2011 Advocacy Award

Lynn Ziraldo

For the past 36 years, Lynn has been a tireless advocate for children with special needs. As the parent of two sons with special needs, Lynn has taken her knowledge and passion about services needed by kids and families to leaders, so that they can make critical decisions with the information they need. Through her involvement with the Learning Disabilities Association locally, provincially, and nationally, she has advocated for all students with special needs. And by leading and participating in local, provincial, and national boards, committees, and workshops, she has impacted education policy and practice, always focusing on equity, inclusion, and quality.

Lynn continues to be a trailblazer for families of kids with special needs, and a strong voice that urges us to work together—an optimistic, patient, respectful, (and respectfully forceful when needed), knowledgeable, humorous, and child and family-centred voice! She has used her voice to articulate social, health, education, and legal issues to educate leaders and policy-makers, and collaborates with them to find solutions. Leaders have listened to that voice, and it has made all the difference for kids with special needs.