All about us...

Fran Odette
Administrator and Ontario Representative

Fran was involved with DAWN-RAFH locally both as a Board member and staff in the early 90s and more recently on the national Board of Directors.  Since 2003, Fran Odette is the Program Manager of the Women with Disabilities and Deaf Women's Program at Springtide Resources (formerly Education Wife Assault).  She has been working in the violence against women movement for approximately 15+ years, with a particular focus on issues affecting women with disabilities and Deaf women.  As a trainer/educator, much of Fran's work has been supporting service providers in the VAW sector as well as social service agencies to make the linkages needed to ensure that all women have access to services.  As well, Fran has presented and written on issues related to gender, disability, sexuality and body image for communities of women and service providers across the province.

Fran worked in a variety of settings, including with the Ontario government, and brought with her a wealth of knowledge and skill on issues related to working within an anti-oppression framework.   Fran was a member of the Steering Committee for the Lesbian and Breast Cancer Project funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Ontario Chapter.  The Lesbians and Breast Cancer Project was a community-based participatory study conducted in Ontario in 2003. Fran co-authored, with Cory Silverberg and Dr. Miriam Kaufman, a book entitled “The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability - For All of Us Who Live with Disabilities, Chronic Pain and Illness” (*Cleis Press).  Fran has been a member of the RHN Education Committee since 2007, and more recently, a 2008 YWCA Woman of Distinction. 

DisAbled Women's Network Canada
Réseau d'action des femmes handicapées du Canada
110 Sainte-Thérèse Street, Suite 505 /110, rue Sainte-Thérèse, bureau 505
Montréal, QC  H2Y 1E6/ Montréal (Québec)   H2Y 1E6
Phone /Téléphone: 514 396-0009   (QC);  Fax /Télécopieur: (514) 396-6585 (QC)
Toll free / Numéro sans frais (Canada): 1-866-396-0074       
Phone the toll free number first to arrange a facsimile transmission (Canada) /  Téléphonez d'abord au numéro sans frais pour organiser une transmission par télécopieur (Canada)
Email  /  Courriel: admin@dawncanada.net