Our Eggshells Team

Master of Adult Education (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto)

Diploma Psychotherapy (Ontario Psychotherapy and Counselling College)

Registered Psychotherapist (College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario)

A retired college professor and experienced psychotherapist, Kimeiko brings lived experience supporting loved ones through recovery from substance and behavioural addictions and concurrent disorders. She offers trauma-informed, attachment-based, and Emotionally Focused Therapy to individuals and couples.

Passionate about reducing mental health stigma and suffering, Kimeiko shares knowledge, skills, and support to empower others. Her graduate research focused on supporting parents of emerging adults facing mental health challenges. She has volunteered as a facilitator for Family Connections™, a DBT-informed program for allies of those with emotional dysregulation, and as a peer supporter with Helping Other Parents Everywhere (HOPE).

Ph.D. in Psychology (University of Alberta)

Bachelor of Science (Hons) (Queen’s University)

Monica is a dedicated researcher and educator with a focus on biopsychology and mental health. She brings a thoughtful blend of academic expertise and lived experience to her work, with a passion for supporting mental well-being across diverse communities.

As Project Coordinator for the Eggshells Program and a research advisor for Broadmind, Monica contributes to initiatives that educate and empower employees and leaders around mental health. She also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University, where she specializes in developing and teaching online courses in biopsychology.

With over 25 years as a military spouse, Monica is deeply connected to the military and Veteran family communities. She has served on numerous Military Family Boards and Advisory Councils, and currently sits on the Board of Directors and Disbursement Committee of the True Patriot Love Foundation—an organization committed to supporting military members, Veterans, and their families throughout their journey.

In every role she takes on, Monica strives to bridge knowledge with empathy, helping to create informed, compassionate spaces for learning, healing, and growth.

Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership (Queen’s University)

Masters of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (Carleton University)

Families have always been at the heart of Sara’s work. With a career rooted in supporting and understanding the diverse experiences of families, she has led numerous family-focused initiatives through her roles at the Vanier Institute of the Family and the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families.

Sara has collaborated with researchers, service providers, and policy leaders across Canada and internationally to deepen understanding of the complex dynamics that shape family life—particularly within military and Veteran communities. Her work reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that the voices of families are heard and valued.

She recently served on the Family Advisory Council at The Royal Mental Health Centre in Ottawa and as President of the Canadian Families and Corrections Network, a national organization dedicated to supporting families affected by criminal behaviour, incarceration, and reintegration.

Sara brings both expertise and empathy to her work, helping to build more inclusive, informed, and compassionate systems of support for families.

Masters in Applied Psychology (University of Liverpool)

Bachelor of Engineering (Royal Military College)

Mental Health First Aid Instructor (Mental Health Commission of Canada)

Registered Mental Health Professional (Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals)

Sherry Lachine is a passionate Mental Health Professional and the founder of Broadmind Inc., established in 2014. With lived experience as both a Veteran and a Veteran spouse, Sherry brings a unique and compassionate perspective to her work in mental health.

Through Broadmind Inc., she has led national efforts to enhance mental health awareness and support, particularly within the Veteran community. Sherry has delivered specialized Mental Health First Aid training across every Canadian province, helping individuals and organizations build resilience and understanding.

Her expertise is further strengthened by her work with the Veterans Transition Network and advanced training in Wounded Warriors programming. Sherry has also contributed as an advisor to the development of Canada’s Psychological Health and Safety standard for workplaces, reflecting her commitment to fostering mental well-being in both professional and community settings.

Sherry is more than an advocate—she is a creator of impactful mental health programming that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and supports healthier workplaces.

Carrie Foster, MA, MSc, CFT, RDT, CCC, is a licensed couple and family therapist and psychotherapist, Canadian Certified Counsellor and Registered Drama Therapist. As a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, she works in private practice primarily with victims of trauma, indigenous populations, couples and families.

Carrie’s career spans over 30 years, with a background in hospital, healthcare and community settings. In particular, she has worked extensively in youth care, developing and leading creative workshops for children and teens, and with homeless women with mental health needs, offering group and individual therapy. Carrie currently specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. With individuals and families, she integrates psychodynamic, narrative and action-based approaches to address relationship distress, depression, anxiety, C-PTSD/trauma within BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ communities. Carrie has a special interest in helping couples navigate intimacy issues.

Part of the founding team at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Fardous was part of the Canadian delegation to the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly and played a role in the development of their first event dedicated to mental health.

Fardous serves on national and international committees, including the Five Eyes Collaboration, executive advisor at the Global Alliance for Mental Health Advocates (GAMHA) and past co-chair for the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH), as well as Canadians for Equitable Access to Depression Medications (CEADM). He has championed the Ukraine file for both Veteran and Family mental health.

Fardous holds a Master of Science and Certified Health Executive designation and recently authored a children’s book inspired by his own experiences as a child refugee.

Dr. Heidi Cramm is an occupational therapist, researcher, and professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University.

As research lead for the Families Matter Research Group, she engages in a variety of applied and collaborative research designed to improve the lives of Garnet Families — military, Veteran, first responder, and other public safety families. Heidi and her team explore how the occupational risks and requirements of military and public safety service shape the roles, routines, and rhythms of family life, with a keen eye on how mental health and the impacts of trauma can affect families.

As a spouse in a public safety family, Heidi knows firsthand the Garnet Families’ experience and is dedicated to better understanding and addressing the mental health and wellbeing challenges faced by Garnet Families through research.

Laurie has spent more than 25 years supporting military and Veteran Families. As the Senior Vice President of Military Family Services at Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS), Laurie oversaw the delivery of national and local services to military and Veteran families who are faced with the challenges of frequent separation, relocation and transitions. She also oversaw Support Our Troops, the official charitable cause of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Laurie has worked with various partners, such as the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans Affairs Canada, not-for-profit organizations, and researchers in support of military and Veteran families.

In 2016, Laurie was a recipient of the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Distinguished Achievement Award and in 2025 the King Charles Coronation Medal for her work with military families and Military Family Resource Centres. In 2021, Laurie became the CFMWS Champion for Wellness and is strongly committed to supporting personal and professional wellness.

Namita is a civic executive and strategic advisor focused on advancing wellbeing through collaborative, cross-sector partnerships. Drawing on experience in medicine and business, she supports organizations navigating complex social and systems-level challenges. Grounded in host leadership and diplomacy, Namita values authenticity, reflection, and courageous growth as foundations for sustainable impact.

As a lifelong learner, Namita is an International Medical Graduate and holds an MBA from Ivey Business School (Western University). Having followed a non-traditional career path, Namita is committed to mentoring others who are forging their own purpose-driven journeys.

Nicola Sherwin-Roller MA, CCC, RCAT-S has over 30 years of experience working with trauma and its impacts. Nicola lives and works in kisiskāciwani-sīpiy (Swift Flowing River) Saskatchewan with her family, as well as two dogs and several horses who assist in her therapy practice.

Nicola has vast experience in development and provision of resilience building and wellness programming that interweaves nature based, animal assisted and creative arts therapies for First Nation Communities, Veterans, First Responder organizations and their families.

Whether it is with individuals, communities or organizations Nicola strives to build capacity, empowerment and resilience.

Dr. Olive Bryanton is an educator and researcher specializing in aging issues related to aging in place, technology and ageism. She has a Ph.D. in Education and years of lived experience.

Currently, Olive is an active member of the National Seniors Council, Chair of the Older Persons Advisory Group (OPAG) at the Canadian Coalition Against Ageism, and a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission for person-centred long-term care for older persons.

Olive is also an active researcher with the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) Health Research Network. Her most recent research was related to Veterans transitioning from military to civilian life and the challenges experienced.

In 1976, Dr. Baker, MD (ret.) FCFP, FASAM, ABAM, began working as a family physician in a central BC mining community. After ten years, he retrained in addiction medicine and spent the next 30 years practicing primary care addiction medicine and occupational addiction medicine. In 1990, he developed and then directed the University of British Columbia’s interdepartmental addiction medicine curriculum. He served on the Board of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the editorial board of the Journal of Addictive Diseases. He helped design, conduct and interpret the CCSA, Life in Recovery Survey (2015).

In 2016, Ray retired from clinical practice to focus on the rapidly growing science and practices in community-based recovery. In 2022, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine. Ray developed and published Recovery Coaching Knowledge and Skills, a training curriculum used in educating over 250 Canadian recovery coaches. He has consulted with organizations, workplaces and communities, assisting them in developing recovery-supporting resources and becoming more recovery-friendly.

Shelley is a Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, where she directs the Military Family Research Institute, which she co-founded, and serves as Director Emerita of the Center for Families.

Shelley’s primary research interest is the relationship between work conditions and family life, with a special focus on military families. She has authored over 140 articles and chapters. Her research has been supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health; the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture; state governments; and numerous private philanthropies. She has served on federal advisory committees for the National Academies of Science and the Department of Defense and has testified in Congress on multiple occasions regarding military and Veteran families.

In 2024, Shelley received a lifetime achievement award for contributions to work-family research worldwide.

Jill is a retired mother and grandmother living in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Her background and career spanned more than 40 years in the commercial construction trades, where she worked alongside her husband for many years. Jill knows first-hand what it is like to have a family member struggle with substance use, as her husband ultimately succumbed to the disease. As a result, Jill is committed to creating opportunities for families to heal from their experiences of loving and living with someone battling addiction. In her spare time, Jill enjoys travelling the globe and photography.

Kim has lived and raised her family on the North Shore in British Columbia for over 25 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science with a major in Kinesiology. She has worked as a clinical exercise therapist in chronic pain programs, community-based programs and as an occupational health consultant since the early 90s. Kim was instrumental in developing the addiction treatment program at Seaspan in 2006, including developing policies and procedures for accessing treatment, an addiction treatment benefit plan, and company-wide training. Outside her professional work, Kim enjoyed coaching community and high school sports for years and continues to be an avid fan of any sports her daughters play. She volunteers her time to many initiatives and events in her community, with a particular passion for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Lynne is a management professional with 40 years of experience in governance, human resources, and project administration in government offices, non-profits, and private companies.  Her organizational skills and dependability keep teams on track, while her exceptional judgment and discretion enable her to navigate the most complex and thorny projects.

Prior to joining Work-Life Harmony, Lynne worked at the Vanier Institute of the Family, where she supported the strategic move towards building new networks and more robust engagement with the Board of Directors, key partners, network members, and other stakeholders. Lynne now brings her extensive knowledge and experience to various clients in both the corporate and non-profit sectors, where she specializes in envisioning and developing structures to support all issues relating to governance and compliance.

Matthew currently resides in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He is a proud member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and a father of two. Throughout his career in law enforcement and now in Saskatchewan’s public service, Matthew has been an advocate for more substantial support for families impacted by mental health and substance use. His work and advocacy have enabled him to develop expertise in high-conflict mediation and dispute resolution. Matthew is an active Rotarian in Prince Albert, serving on the Board of Directors of Prince Albert’s local Nordic Ski Club and the Prince Albert Victoria Hospital Foundation. In his off time, he enjoys pursuing outdoor activities with his family, including Nordic skiing in the winter and trail running in the summer.

Nora is the CEO of Work-Life Harmony, a consulting firm expediting research to practice focused on well-being and quality of life. In 2012, Nora co-hosted a Families in Canada Roundtable with the Governor General, Canada’s Commander-in-Chief, which sparked her interest in Military and Veteran Families. She has co-chaired roundtables, co-hosted conferences and facilitated strategy sessions with former Ministers of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Chiefs of Defence, Chiefs of Military Personnel Command, and Directors of Military Family Services. She founded the Military and Veteran Families Roundtable, which continues to meet annually at the CIMVHR Forum. Nora fosters innovative collaborations between Military and civilian organizations across Canada. Currently, she co-chairs the Minister of Veterans Affairs Family Advisory Group, serves as an advisor to the Garnet Families Network and Family Matters Research Group at Queen’s University, as well as Purdue University’s Military Family Research Institute.