Doug Abbot

Doug is a curious tinkerer with a simple, powerful belief: fun is a human right. As a Learning Support Teacher and SET-BC consultant, he has turned this belief into action by helping students with physical disabilities build businesses, launch catapults, and make ice cream—proving that any activity can be adapted for inclusion. In this session, Doug will show you how to become a tinkerer for inclusion, giving you the tools and mindset to make recreation in your classroom accessible, engaging, and downright fun for everyone.

Claire Abecia

Claire Abecia, in an Occupational Therapist with the Provincial Inclusion Outreach Program. Claire is passionate about supporting children and youth of all ages in both school and community settings. She focuses on promoting meaningful participation and thrives in collaborative, multidisciplinary environments. Claire is especially interested in learning about supporting students' access to literacy through inclusive and accessible strategies. Claire is committed to supporting every student to engage in active roles that empower their growth and success.

Sarah-Jane Attrill

Lora Baker

Lora Baker, B.Ed., M.Sc., R.SLP (C), is the Principal and Speech Language Pathologist for the Auditory Outreach Provincial Outreach Program that supports students who are d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing across the province. Lora has worked as an SLP, Teacher and Administrator in schools, classrooms, preschools and hospitals across Canada, supporting children, families, caregivers and educators. In true SLP fashion, Lora loves to talk and collaborate with colleagues, especially when it involves advocating for communication access.

Meaghan Bresser

Meaghan is a BC teacher who began her career as a deafblind Intervenor, having graduated from the Deafblind and Intervenor Studies Program at George Brown College (Toronto). Meaghan has worked with POPDB since 2018. Meaghan can often be found paddling dragon boats and outrigger canoes around the lower mainland.

April Camping

April holds a Ph.D. in Learning, Literacies, and Technologies from Arizona State University, where Dr. Karen R. Harris and Dr. Steve Graham advised her. With a background as a K-8 and college educator, her mission is to empower teachers to implement evidence-based writing instruction in all classrooms. She has extensive experience training educators in SRSD, supporting the scale-up of literacy instruction, and conducting research on writing instruction and professional development. Her work includes collaborating on randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, publishing in leading journals such as the Journal of Educational Psychology and Reading and Writing, and presenting at numerous national and international conferences.

Laurie Cassie

Before joining SET-BC, I was an intermediate classroom teacher for 30 years in Vancouver. For four of these years, I was the district SMART Board support person, and this began my interest in mentoring other teachers. My interest in Ed Tech began with my MA thesis on the earliest of educational technology – the radio school broadcasts carried by the CBC in the mid 1900’s. As a classroom teacher, I know how hard it is to juggle the demands of so many different learning profiles. I have great respect for the risk-taking that’s necessary to explore the integration of technology in teaching. I am very excited to join this team of educators at SET-BC.

Susanne Christensen

Susanne is an Inclusive Education Teacher with the Inclusion Outreach Program, joining the team in 2020. She began her career as an Elementary Classroom Teacher. It was not long before her passion for inclusive education led to a position as a School Based Inclusive Education Teacher. Susanne has held this role for over 20 years in several districts including Burnaby, Prince Rupert and Victoria. Susanne is particularly interested in building confidence in all students to reach their full potential. She believes that literacy is a basic human right and is thrilled to be teaching and learning alongside students and school-based teams the best way to provide literacy learning for ALL.

Calico Clark

Calico Clark joined the Provincial Outreach Program for the Early Years (POPEY) team as a Teacher Consultant in 2023. Calico has a wide range of experience, teaching both in BC and abroad, including work as a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator and literacy coach. While working in Singapore at the Canadian International School, opportunities in curriculum leadership were a catalyst for her passion for literacy instruction. Calico is committed to ongoing professional learning and keeps up to date with current research in the field of literacy. She enjoys working alongside colleagues to support best practices in reading and writing instruction.

Nicole Haines

Nicole strives to maintain a student-centered approach to intervention and learning. She believes that collaboration between educators, support staff and families provides a rich framework for making informed, conscious decisions about how best to support learners. Communication plays a role in every interaction, every learning opportunity, and every relationship. She has worked as a Speech Language Pathologist since 2009 after completing a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Alberta, and a undergraduate degree in Speech Sciences at the University of British Columbia.

Nicole Harris

I worked as an elementary teacher for 10 years before joining POPFASD last year as a literacy-focused provincial educator. I recently completed a Masters of Education with a focus in literacy, and I am passionate about supporting literacy for all students, particularly students with FASD and other complex needs.

Iren Heer

My name is Iren Heer and I am a SET-BC Educator. Prior to my current role with SET-BC, I was a secondary school teacher for eleven years, primarily teaching Social Studies and English. I completed my Master of Education in Media and Technology Studies Education from the University of British Columbia to formally examine digital learning and curriculum. I am excited to collaborate with colleagues throughout the province to explore how technology may be meaningfully implemented in the classroom to support the diverse needs of our students.

Kim Heinrichs

Kim Heinrichs is a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments with a background in classroom teaching and has experience working as Educational Assistant.

Mary Hennig

Mary is a trained Deafblind Intervenor working for the Okanagan Skaha School District #67 since 2019. She graduated from the POPDB Deafblind Intervenor Certificate Program. When not working in education, Mary can be found scuba diving in tropical waters and travelling. She is also member of an off-ice official crew for a WHL team and has been fortunate enough to be selected as an off-ice official for an IIHF tournament.

Amy Hogg

Amy is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst with PSO (Provincial School Outreach). She holds a master's degree in Special Education from the University of British Columbia and has extensive experience working in school and community settings. She believes behaviour is communication and is passionate about understanding the unique needs of all learners and working collaboratively with school teams to create positive learning environments where students can thrive.

Amanda Hume

Amanda Hume is a teacher and licensed school psychologist in BC (#3070). She holds a Bachelor of Education and Master of Arts in School Psychology, from the University of British Columbia. As a POPARD consultant, she is passionate about working collaboratively with school staff to foster positive and effective learning environments for students with Autism.

Sylvia Hunter

Sylvia is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst with PSO (Provincial School Outreach). She holds a master's degree in Special Education from the University of British Columbia and has extensive experience working in school and community settings. She believes behaviour is communication and is passionate about understanding the unique needs of all learners and working collaboratively with school teams to create positive learning environments where students can thrive.

Judi Israel

Judi is a Speech-Language Pathologist with the Provincial School Outreach Team. She has worked as an SLP since 1995, primarily in school settings in Prince George and North Vancouver. Her current passion is working alongside educators in rural and remote school communities to collaborate and facilitate opportunities that support children's communication skills in the school setting.

Chris Jenkins

Chris Jenkins began his career in 1974 at a segregated school with a class of young students with multiple and complex needs. This experience launched a career-long passion supporting individuals who have been among the most marginalized. Chris graduated from the University of Oregon in 1986 with a PhD in Special Education and Rehabilitation. He has had a long and varied career as a teacher, provincial consultant for the Ministry of Health and faculty member at Douglas College, UBC, Camosun College and UVic. He has been with Inclusion Outreach since 2005 and as coordinator since 2013. Interests include transdisciplinary collaboration and working with schools to enhance students’ current and future quality of life. Students with multiple disabilities and complex needs are often not seen as candidates for literacy instruction. Chris sees literacy instruction as a basic human right.

Jen Jesso

Jen is the Outreach Coordinator at the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired. In addition to her lived experience with low vision, she has 18 years of experience teaching in various roles including as a teacher of students with visual impairments, orientation and mobility specialist, and access technology specialist. Jen is also a certified braille transcriber and currently serves as Secretary on the board of Braille Literacy Canada.

Olga Jorda

Jennifer Kelly

Dr. Jennifer Kelly joined the Provincial Outreach Program for the Early Years (POPEY) team as a Teacher Consultant in 2019. Jen has 25+ years of experience in education as a primary teacher, a literacy intervention teacher, and a district literacy helping teacher in the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District. She completed her Ph.D. through UBC with a focus on professional learning for teachers. Jen is the author of the books Active Reading Classrooms and Reggio-Inspired Literacy in Primary Classrooms. She lives, works, learns, and plays on traditional, ancestral, and unceded Secwepemc territories.

Stace Kelsh

After traveling and teaching in lovely places such as Yellowknife, Mexico, and Montana, I decided to teach in Prince George for just one year…fast forward 14 years and I am still here and thankful to be raising a family in such a beautiful area of BC. I have a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and a Master of Education in Leadership and Administration. As an educator, I have had a variety of roles (high school and middle school Resource Teacher, intermediate classroom teacher, and sessional instructor for VIU and UNBC) which all provide valuable insight and connections to the material and concepts we share. This is my fourth year with POPFASD, and I fully appreciate the many opportunities we get to enhance teachers’ understanding of FASD and their students’ learning experiences.

Arika Klassen

Arika Klassen is a Speech & Language Pathologist with SET-BC.

Debbie Klassen

Debbie Klassen is a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments with a background in classroom teaching and has experience working as Educational Assistant.

Laura Kristensen

I am currently a Learning Services Teacher with the Provincial Outreach Program (PSO). I live and work in North Vancouver and have 18 years of classroom experience, at the primary level. I hold a master’s degree in Educational Theory and Practice from Simon Fraser University, as well as a diploma in Early Childhood Education. Through the lens of inclusive education, I try to bring my passion for play- based learning and outdoor education to engage all learners. I recently completed my OG Associate and Path Training to further support the inclusion of all learners.

Annie Lehbauer

Annie is a BC teacher with a M. Ed degree in Deaf and Hard of Hearing (UBC). She worked as a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Surrey School District for 7 years. Annie has served on the board of Canadian Association of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing- British Columbia (CAEDHH-BC) for 10 years. Annie has been with PODPB since 2022 and in her free time, she is mostly just trying to keep up with her 2 young kids!

Clodagh LeRoy

Clodagh LeRoy is a speech-language pathologist with over 25 years of experience in schools, health units, private practice, and outreach to rural and Indigenous communities across BC. For the past 15 years, she has supported K–12 students in the Greater Victoria School District A focus of her current work is on literacy instruction and the vital role SLPs play in supporting students who rely on means other than spoken language to communicate.

Tamara Lister

Tamara has worked as a speech-language pathologist with children who have hearing differences for so long that the first toddlers on her caseload are now university graduates. When Tamara is not advocating for students and building relationships with school-based teams she can be found playing outside with her family.

Julia Loreth

Julia Loreth, MScOT, is an occupational therapist with over a decade of experience supporting children with multiple and complex needs. She specializes in school-based practice, with a focus on promoting participation, building literacy foundations, and supporting inclusive learning. Julia works collaboratively with families, educators, and multidisciplinary teams to create meaningful, student-centered programs.

Myra-Jade Lui

Myra-Jade Lui is a certified behaviour analyst and holds a doctoral degree in Education, specializing in Special Education. She arrived in Vancouver in July 2020 from Montreal, Quebec, where she had spent over 15 years working primarily with individuals with autism. She is interested in early vocal/verbal learners, behaviour management, and self-monitoring for individuals with autism. She believes that student learning and behaviour is never ‘right’ or ‘wrong’: it just tells us what we need to change in order to teach them more of the skills that will really benefit them. Myra loves netball and binge-watching British crime dramas.

Caroline Lupton

Residing in North Vancouver, I am a Learning Services Consultant with the Provincial School Outreach. My previous teaching experience includes both primary and intermediate as well as learning services and ELL.  I have recently completed both the OG Associate and PATH training as part of my learning and growth with supporting inclusion for all learners. I also spend time as an instructor for the Educational Assistant Program at Capilano University.

Hayley Lutes

Hayley is an Occupational Therapist with the Provincial School Outreach Team (PSO). She has experience working in both school and community settings and is passionate about supporting meaningful experiences and engagement for all learners. Hayley loves brainstorming, co-regulation, and play-based learning and has been excited to learn from school teams across the province in her role with the PSO.

Carly MacGillivray

I am Carly MacGillivray, a speech-language pathologist at SET-BC focusing on alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). I graduated with my Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of British Columbia, and before joining the SET-BC team, I worked as an SLP supporting AAC for children in school, community, and home settings. I am passionate about supporting students with complex communication needs to express themselves authentically and autonomously though multi-modal means.

Emily McGreevy

Emily is a BC teacher with a M. Ed degree in Blindness & Visual Impairments (UBC). She is nearly finished her O&M certification (UBC). In her spare time, Emily can be found camping, fly fishing or riding her horse, Cricket on the beautiful lower mainland trails.

Darren Mitzel

Darren Mitzel is the Provincial Coordinator of SET-BC and has dedicated over 25 years to education. His career has been evenly split between elementary school administration and classroom teaching across subject areas. Holding a Master’s degree in Educational Technology, Darren brings a strong blend of leadership experience and deep understanding of how technology can open doors for students with complex and diverse learning needs.

At SET-BC, he is passionate about supporting students across the province by leveraging assistive technology to foster inclusion and communication. For Darren, the most rewarding part of this work is seeing students connect, participate, and share their voices with peers through the use of technology.

Lisa Murphy

Lisa Murphy is a Speech-Language Pathologist with the Provincial Inclusion Outreach Program. Lisa is passionate about connection and enjoys working with others to build supportive and inclusive communication and learning environments. She believes that building skills in literacy and communication will help kids reach their full potential both at school and throughout their lives. Lisa has been learning about evidence-based, inclusive literacy instruction and has enjoyed collaborating with educators of students with complex needs to bring that learning to life. She’s excited to continue this through her work at Inclusion Outreach.

Kristine Peterson

Kristine Peterson, M.Ed., B.Ed., B.A., Graduate Diploma in Inclusive Ed., is one of the teachers at Inclusion Outreach. Kristine graduated from the University of British Columbia M.Ed. Program in Blindness and Visual Impairment in 2021. Her journey in education has been a long road with stops along the way at the University of Victoria, Vancouver Island University, and Pacific Rim Early Childhood Institution. There she completed degrees in Anthropology and English, a Post-Degree in Education, a diploma in Inclusive Education, and certification as an Early Childhood Educator Assistant. She has predominantly worked in a small independent school as the kindergarten teacher/teacher-coordinator for their Distributed Learning program where she had a wonderful time developing a love for all things related to picture books and hands-on math for young learners. Clearly a believer in life-long learning, Kristine expects that she won’t stop until someone makes her! Her current interests in education include team collaboration, the role of environment on student learning, and literacy for all.

Claudia Piccinin

Allana Pierce

Allana is a BC teacher with M. Ed degrees in Blindness & Visual Impairments (UBC) and Educational Leadership (Lehigh University). She completed all three parts of Teacher of Deaf/Blind (Ontario AQ) and is nearly finished her O&M certification (UBC). Allana has worked with POPDB since 2009. Allana enjoys walking the local trails in the lower mainland and knitting in her free time.

Ann Pimentel

Dr. Shelby Pollitt

Dr. Shelby Pollitt is the K–12 Literacy Coordinator for the Sooke School District and is a sessional instructor at both Vancouver Island University and the University of Victoria. Her doctoral research focused on the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support, emphasizing universal screening and progress monitoring to strengthen evidence-aligned reading assessment, instruction, and intervention.

Dr. Pollitt is deeply committed to ensuring all students have access to responsive instruction – and targeted intervention when necessary – grounded in equitable and inclusive assessment practices. She is passionate about collaborative professional learning and is dedicated to exploring effective and practical approaches to literacy instruction. Through her ongoing work with educators and districts, she aims to help build and sustain multi-tiered systems at the classroom, school, and district levels that support responsive, engaging, and comprehensive literacy learning for all students.

Jennie Carruthers Rankin

Jennie loves supporting individuals, families, peers, school teams and communities in growing communication, connection, learning opportunities and meaningful participation. She is passionate about communicators’ self-representation and genuine interactions. She believes in meeting people where they are and supporting growth, empowerment, engagement and excitement according to each person and their situation. She is a registered Speech Language Pathologist who has been working in the field of AAC for 18 years and is honoured to collaborate with many school teams as part of the Provincial School Outreach Team (PSO).

Tana Richards

Tana Richards is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 25 years of experience supporting neurodiverse learners from early childhood through adulthood. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Brunel University in London. Tana is deeply passionate about advancing meaningful inclusion and designing individualized programming for learners with complex needs. Her expertise includes trauma-informed approaches to behaviour support, functional communication development, and increasing student cooperation through compassionate, student-centered practices.

Leighann Rodger

Maria Romanelli

For more than 20 years, I have had the fortune of working with many students ranging from Kindergarten to grade 7. Although teaching mostly in an intermediate classroom, I have also filled the role of resource teacher, and ran a district classroom. All my experiences have allowed me to understand the wide range, and needs reflected in today’s classroom. Teaching requires flexibility and an ability to show empathy and compassion, while reflecting these as learning goals for students. In my role at SET-BC, I look forward to continuing my learning journey, to build capacity for students and schools, providing technology to help fill gaps to inclusion.

Irene Shin

Irene is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst with PSO (Provincial School Outreach). She holds a master's degree in Special Education from the University of British Columbia and has extensive experience working in school and community settings. She believes behaviour is communication and is passionate about understanding the unique needs of all learners and working collaboratively with school teams to create positive learning environments where students can thrive.

Taryn Silver

Taryn Silver has been a Physiotherapist with Inclusion Outreach since 2017. She graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1999 with a degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and has dedicated her career to community pediatric practice. She has worked with children with disabilities from birth to age 19 across BC and on the South Island of New Zealand, supporting them in their homes, childcare centres, and schools. Her professional interests focus on supporting inclusion of students with complex needs to equitably access education. From a literacy perspective specifically, physiotherapists play a role supporting foundations for reading and writing including optimal body positioning, movement, and equipment. Taryn approaches literacy through a broad lens, including physical literacy for all learners and health literacy for school teams and families. She is also committed to integrating principles of disability justice and strengthening her practice through trauma-informed and culturally sensitive approaches.

Carrie Siu

Carrie Siu, BA., MSc., Aud(C), RAUD/RHIP is a Registered Audiologist and Hearing Instrument Practitioner who received her Master of Science in Audiology degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She has worked as an Educational Audiologist for Auditory Outreach since 2008 and prior to that, she managed a busy hearing aid clinic in Coquitlam with Island Hearing Services (now Connect Hearing). Her professional interest centers around diagnostics and aural rehab for children.

Lisa Thomas

Lisa Thomas is the Program Coordinator and a Teacher Consultant for the Provincial Outreach Program for the Early Years (POPEY), and has been with POPEY since its inception in 2014. She has 23 years of experience as a classroom teacher and teacher consultant in BC, and completed her BA, BEd, & MEd at UBC. In her role with POPEY, Lisa supports K-3 educators with workshops and resources that support best practice in literacy instruction. She’s passionate about literacy, teacher collaboration, and supporting all students to be happy, confident learners.

Sydney Torok

Sydney Torok, MSc, RSLP, SLP(C), is a Speech Language Pathologist with the Auditory Outreach Provincial Resource Program and has experience working with school-aged children individually, in groups, in classrooms, and while on outreach trips. With Auditory Outreach, she has the opportunity to support students across the province with cochlear implants. Sydney also works as an SLP in a Southern Vancouver Island district where she gained valuable insight on the impact of language on mental health. Sydney obtained her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from the University of Victoria. She is passionate about communication access for school-aged children, specifically support for language and speech sound development with the goal of removing barriers in children's education and formative years.

Camille Traverse

Camille Traverse is a Speech-Language Pathologist with the Provincial Inclusion Outreach Program. Camille deeply believes in the importance of inclusion to support all students’ growth, respect and learning. She focuses on the intersections between communication, curriculum, and identity, and how this help build positive quality of life for students. Camille is committed to transdisciplinary practice and fostering meaningful relationships amongst all team members. Inclusion Outreach’s work on literacy has taken her learning in new and fascinating directions and she looks forward to ongoing collaboration with districts around the province in this area.

Vince White

Vince White is the Director of Provincial School Outreach. He served as a district principal of inclusive education and a director of instruction in North Vancouver School District from 2015 to 2023, and is a past president of the BC Council of Administrators of Inclusive Supports in Education (BC CAISE.) Vince completed a master’s degree in counselling psychology and a doctorate at the University of British Columbia with his research focused on factors that influence individual and systemic change in public education.

Adam Wilton

Adam Wilton is the Program Manager of PRCVI and ARC-BC. He has been an educator for 18 years, working primarily as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist. In addition to his role at PRCVI, Adam is a Director for Braille Literacy Canada, the Coordinator of the BC Regional Braille Challenge, and the Vice Chair of the Canadian Association of Educational Resource Centres for Alternate Format Materials.

Victoria Woelders

Victoria Woelders is the Outreach Coordinator for ARC-BC with over 22 years of teaching experience in elementary, middle school, and Learning Support Services. She combines professional expertise with personal insight as a mother of two children with disabilities and married to a high school teacher. Her work brings practical strategies and heartfelt understanding to the conversation on accessibility and inclusion.

Vanessa Worthington

Vanessa believes literacy is the foundation for a life of possibility—especially for students with exceptional needs. Her work is rooted in supporting every learner, ensuring they have the tools, the guidance, and the opportunities to thrive.

She has had the privilege of teaching children from kindergarten through grade 6, and each classroom has taught her something new about resilience, curiosity, and the importance of meeting learners where they are. Her journey led her to earn a Master of Education in Special Education, which opened doors to support students with exceptional needs in private, public, and online schools.

Over the years, she has worked closely with school psychologists—collaborating on assessments, writing reports, and crafting recommendations that truly make a difference. As a District Resource Teacher, she has supported educators across the system, helping them build inclusive environments where every student can thrive.

Now she is entering her fourth year with POPFASD, where she continues to advocate for students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and other complex needs. Vanessa is grateful to be part of a community of educators who believe in the transformative power of literacy. Together, she believes we can continue to build inclusive learning environments where every student has the chance to thrive.