Team
Todd Haspect
, M.Ed., RCC
Facilitator, Facilitator Support and Therapist
Todd is a Registered Clinical Counsellor. He entered the field of mental health and substance use as a peer support worker in 1998 and his work since that time, has been focused supporting humans heal impacts of trauma, mental health, substance use challenges. Todd brings experience in various roles as a counsellor, clinical educator, & change management consultant. Through his time in the field, he has maintained a passion for amplifying voices of marginalized populations through advocacy of cultural humility and trauma informed perspectives. Todd was a patient partner in the first cohort of RTT-KAT, this experience has inspired his ongoing work with Roots to Thrive.
Other Board of Directors
RN, MPH, EdD
Visioning and Development Lead, RTT Innovations Co-Chair & Organization Steward
Shannon Dames (maiden Magnus) is a third generation immigrant with mixed ancestry from Britain, Norway, and Germany. She is a descendant of GT Magnus and Lianne Telnes, the proud mother of Piper and Beckett Dames, and the life partner of Phil Dames. She lives and serves as a Health Professional ...
MD
RTT Medical Team Co-Chair, Medical Lead and Organization Steward
Dr. Pamela Kryskow is the medical lead for the Roots To Thrive Program. She is a founding board member of the Psychedelic Association of Canada and the medical chair of the Vancouver Island University Post Graduate Certificate in Psychedelic Medicine assisted Therapy. Pam is also a a clinical i...
MD
RTT-KAT physician
Dr. Zhiish McKenzie is Family Physician. She is Anishnabai from Northern Ontario and a member of the Temagami First Nation. She works as a Clinical Instructor & Indigenous Portfolio Co-Director at the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. Zhiish was introduced to Roots to Thrive as a patient particip...
Development Integrator (focus on curriculum and evaluation)
Wes’s core practice is recognizing the heart and beauty in everyone. Joining in the early days of the Roots to Thrive community was therefore a no-brainer. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, he worked as a therapist in addiction and trauma recovery in the US and Australia. He focused on providing advanc...
RN, MSN
Program Nurse
Jo comes to the Roots to Thrive team with a nursing background in palliative, psychiatric, medical and minor-surgical patient care. Years of disrupted mental health inspired her to seek healing in a variety of alternative treatments. This lived experience informs her deeply compassionate approach...
MA, RCC
RTT Training Program Chair, Operations Integrator, Facilitator
Krys is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, and she has worked in the Mental Health and Substance Use field for 25 years, managing teams in various leadership capacities. This varied experience working in clinical environments offers a thorough understanding of the challenges in health care and a p...
BHSc, CCAC
Alumni Facilitator
Kelsey first came to the Roots to Thrive team as a patient-participant and is thrilled to transition into a co-facilitation role. She has experience working as a counsellor with adults, youth, and families; her expertise is in the areas of mental health, substance use, and trauma. Kelsey is passi...
RPN BscN
Nurse Facilitator
Kerrie has been a Registered Nurse for nearly 20 years, working in inner city public health for nearly a decade, before moving to Vancouver Island where she has worked in mental health and substance use, primarily as a crisis nurse.
Kerrie has been part of the Roots to Thrive team since June 2021...
MA, RCC
RTT Alumni Program Chair, Alumni Facilitator
Graham comes to the Roots to Thrive team with a passion for supporting people on their journeys of healing and growth. He has worked as a clinical counsellor since 2011 using an integrative therapeutic approach that includes the mind and body while honouring people’s inherent wisdom to heal thems...
RN, BScN
Nurse Facilitator
Laura joins the Roots to Thrive team as a co facilitator following patient participation in cohort 3. She is accompanied by her 25 years as an oncology registered nurse specializing in Leukemia\ Bone Marrow transplant as an inpatient RN, outpatient RN and most recently a case manager. Having iden...
Facilitator
Hello Fellow Roots to Thrivers, My name is Allan Campbell and I am excited to be a part of the Roots to Thrive team. I come to this work as a curious participant with a desire for other means of supporting those I work with. I have been a counsellor over 20 yrs and have spent the majority of my c...
PHD, RCC
Facilitator, Sea to Sky RTT
As a clinical therapist and supervisor, Christine is informed by narrative and collaborative therapy practices. She has over 20 years experience working in the field of substance use, disordered eating and trauma. She has developed curriculum and taught group work, addiction counselling, and indi...
BSW, MSW
Emmy Manson is a proud Snuneymuxw member dedicated to developing strong leadership and opportunities to live their best life. As an elected Council woman for her Nation Emmy has been a champion of addressing trauma and finding pathways to bring love and joy to her community.
Emmy brings a wealth ...
MA, RCC
Facilitator, Sea to Sky RTT
Ryan comes to RTT as a former participant (cohort three) and is excited to be guiding others through the program as a facilitator. He is motivated by the potential that therapeutic psychedelic experiences have to move people through places of long standing "stuckness". When not working with the R...
MA, RCC
Facilitator
Jolene is of mixed Northwestern European descent and feels grateful to live, work, and play on the traditional, unceded, and ancestral territories of the skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and shíshálh (Sechelt) First Nations; colonised as The Sunshine Coast, BC.
She is a Registered Clinical Couns...
RN
Facilitator
I am a Metis woman from Northern Alberta; my mom is a Cree residential school survivor, my dad is an Irish farmer and 3rd generation Canadian. I was fortunate to grow up a little wild as a farm kid before much technology existed, thus I have a very active imagination and can daydream like a cham...
MSW, RSW
Facilitator
Hi, my name is Lindsay. I am a settler and a grateful guest on the unceded territory of the K’omox First Nation, living on a rural acreage in Black Creek, with my wife and two dogs. My ancestry is Scottish and British.
I am a social worker by training and education; I have a BSW from UBC and a ...
RCC
Facilitator
Sarah gratefully lives on the Traditional and Unceded territory of the Quw'utsun Peoples. She has been working in the field of somatic and trauma therapy for the past twenty years. She believes that an attuned and redsonant compassionate relationship can be part of the transformation and healin...
BLit, MAGL
Board Member
Jimena Achalchiuitl Garcia-Paniagua (Astur/Mayan) is a researcher and Indigenous knowledge holder focused on models and systems for intercultural collaboration between Indigenous peoples for mental, spiritual and planetary health. She is conducting research on the traditional knowledge, philosoph...
Board Member
Steve Fraser has over 28 years as a first responder. Starting his journey as a volunteer firefighter on the Sunshine Coast, he transitioned to Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services where he retired in 2023 after 25 years of service. During this time with Vancouver Fire, Steve was the co-ordinator of...
