Speakers

Kathryn Gretsinger ^

Journalist, Radio Host and Producer

Kathryn Gretsinger has been a radio journalist for almost 20 years. For many years she hosted The Afternoon Show on CBC Radio One. Kathryn is an award-winning documentary producer. Her pieces are regularly broadcast on CBC Radio. She also teaches broadcast journalism at Langara College and is an Adjunct Professor of Journalism at UBC. She continues to train hosts, producers and reporters at CBC Radio one. Her community work involves facilitating and moderating events which focus on social issues including mental health, HIV/AIDS, and native issues.

Joti Samra ^

Adjunct Professor & Research Scientist, CARMHA

Dr. Joti Samra, PhD, RPsych is a clinical psychologist and research scientist with the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA), Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University. She conducts applied research and clinical work in the area of mental health and addiction, with a particular interest in these issues as they pertain to the workplace context.

As part of her role with CARMHA, Joti has been a principal in the development, evaluation, and dissemination of a self-care manual for depression in the workplace (Antidepressant Skills at Work: Dealing with Mood Problems in the Workplace; Bilsker, Gilbert & Samra, 2007; www.carmha.ca/publications). She has also been involved in a range of activities on behalf of the BC Workplace Mental Health & Addiction Scientific Committee, including conducting a survey of the relevant research literature in the area of workplace mental health and addiction; development of a framework for conceptualizing workplace mental health issues across stakeholder groups and levels of prevention; and coordination of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Scientific Congress on workplace mental health and addiction issues, to be held in Vancouver in May 2007.

Prior to joining CARMHA, Joti worked as the senior clinician on an interdisciplinary assessment and treatment team serving an occupational disability population. She provided and oversaw services for individuals who were off work due to a combination of mental health, addiction, and physical conditions. She continues to be active in a range of clinical, professional and educational ventures including serving on the Board of Directors for the British Columbia Psychological Association.

Madeleine Dion Stout ^

Vice Chair, Mental Health Commission of Canada

Madeleine Dion Stout, a Cree speaker, was born and raised on the Kehewin First Nation in Alberta. After graduating from the Edmonton General Hospital as a Registered Nurse, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, with Distinction, from the University of Lethbridge and a Masters Degree in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.

Madeleine serves on several Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal boards and committees including the BC Women’s Health Research Institute and the Aboriginal Health Program at the BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre. She was President of the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada and a member of the National Forum on Health.

Madeleine was an Assistant Professor in Canadian Studies and founding Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Education, Research and Culture at Carleton University in Ottawa. Now self employed, she continues to work as a researcher, writer and lecturer on Aboriginal health and health care paying particular attention to improving health inequalities, social justice, and access to health care.

Madeleine works closely with institutions and initiatives dedicated to mental wellness and has co-authored papers on suicide prevention and resilience. She has received the Assiniwkamik Award from the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada, a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Lethbridge and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of British Columbia. In August, 2007 Madeleine was appointed to the Mental Health Commission of Canada as an inaugural member and Vice-chair of the Board of Directors.

In 2008, Madeleine received the CNA Centennial Award which the Canadian Nurses Association has awarded to 100 outstanding Canadian nurses.

Jim Sinclair ^

President, BC Federation of Labour

Jim Sinclair was elected President of the B.C. Federation of Labour on May 14, 1999 by the Federation's governing body, its Executive Council. He was acclaimed President in 2000 and 2002 and elected in 2004 and again in 2006.

Jim has been an articulate and active leader in the labour movement for more than 25 years. Jim was elected 2nd Vice-President of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union/Canadian Auto Workers' Union (UFAWU/CAW) from 1991 to 1999. As a staff member for the UFAWU since 1982, he was the lead negotiator in industry-wide negotiations with major fish processing companies. Prior to his work in the fishing industry, Jim was a reporter for the Nelson Daily News.

He has been active in the labour movement in BC through his participation on the BC Federation of Labour Executive Council and committees since the mid seventies.

Jim currently sits on the Board of Directors for Working Enterprises Ltd., the Working Opportunity Fund, and BC Citizens for Public Power. Jim lives in Port Moody with his partner, Susan, and their son, Lee.

The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC ^

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Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia

The Honourable Steven L. Point was sworn-in as British Columbia’s 28th Lieutenant Governor on October 1, 2007.

In 2005, he was appointed Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission. His Honour served as an elected Chief of the Skowkale First Nation for 15 years. He also served as the tribal chair of the Stó:lō Nation Government, and he was honoured as Grand Chief by the Chiefs of the Stó:lō Tribal Council.

His Honour was appointed a provincial court judge in February 1999. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from the University College of the Fraser Valley in June 2000 and is a recipient of a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, also in 2000. He received a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of British Columbia in 1985 and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1986.

Born in Chilliwack, the Lieutenant Governor and his wife, Her Honour Mrs. Gwendolyn Point, have four children and 12 grandchildren.

Matthew Good ^

Recording Artist and 2008 Mental Health Voices Award Winner

Matthew Good has been one of Canada’s most successful artists of the past two decades, selling close to a million copies of his 11 EPs and albums — including double-platinum certifications for Underdogs and Beautiful Midnight. Recorded after a brief stay in the hospital’s psychiatric ward, 2007's Hospital Music, debuted at the top of the Canadian albums chart and is certified gold.

Matthew Good is the winner of the 2008 CMHA Mental Health Voices Award for speaking out about his personal experiences with mental illness. Filming of The Matthew Good Story, a DVD featuring Matthew Good receiving his award, was sponsored by Pacific Blue Cross to raise mental health awareness.

André Picard ^

Public Health Reporter, The Globe and Mail

André Picard is the public health reporter at The Globe and Mail and one of Canada's top public policy writers. He is the author of the best-selling books Critical Care: Canadian Nurses Speak For Change and The Gift of Death: Confronting Canada's Tainted Blood Tragedy. He is also the author of A Call to Alms: The New Face of Charity in Canada. André has received much acclaim for his writing, including the Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism, the Canadian Policy Research Award, and the Atkinson Fellowship for Public Policy Research. In 2002, he received the Centennial Prize of the Pan-American Health Organization as the top public health reporter in the Americas. In 2005, the Canadian Public Health Association named him Canada’s first Public Health Hero.

He is also a four-time finalist for the National Newspaper Awards – Canada’s Pulitzer Prize. André has been the recipient of the Canadian Nurses' Association Award of Excellence for Health Care Reporting, the Nursing in the Media Award of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, the International Media Prize of Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing Honor Society), and the Science and Society Book Prize.

His advocacy work has been honoured by a number of consumer health groups, including the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Safe Kids Canada, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and the Canadian Hearing Society. André has also participated in a number of academic endeavours, notably as a participant in the Governor-General's Canadian Leadership Conference and as a guest lecturer at a number of universities. In addition to his writing and speaking, André has participated in a number of professional organizations and non-profit groups. He is a former member of the advisory committees of the Canadian Institute for Child Health, Active Healthy Kids Canada, Centraide/United Way Montréal, and the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Don Buchanan^

Researcher, Child & Youth Mental Health

Don Buchanan is the Knowledge Translation Officer at the McMaster Child Health Research Institute, and the Leader for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange at the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

In these roles, his focus is on helping researchers translate their new knowledge into information “products” aimed at consumers, front-line service providers, and policy and decision-makers. He also assists research teams to develop dissemination strategies as an integral part of their research plan.

In previous roles, he led the development of a child health plan (in partnership with two Local Health Integration Networks), as well as developing the Family Advisory Council and the Family Resource Centres at McMaster Children’s Hospital. He also developed the innovative Community Education Service, a series of workshops, courses and groups for young people and their families.

He studied liberal arts at St. John’s College, Annapolis, Maryland, as well as courses in the Clinical Behavioral Sciences program at McMaster University. He has served in leadership positions on a number of community boards, including child welfare, health planning, and recreation.

His research interests include the translation of knowledge directly to consumers, and applying market research techniques to improving service delivery to patients. He is currently involved in several dissemination projects in child & youth mental health across Canada.

Peter Legge ^

Chairman and CEO, Canada Wide Media Limited

Peter Legge lives his life dream as a professional speaker, best selling author and Chairman & CEO of the largest, independently owned magazine publishing company in Western Canada – Canada Wide Media Limited. He is a community leader tirelessly devoting his time to many worthwhile organizations. Peter is a past Chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade.

Peter has published twelve books including “The Runway of Life”, “Make Your Life a Masterpiece”, “The Power of Tact” and most recently, “The Power to Soar Higher.” His books have motivated thousands of people towards positive change. Toastmasters International voted Peter "Golden Gavel Award Winner" and "Top Speaker in North America" and both the National Speakers Association and the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers have inducted him into the Speakers Hall of Fame. Peter is also a member of the prestigious Speakers Roundtable, an invitation-only society comprising 20 of North American’s top professional speakers.

Simon Fraser University honored Peter with an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree. In 2005, Peter was presented with The Nido Qubein Philanthropist of the Year Award in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2006, Peter was awarded the Ambassador of Free Enterprise by Sales and Marketing Executives International in Texas. In December 2006, The Peter Legge Philanthropist of the Year Award was introduced by The Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Peter is the first recipient of this award.

In June 2008, the province’s highest award, The Order of British Columbia was presented to Peter for his life-long commitment to serving the community.

Connie Coniglio^

Director of Health Literacy, BC Mental Health and Addiction Services (BCMHAS)

Dr. Connie Coniglio is the Director of Health Literacy at BC Mental Health and Addiction Services (BCMHAS), an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority. Connie is responsible for the direction and management of health literacy initiatives under the BCMHAS provincial mandate. Ongoing initiatives in Connie’s portfolio include the Kelty Resource Centre, the Multicultural Translation Project, and the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information.

Prior to joining BCMHAS, Connie was Manager of Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions and Child and Youth Public Health with Vancouver Coastal Health, North Shore. Connie also worked for 21 years in university counseling centre management, including the development and delivery of programs and clinical services to students. Connie has worked extensively with members of the post-secondary community, and she has developed expertise in cross cultural counselling and cultural transition, advising on mental health, student development and suicide prevention.

Connie is a Registered Psychologist and her education includes an EdD In Counselling Psychology from the University of Toronto and a MEd/BEd from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.

Keli Anderson^

Executive Director, FORCE Society for Kids' Mental Health

Keli Anderson is the Executive Director and co-founder of The FORCE Society for Kids’ Mental Health and the mother of two children with mental health challenges.Before founding the FORCE in 2000, Keli worked for Canada’s largest Credit Union and created her own position there in Change Management.

Keli has been instrumental in creating awareness and change regarding children’s mental health, as well as providing support for thousands of families with children who have mental health challenges. Always the innovator and crusader, Keli advocated for a child and youth mental health plan in British Columbia and saw it not only get written and funded, but also implemented as the first child & youth mental health plan in Canada.

As a parent who leads the way for others who may not be able or willing to take on the huge responsibility required for influencing change, Keli strives to help others feel empowered and able to make their lives and others better.

Keli was the recipient of the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award in 2007 and the recipient of the UBC Department of Psychiatry’s Unsung Hero Award in 2005.

Ginny Dennehy^

Co-founder, Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation

Ginny Dennehy is the founder and director of the Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation. Ginny and her husband Kerry established the Foundation in 2001 after their son, who was suffering from depression, took his own life at 17. The Foundation provides funds, research and programs to help reduce depression-related teenage suicide.
 
During the past 7.5 years, the Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation has raised $3.5 million for the cause of depression in young people. The Foundation was the primary private donor of Canada’s only freestanding mental health facility at BC Children’s Hospital and the Kelty Resource Centre was recently established at the hospital. In addition, it has supported the establishment of a Chair in Depression Research at the UBC/VGH Centre of Excellence for Depression Research in order to fund a multi-year study to understand adolescent depression and suicide and to identify early warning signs.

Ginny Dennehy was recently recognized as the recipient of the first annual Waugh Award for her work fighting teen depression and suicide.

Bev Gutray^

Executive Director, Canadian Mental Health Association

Bev Gutray has been the Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division for the last 15 years. Prior to that she was the Executive Director of the CMHA Winnipeg Region and the Central Alberta Region.

Bev is active as a volunteer for the Disability Supports for Employment Committee and a past volunteer on Health and Social Development Committee of Vancouver Foundation. As well, she is a volunteer on the Working Together Sub-Committee of the Government/Non-Profit Initiative, volunteer on the Child and Youth Mental Health Network and an advisory Board member of the Regional Treatment Centre in Abbotsford.

Bev has presented on a range of public policy issues to government committees and conferences. Through her leadership, the Association was the founding member of the Mental Health Monitoring Coalition which later became the Mental Health and Addictions Alliance.The Association has been an advocate and leader in the inclusion of people with lived experience in all levels of the Association from governance to program implementation.

Shainul Kassam^

Information Coordinator, Canadian Mental Health Association

Shainul Kassam works in the Education and Communications Department at the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division. In her capacity as Information Coordinator and in the true spirit of non-profit, charitable organizations, Shainul wears many hats including managing the Mental Health Information Line—a 24-hour information and referral service—volunteer coordination & development, publications & displays, as well as being actively involved in promoting cross-cultural issues within CMHA’s programs and services. 

Shainul likes to call herself an international citizen. She was born and brought up in Moshi, Tanzania, went to school in Nairobi, Kenya, and has a Master's Degree in Library & Information Studies from the University of London in England. She worked in the Library at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, as well as the Runnymede Trust in London for many years before immigrating to Canada in 1995.

The challenge for her – especially in this harsh economic climate – is to empower families and individuals with the knowledge of what it means to have a mental illness and to help them embark on the road to recovery, while juggling the responsibilities of work and family life. Shainul is also a single mother of two adopted children and caregiver to aging parents.