Meet Cameo, ABLE2’s Volunteer Coordinator

“I write a lot of emails,” Cameo says, half-joking. But more than responding to enquiries, developing resources, and streamlining processes, Cameo has been steadily reshaping what volunteer engagement looks like at ABLE2.

Since joining ABLE2 in March of 2025, Cameo stepped into the role of Volunteer Coordinator, supporting volunteers in building meaningful, accessible, and lasting connections with people with disabilities. On any given day, that might mean coordinating onboarding schedules, recruiting and screening volunteers, updating policies, creating resources, tracking participation, and yes, responding to a lot of emails. While the work is multifaceted, it reflects a thread in Cameo’s career—a passion for structure, people, and values.

Before ABLE2, Cameo worked in volunteer and community-focused roles at organizations such as LGBT YouthLine in Toronto and North West Community Health Centres in Thunder Bay. They supported youth leadership initiatives, facilitated programs for gender-diverse youth and adults, and worked directly alongside volunteers in multiple capacities. 

“The Venn diagram of volunteering and my work has always overlapped,” Cameo explains. “They’ve never been two separate circles.”

That overlap is what drew them to ABLE2. When asked why they applied, Cameo’s answer is simple: “I look for values-aligned work first. That’s what brought me here.”

For Cameo, volunteering isn’t about utilizing people’s time or labour, but about building reciprocal relationships. “It’s not about what they can do for us, but how we can create meaningful opportunities with them,” says Cameo.

That philosophy has already translated into measurable impact. Since Cameo started working with ABLE2, volunteer onboarding for programs like the Matching Program has increased significantly, helping reduce waitlists by 26%, and expanding support for people in the community who have been waiting for years. In 2025 alone, more than 400 volunteers contributed 15,000 hours to ABLE2—a culmination of the stronger follow-through and clearer pathways Cameo has built, ensuring more volunteers move successfully through the process and into meaningful roles.

Still, for Cameo, the numbers tell only part of the story. What they find most rewarding is witnessing connection in action. “Seeing how volunteers, through their own free choice, can make a meaningful impact on someone’s life, or even just on an organization or a community.”

One moment that stands out for Cameo happened during Capital PRIDE in August 2025, when volunteers, some of whom also live with disabilities, were able to re-engage in volunteering for the first time in a long while.

“People want to contribute regardless of ability. It’s about figuring out how to tailor volunteer experiences so they’re accessible for people of all abilities,” Cameo reflects.

Looking ahead, Cameo’s goals remain rooted in the same values that brought them to ABLE2 in the first place—ensuring volunteers and service users alike receive the support they need to thrive.

When asked why the community should support ABLE2, Cameo puts it this way:

“ABLE2 brings together people who might never otherwise meet. It creates meaningful connections that benefit everyone involved— people with disabilities, volunteers, and the broader community. That kind of impact matters.”

Outside of work, Cameo describes themselves as someone who loves their cat, enjoys embroidery, and brings a healthy dose of chaotic energy to everything they do. 

Cameo isn’t one to step in front of the camera, but their work speaks volumes. You’re more likely to find them behind the scenes, making sure each volunteer’s experience is rewarding, empowering, and rooted in connection. That steady dedication is what strengthens ABLE2’s programs and deepens the sense of community across the organization. 

In lifting others, Cameo continues to move ABLE2 forward.