The CNIB National Youth Council provides council members with the opportunity to influence change and increase awareness of issues facing young Canadians living with sight loss. The council also ensures CNIB initiatives, programs, and policies reflect and respond to the needs of young people with sight loss.
Our mission
CNIB's National Youth Council advocates for equal and equitable opportunities for youth who have sight loss.
Our vision
A world where youth who have sight loss thrive in their autonomy and empowerment.
Your CNIB National Youth Council
Between meetings, council members are actively engaged in their roles and projects in a team environment, promoting collaboration, communications and leadership. Meet the young leaders who are driven to change what it is to be blind today!
Will Honcharuk – Chair, Vancouver, BC
Will Honcharuk is in his fourth year at Western University, where he is working towards a Business Administration degree from the Ivey School of Business and a Bachelor of Media Studies. In his free time, Will enjoys camping, theatre, and film history. Will became a National Youth Council member because he is motivated by creating a positive impact on the next generation of young Canadians with sight loss. Upon graduation, Will hopes to utilize his business and multimedia marketing knowledge to develop best-in-class concepts and become a force for change in the world of accessible marketing.
Emilee Schevers – Vice Chair, Kawartha Lakes, ON
Emilee Schevers is a Registered Early Childhood Educator Education pursuing her post graduate certificate in Mental Health and Disability Management at Mohawk College. In her free time, Emilee enjoys get outdoors with her family, going on walks, and painting her nails. Emilee became a National Youth Council member because she is passionate about creating awareness for vision loss and making the world a more accessible place. This also inspired her and her sister to create Tru Faces – an online community and social media movement for individuals with disabilities to share stories, experiences and educate about their lives. Follow Tru Faces on Instagram and Twitter.
Eitel Houedakor – Executive Member, Montréal, QC
Meet Eitel Houedakor: digital accessibility expert by day, judo champ by dusk, and committed member of the National Youth Council around the clock. As a Digital Accessibility Consultant and Assistive Technology Program Coordinator, Eitel excels in empowering individuals through enhanced digital inclusivity, and imparting knowledge of game changing assistive technologies. His academic journey in software development and accessibility underscores a steadfast commitment to eliminating barriers within the digital world and beyond. Through his work, he strives to ensure these young individuals are provided with the opportunities to not only participate fully in society but to thrive and flourish within it.
Danica Frappier – Executive Member, Val Caron, ON
Danica Frappier is driven by helping others and having a positive impact on her community. As a member of CNIB's National Youth Council, she's been involved in various activities such as the Let's Talk Money series, and presentations at CNIB's Connecting the Dots conferences. She's passionate about guide dog awareness, and is featured in AMI's docuseries Blind Trust: A Guide Dog's Journey. Danica is dedicated to collaborating with CNIB staff, volunteers and fellow NYC members to ensure that the voice of youth who are blind, partially sighted and Deafblind is represented in the implementation of CNIB's latest strategic plan: The Way Forward.
Alicia Chenier – Sudbury, ON
After graduating from Early Childhood Education, Alicia is now getting her Bachelor's Degree in Disability Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is passionate about public speaking and raising awareness about disabilities and accessibility. Alicia shares her life on social media as a brain tumour fighter and survivor, chronic illness warrior, and person living with sight loss. During her time on the National Youth Council, she hopes to develop resources to help youth with sight loss achieve academic success in high school and post-secondary studies. You can learn more about Alicia's journey by following her on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Oceanne Comtois – Ottawa, ON
Oceanne is passionate about all things accessibility. She currently works in communications and social media as a social media manager and through her personal Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts where she shares her life as someone living with albinism and sight loss. In her free time, Oceanne enjoys reading, science, horseback riding, and exploring the city with friends in search of the best new coffee shops in town. She joined the National Youth Council because she is dedicated to ensuring people with disabilities are represented, engaged, and supported in society. Follow Oceanne on Tik Tok, Instagram and Twitter.
Taylor Gaudon – Ottawa, ON
Taylor is the Virtual Program Coordinator at CNIB Lake Joe. She is passionate about creating engaging and meaningful program opportunities for community members to participate in, barrier free! This passion extends into her work on the National Youth Council as the lead of the Young Adult Programming working group where she gets to unite young adults in the community from across Canada to connect and have fun! As a film and television graduate, Taylor values the importance of storytelling and amplifying voices of those that often go unheard. She is dedicated to honouring these passions and values in all her work.
Kylie Matthews – Massey Drive, NL
Kylie is currently attending Memorial University Grenfell Campus in her second year of a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Social Cultural Studies. In her spare time, Kylie hangs out with friends and family, goes to the gym, and loves to travel internationally. Kylie joined the National Youth Council because she wanted to fill the need for Newfoundland and Labrador to have CNIB representation at a national level. Due to a rare medical condition, Kylie lost the majority of her vision suddenly at age16. Since then, she has become a strong advocate for education and accessibility surrounding vision loss. Her goal is to educate the public on how individuals with vision loss can accomplish anything they put their mind to.
Aadim Rajan – Burnaby, BC
Born and raised in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, Aadim recently completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree at The University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business. In his spare time, Aadim loves to try new restaurants, binge-watch Netflix, or go for a run. Passionate about people and purpose, Aadim is ecstatic to be joining CNIB and to be supporting the organization in providing a voice for people impacted by blindness.
Curtis Ruttle – Calgary, AB
Curtis has been a member of the National Youth Council for the past four years and continues to work towards helping others. In his spare time, he enjoys photography, blind hockey, skiing / snowboarding, and skateboarding. Curtis became involved with the National Youth Council to help make a difference in the lives of people living with sight loss, advocate, and work alongside other youth a similar mindset and goals. During his time on council, he has worked in differing capacities on many different projects. Curtis continues to work hard on his Accessible Skateboarding Program for youth with low vision and has recently partnered with CNIB to grow the program. To learn more about the project, visit altroute.ca or check out Alt Route on Instagram!
Ayesha Shakil – Saskatoon, SK
In her first year of Health Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Ayesha embarks on her path to become an optometrist. With an interest in eye health, she envisions a future as an optometrist, driven by a passion for making a meaningful impact. Ayesha is a dedicated volunteer with CNIB and has been inspired by the organization’s mission to enhance the lives of Canadians living with sight loss and hopes to help in creating fun opportunities. Ayesha enjoys baking and knitting, as it serves as a creative outlook and as a stress reliever. Ayesha looks forward to contributing to CNIB’s mission!
Abby Sienko – Vancouver, BC
Abby is a Child and Youth Care Counsellor who works in the Vancouver School District! As a DeafBlind person, they are an advocate for change within the DeafBlind/Blind community as well as other marginalized communities. Abby is also a part of the LGBT+ community and understands the systematic barriers that many in the community encounter. In their free time, they enjoy playing piano, singing showtunes, dancing, reading various books and exploring nature. Abby is excited to advocate and empower young lives! Follow Abby on Instagram.
Get involved
Each year, the National Youth Council seeks diverse youth representation from across Canada, with the next application process being launched in the fall 2023. For more information, please bookmark this page for updates or contact us at nationalyouthcouncil@cnib.ca.