CANADIAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NICOLE SCHOUELA, President

Nicole enjoys learning and new challenges. She has extensive small business experience, both as past owner of two café/restaurants and present owner of Esscurve Fitness. She also has a passion for the arts both as viewer and maker and has completed her Bachelor and Masters degrees in Fine Art. She has volunteered in schools teaching dance and art to children, and recently spent five months in Uganda working with youth. She believes that a good education is a right that has a profound effect on the individual, as well as her community and country. Nicole is the President of STEN and acts as coordinator between the Vancouver and Ugandan teams. She lives in Vancouver and travels to Uganda regularly.

LORISA SCHOUELA, Secretary/Treasurer

Lorisa brings to the team a passion for travel, an interest in foreign cultures and a life-long commitment to serve. Along with her experience in hospice work she is an activist, philanthropist, meditator and humanitarian. She is dedicated to making a difference in this world. She stands by her belief that ultimately what you do determines who you are.

CHLOE BECK, Vice President

Chloe is currently a secondary school counsellor with the Vancouver School Board. She has a teaching degree and a Masters in counselling psychology and has experience teaching and counselling both elementary and secondary school students.

SILVIA GIABARDO

Silvia was born and raised in Italy. After having travelled extensively abroad, she chose Canada as her permanent residence. She now lives in Vancouver with her husband Davide and teaches language to both young and adult students. Her more than 15 years teaching experience continues to inspire her, making education the focus and joy of her life.

RHONA STEINBURG

Rhona, a registered psychologist for over 35 years, has worked as a professor and a clinician. She was both a director and a front-line psychologist at McGill University and Simon Fraser University. Presently she is an instructor in the Department of Psychology at Capilano University. As a clinician she has worked with individuals and couples who have problems with eating disorders, abuse (sexual, physical and emotional), depression and anxiety etc. She has also dealt with people who have both motivational and self-esteem issues. As an educator she has worked in many departments at various universities, teaching different aspects of Psychology.

KAREEN HUDSON

Kareen has 22 years experience as a social worker in community-based social services, child welfare and in the Vancouver school system. Kareen managed the Children Affected by Family Violence Program at Family Services of Greater Vancouver for the past 14 years and most recently has been involved in creating the RSVP program, an early intervention and targeted violence prevention program for at-risk children and youth that is now widely implemented in Vancouver schools. Currently, Kareen is responsible for overseeing the effective development and sustainability of counselling and outreach programs at Family Services of Greater Vancouver’s Kingsway office. Her education and training includes receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of British Columbia.

SUSAN COMAY

Susan Comay is a family doctor in Vancouver. She is the medical manager at the Pine Clinic treating adolescents as well as adults with no medical insurance such as new immigrants and other marginalized patients. She works with the BC Women’s Hospital on-call service for sexually assaulted patients. Born in South Africa her deep connection to the continent has taken her back there frequently both to travel and work. She has worked as a doctor in Tanzania and more recently as a medical volunteer in Ghana.

CLAUDIE AZOULAI

Claudie is a teacher in the Vancouver public school system, as well as a fibre artist. She has taught for the past 25 years and has brought her art experience to children of all ages as well as to adults. She has also had the opportunity to have several years involvement as an integral member of the Education Department at Or Shalom Synagogue, a Jewish religious institution in Vancouver, BC.