About Us

With a passionate and respected team of educators, healthcare professionals, and business leaders, Adam’s Apples Foundation operates in 50 schools and community centres across British Columbia.

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Our team

Board Members

Darcy Hibberd

Adam’s mother, Darcy, is a successful business woman and volunteer who has dedicated her life to striking a balance between her commercial success, the happiness of her friends, and the nurturing of her four children. Darcy founded Adam’s Apples Foundation in 2015 to honour the legacy of her son, Adam Hryhorchuk.

Beth Allard

Beth is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP. As a mother of two, she understands the importance of giving children the opportunity to connect, to be heard and to be valued.

Steve Anthony

Head of School at West Point Grey Academy, Stephen believes deeply in the potential of our youth, and the critical importance of actively developing their character, leadership capacity, and unique voices.

Leslie Blake

Leslie has worked in the helping professions for over 35 years, first as a critical care nurse in several large teaching hospitals, and currently as a Registered Psychologist. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing; a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology; and a Master of Arts and PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Peter Blake

Peter is an accomplished business leader who enjoyed a successful career, most recently as Chief Executive Officer with both Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and WesternOne Inc. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of West Point Grey Academy, and as a cabinet member for the BC Business Laureates Hall of Fame.

David Chevreau

David recently retired from working as a Senior School Counsellor at West Point Grey Academy. He is convinced that adolescents who have meaningful connections are more likely to make healthy decisions as they navigate the “fire swamp” of their teenage years. In addition to other degrees, David completed a MA in Counselling Psychology at UBC.

Liz Fleming

Originally trained at the University of Victoria as a Social Worker, Liz has served at the Board of Directors level with community services organizations including P.I.N. Crisis Line, Chimo Crisis Line, Vernon Women’s Transition House, the Richmond Caring Place Society, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon.

Muffy Greenaway

Dr. Muffy Greenaway MD, FRPC© is the Founder and Director of Three Story Clinic and is a Psychiatrist with over 10 years of experience assessing and treating conditions such as Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Psychosis, and Complex Pain.

Katy Harandi

Katy Harandi is the mother of two children, one of whom has autism. Katy is the co- founder and Chair of the Board at PALS Autism Society, a specialized educational program for children and young adults with autism.

Lesley Hoeschen

Lesley enjoyed a successful career in the investment industry as a Vice President at RBC Dominion Securities before transitioning to stay-at-home mom to raise her three children, which include a child affected by mental health challenges.

Sean MacLachlan

Adam’s brother, Sean, is a Chartered Professional Accountant in Ernst & Young’s Transaction Advisory practice. Sean’s primary expertise is providing buy-side transaction diligence services for a diverse range of clients, including private equity groups, large corporations, and owner-managed businesses. Sean is serving on the board of Adam’s Apples Foundation to connect with youth who are going facing mental health challenges.

Ally MacLachlan

Adam's sister, Ally, is the Director of Program Development for the Adam's Apples Foundation. Her full-time position prioritizes tangible program expansion, creative fundraising initiatives, and spearheading public speaking initiatives regularly. Ally will be perusing a Masters of Mental Health in the Faculty of Medicine in 2023 while continuing to oversee her role within the foundation.

Our team

Youth Council

Adam’s Apples Youth Council members are successful CCI participants who will apply the skills they have learned to their schools to help reduce stigma and encourage peer-to-peer support. The AAYC’s mandate is to provide Adam’s Apples Foundation with feedback on the concerns facing youth today as well as help facilitate the practices of AAF in their schools.

Ally MacLachlan, Director of the Youth Council

Our Youth Council has been such a valuable addition to the Adam’s Apples family. Witnessing their passion, hard work, and positivity towards our mission reminds us that the work we are doing is not only valuable, but necessary. I am so grateful to this wonderful group of people for their commitment to this organization, and the great work they have done. It is their voices that, I believe, will make all a difference.

Tess Blake, Writer & Editor

Hey! My name is Tess & I am a first year university student at Huron University College, a liberal arts institution affiliated with Western University. I am planning on doing a double major in psychology and criminology and am particularly interested in adolescent risk behaviour, youth mental health, and feminist studies. Being a part of this youth council has been such a special experience because it has given me a unique perspective about the necessity of local, grass-roots initiatives pertaining to mental health literacy in secondary schools. I love working with all of the amazing people on this council and am so incredibly proud of how far this organization has come in the last few years.

Sydney Kagetsu, Media Connector

My name is Sydney Kagetsu and I’m a grade 11 student at Point Grey Mini. I believe that now more than ever before, mental health needs to be a priority and an issue that we all tackle together. Connection is truly the most special thing about being human, and through the youth council, I hope to spark conversations and make people feel less alone. My passions lie in improving the quality of people's lives, whether that be by advocating for a sustainable future, fighting for gender equality, or spreading ideas around anti-racism. I also love the outdoors, and I believe it's the perfect setting to connect.

Elena Mager, Media Connector

Hi! My name is Elena. I am a grade 11 student, with big goals! Mental Health advocacy is something very important to me. I hope to pursue a career in psychology focusing on mental health within youth. My goal is to reduce the stigma around mental health. I also hope to make counselling and youth support systems more affordable and accessible to all. In my spare time I love working out, yoga, painting, traveling and hanging with friends! The Adam's Apple Youth Council is such an amazing team and has given my high school years so much purpose, helping others is such a great feeling. 

Bianca Rothe-Nickull, Peer-to-Peer Connector

My name is Bianca and I am a Grade 12 student at Kitsilano Secondary. I am deeply passionate about mental health, especially in conjunction with holistic wellness. I became involved in the Adam’s Apples Youth Council after attending a Core Connecters session in 2020 which left me wanting to advocate for the importance of mental health. I believe in our age of disconnection through the prevalence of social media and the isolation we are all facing through the pandemic, opportunities to connect and open up about mental health are as important as ever. I hope that through my work with the youth council I will not only forge connections for myself, but inspire and help others to do the same.

Annalisa Turner, Fundraising & Operations

My name is Annalisa Turner and I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in History and am now back in school to pursue a career in Construction Project Management. I have worked as an event and fundraising coordinator for a variety of companies and charities and can’t wait to put my experience to use with such an amazing organization.Growing up, I was a dancer and soccer player and later began teaching kids ages 3-13. I am really excited to be a part of The Adam’s Apples Foundation and work with the Youth Council as their fundraising and operations head. I have struggled with mental health and have worked with kids and teens who have struggled with it as well. I am proud and humbled to be part of an organization that provides students with a safe space to connect and the opportunity to learn more about mental health.

Lauren Tonello, Media & Marketing

Hi I’m Lauren and I’m the media & marketing specialist for Adam’s Apples Foundation Youth Council. This means my role covers everything from social media to marketing strategies and media outreach. I am a recent mathematics and commerce graduate from UBC and I am currently pursuing a career in marketing analytics in the startup and non profit industries. My passion for empowering youth and working with them to face mental health issues stems from my involvement with organizations; such as WE Day, One Girl Can, and nwPlus; which all focus on providing equal educational opportunities for youth and empowering them through educational events and programs. I have seen first hand the positive impact made when youth are provided with the support, encouragement, and resources they need to make a difference in their community, which led to my work with The Adam’s Apple Foundation.

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