SPEAKERS
Pete Barker - Pete Barker was born in 1962 in a place called England. He was part of the British invasion into Calgary policing for which he is forever grateful! I was adopted at an early age and love and respect my parents dearly. They and my sister passed away in the 90s. Also tumultuous were my schooling years as learning did not come easily to me. I joined the Royal Navy in 1978 a matter of weeks after leaving school and was whisked away to complete basic training, and then onto my naval career which lasted ten years. This took me all over the world; to war zones, and working with many different nations. I even managed to fit in living in Hong Kong for a year and got married in 1984 to Mandie who was in the Women’s RAF at the time. After the navy, I joined the West Yorkshire Police in 1989 working in Bradford. I trained dogs all my life and therefore quickly transferred to the K9 section where I spent nearly 18 years. During these years, other challenges arose such as dog-partner injuries, fire, personal injuries, work tragedies and riots while raising two sons!! We left the UK in 2008 to join Canadian policing and ended up in Calgary where I completed my basic training and then was posted to a district. This was a huge culture change for us but we are now settled and enjoying life again. I have volunteered and trained K9 for 4H, gone back to University and completed a couple of certificates, and even had my picture on the back of a bus. Oh and I have been on TV a few times......
Nicholas Carleton - Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Regina and the Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. He has published 100+ peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters exploring anxiety and trauma related disorders. He has completed 170+ national and international conference presentations, and serves in various editorial capacities for several international peer-reviewed journals. He has received many prestigious awards and is actively involved in researching assessment and treatment of anxiety and trauma. He maintains a small private practice for military and first responders who have posttraumatic stress disorder.
Adriana Celser - Dr. Adriana Celser received her M.A. in Psychology from the University of Bucharest, advanced clinical training from an internationally-recognized program in Israel, and her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in clinical/rehabilitation psychological from the University of Calgary. She is a registered psychologist in Alberta since 1987. She has worked as a psychologist in a variety of settings, including geriatrics, pediatrics, and, for the last 20 years, in police psychology. As Chief Psychologist/Manager of the Psychological Services Division of the Calgary Police Service, she has provided various services including to their members and families including: psychological evaluation for selection of recruits and members applying for specialty areas; psychological fitness for duty; occupational-hazards risk management; crisis intervention; and clinical support for employees and their families. She has taken a lead role in applied mental health services for first responders including treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other conditions. She has presented aspects of her work to other police departments and at many international conferences. She has also been recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award for safety services to first responders, and the Chief’s Award.
Steve Dongworth -On December 12, 2014, The City of Calgary announced Steve Dongworth as Calgary’s new fire chief, starting January 1, 2015. Chief Dongworth has more than 40 years of experience in municipal fire and emergency services. He joined the Calgary Fire Department in 1992, and was promoted to deputy chief in 2000. Previously, he was the deputy chief of Community Standards, Recruitment and Training and in this role, he oversaw The Calgary Fire Department’s Inspection & Investigation sections, which includes officers who enforce the provisions of the Alberta Safety Codes Act, the Accelerant Detection Canine program, as well as recruitment, firefighter and recruit training, and the Fire Cadet program. Prior to this, Dongworth served in a variety of deputy chief commands including Operations, Training, Community Services, Administration and Emergency Management. He has led a wide variety of projects from the development of false alarm fees to the creation of the Community Safety section.
Nathalie Dufresne-Meek - Nathalie Dufresne-Meek began her career with the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) as a Parole Officer in the early ‘90s. While completing a Masters degree in Applied Criminology at the University of Ottawa, she also spent time teaching at the undergraduate level in the criminology department. She then joined the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) as a claims adjudicator in 1995, and then progressed to an Account Manager position, where she supported large construction employers with cost reduction strategies, focused on improved accident prevention and return to work. Nathalie then took on management roles for a WSIB small business team. In 2006, Nathalie returned to the CSC to coordinate the return to work program. She became the Director of the Workplace Wellness & Employee Wellbeing directorate, leading a team of 40 staff dedicated to the improvement of employee wellbeing. Today, she is the Director General of the Executive Secretariat Sector which includes the Intergovernmental Relations team.
Chris Gauvin -Sgt. Chris Gauvin is an Acting Staff Sergeant in District 8 with Calgary Police Service.
Erik Johanson - Erik Johanson works within the provincial correctional system and is a student at Mount Royal University completing his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree.
Patricia Kostouros - Dr. Patricia Kostouros is an Associate Professor in the Department of Child Studies and Social Work at Mount Royal University primarily teaching in the Child and Youth Care Counsellormajor or the Bachelor of Child Studies. Patricia’s research interests include Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue, the topic of her Master’s thesis, and PhD dissertation. Patricia holds research grants as a collaborative partner in research related to Intimate Partner Violence on post-secondary campuses and studies related to depicting suffering as well as a provincial study on Compassion Fatigue in Victim Services. Patricia also provides Critical Incident Debriefing for child and youth serving agencies in Calgary and most of her career has been related to reducing violence and crisis management. Patricia is a practicing registered psychologist and approved provisional supervisor. Patricia has an expertise in the areas of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Anxiety and Intimate Partner Violence. Prior to her work in academia Patricia managed a youth shelter, a women’s shelter, and was the Executive Director of a residence for women with a trauma history and a dual diagnosis. She has been a board member for a domestic violence-serving agency and presently acts as the Vice-President South for the Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta.
Roxanne Laforest - Major Roxanne Laforest completed both her Bachelor degree and Master degree in social work at l’Université du Québec en Outaouais, l’UniversitéLibre de Bruxelles and Ottawa University. She joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2005 as a Social Work Officer. Since then, she has served at CFB Petawawa, St-Jean-sur-le Richelieu, CFB Trenton, and CFB Shilo. Currently, MajLaforest is the Psychosocial Program Manager for Canadian Forces Base Edmonton and is the Social Work Professional Technical Advisor for the western area. She has been deployed on five occasions in Cyprus for the Third Location Decompression. She presented the Road to Mental Readiness to Canadian Force members in several contexts including on board Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Winnipeg in the Atlantic.
David McAllister -David McAllister is a graduate of NAIT's Paramedic Program and was a practicing paramedic.
Megan McElheran -Dr. Megan McElheran is a Clinical Psychologist with WGM Psychological Services in Calgary. She completed graduate training at the Stanford University clinical psychology consortium, during which she obtained specialized training in the treatment of PTSD through the National Center for PTSD in Menlo Park, CA. Dr. McElheran has been in practice in Calgary since 2008. She continues to focus on working with first responders, and her clinical practice involves work with active-duty members of the Canadian Forces, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, members of the Calgary Fire Department, medical personnel and others who are directly or vicariously impacted by traumatic events. She routinely engages in teaching and supervisory activity to ensure sound dissemination of empirically-grounded interventions for trauma. She completed a TEDx speech in 2011 related to Trauma, Change and Resilience and most recently completed a discussion for the Alberta Serious Incident Response Injury regarding perception and memory during Officer-Involved Shootings. Dr. McElheran provides a range of empirically-supported treatments for PTSD, including Prolonged Exposure, which is a therapy for which she also provides supervision; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR); Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART).
Scott McLean -Dr. Scott McLean is an educator and social/justice service consultant. He is an educator at Mount Royal University, Red Crow Community College, and is an Adjunct Professor at City University of Seattle. He has facilitated numerous workshops and provides clinical support to first responders regarding various traumatization. He researches trauma and is Board Certified in Forensic Traumatology and consults with agencies including the Calgary Police Service, the Calgary Fire Department, various RCMP Detachments, and STARS. Recently Scott has been contacted to facilitate the Calgary Homicide Support Group and is the Project Lead for the Provincial Wellness Project through Victims Services Alberta. Dr. McLean and his family (wife and four children) lived in Kenya for three years (2005-2008) where he and Brenda worked as teachers at a local school. He holds a PhD (psychology) from the University of South Africa.
Jamie Miskow -Jamie Miskow has worked in case management and programs at Calgary Correctional Centre for over the last seven years, where he is currently a High Risk Caseworker. This case load is responsible for the management of both sex offenders and violent offenders who may pose a risk to public safety. Over the past year, he has been involved with initiating the peer support program for officers at the Correctional Centre. Jamie holds a Bachelor of Communications Degree from Mount Royal University and Human Services Certification from Thompson Rivers University. In addition, he is trained and licensed in the use of various risk assessment tools.
Brad Nichols - Brad Nichols attended Mount Royal University, obtaining a degree in Justice Studies. Once graduated, he worked municipal enforcement for a rural county before joining the Calgary Humane Society team in 2005 as a Special Constable. Over the last decade he has been promoted to field supervisor, Department Head of Protection and Investigations and most recently, Senior Manager, Animal Cruelty Investigations. During his 12 years with CHS, he has investigated thousands of animal cruelty files and seized hundreds of animals towards prosecution and conviction files. In the last several years, his department has obtained a high public profile and is internationally recognized as a leader in animal cruelty investigations. He has forged strong strategic partnerships with several police agencies and forensically inclined veterinarians toward constant improvements in animal cruelty investigations and prosecutions.
Cherie Peterson - Dr. Peterson graduated with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan in 2007. The first 10 years of her career were spent in the Outpatient Mental Health Program with Alberta Health Services, providing psychotherapy to patients with a wide range of mild to severe mental health concerns. During Dr. Peterson’s time in community mental health she was also involved in the training of residents and practicum students, facilitating group therapy, conducting psychological assessments, community consultations, and program development. Her strong interest in the areas of trauma and resilience motivated her to obtain advanced training in the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She is a certified provider of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), has obtained advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), and is an Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) practitioner. Dr. Peterson is committed to providing evidence-based psychotherapy services and is a credentialed therapist with the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT-ACTCC). She currently resides in Calgary and works in private practice.
Dawn Rault - Dawn Rault graduated from Mount Royal University with a diploma in criminology and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of the Fraser Valley. She completed her MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding at Royal Roads University, focusing on health education in post-conflict countries. Dawn is currently completing a PhD in Community Health Sciencesat the University of Calgary with a focus in Population and Public Health. In recent years, she has worked with the City of Calgary Community Standards, Canadian Red Cross, University of Calgary, and numerous community based-organizations in Albert and British Columbia. She has been an instructor with the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies at Mount Royal University since 2006 and teaches ten courses, including research methods, young persons in conflict with the law, diversity and the justice system, interviewing, and practicum seminars. Her research focuses on the enforcement of animal laws and the work of peace and bylaw officers in Alberta.
Elisabeth Saxton - Elisabeth Saxton obtained her Doctor of Psychology in 2005 and during her internship she discovered a passion for working with individuals who have suffered from both physical and mental occupational injuries. She continues to work as part of an interdisciplinary team doing both assessment and treatment for workers with a variety of presenting issues. Elisabeth joined OrionHealth in 2009 as a clinical psychologist and began developing innovative programs to address specific needs for those with pain and/or trauma. Elisabeth empowers clinicians to innovate, creates teams that collaborate seamlessly, and develops dynamic and effective programs for clients. She is a liaison with our referral sources, and believes clinicians are our strength; not only through their skills, but also through their passion; and that our treatment is truly interdisciplinary.
Andrew Szeto - Dr. Andrew Szeto is currently the Director of the Campus Mental Health Strategy at the University of Calgary responsible for guiding the implementation of the 28 recommendations within the University of Calgary Mental Health Strategy. He is also a Principal Investigator at the Mental Health Commission of Canada and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary. Over the past six years, Dr. Szeto has focused on the evaluation of workplace mental illness, anti-stigma, and mental health promotion programs. He currently works with numerous organizations from different sectors across Canada to implement and evaluate these programs. Two of his current successes include the adaptation and development of workplace mental health awareness and mental illness stigma reduction programs called The Working Mind and the Road to Mental Readiness for first responders (both of which have been built on the R2MR program from the Canadian Department of National Defence). Recently, he and his colleague (Dr. Keith Dobson) received a grant to adapt and develop The Working Mind into a program tailored for university students. Dr. Szeto also conducts basic research that examines the stigma of mental illness with social psychological methods and theories, including research on labelling, attitudes, and new interventions to reduce stigma. He has published academic articles on various topics related to the stigma of mental illness.
Scharie Tavcer -Dr. D. Scharie Tavcer joined Mount Royal University in 2004 and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies. She teaches Introduction to Criminology; Introduction to the Criminal Justice System; Crisis Intervention Strategies; Corrections; Qualitative Research Methods; Criminal Law, and Women and the Criminal Justice System. Dr. Tavcer completed a doctorate in Sociology, major in Criminology in 2007 with the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law and the Albert-LudwigsUniversität both in Freiburg, Germany; a Masters in European Criminology in 2001 from the KatholiekeUniversiteit Leuven in Belgium; a Bachelor of Arts major in Psychology/Sociology in 1997 from the University of Alberta; and a Diploma of Law Enforcement & Security from Grant MacEwan University. Prior to a career in academia, Dr. Tavcer worked for the Correctional Service Canada in various capacities with violent offenders. Today, her academic endeavours revolve around social justice issues specifically with a focus on the topics of violence against women. From a community-based perspective and feminist criminological theory, her research projects have centered on sentencing and the law, prostitution & sex trafficking, sexual victimisation & sexual offending, relationship violence, and occupational stress injury in first responders.