offers the only national conference focused solely on the advancement of employment for people with intellectual disabilities. For the past 25 years, the National APSE Conference has brought together business and community leaders from across the country to network and focus on state-of-the-art strategies to ensure equitable employment for citizens with disabilities.
June 17-19, 2014
Along with my colleague Julie Kingstone I’ll be presenting at one of the plenary sessions and then we’ll be branching out for a pair of workshops at the State of Washington Community Summit in Wenatchee. The conference bring together some 1000 individuals committed to building inclusive communities that are rich with people contributing as neighbours, co-workers, and citizens. People with intellectual disabilities and their families and friends, staff that provide residential, employment, educational and personal supports, state and county staff, and community members and leaders are all welcome.
April 10, 2014
With Julie Kingstone I co-presented Person-Centred Thinking and Building Social Capital: Supporting an Included Life in the Community with Homes, Jobs, and Friends for People with Intellectual Disabilities at the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities.
April 3, 2014
I’ll by helping host the 15th Annual Recipe for Success Culinary Adventure and Charity Auction for LiveWorkPlay!
March 21, 2014
I’ll be helping host the LiveWorkPlay Festive Family Feast!
March 20, 2014
Julie and I were on the Lunch out Loud radio show!
March 17, 2014
March 13, 2014
Representing LiveWorkPlay at the United Way Ottawa 2014 Wall of Inspiration event at Ottawa City Hall. LiveWorkPlay was added as the 2013 recipient of the Community Builder of the Year award (Belonging to Community).
March 7, 2014
February 5, 2014
My second sports interview! Back on CBC (Ottawa Morning this time) talking about the signing of quarterback Henry Burris.
January 16, 2014
Quoted in a Metro newspaper story about the Select Committee on Developmental Disabilities (read full brief).
December 17, 2013
My first interview as a sports commentator! I was on CBC Ottawa All In A Day talking about the CFL Expansion Draft for the Ottawa RedBlacks football team!
December 4, 2013
Enjoyed an interview about International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 580 CFRA with Rick Gibbons.
November 25, 2013
National exposure today in The Globe and Mail careers section!
November 20, 2013
Three appearances today as a United Way Ottawa Focus Area Champion. Started the morning at 1310 News, made a lunch presentation to the Professional Institution of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and then spoke to a major gathering of TD Bank leaders.
November 5, 2013
October 30, 2013
Join me at Schmoozefest 2013! I’m a VIP so please make me look good by seeking me out and saying hello. I can give you all sorts of bizarre career advice, or you might even end up with a job, as happened to one attendee last year (if you want the story you’ll have to ask). As an amazing bonus almost all of the LiveWorkPlay team will be in attendance. Have a beer or a glass of wine with them, you won’t be sorry! Or even a club soda is fine. They are entertaining without need of alcohol.
October 25, 2013
Julie Kingstone and I will be participating in the Symposium on Social Capital and Community Engagement looking forward to hearing the latest and greatest from Al Condeluci and friends.
October 24, 2013
I’ll be presenting at the Polivery conference hosted by the Government of Ontario Policy Innovation and Leadership team. I’m keeping the presentation topic under wraps!
October 22-23, 2013
Along with Julie Kingstone I’ll be presenting about brokering natural relationships in the community for people with intellectual disabilities at the The Learning Community for Person Centred Practices 2013 Ontario Gathering and participating in a panel discussion about organizational change.
October 10, 2013
I enjoyed recording this interview with Professor Davidson at Concordia University where I discuss social media and related comments, and received feedback from students in Digital Communications Technology.
October 1, 2013
Appeared on the mighty CKCU radio as part of the Welcome To My World show with Kim Kilpatrick, Shelley Ann Morris, and Parastou.
September 27, 2013
It’s that time of year, the Welcome Back Family Feast and Annual General Meeting for LiveWorkPlay. I’ll be presenting the executive report.
September 26, 2013
I’ll be a celebrity server (minor celebrity) at the United Way Ottawa launch breakfast.
September 25, 2013
I’ll be helping out with a United Way Ottawa announcement on CTV Ottawa 6pm news.
September18, 2013
September 5, 2013
Off to a great start with another year of United Way Ottawa Focus Area Champion engagements! This standing-room-only crowd at the Canadian Medical Association headquarters was very welcoming and enthusiastic.
June 19, 2013
This interview with Rick Gibbons on 580 CFRA is already one of my personal favourites. It’s a pleasure to have the time for a conversation instead of pressing to summarize complex issues in short quotes. Our discussion focused on employment but ranged into housing, community life, and the effective use of resources for supporting people with intellectual disabilities in our community.
June 6, 2013
This was one of the wildest nights of my life. Julie and I would normally be hosting the annual LiveWorkPlay Engines of Success community recognition banquet, but we found ourselves a few minutes away at the United Way Ottawa Community Builder of the Year Awards Gala. We had the honour of representing LiveWorkPlay to receive the Community Builder of the Year award for Belonging to Community. In order to include the 250 or so supporters celebrating across town, we organized a Skype feed and everyone joined in. It was a real team effort.
June 6, 2013
I was quoted in the Ottawa Citizen article “Nurturing a business approach for social good.” The article demonstrates the need for a new level of understanding about the relationship between meeting social needs and meeting business needs. It is very trendy at the moment to champion alternative methods of funding and organizing in the pursuit of social change. The danger of overdoing the “run it like a business” perspective is that we could lose sight of social justice and fairness if profitability enters into the equation. Some of the most important work being done by charitable organizations is work that will never yield a profit. Our responsibilities as a civil society cannot be solely framed by what is profitable. Please note that my concern on this issue should not be confused with having any concerns about the need for charities to be transparent about their outcomes and their costs – just bear in mind that lots of for-profit businesses have a very bad track regard on accountability, so telling a charity to “run it like a business” is not necessarily the greatest advice.
June 4, 2013
Renee McGivern from Nonprofit Spark radio followed up on a tweet about my article “Social Change and a Welcoming Environment for Youth in the Nonprofit Community” (in The Philanthropist) by inviting me to follow her show “Keeping high performers happy at your non-profit” which featured Monique Ayotte-Hoeltzel, a partner with The Management Center. Listen to my interview with Renee right HERE or check out the brief summary below.
June 2, 2013
I joined LiveWorkPlay Employment Supports Manager Jen Bosworth for an interview on The Shotgun Show™
May 7, 2013
I co-presented at the YAI International Conference 2013. It was a jam-packed session and our message was very well received and a great fit with the theme of neurodiversity and community inclusion.
May 2, 2013
I was invited to comment on CBC following the story: “Unable to get enough help from social services, an Ottawa family says they had no choice but to leave their son — who is living with severe developmental delays — in the hands of the government.” See the link provided in the video for more information.
April 26, 2013
My article Social Change and a Welcoming Environment for Youth in the Nonprofit Community was published in The Philanthropist special edition on youth in the non-profit sector.
April 16, 2013
I testified to The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities where “Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)d) and the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, January 31, 2013, the Committee resumed its study of exploring employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.” It turned into a fairly exciting experience when one of the members raised a “point of order” as a result of one of my responses to a question. Listen for yourself: innuendo, or just telling the truth?
April 11, 2013
EMC reported on Recipe for Success and included a nice photo with me in my “bee shirt” along with former MPP Richard Patten, MPP Yasir Naqvi, and LiveWorkPlay member Daniel Pinsonneault.
April 4, 2013
Normally I would just make a brief introduction and get out of the way, but when co-host Derick Fage became unavailable, I took the stage with Sandy Sharkey and she absolutely rocked the live auction. It was a huge team effort with hundreds of people and in the end we raised $45,000 for LiveWorkPlay! Oh, and I fell through the stage. Ouch.
March 7, 2013
I was pleased to have a small role in helping recognize LiveWorkPlay volunteer Felice Miranda on the occasion of being inducted into the United Way Ottawa Community Builder Award Wall of Inspiration at Ottawa City Hall. Felice joins former LiveWorkPlay chair Wendy Mitchell (2003) and myself (2010) on the wall.
March 5, 2013
I spoke to my peers at the Rotary Club of West Ottawa through what is known as a “classification speech” of about 20 minutes.
A classification speech is an opportunity for a Rotary member to talk to their peers about their personal and professional interests, their community service, and how these interests and experiences relate to their Rotary membership.
March 1, 2013
Appeared on CBC Ottawa Morning with my wife Julie Kingstone and two other Amazing Race Canada applicants.
February 26, 2013
Contributed to a three-page feature in Ottawa Family Living Magazine.
February 19, 2013
Honoured to take part in the head table with President Ken for hosting of Rotary Club of West Ottawa meeting and providing an introduction for today’s speaker.
February 8, 2013
Contributed an interview to this Capital News report about the Government of Canada “Rethinking Disability: Report from the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.” The story includes an interview with LiveWorkPlay members who are employed at The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro, as well as the franchise co-owner.
February 1, 2013
Joined by an esteemed panel of colleagues I contributed to the 2013 United Way Visioning Day, presenting on the “agency perspective” with respect to issues of general concern in the social services sector and at LiveWorkPlay, and offered constructive thoughts about the United Way Ottawa role in our community.
January 22, 2013
Contributed to the Charity Village article: “Poke, pin and tag: Using social media to engage volunteers” by Susan Fish.
Keenan Wellar 
So exciting to see all that you are doing!
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