Chala Hunter is a bilingual Intimacy Coordinator, Writer and Producer, originally from Treaty 6 territory- Saskatoon, SK. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School and has performed in theatres across Canada. She is currently based in Tkaronto.
She was a writer and assistant to Showrunner Adam Pettle for NURSES (Global) and BURDEN OF TRUTH (CBC) and was an associate producer with Wango films, and a 2024 recipient of the CMPA Producer’s mentorship.
Most recently, she was the Intimacy Coordinator on Heated Rivalry, and just wrapped production as the Intimacy Coordinator with The Body, Quinn Shephard’s new show for Netflix.
Anita Bal (she/her) is an articling student with Mediate BC Society, focussing on workplace harassment and bullying, with a particular interest in resolving such matters through collaborative dispute resolution processes. Her interest in alternative approaches to workplace conflict led her to complete Mediate BC’s Introduction to Mediation Course and further training through JIBC. Anita received her Juris Doctor from Thompson Rivers University, where she was actively involved with Pro Bono Students Canada and the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers BC. Committed to advancing access to justice, she volunteered with the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program, assisting individuals with employment and other legal issues. Since law school, she has continued volunteering with the Community Legal Assistance Society’s Human Rights Clinic, where she assists in drafting human rights complaints.
Patricia M. Barkaskas is Métis from Alberta. Her work examines the intersections of justice and law, with an emphasis on the experiences of Indigenous peoples, and disrupting the normative violence of colonial legal education. Her research focuses on Indigenous laws, access to justice for Indigenous peoples, decolonizing and Indigenizing law, and using Indigenous pedagogies in experiential learning and skills-based legal education and training. She currently teaches in the areas of Indigenous and Aboriginal laws, including Métis law, family law, and Indigenous and feminist legal theory.
Patricia’s work has primarily engaged with Indigenous peoples in their encounters with justice and legal systems. She has practiced across a broad spectrum of law including administrative, civil, class action, criminal, child protection (as parent’s counsel), family, and prison law, and has produced Gladue reports for all levels of court in BC.
Way’ x̌ast sx̌əlx̌ʕalt. isnqəlxʷskʷist sqʷuɬtalqs. iʔ suma skʷist Kelly Douglas. kən tl st̓katk̓ʷɬtniw̓t.
Kelly is from the syilx Nation located in the Okanagan Valley. Kelly has been a mediator for over 15 years and has 20 years of experience working in the BC provincial government. Much of her work has been focused on Indigenous-related matters. As of late, she has been exploring the tension between sqilxʷ, Indigenous, ways of knowing and being and the intersection with mediation practice, ethics, and design that are often housed in colonial ideologies. Kelly looks to support parties in re-envisioning pathways forward in which conflict can be resolved through an equitable and co-created process and through the application of a sqilxʷ lens to mediation, it re-centers sqilxʷ ways as a step forward in redefining sqilxʷ relationships with western ideologies. Kelly is the Chair of the Board at Mediate BC, a Child Protection Roster mediator and is designated a Registered Roster Mediator (RRM) with Mediate BC. Kelly presents on Indigenous approaches to mediation across BC, while remaining rooted in her garden in the Okanagan Valley.
Didi Dufresne (they/he/she) is a lawyer and director of legal services at QMUNITY: BC’s Queer, Trans, and Two-Spirit Resource Centre. They live and work on the unceded and stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. In January 2025, he helped launch the QMUNITY Legal Clinic to assist t2sLGBTQIA+ people with legal issues related to housing, employment, family, and human rights law. They’re humbled to provide leadership in this work and adore the legal team at QMUNITY. Prior to working at QMUNITY, she assisted clients in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver with tenancy, human rights, and income security legal issues for 15 years. In addition to legal work, they enjoy run-hiking through the forests and playing dungeons and dragons at the table.
Kate Fleming is the Manager of the Roster Program at Mediate BC, where she oversees admissions, mentorship, and professional development for mediators across BC. A mediator, educator, and program builder, she brings a thoughtful, trauma-informed lens to supporting emerging practitioners and strengthening pathways into sustainable conflict resolution practice.
Tiara Flores is originally from Argentina. She is a lawyer in Argentina and a certified mediator in both Argentina and Canada, with experience across Latin America and Canada. Her practice focuses on workplace and international mediations, as well as tenancy, commercial, and family disputes. She currently works as a Conflict Resolution Specialist with Vancouver Coastal Health and as a Business Relationship Advisor, supporting stronger communication and healthier team dynamics.
She works closely with the Latin American community in Vancouver, a connection that is personal and grounding for her. She is also increasingly interested in neurodiversity and how different ways of thinking and communicating shape conflict and connection.
Lori Frank is the Director of Child Welfare Initiatives with Mediate BC. She is a Registered Roster Mediator with Mediate BC and has practiced in the areas of Child Protection, Family, and Civil Mediation. Lori is also an instructor and enjoys providing coaching and mentorship for those who are developing their practice. Mediation was a mid-career move for Lori after many years working in the non-profit sector. She brings her experience working with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds to her work in conflict resolution and collaborative decision-making.
Originally from Ontario, Lori has lived in the Victoria area for over 20 years where she has raised her family. One of her favourite things to do is get out and enjoy live music.
Tobin Frank is a Canadian musician who plays bass, accordion, and keyboards. He joined the iconic Canadian band Spirit of the West in 1997 and remained with them through the final chapter of their career, performing across Canada and internationally. He has also appeared as a guest performer on albums by numerous Canadian artists, including 54-40 and The Paperboys.
Spending more than 20 years on the road, Tobin has had a front-row seat to the realities of creative collaboration. From long van rides and late-night gigs to recording sessions and festival circuits, he has seen firsthand the kinds of tensions, personalities, and pressures that can shape both the music and the relationships behind it. Along the way, he’s gathered more than a few stories about how conflict shows up in bands and in the music industry more broadly, and what it takes to navigate it while keeping the show going.
Brandon, BBA, JD, LLM, RRM is a partner at Northpoint Legal LLP, where his practice focuses on complex litigation, mediation, and appeals across all levels of court in British Columbia. He holds an LL.M. in Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship from Cornell University and works at the intersection of legal practice and emerging technologies, building on an academic background that combined business strategy and technology-focused problem-solving. Brandon is the founder of The Justice Hack—B.C.’s largest legal technology hackathon—and has contributed to a variety of provincial justice system modernization initiatives. He writes and teaches on legal technology and dispute resolution, and is a recipient of a Cornell Law School award for exemplary public service.
Hayley Woodin Hastings is an award-winning journalist and editor, who previously served as Editor-in-Chief of three publications, including Business in Vancouver, the largest business news platform in the province. In 2025, she was appointed Strategic Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, to support initiatives that advance economic opportunity, innovation in health, and meaningful inclusion.
Kent Highnam (Cert. ConRes., BA, MA) is an international educator and speaker with a background in international and public relations with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. His work in public and private organizations, and in indigenous communities, includes education, mediation, facilitation and coaching in both English and French, to assist individuals and groups find meaning, purpose and compassion for themselves and others. As Dean of JIBC’s School of Health, Community and Social Justice, Kent has extensive experience in educational leadership, labour relations, and social justice issues. He teaches for the Centre for Conflict Resolution, the Centre for Leadership and also teaches for JIBC’s Law Enforcement Studies Diploma.
Kent will also be awarded the 2025 Excellence in Conflict Resolution Award – Builder Category at the end of the conference.
Darrin Hotte (MDiv, Cert. ConRes., FMC Cert. CFM, RRM, FEA, TCINAS) is a mediator in private practice, an Assistant Professor, instructor, and coach. He brings over 35 years of leadership experience and specialized training in conflict resolution, leadership, de-escalation, complex family systems, and relationships to his work. His mediation practice focuses on separation/divorce, family business, faith-based organizations, and speaking/training. He has mediated, facilitated, or coached more than 900 disputes. Having previously served in leadership roles at every level — including Senior Leader, Director, Committee Chair, and Volunteer — Darrin brings practical experience guiding organizations, families, and teams toward healthier, more productive outcomes.
Kyra was called to the bar in British Columbia and became a member of the Mediate BC Civil Roster of mediators in 2005. As a lawyer, mediator, investigator, and conflict coach, Kyra assists clients with matters in the public and private sector, in unionized and non-unionized environments, and in non- profit and for-profit organizations. In 2019 Kyra was appointed to the independent investigation’s unit of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada and in 2022 appointed by the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner of Canada as an independent investigator and assessor. Kyra often designs and supports conflict resolution processes in the post-secondary and sport sectors and has conducted mediations and investigations related to issues of discrimination, harassment, bullying, sexual misconduct, and code of conduct breaches.
Stephanie is a subject matter expert in Indigenous jurisdiction governance with over 17 years of experience across child welfare, family law, and justice systems. She serves as a Jurisdiction Governance Advisor and Child Welfare Policy Advisor supporting Indigenous Nations in the design and implementation of culturally grounded child and family service systems under Nation-based Governance Models. Her work bridges frontline practice, policy development, and research, with a focus on Indigenous child well-being, service delivery transformation, and the application of federal and provincial legislation in community contexts. Stephanie also teaches and facilitates across Canada, translating complex systems into practical, relational approaches for practitioners and leaders.
Rooted in her mixed and Métis heritage, she remains connected to land-based and grounded living through her homestead lifestyle, equine emotional regulation business and yoga trainings in British Columbia.
Nadia Kyba, MSW, RSW (she/her) is the founder and president of Now What Facilitation, a team that supports organizations in navigating conflict through practical, relationship-focused approaches. With over 25 years of experience, she works across sport, education, and community sectors to build confidence and capacity in addressing complex situations.
Nadia is an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Social Work, where she teaches advanced practice using a collaborative, strengths-based approach. She also holds a Certificate in Advanced Facilitation from the Justice Institute of British Columbia and has worked as a trainer supporting social workers and law enforcement in investigative interviewing and conflict-informed practice.
Through her work with viaSport BC, Nadia and her team have supported sport organizations across the province with training, mediation, and strategic guidance to strengthen governance and conflict management systems. She is particularly interested in the connection between governance, complaints processes, and early resolution approaches.
Wendy Lakusta began her mediation career as a family mediator for the B.C. Provincial Court in 1997. In 1998, her mediation practice expanded to include mediating and mentoring small claims, and since then she mediated a vast range of issues including (but definitely not limited to!) construction, debt, employment and workplace, insurance and personal injury, strata, housing, corporate and community disputes. Wendy retired from practice in June 2025 but still gives back to the conflict resolution community by mentoring.
Her broad background in social services included working with youth, families and persons with disabilities and child protection mediation services for over 20 years. She also developed and facilitated many conflict resolution and mediation training programs for government agencies, Mediate BC and the private sector.
Wendy will also be awarded the 2025 Excellence in Conflict Resolution Award – Lifetime Contributions at the end of the conference.
Aaron Leakey is a mediator and professor in dispute resolution, with a history of instruction at Mediate BC, the Justice Institute of BC, and the University of Victoria. He is the current Manager of Training at Mediate BC and holds certifications as a Registered Roster Mediator (RRM) and Family Relations Mediator – Advanced (Cert. FMC) with Family Mediation Canada. Aaron is a sessional professor at the University of Victoria, where he teaches mediation and legal design out of the Faculty of Law. He is also completing a PhD at the University of Victoria, where he examines how the design of legal institutions can be made more responsive to the circumstances and needs of persons affected by violence. He is the Director at the new BC ACE – UVIC Legal Design Lab at the University of Victoria, which applies design methods and mindsets to matters of law and justice. Aaron is also a Research Fellow at the BC Access to Justice Center for Excellence, a think tank focused on the access to justice crisis in Canada. Aaron writes and specializes in the following dispute resolution topics: trauma-informed mediation, decolonial mediation (“two-eyed mediation”) and the design of mediation in circumstances of intimate partner violence.
Mark is the Principal of Organizational Transformation at HWC, and has more than 25 years of leadership experience across the not-for-profit and public-serving sectors. He has led complex social service operations, major fundraising and communications efforts, and organizational change in mission-driven environments.
Drawing on a career that spans international development, Indigenous community-focused work, complex care services, senior church leadership, and years of experience as a consultant, Mark brings seasoned expertise in strategic planning, governance, conflict resolution, facilitation, and leadership development. He works with boards, executives, and senior teams to strengthen leadership, navigate complexity, and support healthy organizational change.
Dr. Terry Neiman is a faculty member in Communication at Douglas College. He worked as a materials scientist in the US aerospace industry before entering a private practice in conflict intervention and communication. Terry has over 30 years of consulting experience, working with communities, organizations, governments, families, and individuals on conflict resolution, harassment and bullying, technical design and problem-solving, negotiated agreements, and public and private policy consultation.
Sidney Nnamoko is a Legal Case Manager with the Intellectual Property Disputes Section of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center in Geneva, Switzerland. Drawing on over 13 years of experience across private practice, the public sector, and international organizations, he has built a career dedicated to advancing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for commercial and intellectual property disputes. He holds an LL.M. (Master of Laws) from the University of Melbourne, Australia and specialist certification in Conflict Resolution in Intellectual Property Law from the London School of Business and Administration. His expertise spans intellectual property audits and client representation in ADR proceedings, including arbitration and mediation across multiple jurisdictions. With professional experience and education spanning four continents, Sidney brings a globally informed perspective to championing innovative ADR solutions in the intellectual property landscape.
Heather is an ombuds, lawyer, and author, and the Director and Co-Founder of JustEquitable Inc (www.justequitable.ca), a Canadian consulting firm specializing in conflict and complaint management. In Fall 2025, the JustEquitable team was appointed as the National Capital Commission (NCC) Ombudsman, and is currently collaborating on an appropriate dispute resolution initiative with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. Heather’s career spans corporate, academic, and health care sectors. She practiced litigation at Stikeman Elliott LLP in Toronto, served as Assistant Ombudsperson at Toronto Metropolitan University, developed the Graduate Conflict Resolution Center at the University of Toronto, and led the early resolution team at Patient Ombudsman. A committed advocate for fairness, Heather works with clients to build durable complaints systems, improve policies and processes, and strengthen internal capacity for managing conflict.
Jaime Sarophim is a mediator and employment and sexual abuse lawyer. She practices out of KSW Lawyers with offices throughout the Fraser Valley. She has extensive experience working with individual, business and corporate clients in British Columbia and Alberta.
Jaime graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in 2007 and a JD in 2010. She has been a member of the British Columbia Civil Mediators’ Roster since 2010.
Throughout the years, Jaime has been a guest instructor with Sauder School of Business, Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia including the Mediation Clinic, BC Notaries Society, Continuing Legal Education BC and Mediate BC. She has papers published in the International Journal of Family Law, in Law 360 and through CLE BC.
Amanda, RRM is a civil mediator and conflict management coach whose practice focuses on workplace, housing and technology. She has been mediating mostly virtually since 2015. In March 2020, she supported many mediators in pivoting to virtual practice and co-hosted CoRe’s Online Mediation Community of Practice. She is a member of the Federal Government’s Informal Conflict Management System, a mentor mediator for Mediate BC and a coach mentor for Cynergy Conflict Management Coaching.
Sharon Sutherland (she/her) is Executive Director of Mediate BC and Chair of the Board of Sport Safeguarding BC. Over the course of a 30-year career in conflict resolution, Sharon has been an avid trendwatcher and practice forecaster. She has extensive experience as a mediator, trainer, mentor, program designer and professor. Sharon is fascinated by the interconnectivity of mediation work with so many other areas of our lives: she frequently draws on her own background in theatre, sports (coaching, playing, and management), and tabletop games in her work. She has a special interest in popular culture scholarship, notably opportunities for learning and improving conflict resolution through scripted and reality television.
Nicolas Vermeys, LL. D. (Université de Montréal), LL. M. (Université de Montréal), CISSP, is the Director of the Centre de recherche en droit public (CRDP), the Associate Director of the Cyberjustice Laboratory, and a Professor at the Université de Montréal’s Faculté de droit.
Mr. Vermeys is a member of the Quebec Bar, as well as a certified information system security professional (CISSP) as recognized by (ISC)2, and is the author of numerous publications relating to the impact of technology on the law, including Droit codifié et nouvelles technologies: le Code civil (Yvon Blais, 2015), and Responsabilité civile et sécurité informationnelle (Yvon Blais, 2010).
Mr. Vermeys’ research focuses on legal issues pertaining to artificial intelligence, information security, developments in the field of cyberjustice, and other questions relating to the impact of technological innovations on the law. He is often invited to speak on these topics by the media, and regularly lectures for judges, lawyers, professional orders, and government organizations, in Canada and abroad.
Duncan Watts-Grant is an arts professional with over ten years of experience. Born and raised on Coast Salish Territory, he earned his Bachelor of Music at the University of British Columbia. Duncan has been involved in some way with the Vancouver Fringe Festival for fourteen years, when he was first involved in a production as a Stage Manager.
As Executive Director of the Vancouver Fringe, Duncan leads a team that produces the annual festival, supports artist development, and advocates for the success of live performing arts within Vancouver and beyond.
Alison Wilkinson (she/her) is a staff lawyer with the British Columbia Law Institute, where her research has engaged issues related to family law and the experiences of vulnerable communities in relation to the justice system. She has a keen interest in the development of tools and resources to strengthen legal practice and advance justice related reforms. Prior to joining the BC Law Institute, Alison worked as a family law lawyer and as in-house counsel with a small business. Alison has trained in arbitration, mediation, and coaching, and also acted as a sessional instructor on dispute resolution for the Faculty of Business at Thompson Rivers University. Alison obtained her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Victoria, and her J.D. from the University of BC. She was called to the Alberta Bar in 2013 and the British Columbia bar in 2014. She lives and works in Kamloops.
Andrea Wooles (she/her) has over 25 years of experience in sport ranging from community level to the Olympics, with roles including performance scientist, science and medicine manager, board member, and parent of two athletes. She holds a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology and a Certificate in Organizational Coaching.
Andrea is currently the Safety Manager at viaSport BC, where she supports the amateur sport sector in strengthening safe participation, safeguarding, and governance, and contributed to the development of a province-wide framework for managing concerns about inappropriate behaviour that led to the creation of Sport Safeguarding BC.
Across her work in sport, health, and coaching, she focuses on developing practical, evidence-informed approaches to complex challenges, including the prevention and management of conflict and harm.
Leah Zille, B.Comm, is the CEO of Treehouse Child & Youth Advocacy Centre, a not-for-profit organization that brings police, child protection, victim support, and mental health services together under one roof to support children and youth who have experienced abuse.
Building on this commitment to coordinated, child-centred systems, Leah is also an inaugural board member of Sport Safeguarding BC, supporting efforts to strengthen safe sport responses through collaboration, clear processes, and shared accountability.
Andrea is currently the Safety Manager at viaSport BC, where she supports the amateur sport sector in strengthening safe participation, safeguarding, and governance, and contributed to the development of a province-wide framework for managing concerns about inappropriate behaviour that led to the creation of Sport Safeguarding BC.
