People

Julia has over 12 years of experience working in B.C.’s mental health and substance use sector.  Prior to joining CAI, Julia worked as the Executive Director at the Canadian Mental Health Association North Shore branch where she worked alongside the provincial office of CMHA to co-create the province’s Peer Assisted Care Team model. She also worked closely with partner communities and knowledge keepers across the province to build a curriculum for Indigenous peers. Her work with health authority partners led to the launch of Metro Vancouver’s first Recovery College. Before that role, Julia worked as the Director of Community Engagement at CMHA BC

She holds a Master of Arts degree in Conflict Analysis from Royal Roads University and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UBC.

Outside of work, Julia’s passions involve everything to do with food (including baking), being in the forest with her family, and travel.

Patrick is dedicated to advancing compassionate solutions to address structural inequities and improve health and social outcomes. Before joining CAI, Patrick led the creation of a national division at the Dr. Peter Centre, which provided mentorship, training, and microgrants to over 400 organizations. In this role, he facilitated a bilingual community of practice for supervised consumption site and overdose prevention site service providers. Prior to moving to Vancouver in 2010, Patrick worked at a men’s recovery house, a French-language communications company, and an independent bookstore.

Originally from Halifax, Patrick holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. Patrick enjoys exploring nature year-round, from snowshoeing in the mountains during the winter to snorkeling in the summer.

Mira is responsible for supporting the coordination, management and implementation of CAI’s grant funding, training, and capacity building initiatives to ensure quality and efficiency in the granting process. Mira holds a Bachelor of Science and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health degree at Simon Fraser University. She is keen on better understanding and reporting on the needs of individuals and families experiencing mental health and substance use challenges and is inspired by the innovative work happening in local communities across the province that address them. She believes continued support for community leadership is essential to building an equitable, community informed health system of care.

Zavi is responsible for a province-wide capacity-building grant program and other projects in the supportive recovery sector. He is a queer and trans community educator and a white settler living and working on the traditional, unceded and occupied lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. Zavi holds a Master of Arts degree from UBC in Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice. He has worked in community development for over 12 years in the non-profit and public sector and his own lived experience with mental health and disability informs his work in the community. In addition he loves connecting with people about gardening, pets, video games, cooking shows and other passions.

Noah holds a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University in Human Geography. He is passionate about community development and has worked on a diversity of community health projects, including research, community programming, outreach and engagement activities with queer communities, Indigenous communities, and other oppressed groups.

He believes that change is a collective process and that it should be led by communities themselves. Grounded in queer ethics of solidarity, Noah is committed to supporting community-led harm reduction across BC. Outside of work, Noah enjoys hiking, camping and gardening.

Peter has a Master of Public Health from Simon Fraser University. His background in public health research has given him the opportunity to work with diverse stakeholders living with HIV, mental health issues, and/or substance use issues. He is especially passionate about LGBTQ/2S health and capacity building. Equity is the guiding principle behind his work, and he hopes to aid and facilitate communities in driving change.

Adrienne manages a portfolio that increases access to quality, publicly funded, community-based counselling across BC. They come to CAI with a MPH in Social Inequities and Health from SFU and a BSc. in Neuroscience from the University of Winnipeg. Their diverse background of experiences includes counselling, project management, qualitative research, workshop facilitation, education, entrepreneurship and the arts. Adrienne is excited to do work that highlights the importance of mental health and the inseparability of health equity and social justice.

Anna manages CAI initiatives that offer grant, training, and capacity-building opportunities to community-based organizations in BC. Her role is to support community-led interventions that protect and promote mental health and wellness. Anna’s Master of Public Health gave her an acute awareness of the important and often complex interactions between the social, biological, economic, and environmental determinants of health, and her studies also fostered an interest in community development. She appreciates having the opportunity in her work at CAI to address mental health and substance use challenges experienced by people across the province.

Noni brings nearly a decade of operations, project management, and community engagement experience to Community Action Initiative. Noni’s anti-oppressive values have led her to roles with SFU Centre for Dialogue, Hey Neighbour Collective, Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre and the UBC Centre for Sustainable Food Systems. She is excited to work with a team committed to deepening equitable, community-driven access to mental health care. Noni currently lives on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and is a white settler with Irish ancestry raised on Treaty 7 territory. She has a Bachelor of Science in Global Resource Systems from UBC and is pursuing a Leadership Certificate from SFU. Outside of work Noni enjoys spending time outdoors with good food and better friends.

Dakota is responsible for CAI’s internal and external communications, including website and social media administration, identity systems and implementing administrative systems and policies. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, her home communities are Peepeekisis First Nation and the Qu’Appelle Métis community. Dakota holds Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies, and has over a decade of experience working and volunteering in community based non-profits across Canada.

Executive Director, The Low Entropy Foundation

Ahmad is a Financial Advisor with over a decade of experience working with high net-worth families and institutions. In his personal life, he has seen the impacts that mental health can have on individuals, families, and communities, which has made him a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and recovery. Through his work and personal experience, Ahmad brings a unique perspective to the financial governance of the organization.

Previously to serving on the CAI board, Ahmad served on the Board of Directors for the North Shore branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association and the HOpe Centre Café at Lions Gate Hospital.

Program Manager – Community Transition Teams Program, BCMHSUS

Kam has over 17 years experience working with marginalized and vulnerable populations struggling with substance use and mental health issues.  She brings a unique perspective as she has experience in working at the local community level, health authority/regional level and at the provincial level within government to support and expand much needed mental health and substance use services and programs across the province. She is currently the Program Manager for the Community Transition Teams Program with BCMHSUS. Her own personal experiences and background, allow her to approach her work and life with a lens centered on equity, justice, inclusion, and diversity.

Joanna (Jo) is a leadership advisor and lawyer specializing in the areas of labour relations, human rights, administrative fairness and transformative justice. Jo provides progressive leaders with strategic advice, policy development and restorative engagement processes that support their work for a more just and healthy society.

Her legal expertise is in the areas of labour and employment, administrative justice and human rights law.  She has advocated for her clients in forums ranging from labour arbitration boards to the Supreme Court of Canada.  She was managing partner at a boutique labour and employment law firm in Vancouver for many years before she founded Rise Leadership.

Jo is a skilled mediator, facilitator and convenor of important conversations and community engagements as well as a certified leadership coach and zen chaplain and practitioner.

Manager for Operations and Community Engagement, Tres Community Solutions

My name is Vanessa Tong, an immigrant from Hong Kong, fortunate to call the beautiful ancestral unceded lands of the scəw̓aθən (Tsawwassen), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), and other Coast Salish peoples home. Alongside being a proud mother of three uniquely wonderful children and a devoted owner to a hound and feline companions who act like dogs, I find solace in nature, basketball, hockey and creating a diversity of foods to share with loved ones.

Currently I am pursuing a Masters of Public Administration in Community Development at the University of Victoria. In addition, I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with an extended minor in Asia Canada Studies from Simon Fraser University, and a Diploma in Leadership Recreation from Langara College. Presently, I serve as the Manager for Operations and Community Engagement at Tres Community Solutions, a social purpose-driven enterprise, where I collaborate and work with others on municipal social development projects and initiatives.

With over two decades of experience in supervisory and coordinator roles within municipal community services and recreation, my passion lies in inclusive practices addressing pressing social issues. I am deeply committed to advancing neurodiversity, LGBTQ2S+ rights, homelessness, newcomer integration, Indigenous rights, and mental wellness. As a dedicated advocate, I am honored to lend my voice and expertise as a board member with CAI, actively driving transformative projects that foster inclusivity and equity within teams and communities.

Noallan is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with over 16 years of experience. I am the owner and CEO of N. Naicker & Associates Inc., located in Port Moody, BC, where I serve clients throughout the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. I lead a team of six dedicated professionals.

Before starting my own firm, I worked as a controller for a private company, which later became publicly listed. For over a decade, I managed financial reporting for multiple global divisions, handled tax compliance, and collaborated with auditors to prepare internal audit documentation.
In addition to my work, I am committed to community involvement. I have served on not-for-profit boards and am currently the external accountant for a Vancouver-based not-for-profit organization. I hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting from BCIT, earned my CPA designation in 2008, and completed a three-year in-depth tax course, which is only available to CPAs and lawyers, in 2018. I am also pursuing my Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have been married for nearly 30 years, and we have four grown children and two grandchildren. In my free time, I enjoy camping, golfing, walking, and ATVing.

Sandra Martin Harris is from the Wet’suwet’en Nation of the Laksilyu, Little Frog Clan and is a member of the Witset First Nation.

Sandra has worked as an Indigenous community developer, social development advisor, treaty negotiator and planning mentor. She loves community development work, and community and watershed planning, especially in collaboration with Knowledge Keepers, language carriers and youth. Sandra is also an Indigenous Focusing Complex Trauma (IFOT) and Reiki practitioner working with health, social and justice front-line workers. This work helps her provide support for intergenerational trauma, grief and loss, and lifts up land-based approaches for wellness. Sandra is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Northern British Columbia.