Advisory Board
Lia Tsotsos, Ph.D
Oakville, ONT, Canada
Lia was appointed Director of the Centre for Elder Research at Sheridan College in January 2018 after nearly 7 years as a member of the Centre team. Lia has contributed significantly to the Centre’s national recognition as a leader in the field by being instrumental in the management and completion of over 50 projects in recent years, including designing new apps, launching innovative online platforms and developing evidence-based services for community and industry use.
Lia’s research interests include cognitive neuroscience, health promotion, sensory systems and accessible design, and she has a keen interest in scientific literacy and interdisciplinary research. She holds a PhD in neuroscience from McMaster University and an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Health Science from York University.
Our first meeting with Lia was back in 2021, long before we had completed our Discovery Phase and identified our target markets. She was incredibly informative and helped us to put a bit of a roadmap together. Two years later, after we had carefully designed the new iteration around caregiving settings and daily interactions, Lia answered the bell for us once again and is excited to help Echobox with exploring future collaborations or research opportunities through the Centre for Elder Research at Sheridan College!
Glenn Skimming, BPE Rec
Edson, AB, Canada
Glenn is the former President of the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association and currently works as a Recreation Therapist II coordinating two Adult Day Programs in both Edson and Hinton Alberta. He is an active member of both his provincial Recreation Therapy organization and is now Past President of the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association. Glenn considers being a Recreation Therapist an honour and continues to encourage individuals to make informed leisure choices.
Glenn was a Transit Operator for almost 24 years, and during this time went to the University of Alberta and Graduated with a BPE in 2001. He has supported clients living in Personal Care Homes and supported Recreation Therapy Teams working in Supportive Living sites in the Greater Calgary area. He has worked in Adult Day Support programs, worked in Supportive Living and Long-Term Care, and worked and continues to work in the community building partnerships with community organizations and the clients he supports.
Glenn loves to cook for family and friends, enjoys camping, and spending time with family and friends. He and his wife have 3 Grandchildren they love to spoil and have two cats and dog that keeps them very busy. Glenn was the first to call Echobox “revolutionary”, the first to refer to it as “a tool” and is excited to continue guiding Echobox as a healthcare solution.
In the first few months after the launch of our pilot we were desperate to research as much as we could about the interest trickling in from the greater Health Care community. Hundreds of cold calls, messages and emails begging for a chance to speak with caregivers (this, during the first few waves of the Covid-19 pandemic no less).
One day the business phone rang. On the other end of the line was a gentleman named Glenn who was soon to be the President of the CTRA here in Canada. He politely offered me 15-20 minutes of his time, and well over an hour later we wrapped up one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve ever had. Mr Skimming can truly see what Echobox is attempting to achieve and from very early on has been an integral source of support for this project.
Michelle Seitzer
Macungie, PA, USA
Michelle is the embodiment of the famous Rosalynn Carter “four kinds of caregivers in this world” quote. She’s provided caregiving support for her beloved grandparents, round-the-clock care for her daughter with special needs, and has mentored, advised, and helped many other family members and friends through a variety of caregiving experiences. She’s worked as a professional caregiver in senior living communities, held caregiving-related volunteer roles, and worked for the Alzheimer’s Association as an advocacy and public policy coordinator. Michelle has also been a care receiver, going through breast cancer treatment during the pandemic and currently managing her new life as a cancer survivor.
She is the founder of Caregiving Advice, a resource hub for caregivers of all ages, and has written thousands of articles about caregiving and health care since starting freelance work in 2008. In March 2023, Michelle self-published her first book, “The Dictionary of Grandparents: An Alphabetical Guide to Mining Your Memories”, which honours her grandparents’ legacies and encourages future generations to record their most beloved grandparent stories and memories.
Chelsea Barley, MBA, CTRS
Tampa Bay, FL, USA
Chelsea is a Certified Fit Minds Coach, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, and Healthcare Manager. Chelsea has a distinct background in populations such as: long term care, behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disabilities, memory care, and home care. She is an expert in providing recreational therapy, aging, special needs, and program development solutions. Chelsea started Rec and Chill in 2019, at a time when she needed motivation and a reminder of why she chose recreational therapy as a profession!
This platform has helped her grow and connect with many people in the field and it inspires others to be proud of what they do and where they work! She later decided to shift the apparel shop into a nonprofit organization with the concept of giving everything back into the recreation community.
Through the course of this project we’ve had the pleasure of sharing the most amount of meetings, zooms and calls with Chelsea Barley. Her positivity is inexhaustible and her compassion is beyond compare! She celebrates in the achievements of others, radiates a truly wholesome sense of community and works hard towards bringing people, services and resources together. Chelsea was Echobox’s first appointed Advisory Board Member!
Clark Schaefer
Bragg Creek AB, Canada
Clark is the owner of Apex Refrigeration, Air Conditioning & Heating Ltd as well as the commercial property investment company Blue Crow Holdings. He started Apex in 2007 and successfully completed the buy out of his starting partner, and additionally created two other HVAC/R supply and service companies. Apex has expanded to a 15 person company with a strong path for growth potential.
Clark belongs to the Entrepreneurs Organization, Calgary Chapter, and currently sit as the Moderator of Rogue Entrepreneurs Club in Edmonton Alberta. He enjoys reading books on business development derived from EOS, Traction and/or the Rockefeller Habits. As an RSE with a strong level of HVAC/R experience Clark is craft-driven, always working to increase the value of his trade and to improve the development of future tradesmen. He has been been supporting Echobox with its development as an innovative company since day one and looks forward to continue helping the business grow.
Clark has been a good friend of Echobox’s Founders Tim and Tannis Roberts for nearly 20 years. He encouraged us that the original concept was worth pursuing as a small business, then became an investor and an Echobox shareholder! This wouldn’t have happened without him.
Mark Baumback
Seattle, WA, USA
Mark is a seasoned software engineer who has left an indelible mark on the tech industry. With a rich and diverse career that encompasses both tech giants Meta and Amazon (and additionally working as Director of Engineering at an innovative startup), Mark stands out as a true pioneer in the field.
Mark’s expertise as a Privacy Engineer in the VR space at Meta (formerly Facebook) showcased his commitment to ensuring the security and confidentiality of users’ data in the ever-evolving world of virtual reality. His work was instrumental in defining privacy standards and safeguarding user information in this exciting and dynamic domain. During his tenure at Amazon, Mark played a pivotal role in the creation of the Amazon Echo, a groundbreaking device that revolutionized the way we interact with technology through voice commands. His contributions in developing the Echo’s software and ecosystem demonstrated his knack for crafting. His leadership is marked by a passion for innovation and a knack for transforming ideas into reality.
Tim and Mark first met in the early 1990’s as fellow students at Lord Beaverbrook High School here in Calgary, AB, Canada. In recent years Mark has not only shown interest in Echobox but also offered his insight and support – ultimately exposing insufficiencies in our pilot model which was quickly exceeding our original developer’s capabilities. Without Mark’s knowledge, generosity and commitment Echobox may have quietly run aground while we were transitioning to a stronger development team.
Yet another crucial part of our journey! We’re thrilled Mark accepted a position on our Advisory Board!