Justine Bochenek (she/they)

Research Assistant

Justine is a cultural planner and researcher specializing in accessibility and community development. Holding a Master’s of Planning in Urban Development from Toronto Metropolitan University, Justine’s research interests lie at the intersections of disability, arts and culture, and social justice. Specializing in community-engaged research, Justine has assisted with several research projects that prioritize the accessibility needs of the participants with cognitive, sensory and physical disabilities within the built environment and in cultural spaces. Through this work, Justine bridges the gap between academic inquiry and practical consulting, consistently applying an accessibility research lens to their work in cultural planning.

Research Interests: accessibility planning, disability, cultural planning, arts and culture, equitable public engagement, and social justice

Projects: Care and Dementia in the Suburbs, Accessibility on the Waterfront, Failing Better in Access

Publications:

  • Bochenek, J., Biglieri, S. (under review). Failing Better in Access: Learning from disabled experiences at disability-focused cultural events. International Journal of Disability and Social Justice.

  • Biglieri, S., Bochenek, J. & D’Penna, K. (under review). Evaluating 20 years of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act: A discourse analysis of government evaluations. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.  

  • Biglieri, S., Weldrick, R., Bochenek, J., Cheung, V., Abdalla, S., Hartt, M., Keil, R., & Lopez, K. (under review). Responsive adaptations to the research process: A reflexive caring approach to understanding the everyday lives of immigrants living with dementia. Critical Methodologies in Dementia Studies.

  • Biglieri, S., Abdalla, S., Cheung, V., Bochenek, J., Weldrick, R., Lopez, K., Hartt, M., & Keil, R. (under review). Community support for immigrants living with dementia and their care networks: An examination of community and spatial planning practices and infrastructure(s) in the inner suburbs. Planning Practice & Research.

  • Biglieri, S., Weldrick, R., Bochenek, J., Abdalla, S., Hartt, M., Keil, R., & Lopez, K. (2025). Networked everyday lives in the ‘care-full’ city: A framework for examining the complexities of immigrants living with dementia, carepartners, and care workers. Journal of Urban Affairs. DOI: 10.1080/07352166.2024.2372027

  • STEPS Public Art. (2024). Accessible Art & Placemaking Toolkit. https://stepspublicart.org/project/accessible-art/

  • Bochenek, Justine. (2023). Planning Radical Imperfection: Generating meaningful accessibility in cultural spaces through lessons of disability experience, cultures, and histories. [Major Research Paper]. Toronto Metropolitan University.