Ian is a retired litigation lawyer, practising in the East End of Vancouver for over 45 years, and has been involved with a variety of community organizations. These include Chair of the BC Pavilion Corporation (which owns and operates the Vancouver Convention Centre and BC Place), President of the Pacific National Exhibition, Chair of the Britannia Community Centre, Executive Member of REACH Health Clinic, Executive Member of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC, and previous President of the BCNDP. He has been involved as a volunteer with the Lawyers Assistant Program of BC for over 25 years, including being the Chair of that Board. He is committed to working with others in 12-Step Recovery and continues to do so on a daily basis. He lives in Burnaby with his spouse, Cathy Aikenhead, and has two grown children.

David has been involved in unionized labour for over 42 years, presently serving as the Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer of Teamsters Local Union No. 155 in Vancouver. He also serves as a Director of Call Time Mental Health, a public resource and mental health campaign for workers in the Film in the motion picture industry and the performing arts. David’s other activities include serving as a Pension Plan trustee and a trustee of the Film Union’s Health and Benefits plan.

David’s day to day job representing over 2200 Members who work in BC’s Film and Television Industry was his first exposure to Together We Can. Seeing how TWC has helped not only Union Members, but the community that we live and work in has been a source of inspiration.

David feels truly privileged to serve and learn alongside the other board members in furthering his own Union principles of promoting the security and welfare of this community through the activities of Together We Can.

Dr Mead has been practicing addiction medicine for over 20 years with expertise in women’s health, concurrent psychiatric disorders and pain management. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC. She holds the positions of Senior Medical Director for Mental Health and Substance Use programs at BC Women’s Hospital, and Medical Director for BC Correctional Health Services. Dr Mead provides clinical care to women in recovery at New Dawn Recovery House and consults on the Addiction Medicine Consult Services at St Paul’s Hospital and BC Women’ and Children’s hospitals. As past Program Director of the BCCSU Addiction Medicine Fellowship training program, she continues to teach and mentor students, trainees and practicing physicians in the field of Substance Use care.

Peter grew up in Europe where he was educated in England and the Netherlands and learned to speak four languages. He came to Canada to study Economics at UBC and then embarked on a career in banking, finance and subsequently financial planning and accounting, that has spanned over three decades. In addition to his master’s degree in business administration, he is both a Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Professional Accountant. He has some experience with non-profit organisations and has acted as treasurer for a micro-board. He was drawn to get involved with Together We Can after seeing the difference that the organisation made in the life of a close friend.

Dana Sirsiris is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in Human Resources. She is a dedicated wife and mother of three, though her eldest son, Johnny, tragically passed away in 2020 at the age of 25 due to a fentanyl overdose. In memory of Johnny, Dana is a co-founder and serves as a partner in the Johnny's Heart of Gold Invitational initiative, alongside her nephew and family friend. Established in 2021, their mission is to create a lasting legacy for Johnny by raising funds to support organizations that focus on mental health and substance use disorders.

With a diverse background in public sector HR, Dana has served in various roles since 1993. Presently, she holds the position of Director, HR for School District 42 (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows), a role she has held since 2011. In her capacity as a senior leader and member of the Senior Management team, Dana actively participates in strategic and operational planning. She plays a role in shaping the culture of the school district, budget planning, and providing HR-related recommendations and presentations to the Board of Education. Dana leads a team of 11 HR professionals responsible for supporting the entire employee experience, from recruitment to retirement. Her scope of responsibilities includes overseeing attraction, recruitment and retention, staffing, dispatch, health, safety and wellness, disability management, staff development, job design, analysis and compensation, and employee and labor relations.

Prior to her current role, Dana worked for 10+ years with the City of Vancouver's HR department as the Manager of Employee Relations and HR Consultant. She initiated her HR career as an HR generalist with Providence Health Care (St. Paul's Hospital), where she was primarily responsible for recruitment and staffing as well as the coordination and facilitation of staff development and training initiatives.

Dana's commitment to her profession, combined with her personal experiences, deeply motivates her to dedicate her efforts towards raising awareness and support for mental health and substance use disorders.

Scott Edmonds is a retired executive having lived and worked in Europe and Asia before settling in Vancouver in 1999. He has significant experience with leading organizations and building teams, as well as serving on a variety of public company and not for profit boards as Chair, Audit Chair and Corporate Governance Chair.

Scott holds the ICD.d designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. His NFP roles have included time on the boards of Avalon Recovery Society, Turning Point and Pacifica.

With over 20 years of dedicated experience in the substance use field, I bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to my role as a board member. My background in substance use counselling has equipped me with the skills and insights necessary to support individuals on their journey to recovery. I hold a master's degree in Leadership, which has enhanced my ability to guide and inspire teams and clients. Outside of my professional endeavors, I am an avid outdoors enthusiast, finding solace and rejuvenation in nature. My commitment to this field is driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact, and I am honoured to contribute my expertise to our board.