Lori is a passionate educator, advocate and leader that brings a wealth of first-hand experience from the classroom, her association with diverse organizations and as a parent of a child with cerebral palsy. She has been an integral part of Step by Step’s story from the beginning as the first teacher in the Early Childhood Services (ECS) program, developing the standard for family support services and eventually taking the helm as executive director in 2020. 

As a former elementary school teacher with the Calgary Board of Education, Lori provides invaluable knowledge and guidance to Step by Step programs that aim to prepare neurodiverse children for elementary school.  

Lori’s commitment to children propelled her desire to collaborate with CanLearn Society to develop a program designed to give grade one and two children extra literacy support called, Wordplay – Reading in Action. She has also worked with at-risk youth at Aspen Family Services. 

Having walked the unexpected path of receiving a disability diagnosis for her own child, Lori genuinely wants Step by Step to be a safe place for families beginning their journey with a special needs child and to ensure children can receive early intervention before other supports are widely available.  

Lori loves getting away from the city with her family and being outdoors skiing and biking in Panorama.