Al Etmanski is the Executive Director of PLAN. He is also a part-time college and university instructor and consultant to non-profits on government influencing and advocacy.

In his former role as Executive Director of British Columbians for Mentally Handicapped People (now B.C. Association for Community Living) he spearheaded the closure of B.C.'s institutions; created the Family Support Institute; initiated right-to-treatment court cases (including Re: Stephen Dawson).

Alan formed the Self Advocacy caucus; initiated John McKnight's work in B.C.; and founded the Guardianship Coalition. He has been active in the Guardianship Coalition, particularly in designing alternatives to legal guardianship and in promoting new approaches to assessing capability and competency.