CCENDU - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director, Information Systems and Web Services
Ahmer optimizes the use of tools, systems and processes to ensure CCSA achieves its strategic goals and maximizes organizational efficiency and effective information management and information technology practices and support. He is also responsible for enhancing CCSA's online presence, products and performance through developing informed technology strategies and innovative solutions.
Job Titles:
- Knowledge Broker
- Knowledge Broker Subjects
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Addiction Prevention Centre
Anne Elizabeth Lapointe has been the Executive Director of the Addiction Prevention Centre and la Maison Jean Lapointe - Prévention since 2016. A visionary and strategic leader, she has 20 years' experience in the field of substance use and addictions, including 15 years in prevention.
Ms Lapointe proficiencies include behavioural addictions, such as problem gambling, as well as the prevention and treatment of all addictions. She has contributed to developing and evaluating the prevention programs of la Maison Jean Lapointe and the Addiction Prevention Centre. These programs reach more than 100,000 young people yearly.
Ms. Lapointe is actively involved in the community and sits on several round tables and expert committees. She has given countless conference presentations in her field of expertise, is a frequent guest on television and radio shows, and continues to share her knowledge within the community. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Communications and Media Studies) and a diploma in management from the University of Montreal, and a graduate degree in addiction and ethics from the University of Sherbrooke. She is bilingual.
Ms. Lapointe joined the Board in September 2018, and is a member of the Audit and Risk Management Oversight Committee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Alberta
- Executive Director for the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Audrey McFarlane is the Executive Director for the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network. She was one of the founders of the Lakeland Centre for FASD and led this organization for almost 20 years. In the past 20 years she has been passionate about working with individuals with FASD, their families and service system to develop best practice service models in rural diagnosis; community outreach and prevention.
Ms. McFarlane has presented at the local, regional, national and international levels on issues related to FASD. As executive director of the national research network on FASD, she directs and encourages research in areas of FASD that are meaningful to families, individuals with FASD, policy makers and service providers, and to promote healthy pregnancies. FASD continues to challenge and motivate her to find and share solutions for meeting the needs of those engaged in this field.
Ms. McFarlane lives in a small rural community in Alberta with her husband. She has two children who are young adults. She is also the primary caregiver of her aging parents and sister with Down Syndrome.
Ms. McFarlane has been a member of the Board since 2014, and serves as Board Secretary. She also sits as a member of the Executive, and Nominations and Governance.
Beverley Clarke worked in the healthcare system in Newfoundland and Labrador for 35 years. During that time, she held several executive positions, including deputy minister of health and community services. Throughout her career and since retirement, Ms. Clarke has maintained her interest and expertise in the addictions field. She was on the CCSA Board from 2003 to 2013 and was Board Chair between 2011 and 2013. She continues to volunteer with organizations serving the needs of this population and to provide consultation services in the mental health and addictions field with a specific focus on organizational and systems issues. She is an avid hiker and gardener.
Catherine manages CCSA's financial and reporting systems. She ensures they have the capacity to meet the Centre's strategic directions, and internal and external reporting requirements. She acts as the leading interface between management and the Board of Directors' Finance and Audit Committees on financial matters.
Job Titles:
- Interim Associate Director, Research
- Interim Associate Director, Research Subjects
Catherine Paradis is CCSA's and one of Canada's leading experts on alcohol. She joined the Centre in 2014 wanting to participate in developing and implementing alcohol-related policies at the federal level.
Catherine also wanted an opportunity to develop new projects and build new partnerships. For the past several years, she led the implementation of the Postsecondary Education Partnership - Alcohol Harms (PEP-AH) and the development of its framework. She has been involved in research projects focused on alcohol policies in municipalities and on campuses, and alcohol advertising and marketing. Her study on youth presentation to hospital emergency departments for alcohol-related medical emergencies was instrumental in the amendment of alcohol legislation at the provincial and federal levels.
Catherine is also one of the experts responsible for producing Canada's 2011 Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines. As a Senior Research and Policy Analyst, she currently co-chairs the CCSA initiative, funded by Health Canada, to update the guidelines by March 2022.
Catherine holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Montreal.
Job Titles:
- Senior Knowledge Broker Subjects
Job Titles:
- Knowledge Broker
- Knowledge Broker Subjects
Job Titles:
- Research and Policy Analyst
- Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Christopher Cull is a filmmaker, the founder of Inspire by Example and creator of a clothing line to bring awareness to the issues around the prevention and treatment of drug misuse across Canada. As a filmmaker, he recorded his travels as he bicycled across Canada from Victoria, British Columbia, to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 2014. His efforts were to raise awareness about prescription drug addiction. During his journey, he interviewed community leaders, patients and people along the way to help shape the documentary film, "Inspire."
As a recovering opioid user, Mr. Cull wants his story to encourage those who need help to seek the support they require for recovery. He uses his experiences to inspire others. In 2016, he cycled across Canada a second time, this time to raise awareness about the opioid crisis and to demonstrate to others that recovery is possible.
Drawing from his personal experiences, Mr. Cull is an in-demand public speaker. He also serves as an advisor for numerous organizations on issues around the prevention and treatment of drug addiction.
Mr. Cull has been a member of the CCSA Board since 2018. He serves as a member of the Nominations and Governance Committee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Alumni
- Chairman ( Newfoundland and Labrador )
Curtis Clarke has held a number of positions in the Alberta public service, including deputy minister portfolios in advanced education, education (K-12) and the solicitor general's office. His diverse policy and operational experience is further supplemented by his roles as Assistant Deputy Minister of Alberta Correctional Services, Cabinet Policy Coordinator and Executive Director of the Alberta Justice and Solicitor General Staff College. He has also represented the Canadian Council of Ministers of Education as vice-chair of the OECD Education Policy Committee Bureau.
Apart from his experience on the CCSA board of directors, Dr. Clarke has a variety of board experiences including with the Victoria Big Brothers and Sisters, the Mentor Canada Governance Task Force, the Canadian Association of Police Educators, the National Police Sector Council and the INTERPOL Group of Experts in Training.
Dr. Clarke holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters (Sociology) from Queen's University and a PhD (Sociology) from York University. He has completed a variety of executive programs from the Harvard Kennedy School, the Stanford Executive Business School, Cornell University and the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is a strong proponent of life-long learning, education and self-development.
Dr. Clarke has been a member of the Board since 2018.
Dan Hogan is currently the Substance Abuse Violence Prevention Coordinator of the Safe Schools Department of Durham District School Board. This position includes responsibility for promoting and developing strategic partnerships to address and support the well-being of the 70,000 students and 7,000 staff members in the 130 schools of the Durham Board. Other responsibilities include chair of the Durham Youth Drug Awareness Committee and chair of the Racing to a Healthy Life (former Racing against Drugs Durham).
Mr. Hogan was the day treatment supervisor of Frontenac Youth Services, Oshawa, for 10 years, operating 10 treatment classrooms for adolescents and five expelled students programs for the Durham District School Board, the Durham Catholic School Board and the Kawartha Pineridge District School Board.
In his role as Substance Abuse Violence Prevention Coordinator, Mr. Hogan works in close partnership with the Durham Regional Police Services and the Health Department of the Regional Municipality of Durham, as well as with local treatment and support networks in the Durham Region.
He has a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education from the University of Toronto, and is a Restorative Practice Conference Facilitator certified by the International Institute for Restorative Practices.
Mr. Hogan joined the Board in May 2018, and is a member of the Audit and Risk Management Oversight Committee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Business Leader
- Member of L'Ordre
Deborah Dumoulin is a business leader and practicing Chartered Professional Accountant. Ms. Dumoulin brings over 20 years' experience in corporate finance and advisory services. She has diverse industry experience in the financial services, technology, manufacturing and non-profit sectors, and in government. She brings significant expertise in strategic planning, financial reporting, treasury, financing, governance and risk management practices. Ms. Dumoulin is currently the Chief Financial Officer at mdf commerce inc.
Ms. Dumoulin strongly believes in giving back to the community and is passionate about social issues. She is an active member of the Quebec Advisory Board for the Salvation Army and has served on multiple boards. She has presented at numerous professional conferences. She has led several women in leadership initiatives, co-chaired fundraising events and participated in volunteer activities aimed at empowering and connecting people to make a difference in their local communities.
Ms. Dumoulin is a member of l'Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec and the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours in Accounting) from the University of Ottawa.
Ms. Dumoulin has been a member of the Board since 2015 and is Treasurer of the Board. She serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee.
Job Titles:
- Public Policy Advisor Subjects
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Cree Nation of Mistissini
Donald Nicholls is a member of the Cree Nation of Mistissini. He has a degree in economics from the University of Western Ontario, a common law degree from University of Toronto and a civil law degree from McGill University. He was a graduate of the inaugural class of the Masters of Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program at the University of Arizona. Over the course of his career, Mr. Nicholls has worked on rights-based actions and projects in Latin America, North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Mr. Nicholls is presently the director of justice and correctional services for the Cree Nation government. His department provides programming and frontline services, and develops partnerships to ensure a community of support for individuals and groups going through substance use and addictions issues. He also serves on the boards of the Provincial Organizations for Victims Support Services, Quebec's Provincial Organization for Aboriginal Court Workers, the Knowledge Mobilization Institute and the Healthy Aboriginal Network.
Mr. Nicholls has worked with the Quebec courts and Ministry of Justice to implement specialized courts related to substance use disorders. He has also been involved in projects that bring Indigenous people back to the land for treatment of substance use issues. He was the recent recipient of the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution's Batsinduka Award for Peace for the innovative work he has engaged in the area of conflict resolution and mediation, and a Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada for his work with children and youth.
Mr. Nicholls has been a member of the Board since 2018, and serves as a member of the Finance Committee.
Job Titles:
- Senior Knowledge Broker
- Senior Knowledge Broker Subjects
Doris Payer has a passion for communicating the science of addiction. Her goal is to mobilize evidence to improve how society treats people who use drugs. She has wanted to get good information to the frontlines and policy makers since starting harm reduction work during the nineties rave scene.
Doris was born in Austria. Education and career ambitions have led her to work or study in five different countries. She earned her PhD in addiction neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2009. She then worked as a clinical research scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto. In 2015 she left academic research to pursue her passion for knowledge mobilization. This journey took her to the United Kingdom as a neuroscience advisor at the Beckley Foundation (Oxford, U.K.). Afterwards, she served as co-ordinator of the Mental Health Innovation Network, a knowledge exchange platform jointly led by the Centre for Global Mental Health (London, U.K.) and the World Health Organization.
Doris joined CCSA in March 2018.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate Subjects
Alexander is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization and its overall management. He is accountable for the performance of CCSA, its projects, programs, staff and associates. In partnership with the Chair, Alexander enables the Board of Directors to fulfill its governance role, and facilitates the optimum interaction between management and the Board of Directors. He also provides direction for the formulation of CCSA's mission, strategy and annual objectives, and leadership in their achievement.
Job Titles:
- Director, Knowledge Mobilization
John bridges the gap between what CCSA knows and what it does in the field of substance use health and addiction with his knowledge of mobilization techniques and experience. John ensures implementation and continuous improvement of the knowledge mobilization framework, with a focus on encouraging the uptake of CCSA products, while providing day-to-day leadership and guidance to the knowledge mobilization team.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Minister, Health Canada
Job Titles:
- Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Job Titles:
- Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Job Titles:
- Director, Indigenous Partnerships and Strategies
Heather develops and nurtures collaborative relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and organizations across Canada. She builds CCSA's internal capacity to cultivate reciprocal relationships with these communities and organizations, and works closely with partners to create meaningful reconciliation initiatives. Heather works with the CCSA senior leadership team and staff to create and implement a strategic plan for developing a reconciliation framework. Heather also advises senior leadership on key emerging issues, themes, evidence and approaches specific to the shared priorities of CCSA in the context of First Nations, Métis and Inuit health and wellness.
Job Titles:
- Knowledge Broker
- Knowledge Broker Subjects
Jennifer Reynolds has focused her career on gambling. Before joining CCSA in June 2020, she worked as a postdoctoral fellow with the Research Chair on Gambling at Concordia University. She also served two years as manager of special projects at the Responsible Gambling Council and 13 years as a project manager with the Public Health Gambling Project at the University of Toronto.
As part of her work, Jennifer developed the first-ever best practices for preventing youth gambling problems and has earned international recognition for this work. She has also led in developing and implementing knowledge mobilization plans for engaging youth who gamble.
Jennifer has a BA specializing in psychology from the University of Guelph, an MEd from Brock University, and a PhD from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. She joined CCSA to work with partners to identify and help to dissolve barriers, and to promote reflective practices across both research and practice.
In her free time, Jennifer is an avid photographer who enjoys hiking with her puppy, Ernie.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Professor in the School of Pharmacy
John Weber is a professor in the School of Pharmacy at Memorial University in St. John's, N.L. He conducts research on the protective effects of natural products in animal and cellular models of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson disease. He has also run a research program studying the effects of binge alcohol exposure on long-term motor function and is conducting research on the impairing effects of cannabis. For many years, he has taught the neurobiology of addiction and drugs that affect the nervous system.
Dr. Weber has been a board member and volunteer for many non-profit organizations in Newfoundland, including Union House Arts, Eastern Edge Gallery and the Social Justice Co-operative NL. He has served as an expert witness for several provincial criminal and arbitration cases, which have included opinions on various topics in neuropharmacology, such as the behavioural effects of ethanol and the impairing effects of cannabis and other substances.
Dr. Weber holds a M.Sc. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Montana, a Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology from the Medical College of Virginia and completed post-doctoral research in neurophysiology at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He has been at Memorial University since 2006.
Dr. Weber has been a member of the board since 2023.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Partner
Julie Menten is a partner at a workplace law firm, Roper Greyell LLP, in British Columbia, where she practices in employment, labour, human rights and privacy law. A large part of her practice involves helping employers manage mental health and substance use issues in the workplace, as well as conducting investigations into workplace misconduct, bullying, harassment and sexual harassment. Prior to joining Roper Greyell, she clerked at the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Before joining the legal profession, Ms. Menten spent most of her career working with children, youth and families as a psychotherapist and clinician. She began in the helping professions as a child protection social worker on an Aboriginal family services team for the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. After completing her graduate degree in couple and family therapy, she started a private practice; worked as a therapist for the Associated Youth Services of the Regional Municipality of Peel in Ontario; worked as a counsellor for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people in London, Ontario; and as a clinician with the Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System in London, Ontario, providing intensive mental health services to young people in custody settings and government care. Her goal is to leverage a decade of experience in the helping professions in her career in law, and she specializes in mental health and substance use in the workplace.
Ms. Menten believes in giving back to her community and has served on a variety of boards and advisory committees. She was the chair of the advisory committee for the Bottom Line Conference on workplace mental health with the Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C. Division, a past member of the board for the Crisis Centre in Vancouver, and is a current member of the board of the Canadian Mental Health Association, North and West Vancouver Branch.
She holds a BA in child and youth care with distinction from the University of Victoria, an MSc in couple and family therapy from the University of Guelph, and a juris doctor degree with distinction from Western University. Julie was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2013 and the Alberta Bar in 2019.
Ms. Menten has been a member of the Board since 2018. She serves as a member of the Finance Committee and the Nominations and Governance Committee
Job Titles:
- Senior Research and Policy Analyst
- Senior Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Justine is an active rock climber who likes all types of challenges. She also enjoys other outdoor activities with her family including hiking, biking and running.
Lesley Carberry has lived in northern Canada for forty-five years, in northern Saskatchewan and the Yukon. She is currently retired from a long career in both public service and the voluntary sector, including work with policing, community justice, victim services and crime prevention, as well as many years in Aboriginal language revitalization and in developing community campuses for Yukon College.
Ms. Carberry currently serves as the part-time Executive Director of the Association of Social Workers in Northern Canada, with membership in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. She also sits on the boards of the Teegatha'Oh Zheh Society and the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society of Yukon. She is a long-term parent and caregiver of four sons affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Ms. Carberry completed the course work required for a Master's degree in social work (University of Northern British Columbia) and holds a Bachelor of Social Work (University of Regina) and Bachelor of Arts (University of Manitoba). In 2019, she completed a Master's degree in restorative practice, through the International Institute of Restorative Practices.
Ms. Carberry joined the Board in January 2017, and serves on the Executive Committee and as Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Oversight Committee.
Linda Dabros brings more than 25 years of public-sector experience in strategic planning, policy and regulations development, human and financial resource management, and multi-sectoral consultations working with federal, provincial and territorial committees, and international delegations to her board position with CCSA.
As the former director general with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC), Ms. Dabros set strategic goals and managed the Commission's research, policy and international programs, leading a team that prepared reports to Parliament and submissions to United Nations treaty bodies. Key priorities were addressing issues facing Indigenous peoples and engaging stakeholders at the national and community levels.
Prior to her work with CHRC, Ms. Dabros held executive positions with Health Canada (Canada's Drug Strategy), the National Crime Prevention Centre (research, consultation and social policy development with federal, provincial and territorial governments, academia and NGOs) and the Privy Council Office. Ms. Dabros serves as a volunteer on the management committee of Arteast, a not-for-profit organization that promotes visual arts in Eastern Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from Carleton University.
Ms. Dabros joined the Board in January, 2017, and serves as Vice Chair of the Board. She also serves a Chair of the Nominations and Governance Committee, as well as a member of the Executive and Performance Management Committees.
Job Titles:
- Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate
- Adjunct Research Professor of Psychology at Carleton University
- Senior Research Associate Subjects
Matthew Young has been working in the field of substance use and addiction for over 20 years and leads CCSA's substance use epidemiology research activities, which includes co-chairing the scientific committee tasked with estimating the economic burden of substance use in Canada (www.csuch.ca). He was also at the helm of the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use when CCSA identified and issued one of the first public health alerts on the presence of fentanyl in the unregulated illicit drug supply (June 2013). Matthew sits as a member of Health Canada's Canadian Drugs and Substances Observatory and the Public Health Agency of Canada's Opioid Overdose Surveillance Task Group.
In addition to substance use epidemiology, Matthew studies gambling-related harms and did his doctorate investigating the craving of people who gamble. Currently, he co-chairs the scientific committee tasked with developing the first lower-risk gambling guidelines.
Matthew is also an adjunct research professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa. Prior to joining CCSA in May 2010, Matthew conducted research on gambling, taught English in South Korea and worked as a researcher with Correctional Service Canada. He also served three years on the Board of Directors of South Ottawa Community Legal Services, and spent two years teaching language skills to people with autism.
Matthew holds a BSc, MA and PhD - all in Psychology.
In his spare time, Matthew enjoys spending time with his children. He also plays drums in the local Ottawa rock band, St. Stephen's.
Job Titles:
- Knowledge Broker Subjects
Job Titles:
- Interim Director
- Interim Director, Research
- Interim Director, Research Subjects
Pam ensures that CCSA advances knowledge in the substance use and addiction field by providing the best available evidence and research-based policy analysis to inform national policies and professional practice, and to respond to gaps in knowledge. She encourages collaborations with and among researchers linked with the addictions field to monitor emerging trends and bring multi-disciplinary perspectives to addictions research.
Pam Kent has had a passion for research most of her life. Before joining CCSA in September 2016, she was an adjunct professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. For 15 years, she oversaw a team of technicians and students from undergraduate to post-doctoral fellow in a neuropsychopharmacology laboratory at the University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research. To expand her horizons and move from theory to practice, she joined CCSA. In April 2022, Pam was named interim director of research.
As interim director, Pam oversees CCSA's Research division. While providing guidance to CCSA's team of research and policy analysts, she ensures they continue to produce quality research. She encourages collaborations with and among substance use and addiction researchers across Canada to produce the best evidence and research-based policy analysis to reduce the gaps in knowledge. Pam still actively contributes to projects as well. She is a lead member of the Canadian Substance Use Cost and Harms team.
Pam holds a Bachelor of Science with honours, majoring in psychology from Queens University. She also has a PhD in psychology, with a specialization in neuroscience from the University of Ottawa. She has published more than 40 scientific papers.
In her free time, Pam is a news fanatic who enjoys a quality cup of coffee.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate Subjects
Rhowena provides operational leadership and direction in implementing the organization's mandate to address substance use and addiction. She gives ongoing strategic leadership and advice to the CEO, while using strong business and operational planning to cultivate organizational excellence and efficiency. She also oversees the Public Affairs and Communications, Information Systems and Web Services, Quality and Performance Measurement, Human Resources, Knowledge Mobilization and Research divisions.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada
Job Titles:
- Senior Research and Policy Analyst
- Senior Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Rosalind builds and manages policy capacity at CCSA by providing subject-matter expertise, policy analysis and strategic advice. She works in collaboration with CCSA's external facing divisions to communicate key messages and assists in the knowledge mobilization of research findings to promote evidence-informed policy and practice.
Job Titles:
- Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Job Titles:
- Research and Policy Analyst
- Research and Policy Analyst Subjects
Sara Atif has always wanted to work with underrepresented and vulnerable populations. She confirmed this belief during her world travels, visiting locations where improving mental health is not prioritized or reinforced.
Working at CCSA since February 2018 has allowed Sara to help meet this goal. She has provided her expertise to projects related to gambling, stigma and cannabis, as well as lived and living experience.
Sara has a BSc specializing in psychology from the University of Ottawa and MSc in public health from Université Laval. During her final year of graduate school, she worked as a research assistant at the Direction régionale de santé publique de la Capitale-nationale in Quebec City.
In her off time, Sara is an avid soccer player, who enjoys a great cup of coffee.
Job Titles:
- Director, Public Affairs and Communications
Scott leads the promotion of CCSA as Canada's national, unique voice on substance-related issues. He uses a range of public affairs, government relations and communications services and advice to support this mandate. He also supports the strategic directions and activities of other divisions through marketing, communications, design, publishing and translation.
Job Titles:
- Interim Associate Director, Research
- Interim Associate Director, Research Subjects
Shawna Meister conducts research and turns it in to action. Prior to joining CCSA in October 2016, Shawna held positions with Compliance and Capacity Skills International, the Traffic Injury Research Foundation and the Media and Democracy Group.
In her role as a research and policy analyst, Shawna has contributed to many projects. Some of her publications include A Review of Workplace Substance Use Policies in Canada, Heavy Episodic Drinking among Post-secondary Students and Withdrawal Management Services in Canada: The National Treatment Indicators Report. Shawna also contributed to State of Policies and Practices on Substance Use in Safety-sensitive Industries in Canada.
Shawna holds a Bachelor of Education with Distinction from the University of Victoria and a Master of Arts in political science from Carleton University.
Shawna is an avid traveler who enjoys learning about different people and cultures. She has visited close to 30 countries and has gained valuable experiences from each.
Job Titles:
- Knowledge Broker
- Knowledge Broker Subjects
Shea Wood's career has focused on improving the lives of youth and families through counselling, research and education. Before joining CCSA in January 2022, Shea spent four years working at Girl Guides of Canada as a youth engagement and program specialist. There, she supported the development of a new evidence-based, youth-driven program. She has also worked as a counsellor and therapist with youth in the English Montreal School Board and as an occasional professor at Concordia University.
Shea is enthusiastic about using her knowledge mobilization skills to creatively amply peoples' stories and move evidence into action. She is passionate about reducing the harms associated with substance use and improving mental health. While at CCSA, she wants to share the stories of people with lived and living experience and find creative and impactful ways to get research into the hands of people who need it most.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts with honours from Queen's University. She has also earned her master's in creative arts therapies and an interdisciplinary PhD in adult education, psychology, and creative arts therapies, both from Concordia University.
Always up for unique experiences, Shea spends her free time planning her next travel adventure and trying new restaurants.
Job Titles:
- Interim Associate Director, Knowledge Mobilization Subjects
Job Titles:
- Director, Human Resources
Susan leads the design and implementation of progressive, innovative and cost-effective employee programs and practices. These programs and practices enhance CCSA's work environment and culture to increase employee engagement. She support CCSA employees by delivering results in human resource policy development, performance management, professional development, staffing and compensation.
Vaughan Dowie joined Pine River Institute, a residential treatment centre for adolescents struggling with addictive behaviours, in Shelburne, Ontario, as its CEO in October 2011. He has more than 30 years of experience as a senior manager in public sector and community organizations, including as president of la Commission de Protection des droits de la jeunesse, Montreal, executive director of Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, Montreal, and assistant deputy minister in three different ministries of the Government of British Columbia.
Mr. Dowie has served as a volunteer on a number of boards of directors of not-for-profit organizations, both local and national in scope. He has served as board chair of the Child Welfare League of Canada and board president of Addictions and Mental Health Ontario. He has studied political science at Sir George Williams University and social work at McGill.
Immediately before joining Pine River Institute, Mr. Dowie was the Executive Head of Public Affairs at McGill University in Montreal.
Mr. Dowie joined the Board in May 2018, and serves as the Chair. He is also a member of the Executive and Performance Management Committees.