Justine Bochenek (she/they)

Organization: Patricia Huntsman Culture + Communication
Role: Cultural Planner
Bio: Justine is a graduate of the Masters of Planning program in Urban Development at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Their Major Research Paper (MRP) investigated the access barriers and supports that exist for Blind, lowvision or visually impaired-identified individuals who participate in cultural activities in Toronto—understanding how cultural planners might better provide meaningful accessibility within cultural spaces and the built environment. Their work garnered recognition from the Faculty of Community Services at TMU with two significant awards: the Innovation Award and the Dean’s Writing Award. Justine continues to nurture their relationship with TMU by giving guest lectures for planning students with interests in Accessibility and Planning for Disability and Aging in Place.

Justine joined Patricia Huntsman Culture + Communication (PHCC) with a professional background in accessibility planning research and non-profit sector advocacy work. Through their work as Research Coordinator at the Health, Access + Planning (HAP) Lab, Justine brings significant experience in workshop facilitation and other engagement practices that center the most peripheralized voices and ensure that the opinions of disadvantaged populations are heard and valued. Justine has presented their research at several conferences, and is co-author to a paper on dementia-friendly community planning for immigrants in the suburbs.

With PHCC, Justine provides project management, research and engagement support on all projects.

Areas of Interest: 

• Accessibility planning

• Accessibility in cultural spaces

• Community engagement 

• Community planning

• Creative placemaking and public art

• Cultural planning

• Research and analysis

Things you want to learn: I want to learn best practices in developing public arts and creative placemaking plans and policies.
Things I want changed in the sector: I want to see accessibility prioritized from the initiation of every project. With so much progress already being made in including people with disabilities in arts spaces, I would like our sector to be known as a leader in instituting multi-dimensional accessibility.