Keli Anderson, Executive Director, The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids' Mental Health

Keli Anderson has a 19 year old son who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and separation anxiety at the age of 10. Keli is one of the founders and Executive Director of The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids' Mental Health in British Columbia. The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids' Mental Health began with two mothers, one mother who had already lost her son to suicide and another mother, Keli who refused to accept that her son's life, or anyone else's child's life, should have to end that way. Keli's son is now 19 years old and she continues to advocate for early intervention and prevention for kids' mental health and for family engagement in child & youth mental health. Keli now leads a network of other parents who have joined The F.O.R.C.E. in providing information, support, education and advocacy throughout British Columbia. Keli also won the YWCA's Women of Distinction Award for her tireless work for child and youth mental health.

Dr. Jana Davidson, Medical Director, BC Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Addiction Programs.

Dr. Jana Davidson is Medical Director, Child & Adolescent Mental Health and Addiction Programs, BC Children’s Hospital; Program Head, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of BC; Associate Clinical Professor, Dept of Psychiatry, UBC; Director of Continuing Professional Development, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Program, at BC Children’s Hospital and a consulting psychiatrist in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency Unit at BC Children’s Hospital.  She completed both her medical training and psychiatric residency at the University of British Columbia and her Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at BC Children’s Hospital and the Early Psychosis Intervention Program in Melbourne, Australia.   On completion of her Fellowship in 2002, Jana became a Consulting Psychiatrist to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency Unit at BC Children’s Hospital.  

Dr. Davidson’s research is currently focused on the metabolic effects of second generation antipsychotics on children and youth.  She is currently  Co-Investigator on two peer reviewed competitive grants with Dr. Dina Panagiotopoulos a Pediatric Endocrinologist at BC Children’s Hospital investigating the metabolic impact of Second Generation Antipsychotics on metabolism in children and youth.

She is currently BC Representative to the Board of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

In 2001, Jana received the Postgraduate Teaching Award in Psychiatry and in 2004, she received the University of British Columbia Department of Psychiatry Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Judy Davies, Child & Adolescent Suicide Clinician, Vancouver Coastal Health

Judy Davies has been employed as the Child & Adolescent Suicide Clinician with Vancouver Coastal Health since May 2007. In that role she carries a caseload of children and youth who present with suicide ideation, and also provides training to professionals and community members regarding youth suicide. Her background includes fifteen years experience in the crisis arena, and a Masters in Counseling and Psychology. She is an experienced Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) trainer. She participated in the Alberta development of "Hope & Healing: A Practical Guide for Survivors of Suicide" which has been adapted to BC, and was on the Advisory Committee for the Center for Suicide Prevention's development of a one-day Youth Suicide Workshop. She is currently part of the Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Youth Mental Health committee, and offers suicide intervention training to local First Nation communities.

Dr. Stanley Kutcher, MD, FRCPC, Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health

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Valerie Methot, Director, Youth Theatre Action Group and the Roundhouse Youth Theatre Project.

Valerie Methot is a unique visionary whose innovative theatre work tackles important life issues with an authentic approach and expressionistic style that is effective and entertaining. Valerie demonstrates a vibrant visual imagination and strong sense of physically heightened theatricality. She has been lauded by a number of her actors and designers for her skills as a true collaborator, resulting in richly textured works. As a director and creator, Valerie is dedicated to the creation of original collaborative theatre projects and providing opportunities for youth expression through the development of new works. Valerie is founder and artistic/project director of both the Youth Theatre Action Group and the Roundhouse Youth Theatre Project, recipient of two Canada Council for the Arts awards; and director of several plays including Synchronicity; Express; Mirror, Mirror; Face Value and Take a Breath. Her plays, paintings and installations have been shown in Ontario, Quebec and throughout BC Lower Mainland.

Mark Rayter, Manager, Child and Youth Mental Health Services

Mark Rayter is currently Manager of Child and Youth Mental Health Services in Vancouver Community.  Holding a Master's degree in Social Work from UBC, he has been working in the field of children's mental health for over 20 years.  With a strong belief in youth engagement, he strives to bring a youth voice to the shaping and delivering of new and innovative approaches to service.  This is his fifth year collaborating with Director Valerie Methot and the Youth Theatre Action Group. 

Ian Ross, Executive Director, Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC

Ian Ross graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1974 with a Bachelor of Social Science and from the University of Oregon in 1985 with a Master’s degree in Management, Counselling and Gerontology.   Pursing his professional interest in Organizational Development, Gerontology and the promotion of Healthy Communities, Ian has worked in different capacities with organizations such as Distinctive Employment Counselling Services of Alberta,  REACH Community Health Centre in Vancouver and the Alzheimer Society of BC.  Since April 2001, Ian has been the Executive Director of the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC - aka ‘Crisis Centre in Vancouver’. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention (CASP) Board as Treasurer and Chair of the Crisis Intervention Committee and is presently working with a group of individuals, on a caring residential therapeutic community, called ‘Cottage Farm Centre for Mental Health’, where people with chronic mental health issues can find purpose, healing and wholeness.  Born and raised in Vernon, BC, Ian is presently living in Deep Cove, B.C. with wife Coleen and is the proud parent to two daughters (Margot & Shannon) and a son (Neil).