BC Society of Transition Houses

The BCSTH team is here to support anti-violence workers across British Columbia with information, resources, training and consultation.

Along with enthusiasm and commitment, our team brings a diverse array of knowledge, skills and experience to their work of fostering a province-wide community of practice.

Our Team

Amy FitzGerald

Executive Director

Amy has been a lawyer for over 20 years and previously was an Assistant Attorney General (AAG) in the Criminal Division at the Vermont Attorney General’s Office where she worked on unsolved homicides and was...

Allison Westbridge

Office Administrator

*Out of office* Allison brings a diverse background in Women’s Studies, English Literature, and Hospitality Management to her work at BCSTH. Having spent the past few years in the hospitality industry in various roles including...

Ariel Pavic

Office Administrator

Ariel (she/her) has been working in the Non Profit sector as a staff, volunteer and Board Member/Executive since 2008. Most recently she worked as Program Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for Yoga Outreach, where she collaborated...

Chelsea Parker

Children and Youth Services Coordinator

Chelsea (she/her) comes from a background in frontline work in Ecuador as a family and street outreach worker, working in various capacities with child labourers and women and children affected by domestic and gender based...

Cori Kleisinger

Cedar Blankets Project Coordinator

Cori, mother and grandmother of 6, has worked in the anti-violence field with families in a variety of roles from front line to management and brings more than 25 years’ experience in Indigenous and non-Indigenous...

Ghazaleh Akbarnejad

Women Centred Housing Design Project Coordinator

Ghazaleh (she/her) is a Project Coordinator for the Women-Centred Housing & Design Project. This project focuses on identifying solutions and strategies for designing long-term housing that is suitable and appropriate for women and their children...

Hannah Lee

Manager of Membership Services

Hannah (she/her) began her work with BCSTH in 2009. Her main role is to support and liaise with BCSTH membership and coordinate projects such as Building Supports and Reaching Out with Yoga. She is committed...

Kaayla Ashlie

Project Coordinator

Kaayla (she/her) first joined BCSTH in the summer of 2021 to write the final report for the Getting Home Project and is now the Project Coordinator for the Keys to Home Project. She has a...

Lisa Matyszewski

Learning & Capacity Building Coordinator

Lisa (she/her) has a BA in Social Sciences and has worked in the anti-violence sector supporting vulnerable women and children for the last thirteen years. She has worked in various transition houses and shelters as...

Negah Alapour

Transportation Project Researcher and Coordinator

Negah (she/her) is a Researcher and Coordinator for the Transportation Project, where she is working on increasing access to safe and affordable transportation for women fleeing violence in Northern BC. She is a former urban...

Rhiannon Wong

Technology Safety Project Lead

*Currently on secondment as Project Manager, Technology Safety Canada Project, Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC)* Rhiannon joined BCSTH in 2007 and has had many roles – the Children and Youth Services Coordinator for 8 years, the...

Tanyss Knowles

Director of Programs

*Out of office* Tanyss is passionate about community building and social policy that meets local needs and promotes community strengths. Tanyss has worked with rural and remote communities in BC and all three territories on...

Tina Chau

Librarian

Tina began working for BCSTH in 2009 when she was hired to develop the BCSTH Library online catalogue. She now provides a full range of BCSTH Library services and is pleased that her library, teaching...

Our Board of Directors

Alix Dolson

Director

Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre Region 5 Okanagan Alix (she/her) is a settler living on the traditional, unceded territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc people, in what is today called Kamloops. A registered social worker,...

Angela Marie MacDougall

Director

Battered Women’s Support Services Association Member at Large Through her community-based organizing, frontline work and activism over three decades, Angela has been deeply involved in movements for social justice. Since the nineties, Angela has developed...

Brooke Belkin

Director

Canadian Mental Health Association for the Kootenays Region 4 Kootenays Brooke is the Director of Women and Youth Services for Canadian Mental Health Association for the Kootenays. She has been an advocate for women services...

Lori Hirst

Director

Campbell River & North Island Transition Society Member at Large Lori lives in Campbell River, BC on the beautiful Vancouver Island, the land of the Laichwiltach people. Lori has been working at the Campbell River...

Michele Jones

Director

Michele Jones is a PEACE and Rainbows facilitator with Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS). Michele’s ancestry is British and Metis (French and Algonquin). She started her work with CSFS in 2011, for the last 7...

Neena Randhawa

Director

Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) Region 3 Fraser Valley Neena is the program coordinator with Harmony House Second Stage Transition House Program for immigrant women and children fleeing domestic violence. She started her career...

Shaoli Choudhury

Director

Shaoli Choudhury is an experienced advocate for the safety and well-being of women, with a particular passion for the advancement of migrant and newcomer women’s rights. She currently works as the Manager of Transition Houses...

Syma Nehal

Director

Nisa Homes Transition House Member at Large Syma is a Case Worker at Nisa Homes Transition House in the Lower Mainland. She is passionate about supporting women who are facing adversities. She feels that her...

Tina Daye

Chair

Northern Society for Domestic Peace Region 7 North Tina is a PEACE and STV Outreach worker at the Northern Society for Domestic Peace in Smithers, BC. She has been working in the domestic violence sector...

BC Society of Transition Houses

Suite 325, 119 W. Pender St. Vancouver BC V6B 1S5
T: 604.669.6943 or 1.800.661.1040
F: 604.682.6962
E: info@bcsth.ca

The BC Society of Transition Houses’ office is located on unceded Coast Salish territory, shared by the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Website developed by Affinity Bridge.

Our Team

Amy FitzGerald

Allison Westbridge

Ariel Pavic

Chelsea Parker

Cori Kleisinger

Ghazaleh Akbarnejad

Hannah Lee

Kaayla Ashlie

Lisa Matyszewski

Negah Alapour

Rhiannon Wong

Tanyss Knowles

Tina Chau

Our Board of Directors

Alix Dolson

Angela Marie MacDougall

Brooke Belkin

Lori Hirst

Michele Jones

Neena Randhawa

Shaoli Choudhury

Syma Nehal

Tina Daye

BC Society of Transition Houses

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