Skip Main Content

About Us

We bring persons with a range of cognitive abilities together with researchers and accessibility specialists, combining their knowledge and experience to test, improve and assure cognitive accessibility.

Our Vision

A world where people of all cognitive abilities can function to the best of their potential.

Our Mission

To be a one-stop-shop for cognitive accessibility resources, expertise and advice.

  • We provide a unique and innovative platform for technology developers, accessibility specialists, researchers, businesses and public organizations to collaborate with persons of all cognitive abilities and co-create solutions for an inclusive community.
  • We help researchers, evaluators and technology developers who want to involve persons of all cognitive abilities in their R&D processes.
  • We provide a supportive and empowering environment for persons with cognitive disabilities.

Our Team

Creating a more accessible world requires a remarkable team.

Virginie Cobigo standing in front of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottawa.

Virginie Cobigo PhD, C.Psych

Founder & Executive Director

Photo of Munazza Tahir

Munazza Tahir, MA

Associate Director

Photo of Alana Murphy

Alana Murphy

Accessibility and Engagement Coordinator

Dominic Couture, linguistic operations manager

Dominic Couture, MA

Linguistic Operations Manager

Photo of Kety Jean-Baptiste

Kety Jean-Baptiste

Administrative Coordinator – Research

Janice Singer, PhD

Business Development and Operations

Board of Directors

Akos Hoffer, MHSc CHE CEC

Chief Executive Officer
The Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre

Muriel Mignerat

Associate Professor
Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

Meghan Ede

UX Coach and Tech Fairy

Harman Singh, M.A., R. Psych

Chief Executive Officer
Breton Ability Centre

Trainees

  • Munazza Tahir
  • Lynne Potvin
  • Golnaz Ghaderi
  • Danika Lévesque
  • Niima El-Raji

Academic Team

Virginie Cobigo

School of Psychology, University of Ottawa

Adriana Rios Rincon

Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta

Martine Lagacé

Department of Communication, University of Ottawa

Muriel Mignerat

Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa

Susan Farrell

The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group

Judith Sixsmith

School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee

Linda Cardinal

School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa

Sandra Danilovic

Game Design and Development (BFAA), Wilfrid Laurier University

Peter Milley

Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa

Rosemary Lysaght

School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University

Yves Lachapelle

Département de psychoéducation,Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Annie Robitaille

Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa

Ruth Kane

Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa

Lili Liu

Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo

Christine Daum

Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo

Josephine McMurray

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University

Business Development Partners

Community & Health Partners

Testimonials

We have been working with Open for over a year and it has been a pleasure; Open offers a professional, fast, efficient, detailed, and conscientious path to engaging neurodiverse communities as advisors for corporate related accessibility projects.

Nadia Hamilton, CEO, Magnusmode

We work with Open in order to develop a cognitively accessible medication management application. They provided us with a wealth of expertise regarding cognitive disabilities and accessibility while ensuring we received input directly from persons with cognitive disabilities.

Dinis Cabral, CEO, JLG Health Solutions

It is always a pleasure to work with you and your students! They were quite remarkable throughout the process. They were available, accessible and certainly their report today was spot on.

Caroline Granger, Director, Valor & Solutions