Experience
What shapes my interest in AUGSA council...
Throughout my career, I have consistently taken a holistic and long-term view of challenges and opportunities at multiple levels across related areas. An ongoing culture of learning compliments my desire to develop my long-term capacity for offering insight and skills to complex situations.
Through my work with Youth Restorative Action Project (YRAP) and The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (SACE) 24-hr Crisis Line, I have extensive training and practice in restorative justice, sexual assault disclosure, suicide intervention, conflict resolution, and peacemaking circles. Many clients accessing services were experiencing multiple forms of oppression and thus required trauma-informed support and consideration as they navigated the criminal justice system. My front-line experience informs my understanding of the impactful change possible with well-informed policy, and the knock-on effects of well-meaning intervention lacking empathy.
From 2015-17, I lived in Belgium to attend KU Leuven where I completed the Master of Science in Criminology degree. Attending a program as an International student was unexpectedly isolating. I knew I could make friends and meet people without issue but I found it took a lot of energy at the beginning and had trouble adjusting to the Belgian way of school. When people ask how the experience was I try to highlight the many surreal opportunities and sights etc. But looking back, the experience came with a steep learning curve and no real support from the school. There were 8 of us International students with 160 Belgian students in the Criminology program; our entire graduation ceremony was in Dutch...we were not the focal point of the program and were regularly reminded that we didn't fit in. I credit my fellow International students of the program for getting me through the experience.
I served on the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) of the non-profit I worked for from 2019-2023. The QAC allows the agency to determine which outcomes are essential and maximize the use of resources to achieve results aligned with the organization's goals. QAC does this while maintaining accountability to the agency, clients, and all other stakeholders. I have years of experience using creative problem-solving to integrate trauma-informed practice with institutional expectations.