Deborah Clarke, MA, grew up in the small logging town of Port Alberni and has seen some serious injuries and deaths as a result of workplace accidents. She became drawn to the philosophy of the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) and the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences while studying Disability Management at Dalhousie University. An addition to working in the municipal public-sector, she is a National Staff Representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. She has a Bachelor of Science – Biology degree from the University of Victoria, a Master of Arts – Leadership and Training degree from Royal Roads University and a Certificate in Disability Management. She hopes to continue to lead others in the effort to reduce the impact of disability in the workplace and in society. She spends a great deal of time working with union members and employers on the legal duty to accommodate and believes that engaging unions in workplace health is a sure way to improve outcomes for workers with disabilities.