Our team

SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Haida Antolick

Haida (she/her) has been active in social justice since she was a child, and is particularly passionate about feminist and queer liberation, racial justice and disability justice. Haida has worked in union and student leadership, non-profit administration, care work and as a university instructor, and holds degrees in anthropology and English literature from Simon Fraser University. Outside work Haida cooks frequently, reads constantly and writes sparingly. Haida is a white settler of Acadian and mixed European ancestry from P.E.I., who lives on the occupied lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Diana Bartosh

Diana (she/her) is incredibly excited to be a part of the BCOHRC team. She comes from a varied background of administration, labour organizing, and theatre-making, working most recently as a theatrical stage manager, technician, and technical director in Vancouver. She is particularly passionate about queer activism, workers rights, decolonization, and anti-racism work, and continues to learn and grow daily as an activist, friend, and ally. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Labour Studies from Simon Fraser University and (like the rest of the office) spends her free time baking, reading, and cuddling with her cats.

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COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR

Lindsey Bertrand

At the centre of the struggle to advance and protect human rights there are real people who have important stories to tell. As Communications Advisor, Lindsey’s (she/her) job is to help make those stories heard—to seek out and amplify voices from B.C.’s most marginalized communities—and to ensure the BCOHRC demonstrates respect, honesty and compassion in all its communications. Passionate about social justice and democratic discourse, Lindsey has served organizations such as the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, OpenMedia and the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association. She has a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University and an MA from Royal Roads University. Lindsey lives in East Vancouver where she enjoys goofing around with her family, joining waitlists for library books and exploring weird corners of the internet.

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RESEARCH AND ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

Emily Chan

Emily (she/her) is a passionate advocate of engagement, equity and justice. Her past work is rooted in addressing discrimination while building spaces for meaningful connections through learning, unlearning and relearning. She most recently spent her time working in organizations like Collingwood Neighbourhood House and First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, and volunteering for organizations like Still Moon Arts Society and Girl Guides of Canada (Renfrew District). She graduated from UBC with an Honours in Sociology, where she wrote her thesis on how the intersection of race and gender affect students’ participation. When not at work, you’ll most often find her out for a run through her Renfrew-Collingwood community, giving her cats cuddles, or talking passionately about the power of a good spreadsheet. 

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MANAGER, EDUCATION

Margo d’Archangelo

As an educator who is passionate about social justice, Margo (she/her) is fascinated by how understandings are shifted and how awareness builds meaningful connections between people and with place. Prior to this role, Margo worked in provincial government, health authority and non-profit settings, creating engaging learning projects supporting equity and transformational change. Margo holds a BA in Anthropology, a Diploma in Intercultural Education and Training and a Certificate in Adult & Continuing Education. When not at work, Margo can be found in the woods, the water, a book or a conversation.

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DEPUTY COMMISSIONER

Stephanie Garrett

Stephanie (she/her) is grateful to support Commissioner Govender and our dynamic team in building an organization capable of realizing our vision of a province free from discrimination, inequality and injustice. Stephanie has spent nearly two decades working to advance human rights, gender equality and sustainability, supporting organizations in the public, civil society and private sectors in 20 countries. She holds a graduate degree in gender, development and globalization with a specialization in international human rights law from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in Communications and Culture from the University of Calgary. She also holds a post-graduate certificate in cross-sector partnership and sustainability from the University of Cambridge, and has additional training in conflict resolution and mediation, non-profit management and corporate social responsibility. Stephanie finds joy in nurturing her fruit, vegetable and flower garden.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & POLICY

Trish Garner

Trish (they/them) is a tea-swilling Brit with a passion for social justice. Having gained their experience at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and working with Raise the Rates, an anti-poverty group based in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, they led the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition for eight years before joining BCOHRC. Through this work with people in poverty, they came to learn that it all comes down to relationships grounded in respect for each other so they try to slow down to take the time to build trust and relationships with folks and now bring this foundation to their work. They are excited about the systemic mandate of BCOHRC because they believe in going upstream to tackle the root causes of issues to prevent the crisis. They have graduate degrees in both engineering and gender studies, as well as experience in community-based research and policy analysis, and strive to do research differently to make a difference. They are inspired by all who came before them in this work and those who are currently organizing for social change. To get away from it all, you will find them on the ocean with their partner and three kids.

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STAFF LAWYER

Heather Hoiness

Heather (she/her) comes to BCOHRC determined to makes the law’s promise of a society free of impediments to full and free participation (more of) a reality for all residents of British Columbia.  Heather is a lawyer who has practiced exclusively in the areas of human rights, labour, employment and professional regulation since her call to the bar in 2015. Prior to that, Heather clerked at the BC Court of Appeal. Before becoming a lawyer, Heather worked for 13 years as an advocate, organizer and social worker in community organizations in Vancouver and Montreal. Outside of work, Heather can often be found curled up with a good book and loads of salty snacks.

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GENERAL COUNSEL

Sarah Khan

Sarah (she/her/hers) has spent most of her career working to promote social justice, and is grateful to join the Human Rights Commissioner’s team. Sarah worked with a public interest law firm for many years, developing and litigating constitutional, administrative law and human rights cases, primarily on issues involving income assistance, disability benefits, employment insurance, employment standards, access to legal aid, and access to affordable residential electricity. Sarah has also worked as the Acting Executive Director and Clinic Lawyer with an organization that provides a range of services to seniors, as in-house counsel with a regulatory tribunal, and with a law firm specializing in representing Indigenous communities in rights and title proceedings. She received her law degree from the University of Victoria. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys swimming, cooking and cycling around Vancouver.

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ACTING COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Elaine O’Connor

Elaine (she/her) comes to BCOHRC to work toward her vision that one day all women and children can live lives free of misogyny, violence and abuse. She is a national award-winning social justice journalist who honed her craft and credo in newsrooms at the Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen and Vancouver Province before transitioning to corporate communications. As a senior consultant in the health sector, she led public health and safety campaigns and launched complex care initiatives with diverse B.C. community partners. Through expertise in brand journalism and ethical storytelling, she centres marginalized peoples’ voices and uses art, authenticity and innovative social marketing to activate behaviour change. A certified Communications Management Professional and industry mentor, she holds degrees in journalism, public relations and non-profit management. Elaine believes in the transformational power of education, intersectional feminism, voting, a good to do list, adventure travel, creativity, coffee, and her favourite zen koan, “no mud, no lotus.”

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DIGITAL SPECIALIST

Lenée Son

Lenée (she/her) is a Khmer Krom multimedia storyteller and digital specialist living in Surrey on Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, and Kwikwetlem territories. She has been involved in community activism and advocacy, taking part in grassroots movements against racial profiling, police violence, gentrification and poverty. She is also the award-winning co-director of My Name Was January, a documentary celebrating the life of January Lapuz and examining the impact of gender violence and transphobia. Lenée is dedicated to actively evolving her intersectional analyses and is committed to promoting human rights through her work. 

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT

Tsee’tsee’watul’wit
Sharon Thira

Where do I belong? Sharon (she/they) has long been trying to answer this question in her 34 years of working. In community through residential school and education work, in family sometimes by running away but also by studying psychology, on planet through respectful living and beauty and art. The answer she is coming to understand is in the trying. It lies in the relationships that hold you together, on the land where your foot falls sometimes wet and oozy, and inside when you face your imperfection, my imperfection. This we have in common. Working on finding our way back to each other is what inspires my work now. That and my daughters and cake.

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MANAGER, OPERATIONS

Mazen Yusef

Mazen (he/him) has a diverse background ranging from work with a Canadian tech start up, to project and finance work with the National Petroleum Construction Company in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Mazen is a certified PMP (Project Management Professional), with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Commerce from the University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from American University of Beirut. In his spare time, Mazen enjoys the outdoors in addition to everything to do with playing and watching soccer.

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