Lorin MacDonald

Lorin MacDonald is a human rights lawyer and Founder and CEO of HearVue, a social enterprise dedicated to increasing communication inclusion at in-person and online events via captioning. HearVue’s first event in Hamilton, ON, featured Michelle Obama. Dozens of events followed until COVID 19 shut live events down, but her work has continued to ensure online events consider communication inclusion. During COVID-19, she has provided commentary and given presentations on the devastating impact COVID has had on Canadians living with disabilities.

For decades, MacDonald has demonstrated her leadership, passion, and commitment to accessibility and inclusion in her volunteer and professional activities - all informed by her lived experience as a woman born with profound hearing loss. Recognized as one of Canada's top voices in accessibility and disability issues, her approach is grounded in evidence-based research and a desire to challenge communities and organizations to be more inclusive. Through education and as an in-demand speaker, MacDonald continually strives to ensure those who are misinformed or unconscious of cross-disability accessibility barriers are equipped with the tools to create inclusive communities for all. MacDonald posts regularly on LinkedIn, providing commentary on current disability issues.

In 1994, MacDonald was the Ontario Chair of National Access Awareness Week (now called National AccessAbility Week), traveling the province to promote accessibility. She has volunteered in various roles locally, provincially, and nationally with both the Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) and the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA). She is an active member of the Ontario Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario.

In 2020, Lorin was featured in a Canadian Press article that was picked up nation-wide discussing the challenges of living with hearing loss during COVID-19, and also nominated for the 2020 Canadian Lawyer Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the Human Rights category. She has been the recipient of numerous awards from her community, her university, the province, and the legal profession.

MacDonald has been honoured for her contributions to a barrier-free Canada by her alma mater Western University, the City of London, various non-profit and community organizations, the province of Ontario, and the legal profession. She also received the Women of Inspiration Diversity & Inclusiveness Award from the Universal Women’s Network.