Our Founders
Curtis Sagmeister is a visionary entrepreneur and social innovator whose personal journey of resilience transformed into a mission to create meaningful change. After losing his leg in a workplace incident, Curtis refused to let this life-altering event define his limitations. Instead, he channeled his characteristic fierce independence into researching critical gaps in disability services and accessibility solutions—ultimately co-founding From Barriers to Ability Society, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities and removing systemic obstacles to full participation in society.
With more than four decades of award-winning business leadership experience, Curtis brings a sophisticated understanding of organizational dynamics, strategic planning, and operational excellence to his work. His extensive background includes over three decades of service on Boards of Directors across diverse sectors and organizational structures. This deep expertise in navigating complex corporate environments with multiple stakeholders positions him uniquely to build scalable, sustainable solutions that address real-world accessibility challenges.
Curtis's leadership philosophy centers on combining rigorous business practices with authentic human-centered design—ensuring that From Barriers to Ability not only operates efficiently but genuinely serves the communities it was created to support.
What sets Curtis apart is his commitment to maintaining a rich, varied lifestyle that fuels his creativity and perspective. He is equally at home in the kitchen as he is in the conference room, drawing on his formal training and passion as an accomplished chef and artisan cheesemaker. This culinary expertise speaks to his meticulous attention to detail, his appreciation for craft, and his belief that quality and accessibility can coexist.
His creative pursuits extend far beyond the kitchen. Curtis is an accomplished songwriter—he wrote "These Wheels Ain't Chains," the theme song for From Barriers to Ability, which perfectly encapsulates the organization's philosophy of freedom and possibility. He is also an accomplished photographer whose work captures the human experience with nuance and compassion, and an author who has penned two children's books, using storytelling as a vehicle for inspiration and education.
From Barriers to Ability represents the convergence of Curtis's personal experience, his business acumen, and his deep commitment to social impact. The organization was born from comprehensive research into service gaps and a personal understanding of what it truly means to navigate a world not always designed with accessibility in mind. Rather than accepting existing limitations, Curtis asked critical questions: What services are missing? What barriers can be dismantled? How can we create systems that enable rather than restrict?
The result is an organization that combines strategic business thinking with authentic empathy—led by someone who understands both the boardroom and the lived experience of disability.
Curtis Sagmeister embodies the principle that adversity can become a catalyst for innovation and purpose. His story—from personal tragedy to entrepreneurial vision—serves as a powerful testament to human resilience and the transformative power of refusing to accept the status quo. He demonstrates that disability and achievement are not mutually exclusive, and that lived experience, combined with business expertise and creative vision, can produce solutions that benefit entire communities.
Today, Curtis continues to lead From Barriers to Ability with the same fierce independence that carried him through his personal journey, working tirelessly to ensure that barriers become opportunities and that ability—in all its forms—is recognized, valued, and supported.
Doug Manderville is a respected disability advocate, community leader, and co-founder of From Barriers to Ability. Living with a C6 spinal cord injury since 1994, Doug has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
Throughout his career, Doug has held leadership roles in the nonprofit, employment, housing, and disability sectors. He spent over 20 years with Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, where he managed regional and Indigenous services, built strategic partnerships, led diverse teams, and supported community initiatives across Alberta. Doug has also served on several boards and committees spanning disability advocacy, accessible transportation, housing, community development, and social inclusion initiatives.
Doug is currently a Job Developer with WCG Services and is completing a Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services through Athabasca University. He has completed extensive training in leadership, governance, strategic planning, and financial management through the Canadian Society of Association Executives and the Central Alberta Leadership Centre.
As co-founder of From Barriers to Ability, Doug combines lived experience with professional expertise to help organizations create accessible, inclusive environments where people of all abilities can participate fully and succeed. His passion is turning barriers into opportunities and helping communities move beyond compliance toward meaningful accessibility and inclusion.