I began my journey in the social services as a practicum student designing and implementing behavioural interventions in schools, the federal prison system and mental health clinics. After spending some time conducting research projects on gambling and addictions as well as working in youth justice group facilities, I moved to New Zealand. This is where the vision of Koru Training and Consulting comes from. The Koru, or fiddlehead, represents new beginnings and growth.

I believe this is where my true education and practice started. I worked as an in home family therapist using evidence based models of practice to support parents and children with family preservation and family reunification. This involved working with families who had experienced incredible challenges with mental health, addictions, violence, trauma and often had children who had been placed in care.

I moved into leadership as a contract cover for a program supervisor maternity leave. There had been a high degree of staff turnover so I began the process of building a team from the ground up. I continued to work in supervisory and management positions designing and implementing programs from birth to adulthood. I developed a commitment to continuous learning and after conducting a research project on job satisfaction and outcomes for people, I began to focus on staff and team development, including the practice of professional supervision, staff training and dynamic individualized development plans.

Here I had to opportunity to work under the mentorship of an amazing woman CEO in a culture that encouraged growth, independence and participation. I am dedicated to translating these experiences to others in the field.

After having our first child, my husband and I returned to Canada to be closer to family. I worked for six years designing and developing programs for women experiencing homelessness. I specialize in the field of homelessness, working with people who have multiple vulnerabilities including mental health, addictions, violence and trauma. I returned to Thunder Bay and have had the honour to spend the last 5 years as a training coordinator, crisis coordinator and mental health manager working with remote Indigenous Communities. I have continued to develop my own skills in leadership, best practice in service delivery, program design and implementation as well as clinical knowledge as a trauma practitioner and educator.

With a growing number of partnerships formed Koru Training and Consulting is expanding to deliver even more skill based training. More to come!