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Advisory Board

Lia Tsotsos, Ph.D

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 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. She was incredibly informative and helped us to put a strategic roadmap together. After we’d designed the new iteration around caregiving settings and daily interactions, Lia has answered the bell for us once again, accepting a position on our Advisory Board. We’re excited to continue exploring future collaborations or research opportunities down the road with the Centre!

Glenn Skimming, BPE Rec T II

Glenn Skimming, BPE Rec T II

Edson, AB, Canada

 

Glenn is the former President of the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association and currently works as a Recreation Therapist II with the Integrated Supportive and Supportive Living Team. Glenn supports clients living in Personal Care Homes and Recreation Therapy Teams working in Supportive Living sites in the Greater Calgary area. Glenn went to the University of Alberta and Graduated with a BPE in 2001. He has worked in Adult Day Support programs, Supportive Living and Long Term Care, has worked and continues to work in the community building partnerships with community organizations and clients he supports. Glenn was the first to call Echobox “revolutionary” the first to refer to it as “a tool” and is excited to continue helping guide Echobox as a healthcare solution.

Glenn returned one of the many cold calls we made in the early days, while researching the interest of our pilot from the Health Care community. He politely offered a 10-15 min phone call – well over an hour later we wrapped up a very moving and inspiring conversation. Glenn truly sees what Echobox is capable of and has been an integral source of support for us ever since!

Michelle Seitzer, SME

Michelle Seitzer, SME

Macungie, PA, USA

 

Michelle has provided caregiving support for her grandparents, her daughter with special needs, and has mentored, advised, and helped many other people through a variety of caregiving experiences. She’s worked and volunteered as a professional caregiver in senior living communities, and worked for the Alzheimer’s Association as an advocacy and public policy coordinator. Michelle is also a care receiver, managing her new life as a breast cancer survivor. She is the founder of Caregiving Advice, a resource hub for caregivers, and has written thousands of freelance articles. Michelle is a self-published author of The Dictionary of Grandparents: An Alphabetical Guide to Mining Your Memories, which honors her grandparents’ legacies and encourages future generations to record their most beloved grandparent stories and memories.

   It’s hard to imagine meeting a more passionate or inspiring person than Michelle Seitzer. Luckily, we did! Michelle welcomed us to Caregiving Advice, introduced us to numerous caregivers and other entrepreneurs, supplied us with testimonials and letters of intent, and has offered great advice! She thrives as a natural caregiver and brings a world of experience to our Advisory Board!

Chelsea Barley, MBA, CTRS

Chelsea Barley, MBA, CTRS

Tampa Bay, FL, USA

 

Chelsea is a Certified Fit Minds Coach, Certified Recreational Specialist and a Healthcare Manager! Chelsea has a distinct background in 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 when she needed motivation and a reminder of why she chose Recreational Therapy as a profession. It has helped her grow and connect with many people in the field and 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 shared 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, RSE

Clark Schaefer, RSE

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. Clark belongs to the Entrepreneurs Organization/Calgary Chapter, and currently sits as the Moderator of Rogue Entrepreneurs Club in Edmonton Alberta. As an RSE with a strong level of HVAC/R experience, Clark is craft-driven and 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. Through his encouragement of the original concept, he helped the idea get off the ground, became an investor and then an Echobox shareholder! This wouldn’t have happened without him.

 Mark Baumback, MSc

Mark Baumback, MSc

Seattle, WA, USA

 

Mark is a seasoned software engineer. His career encompasses both tech giants Meta and Amazon, and a stint as Director of Engineering at an innovative startup. Mark’s expertise as a Privacy Engineer in the VR space at Meta showcased his commitment to ensuring the security and confidentiality of users’ data. His work was instrumental in defining privacy standards and safeguarding user information. At Amazon, Mark played a pivotal role in the creation of the Echo, a device that revolutionized the way we interact with technology through voice commands. As the Director of Engineering at a startup, his exceptional leadership skills helped guide his team to develop cutting-edge solutions. Mark has 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 here in Calgary, AB, Canada. In recent years Mark has offered Echobox his insight and support, especially with our pilot model. Without Mark’s knowledge and commitment Echobox may have quietly run aground long ago while transitioning to our new model. A crucial part of our story!