Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in rural Nova Scotia, (the south shore), near Lunenburg and Bridgewater. After high school, I worked as a summer camp counsellor, camp director, canoe and sea kayak instructor, a wilderness therapist in Kentucky, a recreation therapist in Oklahoma, and eventually I settled back in NS and worked for the NS health authority as a recreation therapist.
I did a degree in recreation at Dalhousie (2000) and a Master of Education from St. Francis Xavier in 2008. I worked with youth and families, specializing in mental illness and substance-related disorders for almost 20 years. My position before joining the University of Lethbridge was part of an interdisciplinary team in a family therapy program. Most of my front-line work involved adventure therapy and eco-therapy. I have also taught at St. FX University for the Faculty of Education and at Dalhousie University for the Faculty of Health & Human Performance. In 2013, I released the film Paddle To The Ocean – a documentary about my own use of recreation therapy as part of my treatment for PTSD. You can now find it on Amazon Prime.
Devan McNeill called me when the Therapeutic Recreation program was in its first year. He was such a nice guy and very convincing on the phone — so I took the job as an instructor. It was a good decision. I work with very intelligent, competent and caring people. I feel very privileged to be part of the TR Team at ULethbridge. It’s the best work environment I’ve ever had.
How long have you been at ULethbridge, and what do you do here?
I've been with ULethbridge for 10 years. I'm an instructor in the Therapeutic Recreation program where I teach primarily online courses.
What's the best part of your job?
My co-workers and the students. My favourite course to teach is TREC 3500 - TR & Diverse Populations, with TREC 4000 Issues & Trends in TR as a close second.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Surfing, biking, playing music and camping with my family.