Bio

A recognized leader in both the feminist and disability movements, Bonnie Brayton has been the National Executive Director of the DisAbled Women’s Network (DAWN) Canada since May 2007. In this role, she has proven herself as a formidable advocate for women with disabilities here in Canada and internationally. During her tenure with DAWN Canada, Ms. Brayton has worked diligently to highlight key issues that impact the lives of women with disabilities in regards to health equity, housing, employment and violence. For example, she has strongly promoted the representation of women with disabilities in policy changes from the employment sector to the justice sector, and is at the forefront of addressing systemic barriers at all levels.

In 2014, as part of Canada’s 150th year Celebration of the Charlottetown Conference Ms. Brayton was named a Visionary, one of 23 Women in Canada, and in January 2015 was named one of Canada’s 40 Women Change Makers by Canadian Living Magazine.
In 2016, she was appointed for a two-year term as a member of the Federal Status of Women Minister’s Advisory Council on Gender-Based Violence.

In addition to presenting at the Gender and Disability Forum at the United Nations in recognition of her organization’s Global Best Practice, Bonnie was back at the United Nations again in 2015 and 2016.

She is regularly sought after as a key note presenter for national labour, women’s and government events, and her blogs have been published on Huff Post Canada and Rabble.

Ms. Brayton’s commitment to women with disabilities spreads further than her office. She is also the President of Coup de Balai – Clean Sweepers, an innovative social enterprise which provides home care services to people with disabilities and seniors in her Montreal community while creating employment, income and job security for women who were previously unemployed (primarily, immigrant and racialized women). Bonnie has also served as the Vice-Chair of the Feminist Alliance for International Action and was a member of the Steering Committee of La Maison Parent-Roback, a Quebec feminist collective in Montreal from 2008-15.

Ms. Brayton lives in Montreal with her partner Delmar Medford. She has two adult daughters, Leah and Virginia.