Michelle Ainsworth
Michelle has worked in the field of Social Services since 2000, supporting those who live with the label of a disability. In her career she has provided extensive supports to individuals, families and children with disabilities to connect with community based supports and services. Due to her extensive experiences, Michelle can connect you with a variety of community based supports/ services and professionals who can help. Michelle has worked in diverse communities throughout her career. She has held positions of management in addition to direct supports. Michelle has also experienced navigating the system from a person level. Michelle is Autistic and has a son who is also Autistic. Due to this, Michelle has personal experience navigating the system and understands from a individual and parent perspective what it is like and how challenging it can be. Michelle knows what it is like to have to share your story and experiences over and over again while trying to access supports/ services and how traumatizing it can be. It is Michelle's personal and professional experiences and credentials that make her the perfect fit to work with families and their loved ones to provide consultation services/ supports to ensure that they are linked with appropriate assistance including navigating funding streams.
Michelle has extensive experience, education and training in topics including community inclusion, navigating supports/ services, self- advocacy and person centered planning. Additionally, Michelle is involved in the Self-Advocacy community and believes that everyone, regardless of ability deserves their voice to be heard and that the power of positive friendships/ relationships is what helps people be truly successful.
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Michelle is a past recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards for Community Development and Social Activism for the work that she has done in the communities of Muskoka and Parry Sound, Ontario.
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Michelle lives in Parry Sound, Ontario with her partner, their son, foster children and companion animals. Her family is Moose Cree and practices the traditions associated with their culture and heritage.
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Additionally, when she is not consulting, Michelle is a counsellor and life coach working with the Parry Sound Counselling Team providing individual, family and group supports. Michelle also co- runs an online DBT Group. To receive counselling supports please contact Parry Sound Counselling at (705) 716-0749 and request to book with Michelle or book online at www.parrysoundcounselling.ca
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LOCATION
The Neurodiversity Navigator works within the regions of
Parry Sound and Muskoka.

THE NEURODIVERSITY NAVIGATORS
Dione Schumacher
Dione Schumacher has been working in the social service field for almost 30 years (since 1992). She has worked with families, transitional aged youth and adults with disabilities, with this experience she can help you and your loved ones to connect to community-based supports and services. Dione's work in the field has been at a direct support level, a management level and experience with employment supports. Personally, she also had success with a family member with Down Syndrome and Autism to navigate services, housing and school situations.
Dione has worked all throughout Muskoka from Huntsville to the south west in Georgian Bay Township. She has a vast knowledge and experience navigating supports and services, community inclusion, working with many levels of government and person directed planning – including teaching person directed planning at Georgian College. She believes that everyone should be included in their community and she strives to create a welcoming community where she lives in Huntsville, Ontario.
She is a past winner of the George Braithwaite Scholarship from OASIS (Ontario Agencies Supporting Individuals with Special Needs). Dione has been a coach and board member of Special Olympics Muskoka for over 15 years.
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