Robert came to BCSS with 30 years of governmental experience in the adult and youth forensic psychiatric systems and a Master’s of Social Work. He worked with people with lived experience and their families to ensure clients reach their maximum potential and families are included in all planning and follow-up with their loved ones. Robert brings his passion for helping family members to his roles in BCSS, first as the Interior Regional Manager for five years, and now as the manager of the Strengthening Families Together (SFT) program, where he has assisted in the modification, revamp, and rollout of the new program. For Robert, the most fulfilling thing about his role at BCSS is getting to work with the dedicated and caring staff all across the province.

Bonnie Spence-Vinge is the Interior Regional Manager, leading a team of Regional Educators located across the Interior Health Authority Region who are providing direct family support, education and services to families affected by schizophrenia and other severe and persistent mental illness.

Before Bonnie started working with BCSS in January of 2017, she worked in the B.C. education system for over 30 years as a teacher, school psychologist, counsellor and Assistant Superintendent of Schools. For six of those years, she was the Provincial Coordinator of Child Abuse Prevention and Assistant Director of the Special Education Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Education. Her extensive work in education has also taken her to Nunavut where she served as the Executive Director and Superintendent of Schools.

Her personal experience as the mother of two adopted children diagnosed with mental illnesses brought Bonnie to BCSS, where the Strengthening Families Together Program helped Bonnie and her husband cope with their experience and come to terms with mental illness.  Bonnie now takes her personal experience into local communities to help families better understand that there are still reasons to hope by finding the means to cope.

In the Cranbrook-Creston area, Bonnie acts as a liaison between families and the mental health system and promotes family inclusion in the daily lives of those living with mental illness. She also organizes education programs for families and community members, including Aboriginal communities.

When she’s not working, Bonnie is busy volunteering in her community.  She is the chair for the Cranbrook Hub for Refugees, and the Patient Voices representative on both the East Kootenay Collaborative Services Committee and the East Kootenay Mental Health and Substance Use Wellness Advisory Committee.  Bonnie also enjoys running, swimming, snowshoeing, and spending time outdoors camping, biking, hiking and gardening.

Rachael Ernst is BCSS’ Interior Regional Educator for the Okanagan area. Rachael has a strong passion for helping others, and has experience in a variety of support roles, including long-term care assistance for dementia patients and youth mentoring. Her own personal journey with mental illness was what first drew her to BCSS and our family-centric approach, and she knows firsthand the power education can have for those living with severe mental illness and their families.

Rachael has a diploma in Music Therapy Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology; she’s also been playing the piano since she was four. In her free time, she enjoys trying new culinary delights with her husband and spending time in the outdoors.

Jesanne Stanko brings with her more than 15 years’ experience in the social service and anti-violence sector in Kamloops, she hopes to lean into her already formed network to support BCSS programming in the Thompson-Nicola region.  She holds a combination of education and her practice is rooted from a place of empathy, accessibility and dignity. Her facilitation style emphasizes real life application, empowering participants to strengthen both their knowledge and their capacity for resilience. 

In addition to her role with BCSS, Jesanne oversee programs for women and children fleeing violence and is the founder of Blooming Self Somatics. Outside of her professional life Jesanne is a mother, lifelong learner and creative spirit who finds grounding in nature, writing and community connection.

Reasha (she/they) has gratefully lived and worked on the unceded traditional territory of the Sinixt peoples for the last decade, and has worked in human services and advocacy for over 20 years.

Reasha has supported and advocated for migrant farm workers, newcomers, indigenous people, people who’ve experienced violence, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and more. After the loss of her stepbrother, who lived with schizophrenia, in 2020, they shifted their focus to mental health.

Reasha is an artist, and seasoned snowboard instructor, and fluent in English, French, and Spanish.

Steffi Thomas joined BCSS in May 2017 and is the Northeast Regional Manager. Assisting others has been a central passion of hers throughout her professional journey, and she enjoys being able to contribute to the lives of those she serves meaningfully. Working at BCSS allows her the unique opportunity to give back to the community and provide essential support to families in need, making a profound and positive impact on their lives.

Steffi is a new mom, loves travelling and trying out new food spots.

Gail has been with BCSS since 2015. She started by volunteering in her region but quickly realized there was so much more to do to help others find support and education. She’s now the Northern Interior Regional Manager and a certified peer specialist for Families.

Gail has a BA in Psychology from Thompson Rivers University and a degree in applied psychology and counselling with a specialization in psychotherapy from Kelowna College of Professional Counselors and has also worked as an addiction treatment specialist.

Outside of work, Gail loves crafting—from knitting to crocheting to painting—reading and travelling. If she ever won the lottery, she says she’d be a professional student as she loves learning new things.

Michelle Ellerton is a BCSS Regional Educator in Prince George and a family peer supporter certified by Peer Support Canada. Michelle joined the BCSS team as a staff member in 2020 after volunteering with the organization since 2018. She began volunteering with BCSS after her husband suffered a psychotic break and was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. As a family member herself, Michelle understands the importance of telling one’s story and helping to break the stigma around mental illness.

When not working, Michelle enjoys spending time outdoors, crafting, and creating things with her hands. She’s been told that no matter how tough life gets, she can always find the positive and make people smile.

Jorie Soames moved to Terrace from Kelowna three years ago, falling in love with the people, the mountains and waterways of the northwest and is excited to be part of the team as the new regional manager. Jorie has a background in project management and for the last five years, has worked as a college instructor and educator to individuals with neurodifferences. She has formal training in communications, autism spectrum disorder and a master’s degree in critical and creative writing.

Jorie’s organizational skills and patience are finely honed – and tested – through raising a large family, who she loves spending time with, especially when board games and food are involved.

Shelley Braun has been the BCSS Regional Educator for Haida Gwaii, home of the Haida, since 2021. Her personal and professional experience with mental illness and disordered substance use plays a leading role in shaping her practice and intentions. Her approach involves connecting with individuals one-on-one, facilitating workshops and support groups, and fostering open dialogue about mental health in schools, local organizations, and public spaces.

Outside of work, Shelley finds balance through yoga, tai chi, and foreign films and cherishes moments on the beach and in the forest with loved ones.

Clara Donnelly has been with BCSS since 2014 and has worked as a Bulkley Valley Regional Educator for the last nine years. Clara is originally from Mexico, and before moving here, she worked as a speech pathologist, special needs preschool teacher, university professor, and child psychotherapist; after moving here, she also worked as a behavioural consultant, frontline worker for adults with disabilities, and home share coordinator. She considers all of her diverse work experiences as professional achievements and is proud of all of them equally. The way the brain works fascinates her, and learning how brain functions can impact behaviour is what first interested her in the mental health field.

Stephanie has been a Northwest Regional Educator at BCSS since 2022. Before that, she worked as a practical nurse throughout the province for over a decade and has extensive experience working in the mental health and addictions sphere in Terrace, BC. She has certificates in practical nursing, early childhood education, and medical transcription and is happy to bring her experience and love of helping others to BCSS. She has also achieved Level 9 in piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Stephanie is a mom of three and has two rescue pets. She loves playing piano, travelling, and spending time with family and friends whenever possible.

Reneé Morven is the Prince Rupert Regional Educator for BCSS in the traditional and unceded Territory of the Ts’msyen people. She has lived experience as a family member to a sibling with schizophrenia and to a non-verbal daughter with complex needs.

Reneé’s work experience involves community outreach, workshop facilitation, engaging with families, and partnership presentations. She knows the value of storytelling and finding common ground. In her experience, interactions work better in the North when you get to know someone better personally and by sitting down to have that cup of tea or coffee. In smaller communities, these kinds of continuous slow and steady positive encounters help build trust in relationships, and she brings this perspective to BCSS to help create a safe space for everyone.

Reneé is passionate about Herbalism and harvests wild medicine and plants that heal. To her, healing means treating a person as a whole, and no two people are alike. With this experience and knowledge, she hopes to help families build their capacity and work with them in their journey of hope with their loved one who lives with a serious mental illness.

Hardeep has been working for BCSS since 2001 and is currently the regional manager of the Vancouver Coastal region, which encompasses the Vancouver area out to Hope. She has worked in the mental health field since 1999, with most of her work focusing on supporting and providing education to families in the Fraser Health region. Hardeep has been an advocate for her family member with schizoaffective disorder for the past 27 years. As she has experience on both sides of healthcare services, she brings a deep understanding of the importance of family involvement in their loved one’s journey. Hardeep recognizes it is a delicate balance when advocating for a loved one and working with frontline staff. She has helped countless families navigate the healthcare system.

In her free time, you can find Hardeep at the baseball diamond watching her boys play or at home making crafts and gifts.

Jennifer Kastelein is a Regional Educator for the Vancouver Coastal-Fraser region. She’s very passionate about spreading the message of mental health advocacy and dismantling stigma with education. Helping families by contributing to the Partnership Education Presentations and the Strengthening Families Together programs is one of her most rewarding parts of working at BCSS.

Jennifer has a diploma in marketing and sales management from UBC and has received both the President’s Club Award from Glacier Media in 2016 and the Most Inspirational Leadership Award ACT. She loves hiking, kayaking, and golfing when she’s not working. She’s also a fire walker and glass walker.

Anisha is a recent graduate from KPU, with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Counselling. Having a sibling with schizophrenia fueled her passion for de-stigmatizing mental illness and increasing public understanding of its impact on daily life and one’s overall quality of life. As an educator, she is particularly excited about the opportunity to collaborate with a community team to help families access the support they need for their loved ones. Anisha is eager to learn from others at BCSS and expand her skills and resources to better serve the community.

In her free time, she loves being outdoors, soaking up the sun, spending time at the beach, and practicing meditation and deep breathing exercises.

Pearl Meredith is a recent psychology graduate with a background in community outreach. She is passionate about reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness and improving public understanding of these illnesses and their different methods of treatment due to her love for family and friends with lived experience.

Her long-term goals include completing a clinical psychology PhD and working directly with people who have serious mental illness. Working with BCSS is incredibly exciting for Pearl as she sees it as an opportunity to be part of a positive change in how we deal with mental illness in our province. She cannot wait to be the helping hand that families need and deserve.

Pearl lives with her partner in Cloverdale and loves to read, shoot pool, and host dinner parties in her spare time.

Noleen is a Regional Educator for the Vancouver Coastal region. She is passionate about helping make positive changes and volunteering for her community. For her, the most fulfilling thing about working at BCSS is the opportunity to work with a team that supports each other and looks for creative and healthy ways to advocate and educate about mental illness. She enjoys working with families and feels privileged to have family members’ trust, hear their stories and make personal connections.

Noleen has been with BCSS since 2018. She loves the outdoors, the smell of fresh air, meeting new people, and having conversations over a cup of coffee.

Kate Seo is the Regional Educator for Fraser North (Vancouver). She has always been passionate about mental health advocacy, with a particular focus on better understanding mental illnesses and reducing the stigma that surrounds them. As a new Educator, she is excited to learn and collaborate with the BCSS team to support families in the local communities. She is grateful for the opportunity to hear people’s stories and looks forward to building meaningful connections through all the conversations!

Kate is currently wrapping up her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience, Public Health, and Physiology at UBC Vancouver. In her free time, Kate likes to write her travel blog, go for a picnic with friends and family, and swim.

Though originally from the East Coast, Katie joins us from North Saanich on Vancouver Island, the land of the W̱SÁNEĆ people. Katie loves spending time camping, exploring the local beaches, and playing board games with her husband and daughter. She is an avid reader, amateur gardener, and so-so cook.

In 2024, Katie supported a loved one through an acute episode of major depressive disorder with anxious tendencies and psychotic features that required hospitalization and intensive treatment. As the temporary substitute decision maker, Katie had to advocate for her loved one and make decisions on treatment plans. This was a journey filled with trauma and despair, but it ended with recovery.

Katie firmly believes in codesign and the importance of patient and family voices in program and policy development. She has a background in mental health not-for-profit management, having worked at the Strongest Families Institute (SFI) for over 12 years. During her time at SFI, she led teams of 50+ employees, developed programs, and supported mental health research. Her formal education includes a BSc with an advanced major in psychology, and she is currently pursuing an MBA.

Katie is an avid community volunteer. She supports pediatric surgical patients and their families at her local hospital, engages the next generation of women as a Girl Guides leader, helps keep dogs with their ‘pawrents’ through ElderDog, and facilitates storytelling for Help Fill a Dream.

Christine started with BCSS in January 2023 after working with Alberta Health Services’ Addiction and Mental Health department for many years. In her previous role, she helped establish new services, facilitated mental health literacy programs and helped reduce stigma within the community. She considers working with other families and caregivers in her role with BCSS a privilege. As a family member to a loved one with a mental illness herself, she knows how important it is for people to come together and provide one another with quality information about resources, support and hope. In her free time, Christine enjoys exploring the beaches and forests of Vancouver Island with family, friends, and her dog, as well as tending to her garden with her cats.

Carolyn is passionate about working with families and loved ones, offering support, and bringing people together to know they are not alone. In her previous role, she supported caregivers with children/youth struggling with mental health and/or substance use challenges. Through this experience, she gained a deep understanding of the complexities that these situations can present and has recognized how important it is to support the entire family when their loved one is struggling. 

Drawing on her own lived experience of having a child who struggles with their mental health, she brings her background of facilitating mental health literacy events, support groups, and workshops with the aim of bringing families together, fostering connection, and empowering them to find the strength needed to advocate and support their loved ones.  

In her free time, you can find her hunched over her newest jigsaw puzzle, beachcombing, or enjoying the beautiful forest trails that surround the Comox Valley with her spouse, two kids and her dog.

Julia Gillis is our new Regional Educator for Vancouver Island. In her last four years of work, she’s supported dozens of clients as they overcome addictions, disordered eating, and somatically locked pain and heal from low nurture and developmental abuse backgrounds through trauma-informed, holistic health consulting. She focuses on intergenerational understanding and healing as well as tools for resiliency.

Julia comes from a family that has struggled with multiple generations of addiction and mental illness and is extremely passionate about supporting healthy love and resiliency development in family legacies. She believes that supporting and nurturing every individual in a community should be paramount and is excited to contribute to the work BCSS is doing in this field.

Julia has a Double Diploma in Community and Addictions Support Work and is trained in NLP, cognitive behaviour change, and motivational interviewing. She has also previously held certificates as a nutritionist and personal trainer. In her free time, Julia is an avid reader and hiker.

Janet Simpson-Cooke started with BCSS in August 2021. She has a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing, a professional teacher’s certificate, as well as her professional counselling diploma. Over the last forty years, she’s taught elementary, secondary, and university courses.

Janet’s past experience in education, along with her counselling experience, helps support the relationships she builds with BCSS families. Every family brings unique experiences that allow her to grow, develop, and shape the strategies necessary for change.

Mary Beth Hall is BCSS’ Youth Manager for the Kids in Control (KIC) and Teens in Control (TIC) programs. She joined BCSS because she felt a calling to work in youth mental health and believes we all have a responsibility to raise the next generation as healthy as we can.

Mary Beth has a BA from Memorial University in Newfoundland and a diploma from Thompson Rivers University. Before joining BCSS, she worked with youth as a theatre arts camp instructor and museum school interpreter. She’s also lived or worked in Ghana, India, and every country in Central America. Mary Beth loves to read, be in nature (hiking especially), and dance.

Kayla Arnold joined BCSS in August 2021 and is a Program Coordinator for the BCSS Youth programs. Kayla has spent more than a decade working with children and families with multiple barriers, and is a certified life skills coach with extensive education in mental health and child education. For her, the most fulfilling part of working with BCSS is being able to show youth that they’re not alone in dealing with their family member’s illness. As a former foster child, she’s a tireless advocate for kids and wants to give them a safe place to learn and express their feelings.

Outside of work, Kayla enjoys camping, skating, creating cake art, and spending time with family.

Amber Miner’s passion is teaching kids and teens about mental illness. She is one of our dedicated program coordinators of the BCSS Youth programs. She’s also a Licensed Practical Nurse with a background in working with youth and families. As someone who has a family member with schizophrenia, Amber knows how important dispelling stigma and presenting the correct information can be to our youth. She sees firsthand the incredible results education, connection, and self-care tools can bring to young peoples’ lives.

Outside of work, you can often find Amber reading a good book or admiring nature.