About
Meet Stacey
Hi, I’m Stacey (she/her).
I’m a solo mom of three, a caregiver for over two decades, a writer, speaker, advocate, chronic overthinker, and someone who firmly believes that humour, community, and the occasional hard cider can get us through almost anything.
I never intended to build a career – or a life – around disability, caregiving, advocacy, grief, reinvention, or starting over.
Life simply required that I become fluent in all of those things.
My journey began in 2005, when my twins were diagnosed with autism. Like many families, we spent years chasing services, opportunities, and answers. We ultimately relocated from Durham Region, ON, to Calgary, AB, hoping to find the supports our children needed to thrive.
Along the way, I became an advocate, researcher, case manager, educator, future planner, negotiator, and professional navigator of systems that were never designed to be managed by one exhausted parent with a three-ring binder and a coffee addiction.
Alongside caregiving, I spent over a decade working as an Executive Assistant to a Member of Parliament, developing experience in communications, stakeholder relations, project management, advocacy, and helping people navigate complicated circumstances.
Since returning to Bowmanville, ON in 2013, I’ve continued raising my three children as a single parent while navigating Ontario’s ever-changing landscape of disability services, community supports, and family life. I know firsthand what it means to advocate, make difficult decisions, and find a way forward when so much rests on your shoulders.
The Roots of Willowjak
Willowjak was born in 2005, during one of the most transformative seasons of my life.
I created the name by combining the names of my three children: Will, Owen, and Jade. Although the name itself was created years before Jade transitioned, it continues to represent all three of my children and the family story that gave Willowjak its roots.
Over the years, the willow tree itself became a powerful symbol for me. Not because it never bends, but because it does.
A willow survives by growing deep roots, adapting to changing conditions, and finding strength through connection. It provides shelter, protection, and a place of rest. It thrives not through rigidity, but through resilience.
In many ways, that has also been the story of our family.
My children are, and always will be, the roots of Willowjak. They’re the reason I learned to advocate, to question, to persist, to rebuild, and to believe that even in life’s hardest seasons, growth remains possible.
The Willowjak Way
Four guiding beliefs shape the work I do and the community I hope to build.
Igniting the Spark: Everyone deserves opportunities to discover what brings them joy, meaning, purpose, and connection.
The Great Law of Peace & Haudenosaunee Teachings: My Haudenosaunee ancestry and its teachings about peace, balance, respect, and collective responsibility influence my values and approach.
Community & Belonging: Nobody should have to navigate life’s hardest journeys alone. Connection and community matter.
Shared Wisdom & Lived Experience: The knowledge gained through caregiving, advocacy, disability, grief, and reinvention deserves to be honoured and shared.
Let’s Connect
Whether you’re here to explore consulting, discover resources, follow our family story, or simply find a community that understands, you’re welcome.