Executive Team
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Rite of Passage Mentors
We welcome new mentors for our rite of passage program every second year. Here are some of our wonderful past mentors:
Board of Directors
Elisa Lee, MA, BEd, BSc, BA, has been hanging out with young people for 15 years. She remembers how BIG it felt menstruating for the first time, and how she had so many questions about growing older, “So, I can have a baby now?? Are these changes in my body normal? Am I normal? What do I do about this crush? What’s highschool going to be like?” She just felt different than before when she was younger. Nowadays, Elisa loves being around girls & young women hearing about their lives, their dreams and their fears, and helping them know how incredible and amazingly unique they are. As a school teacher and youth wilderness guide, Elisa practices compassionate Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to cultivate empathetic relationships. Elisa shared her childhood with the mighty salmon of northern British Columbia and like them, she migrated far from home. After completing university degrees in Education, Biology and English Literature in Ontario, she had many adventures living and traveling abroad before feeling the instinctual pull to journey home. In 2012, Elisa enacted a nature-based rite of passage and was formally initiated as a woman at the age of 31. This life-changing experience inspired her to complete a Master’s degree in Environmental Education focusing on women’s coming-of-age rites of passage. She has also done vision quest guide training with The School of Lost Borders, and helped lead youth rites of passage with Rites of Passage Journeys. Elisa is a lifelong student of conscious communication and personal development, and currently teaches at Fresh Air Learning forest school and facilitates the Self-Care Project.
Jenn has worked in Vancouver’s not-for-profit community for over 20 years. She is a well-respected leader who strongly values doing transformational work with great people.
Prior to joining Fire & Flower, Jenn served as the Executive Director of KidSafe, as well as the Provincial Director of the BC & Yukon Chapter of the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada (now merged with Make-A-Wish Canada). Jenn also founded Inspire Partnerships and has had the pleasure of working with many not-for-profit clients including the Adler University Vancouver Foundation and the Rare Disease Foundation of Canada. Jenn has extensive fundraising and management experience, having also served as the Director of Special Events at Arts Umbrella and the Arts Club Theatre Company.
Jenn deeply appreciates the meaningful relationships with colleagues, mentors, donors and families that she has met and served over the years. She is grateful every day for the health and wellness of her two sons and feels lucky to have found Fire & Flower.
Amber is an experiential and outdoor educator born in BC and currently residing on the wild wet
coast town of Tofino. Growing up she had a strong call to adventure which has taken her across
many countries and landscapes, exploring big questions along the way like what it means to
transition to womanhood in this world and what community really means. She has completed
her BA in International Development and Environmental Studies, and has spent time working in
international education, including teaching, and eventually found a place in nature-based and
alternative education. A self-proclaimed feminist and advocate of women, Amber became
especially involved while volunteering with vulnerable women at a local shelter and crisis line in
Vancouver and from there developed a passion for education around women’s health and
rights. Growing up with so little knowledge of and love for her own body and female power, she
loves being able to mentor and guide young girls along a more restorative and empowered path
to womenhood.
Amber is also an herbalist, yoga teacher, scuba diver, and acro-yogi. She strongly believes in
the power of nature to teach and heal, and that our relationship to the earth is a direct reflection
of our connection to ourselves and others. Her other interests and areas of study include
somatic & dance therapy, eco-pyschology, and rites of passage work. In her spare time, you
can probably find Amber out surfing the waves, making herbal medicines, hiking through old growth forests, or dancing on the beach.
Meet Carly, a passionate Psychology student at The University of British Columbia. As a proud member of the Métis community, Carly is dedicated to exploring her heritage and advocating for indigenous ways of knowing, especially in the realm of mental health. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, she has always been captivated by the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains, spending her summers hiking and swimming in its lakes and winters skiing down its slopes. Carly is also a seasoned professional dancer, having toured the world aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise ships prior to relocating to Vancouver to pursue her academic pursuits. In addition to her many adventures, Carly has also devoted her time to teaching young people at various dance studios. These experiences have been some of the most fulfilling and impactful moments in her life, as she has had the opportunity to inspire and connect with her students. Now, Carly is excited to bring her passion for youth empowerment to the Fire & Flower team. She feels privileged to be part of such a positive and supportive community, which she knows will inspire her to continue growing and making a difference in the lives of girls and non-binary youth.
Elisa is a certified Educational Assistant and E-RYT200 Yoga Instructor. She is also a published author, a teacher of independent workshops and an artist. All of her work is rooted in the use of word & image and their relationship to nature. The publication her first book ‘the nature of She’, explores the complex dynamics between the masculine, Mother Nature and the nature of the feminine. She launched ‘pen & p a i n t’, an investigation of the cerebral word & the sensory image through the application of writing & painting after the completion of a program with the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Inspired by a young girl’s trek to freedom across the Gobi desert, she then went on to found valentinesletters.org, an online platform where people are invited to share stories of connection inspired by a single letter. She has recently begun a new artwork series intended to question our understanding of what we visualize in a composition versus how it is defined in print.
Elisa believes our relationship with Mother Nature is paramount in establishing our connection to ourselves and to the immense power of the feminine. She is thrilled to be a part of the Fire & Flower team.
Althea is a student at Capilano University and is working towards a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She aspires to be an elementary school teacher and has had a passion for education since the 12th grade. That year, she had a teacher that truly changed her. He showed her that there are many ways to teach and that there are always ways to accommodate the different needs of each student. Since then, she’s been committed to being that mentor in other people’s lives that shows that level of compassion and understanding. Althea currently teaches preschool at Fresh Air Learning and her favourite thing about it is that it combines two of her great passions: education and the outdoors. Althea has grown up hiking, camping and backpacking with her mother and has been taught from an early age the importance of living harmoniously and respectfully with the earth. Althea has always found time spent in the forest to be capable of curing mental wounds and serves as an Oasis from a sometimes harsh reality. Althea’s other great passion is the care of animals. She has 4 rescue dogs: Crawley the Husky x, Luna the border collie, Maya the pit bull x, and Ivan the Belgian shepherd. She sincerely believes that each living thing on this earth deserves love and deserves a place where they belong. She also believes that everyone deserves a second chance.
Samar Shata, MCP RCC is a psychotherapist in private practice at Alyson Jones and Associates in West Vancouver. She was a featured speaker at TEDxWomen in 2015, where she spoke of the art of transforming fear into action. Samar leads from her keen sense of understanding and proactivity. She brings that enthusiasm and belief to her counseling practice, working with people of all ages in different settings to offer them guidance through periods of challenge. She is also a meditation facilitator, dance therapist and the Founder and CEO of Well Institute.
Beatrice is a performing artist and administrator with a passion for bringing joy to others. Though she currently resides in Toronto, ON, Beatrice was born and raised in North Vancouver, BC. When she isn’t answering emails, Beatrice is a professional dancer with credits including: the 2015 Parapan Am Games Opening Ceremonies, “The Great Big Boo” dance captain (Western Ontario Tour), “Century” music video (Feist), Wong Cho-Lam at Fallsview Casino, and “The 4th R” (Canadian Tour). Beatrice is also a trained web developer, and loves combining her analytical and creative skills to upkeep the website you’re looking at now!
Beatrice is elated to be a part of the Fire & Flower community, contributing to programs that she wished she had growing up. Having spent time as a dance teacher, Beatrice has seen the impact that providing a nurturing environment can have on youth. It is a joy to watch young people flourish and grow, and she feels privileged to be a part of that!
Jennifer was one of Fire & Flower’s first mentors from 2018 in our Rite of Passage program and is now a board director. Having moved to Vancouver from Montreal, she has been working as a trauma-informed therapeutic counsellor and mindfulness educator. With a background in fine arts, cooking and teaching yoga, Jennifer also enjoys cycling and philosophy and has been creatively combining her eclectic background into creating her future as an ever-growing woman. Her counselling practice is called To Be Heard Counselling.
Alla moved to Canada from Russia when she was 12 years old. If she knows one thing it is that transitions of any kind are not easy, and yet with enough courage, empathy and determination, anything is possible. She loves to travel and this passion had her living in Australia for 2 years, hiking to Everest Base camp, and exploring her inner and outer landscapes through Bali and Thailand. She is a lover of nature, adventures, building meaningful connections, trying new things and always seeing the silver lining during hard times. Being born a natural helper, seeing people’s inner gifts and helping them align with their heart and soul is what is fuelling Alla to take a shift away from her career in Sales and to enroll in a school for Coaching and Counselling. Mentorship has become a huge passion for Alla, and since becoming a mentor with Fire & Flower, she has continued to get involved with further programs through YWCA and Junior Achievements.
Lisa is passionate about rites of passage, especially for young girls becoming women. She deeply, fully and completely believes that as we strengthen and empower women, we will create a more compassionate, balanced and diverse world. We are needed! As a Master Celebrant, Lisa works with families of the heart, your chosen family, to design ceremonies that acknowledge your life journey then sweetly supports and guides you to your next steps.
Brian Paterson is an arts marketing specialist and passionate outdoor explorer who is grateful to offer his insights and time to Fire & Flower.
Brian is a partner at Murray Paterson Marketing Group, a boutique agency dedicated to the arts + culture sector, where he works with a range of clientele including Bard on the Beach, Knowledge Network, the Museum of Anthropology, and Vancouver International Film Festival, among others. A classically trained actor, Brian discovered a broader stage for his talents by marrying his intimate knowledge of the arts with his skill and passion for marketing.
Makenzie Correa holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Toronto and has experience working in non-profits, marketing, and event planning. Since her teenage years, she has dedicated herself to supporting youth, firmly believing in the transformative power of positive mentorship. Makenzie is passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives and remains committed to empowering the next generation, she hopes to continue this through her work on the Fire and Flower Girls Board.
A dedicated professional with a strong commitment to community development, Christine has been involved in the social services field for over 5 years. With extensive experience in program coordination, student success, and volunteer management, Christine has previously contributed to organizations supporting youth, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, young women and girls and people living with/at risk of HIV. Her work emphasizes creating inclusive environments, building robust partnerships, and leveraging trauma-informed practices to support marginalized communities. Christine holds diplomas in Social Service Work and Community & Justice Services, reflecting a deep-rooted passion for continuous learning and community engagement.