Up to 15 directors can be elected or appointed to the RJABC Board of Directors. Directors represent a range of expertise and knowledge of the not-for-profit sector, board governance, and the delivery of restorative justice services in communities throughout BC.
Community Restorative Justice Program Board of Director representatives will be elected for a one-year term and all other director terms shall be for two years.
RJABC Board of Directors are sought with the following areas in mind:
- Restorative Justice Stakeholder Representation
- Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- Regional/Geographical Representation
Directors will be considered, prequalified and elected from organizations and individuals who are eligible for Full Voting Membership with the intention of having a 2/3 minimum of its directors as designated representatives of community based non-profit and municipal based restorative justice programs from the different geographical regions of British Columbia.
RJABC also seeks a range of key justice stakeholder representatives to provide a balanced perspective of justice in addressing the impacts of crime and wrongdoing on people and communities and in working towards more restorative, safe, and peaceful communities for all.
Are you interested in applying for the board? Complete the application form and we will be in touch.
2024-25 Board of Directors
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Alana Abramson | Co-Chairperson |
| Taya Rankin | Co-Chairperson |
| Warren McDougall | Treasurer |
| Cheryl Letkeman | Secretary |
| Evelyn Zellerer | Director at Large |
| Roselle Quinones | Director at Large |
| Jane Osborne | Director at Large |
| Sgt. Mike Grandia | Director at Large |
| Maya Mount | Director at Large |
| Calvin Swustus | Director at Large |
| Clare Jennings | Director at Large |
Jane Osborne
I came to my work in community because of a personal experience with a close friend’s 70
something mother who was abused by her husband. I didn’t know where to go to find supports
for her and the search led me to BC Community Response Networks and the adult
guardianship field. A restorative justice and more recently an anti-racism and reconciliation
lens allows me to explore and understand my own privilege and my personal history which in
turn enables me to bring my whole being to the process of envisioning and supporting
collective action around the social determinants of health. I am a member of the United Way’s
Community Based Seniors Sector Leadership Committee. In this role, I focus my energy on
rural and remote communities (including First Nations / indigenous communities) and on
LGBTQ2+and other marginalized individuals within those communities. I am also a Board
Member for the BC Rural Health Network which dovetails with my work in rural & remote
communities on Vancouver Island.
Roselle Quinones
Roselle Quinones has been involved in the field of victim services for over 20 years starting as a volunteer in 1996 then as a caseworker with New Westminster Police and now serving as the Victim Services Coordinator with Port Moody Police Department. Over the years in her role as a police victim services worker, Roselle has provided crisis intervention, emotional support and information about the criminal justice system and community resources to those who have been impacted by crime and trauma. She has also provided support to individuals as they navigate the court system.
Roselle recognises the importance of providing victims with information about Restorative Justice to assist them in making informed decisions about available options. In 2018, PMPD Victim Services and Communities Embracing Restorative Action (CERA) hosted a 4 day workshop ‘Enhancing Restorative Justice Practice for Restorative Justice Practitioners and Police Victim Services Workers’. The intention of the workshop was to facilitate better working relationships and for RJ practitioners and police victim services workers to gain a better understanding of each others roles when supporting victims of crime.
Currently, Roselle serves on the Police Victim Services of BC (PVSBC) Board of Directors as the Municipal Victim Services Program Rep as well as the Liaison to the RJABC Board. By serving on both the PVSBC and RJABC Boards it is hoped there will be opportunities for collaboration and discussion regarding restorative justice practises to benefit those who have been harmed, those who have harmed and the community at large.
Alana Abramson
Alana’s journey with restorative justice began in 1999 when she enrolled in a restorative justice class at Simon Fraser University as part of her studies in Criminology. The experience in the course and meeting the professor, Dr. Liz Elliott, would transform her life. Since that transformative experience, Alana went on to complete her Masters and PhD researching the field of restorative justice in relation to policing, community, and post-secondary institutions. She has also been a restorative justice practitioner and trainer since 2003 and has implemented RJ in community, prison, and school contexts. Alana has organized and participated in numerous conferences and research initiatives on issues related to restorative justice and violence, trauma, first responder mental health, victim/survivors of crime, and prison justice.
In 2017, Dr. Abramson was the recipient of the Restorative Justice Award from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. She also worked to develop the first victim-sensitive principles and standards for restorative justice providers in BC. Alana is a full-time Criminology Instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Coordinator and Facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project, member of the Interior Restorative Justice Hub, Board Member for BC Bereavement Society and trainer for Community Justice Initiatives and Achieve/Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute. In 2019, she was invited by the Department of National Defense (DND) to create and deliver training to restorative justice practitioners and Senior Defense Representatives in the Canadian Armed Forces and DND.
Alana is grateful for the opportunity to bring her experience from both academia and practice to the board of RJ ABC. As a passionate advocate for community education and empowerment, promising restorative justice practices, and personal and societal transformation, Alana will continue to work hard with the Association to enhance restorative justice in BC.
Sgt. Mike Grandia
Mike has been a Police Member for 18 years and is currently working within the Community Policing Bureau with the Surrey Police Service.
He works collaboratively with the community, Elders and community partners who, within a team-based environment, have contributed to the development and implementation of successful programming related to harm reduction, trauma informed practices, justice-based programming, youth programming and overall community health and wellness. Formerly, Sgt Grandia was assigned as the liaison officer, working with the Tsawwassen First Nation and has worked with high-risk youth and their families for over 20 years. Respecting community traditions and culture, the mandate within these positions, was to seek solutions to community issues through the development of localized, culturally based strategies, thereby contributing to the building of safe and healthy communities.
Sgt Grandia developed and is co-chair of the Canadian Police for Youth Network and works with the Community Action Initiative (Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions) developing best practices training related to homelessness and harm reduction strategies throughout BC. Sgt Grandia played an integral role in the development of the SPS Indigenous Vision, has presented on two occasions at the First Nations Justice Summit related to alternative forms of justice, and is currently working with the FNJC in the development of cultural awareness training and the development of a local Indigenous justice center.
Sgt Grandia has provided training for police, community partners and justice partners on a provincial and national level. Sgt Grandia lives with his wife and two children in the City of Surrey.
Cheryl Letkeman
Const. Cheryl Letkeman became a member of the RCMP in 2007 after having owned and operated a small manufacturing business. I knew nothing about policing. I learned quickly that my passion laid in community policing. I have worked the Surrey unit where I embraced the restorative justice approach and referred many clients. From there I was posted in Richmond and into the Vulnerable Persons Unit where I worked beside a psychiatric nurse in a mental health crisis car. My 17-year policing journey has since led me to my current role as the RCMP’s restorative justice coordinator for E Division which I undertook in June of 2023. I am one course away from earning a Restorative Justice Certificate from SFU. I am passionate about the restorative justice approach and excited to see if flourish in British Columbia.
Clare Jennings
Clare Jennings, KC, earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in History from McGill University in 2000 and 2002, respectively, before completing a Bachelor of Law degree at the University of Victoria in 2006. She was called to the bar of British Columbia in 2008 after clerking for a year at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and completing a year of articles with the Ministry of Attorney General. She is currently a Crown Counsel with the Victoria Crown Counsel office, where she has worked since her call to the bar. Outside of the office, Clare has spent a lot of her time volunteering. In addition to significant volunteering with the Canadian Bar Association – BC Branch, Clare has acted as a coach for the University of Victoria MacIntyre and Gale Moot teams. She regularly assists as a guest judge for other moots and Advocacy classes; sometimes assists as a guest lecturer in courses and at PLTC; and has also been a regular presenter of professional development with the BC Prosecution Service and through CBABC. For years, Clare has written scripts for the annual Fairy Tale Trial for Victoria’s Law Day. Outside of the law, Clare has been a member of the University of Victoria Human Research Ethics Board for several years, where she enjoys learning about the larger non-legal academic world.
Taya Rankin
Taya Rankin is a seasoned Indigenous Administration Professional with over 16 years of experience in Indigenous Government, specializing in restorative justice, fisheries and wildlife, municipal bylaws, and overall government administration. She holds a diploma and certificate in Chemical Addictions from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. Taya excels in budget formulation, document generation, proposal writing, and project logistics management. With a deep appreciation for Indigenous governance’s cultural nuances, she is dedicated to creating organized and respectful environments, fostering positive relationships, and making meaningful contributions to Indigenous Government Administration.
Calvin Swustus
Calvin is an Indigenous Person, from the Cowichan Tribes community, near the City of Duncan. Cowichan if the largest Indigenous community in British Columbia, has a population of 5200. Calvin & Dora have been married for 36 year and have 3 children, 2 sons and 1 daughter, and 6 Granddaughters.
Calvin is a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, he served 22 years. Calvin filled mainly the General Duty service, and majority of delivering police service to many Indigenous communities. Calvin was trained to deliver many services in the RCMP, Member Assistance Program, Critical Incident Debriefer, Sexual Assault Investigator, Arson Investigator. Calvin spent 5 years Investigating the crimes committed in the Indian Residential Schools. Calvin took part in the Vision Quest Canoe Journey in 1997, paddling 1000 miles down the Skeena River and the west coast of B.C. to deliver the concept of an Indigenous Treatment Centre. This Centre exists today. Calvin was the Chairman of the Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games, hosted in Cowichan, this event brought 3500 Indigenous Youth, and 1000 paddlers participating in the Journey canoes to Cowichan, totaling 10000 persons, consisting of coaching staff, support persons. This event took 5 years to prepare and another 1.5 years to close its books.
Calvin was a Co-Chair of the 2017 North American Indigenous Hockey Championships hosted in the Cowichan Valley. This event was attended by Indigenous hockey teams representing each Province in Canada.
Calvin filled the position of Justice Coordinator for Cowichan Tribes for 13 years. Facilitating Restorative Justice, and working with the RCMP, Dept of Fisheries and Ocean, Conservation, local businesses, the school district, Crown Counsel. Calvin was part of the team that planned and put together the Duncan First Nation Court. Calvin filled the Justice Manager for the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation, and build the same service as he did for Cowichan tribes.
Today Calvin has developed a Mens Group, and has taken on Contract to work with Indigenous clients with counselling that are Incarcerated, and or on Probation. Calvin was decorated with the RCMP Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, and Decorated by the Canadian Indigenous Veterans Association Calvin is an elected official for Cowichan Tribes.
Evelyn Zellerer
Dr. Evelyn Zellerer is a facilitator, trainer and speaker specializing in peace circles, restorative justice, communication, and conscious governance. She is the Founder/Director, Peace of the Circle – working internationally with justice agencies, governments, Indigenous First Nations, workplaces, families, schools and communities. Evelyn earned her Ph.D. in criminology from SFU (1996) and over the past 25 years, she has taught and led projects in diverse contexts, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mozambique, Nepal, South Africa, UK, and USA. Evelyn is a published author and has presented at many forums, including the United Nations.
Evelyn is thrilled to join this provincial Board, having participated for three years in the steering committee that developed RJ ABC. Evelyn is a proud mother of her young adult son. When not working and traveling the world, you may find her immersed in nature, the ocean, and photography near her home in Vancouver.For more information, visit www.peaceofthecircle.com.
Warren McDougall
Warren is an Indigenous clinical counsellor and consultant who specializes in stress related unwellness commonly known as addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. Having suffered intimately these pains and symptoms of colonial oppression, rooted in both sides of his family tree, Warren was lost and confused until he found the catalyst for healing in restorative connections. He is honoured to now be able to support others in walking the path to healing and restoration. In joining and serving the Board, Warren hopes to help offer others what saved his own life.
Maya Mount
Maya Mount is a grade 12 student at Handsworth Secondary School. He is one of Handsworth Pride Club’s 4 co-leaders. This club provides a queer affirming space where students and faculty can drink tea, have discussions, plan events, and more. Previous projects include Pride Week – a week of activities ending with a block party to celebrate the school’s new rainbow crosswalk – the Teacher Allyship Project where pride club members made and presented a guide on how to support queer students and a series of six healthy relationship workshops where participants learned about consent, boundaries and more. This year the club will manage its biggest project yet; planning a district wide Queer Prom. In addition to queer activism, Maya is passionate about disability justice and art of all kinds. He hopes to bring a youth perspective to this board and implement restorative justice principles in secondary schools.
Jane-osborne
I came to my work in community because of a personal experience with a close friend’s 70 something mother who was abused by her husband. I didn’t know where to go to find supports for her and the search led me to BC Community Response Networks and the adult guardianship field. A restorative justice and more recently an anti-racism and reconciliation lens allows me to explore and understand my own privilege and my personal history which in turn enables me to bring my whole being to the process of envisioning and supporting collective action around the social determinants of health. I am a member of the United Way’s Community Based Seniors Sector Leadership Committee. In this role, I focus my energy on rural and remote communities (including First Nations / indigenous communities) and on LGBTQ2+and other marginalized individuals within those communities. I am also a Board Member for the BC Rural Health Network which dovetails with my work in rural & remote communities on Vancouver Island.