The Team

[Image Description: Close-up portrait of Chloë smiling into the camera. She has short brown hair, cropped on the sides. She is wearing a navy blue tank-top and gold chain necklace. Behind her is a gallery wall with various vintage portraits and landscape paintings.]

Chloë G. K. Atkins, PhD, Co-Executive Director, Associate Professor (status-only), Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

Dr. Atkins (she/her) has research interests in disability, bioethics, vulnerable minority identities, human rights, phenomenological research and narrative scholarship. She has held grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Department of National Defense Research Council, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, TechNation and other foundations. Atkins holds a PhD in Political Science (Political Theory) and a postdoctorate from Cornell University Law School in feminist legal jurisprudence. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in law, political science, bioethics, feminist theory, communications, cultures studies and disability studies. Atkins is the author of My Imaginary Illness (Cornell 2010), awarded 3 prizes including The American Journal of Nursing’s Book of The Year (2011). Has held Killam, Clarke, Fulbright and SSHRC Fellowships.

[Image Description: Close-up portrait of Aruna smiling into the camera. She is wearing rainbow glasses, red lipstick, black eyeliner, and silver pendant earrings. Her grey hair is tied back. She is wearing a blank sleeve-less top and a silver chain necklace. She is in a restaurant booth.]

Aruna L. Mitra, BScOT, MEd, Co-Executive Director

Ms. Mitra (she/her) has extensive professional experience administering and delivering healthcare for people with disabilities and those requiring long-term care In Ontario and Alberta. She has worked in private enterprise, government and nonprofit sectors focused on clinical and professional development and education, health care services for the elderly, the disabled, people with brain-injuries and vulnerable populations. Mitra has taught, carried out research and, has volunteered in policy development and the expansion of the ethical capacities and practices of health care professionals in across Canada.

[Image Description: A chest-up portrait of Isabelle smiling into the camera. Her curly brown hair is pulled back into a ponytail and her long earrings are visible. She wears a blue blazer with with a black shirt and gold necklace. She wears rounded glasses and stands in front of a blurred background.]

Isabelle Avakumovic-Pointon, MA – Research Associate

1st yr PhD student, Department of History University of British Columbia

Isabelle (she/her) is an incoming History PhD student at the University of British Columbia. Her research examines the experiences of disabled people in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Balkans. Isabelle completed an MA European and Russian Affairs at the University of Toronto in 2023, and she also has a BA in History and International Relations from the University of British Columbia (2021) and a Diplôme du college universitaire from Sciences Po Paris (2021). Isabelle’s lived experiences with mental illness and ADHD led her to a deep interest in disability history and disability justice. In her free time, Isabelle enjoys swing dancing, reading fantasy novels, and playing board games.

[Image Description: Close-up colour portrait of Lark smiling. She has shoulder-length brown hair and silver hoop earrings. She is wearing a black tank-top and stands in front of a wood and silver background.]

Lark Huska, Social Media Administrator

Lark (she/her) is a 4th year student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Diasporas and Transnational Studies and double minoring in Political Science and Visual Studies. Lark’s main interests are Indigenous reconciliation in Canada and alternative forms of governance. Outside of her studies, Lark is high school rowing coach and member of her local community centre’s Community Health Concerns Committee.

[Image Description: A full-body image of Zephyr smiling. Her curly hair is pulled into a low ponytail with silver-framed glasses, and facial hair. They are wearing a white button-down shirt, grey blazer, traditional kilt, black tights, and sandals. Her hands are clasped at her waist. They stand in a white-walled corner where family portraits are hung beside a window.]

Zephyr Mitra, Secretary of the Board

Zephyr Mitra (she/they) is a 4th year student at The University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A voracious reader, Zephyr’s main research interests are in Classics, early modern studies, and daily life in ancient Rome. Dedicated to community wellness and support, Zephyr was the 2022 student patrol supervisor. They will continue their studies at the graduate level and are currently on The University of King’s College President’s List for outstanding academic achievement.  

Board of Directors

[Image Description: Close-up portrait of Chloë smiling into the camera. She has short brown hair, cropped on the sides. She is wearing a navy blue tank-top and gold chain necklace. Behind her is a gallery wall with various vintage portraits and landscape paintings.]

Chloë G. K. Atkins, Board Chair

Dr. Atkins is the Chair and Executive Director of the The PROUD Project. Atkins holds a status-only position in the Department of Political Science, University of Toronto Scarborough and is on disability leave from the Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary. Atkins has a PhD in Political Theory from the University of Toronto and a postdoc in Law from Cornell University (Fulbright). She publishes in medical, legal, and social science journals about disability, bioethics, health equity, anti-ableism, human rights and, narrative scholarship.

[Image Description: A full-body image of Zephyr smiling. Her curly hair is pulled into a low ponytail with silver-framed glasses, and facial hair. They are wearing a white button-down shirt, grey blazer, traditional kilt, black tights, and sandals. Her hands are clasped at her waist. They stand in a white-walled corner where family portraits are hung beside a window.]

Zephyr Mitra, Secretary of the Board

Zephyr Mitra (she/they) is a 4th year student at The University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A voracious reader, Zephyr’s main research interests are in Classics, early modern studies, and daily life in ancient Rome. Dedicated to community wellness and support, Zephyr was the 2022 student patrol supervisor. They will continue their studies at the graduate level and are currently on The University of King’s College President’s List for outstanding academic achievement.  

[Image Description: A chest-up image of Bonnie smiling. Her hair is close-cropped on the sides with a blue fringe swept to the right side of her face. She is wearing black black and red earrings, a long necklace, and a black top.]

Bonnie Severin, Board Treasurer

Bonnie Severin (she/her) is a finance professional with more than 40 years of progressive experience in the taxation field. Bonnie worked for multinational organizations in the financial sector holding senior management positions. She has been a CPA/CA since 1985. Bonnie also has more than 10 years of experience as a board member in the not-for-profit sector. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for The Children’s Breakfast Clubs currently serving as Treasurer.

Bonnie is known for having a “roll up her sleeves” attitude, building teams from the ground up, championing people and never being afraid to speak up. Bonnie is committed to ensuring that everyone reaches their full potential and has an equal chance of success.

In her free time, Bonnie plays pickleball poorly, loses herself in a good mystery book and loves to go for a walk.

[Image Description: A chest-up image of Negar smiling against light blue background, looking into the camera. She has short brown hair and red lipstick on. She is wearing a blue top and a necklace with a green pendant.]

Negar Hashemi, Board Member

Negar Hashemi (she/her) is an Iranian Canadian. She is an immigrant, a mother, a lawyer and an advocate. She has served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Women’s of Ontario (IWOO), a charitable organization focused on improving the lives of Iranian Canadian women and their families. She has volunteered with Pflag. She has also served as a board member of Houselink, Toronto’s non-profit housing organization. 

[Image Description: A selfie of Ashley smiling into the camera, wearing red glasses. She has black, curly hair, pulled back from her face.]

Ashley Bristowe, Board Member

Ashley Bristowe (she/they) is an author and disability advocate based in Nova Scotia.

Former PROUD Project Team Members

  • Andrea Whiteley
  • Brenna Leslie
  • Ahad Alingary
  • Caroline Casinelli
  • Rachel Desborough
  • Keegan James
  • A. Atticus Hawk