DARYL ROCK

Director

Daryl was born in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. In 1981, Daryl left Nova Scotia to study engineering at College Militaire Royale (CMR) de St Jean in Quebec.

In 1983, Daryl was in a car crash that resulted in a spinal cord injury. He has used a wheelchair to get around ever since. As a result of his injury, Daryl took a medical discharge from the Armed Forces and continued his studies at Carleton University receiving a B.A. in Political Science in 1986 and an M.A. in Public Administration in 1988. He began his career in the federal public service in 1987 ultimately retiring as a senior executive in 2008. Daryl spent the majority of his public service career designing and leading national service programs in the department of the Secretary of State and Human Resources and Development Canada. Upon leaving the public service Daryl worked as a senior executive with the Canadian Council on Learning and is now active in the business and not for profit sector.

Since his injury in 1983 Daryl has actively promoted the community and social participation of people with disabilities. In the 1980’s he worked to improve accessibility transportation and integrated housing services in Ottawa. By the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, as National Coordinator for National Access Awareness Week, he worked with community groups, businesses and governments across Canada designing and implementing programs in employment, transportation, education and housing. In 2000 Daryl wrote and published “Making A Difference”, profiling a series of great Canadians from coast to coast to coast, each of whom happen to have a disability.  Over the years he has been invited to speak on such topics as employment, social inclusion, accessibility and travel.

Daryl has also helped launch a number of not-for-profit organizations. In1998 he was a founding board member of the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, chairing the board from 1999-2006. In 2001 he co-founded Freedom at Depth Canada, an organization committed to teaching people with disabilities how to Scuba Dive. In 2009 he became the founding Chairman of the Rick Hansen Institute, and in 2011, leading a group of national partner organizations, launched the Global Accessibility Map, allowing users to rate venues according to their level of accessibility.

In recognition of his community service Daryl was awarded the Canada 125 Medal in 1992, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Order of St John in 2013.

Daryl is an avid traveler and has visited more than 70 countries around the world, all while using a wheelchair. He is a passionate scuba diver, fitness junkie and loves the outdoors. He currently lives in Ottawa with his wife Melanie.