The Education Community of Practice is a trusted resource for individuals, families, educational professionals, and policy makers on how to best meet the educational needs of autistic students in Alberta.
Steering Committee
Shane L. Lynch (he/him), Co-Chair
Shane has been working with Autistic individuals and their families for over 25 years. He completed his PhD in Special/Inclusive Education at the University of Alberta specializing in Autistic students’ self-determination and intrinsic motivation in the classroom. Shane has served as a consultant to school districts across Alberta, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories for students with severe and complex learning needs. In 2018, he joined The Sinneave Family Foundation where he is currently responsible for design and evaluation of novel services and resources that will address the needs of Autistic Albertans. As a Registered Psychologist, Shane also has a practice that serves individuals with high support needs who live in residential care across Northeastern Alberta.
Lyndon Parakin, Co-Chair
Lyndon Parakin is the executive director of Autism Calgary Association and the vice president of Autism Society Alberta. Over the last two decades Lyndon has worked with municipal, provincial and federal autism partners. He and his amazing partner are the proud parents of four young adults, his family sharing in the lived experience of neurodiversity and intellectual disability. Lyndon holds degrees in mathematics and computer science and has worked as a software scientist in computer simulation and 3D modeling.
