Emma Sutherland, Executive Director/Founder
Emma was born and raised in east Vancouver (Musqueum, Tsleil-Waututh & Squamish Territories) and began working in the Downtown Eastside at age 17. She realized quickly that people there cared for and looked out for one another. It reminded her of the care and concern people showed each other in the small Prairie town where her mother’s family settled from Rumania and the Ukraine in 1902. Emma has used her degree in Women’s Studies from Simon Fraser University, and thirty years’ experience in the recreation and advocacy fields to continually support individuals and families in Metro Vancouver. Her goal has consistently been to show children and youth how to work around the barriers they face to learn new skills, be active and expand their horizons. Her biggest joy is seeing youth take on leadership roles in Red Fox and in the larger society. Emma gets around everywhere on her electric bike and enjoys hiking, birdwatching and spending time having active fun with the many children in her life.
Suki Chhoeun, Program Manager
Born in Thailand, and raised on Treaty 1 Territory in Winnipeg, Suki’s family arrived to Canada in the late 80’s. Her parents fled their war torn country of Cambodia, seeking a better life here in Canada. Suki moved to the beautiful Unceded Coast Salish Territories in 2016 and resides in East Van. Her passion for service, and community has allowed her to naturally step into a leadership role with Red Fox since joining the team in January 2016. With a passion for leadership training and coaching, and with over 12 years of coaching experience, Suki truly believes in Red Fox’s model to empower youth through mentorship, She currently delivers the Seed Generation program, a program where youth learn about Indigenous cultures and histories, land stewardship, with weekly recreation outings, giving youth positive experiences in nature. Suki loves skateboarding, hiking, and road trips that involve campfires. While indoors, she’s often found reading, learning to play the guitar, writing haikus and listening to classical music.
Stephen Currie, Operations Manager
Steve Currie joined Red Fox in 2021. He has worked for non-profit initiatives around the world including the Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg, canoe guiding in Northwestern Ontario, and community education development in Arusha, Tanzania. Steve has a Chemistry degree from the University of Winnipeg and a Business Analysis certificate from the UBC Saunder School of Business. He has worked as an accounting associate, finance analyst and bookkeeper for organizations across Canada and the United States. In his time away from spreadsheets he performs improv and plays complicated board games. He wants to hike more but never manages to make time for it. Maybe he will in 2021? Watch this space to see!
Nathan Hosking, Youth Internship Program Manager
Nathan was born in the UK and grew up in Cornwall, before completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport & Exercise Science at Canterbury University, then going on to complete a PGCE teaching certification, specialising in Post Compulsory Education and Training, from the University of Greenwich. With a passion for wellness, health and physical activity, as well as education and training, Nathan has professional experience in a range of roles including program and operations management, coaching, teaching and further education college lecturing. He also has a passion for travel, and spent two years living and working in diverse locations around the world, before moving to Vancouver in 2015. Nathan recently became a Canadian Citizen. Nathan has a strong belief in equity, education and opportunity, as well as the positive benefits of recreation. He has a holistic view of health and lifestyle, and as such Red Fox seemed a really exciting prospect and mission to become involved with. In his free time he is a keen runner and also loves to be in nature and taking part in outdoor activities.
Program Coordinators
Joseph Posey
Joe joined Red Fox through the Youth Leadership program in 2011. His skills, positive attitude and genuine passion for his work lead to his promotion to Youth Instructor in 2014 and then Program Coordinator in 2019. Joe draws on his experiences as a previous Youth Leader to support young people in developing the confidence and skills they need to succeed in life. Joe is First Nations and is from Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte), Cree, Sioux and Ojibwe from Manitoba.
Jean Etienne Tuyisenge
Jean Etienne is a highly active, creative, professional and strong intercultural communicator. I have worked with clients in various sectors, particularly in non-profit organizations and hospital environments, as a fundraising manager, events planner, projects/programs developer, and youth and disability advocate. He is currently pursuing a M.A in Nordic Social Work and Children’s Welfare. Jean Etienne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Sexuality and Women’s Studies and a Certificate in Sustainable Community Development from Simon Fraser University. He received the faculty of Health Sciences Award for Outstanding Community Service at Simon Fraser University. He was a certificate in Improving the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents. His qualifications and lived experience as a former youth at risk, and his desire to give back to the community brought him to the Red Fox family in the summer of 2020 as an Active Play Coordinator. He is a very energetic person who is not afraid to try new things and he is an avid traveler. When he is not sightseeing or giving inspirational and motivational speeches, he enjoys watching NBA basketball.
Siobhan Davis
Siobhan joined Red Fox in September 2019 as an intern from the Robert Lee YMCA Youth Employment Bootcamp. She has enthusiastically signed on to be a permanent part of the team as of January 2020. Her experience and passion working with youth began during her internship at a migrant and refugee support centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where she facilitated English conversation classes and built connections with unaccompanied minors within the organization. Siobhan is interested in empowering youth to take on leadership roles in order to support the never-ending process to build a community that prioritizes social justice, learning, compassion, care, creativity and sustainability. She loves dancing, the Arts, outdoor activities, and trying new things. Graduating from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Art History and Visual studies in 2017, Siobhan soon moved to Vancouver to explore and immerse herself into the community situated on the traditional and unceded territories of Coast Salish nations, and is grateful to Red Fox for providing such a great and holistic way to support this aspiration.
Cherine Casillan
Cherine is a Canadian National Aerobic Medalist with a bronze medal in Canada, a former N.B.A. stunt/acro team member, cheerleading coach, fitness instructor, member of MomBop Band and works in the film industry. Cherine has over 25 years of experience in hospitality and tourism with Westjet, Via Rail, Helijet, Norwegian CruiseShips and Club Med, which has enabled her to live in Ixtapa, the Dominican Republic, Martinique, Paradise Island, Grand Caymans, Italy and Canada. Cherine motivates others through mindful movement and gets joy and gratification from seeing people getting active and engaged. She loves to paddle board, hike, run, dance, swim, bike, snowboard, and practise yoga. Cherine is blessed with a beautiful daughter, step twins and a supportive partner. She is multi-lingual in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Tagalog.
Dana Krementz
Dana is a queer, non-binary person originally from the Southern US who has been privileged to be an uninvited guest on the traditional unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations (otherwise known as Vancouver) since 2015. Academically and professionally Dana has maintained a strong focus in social inequities, community wellness, and outdoor recreation. When not working Dana likes to spend their time guiding wilderness canoe trips, training aerial silks and partner acrobatics, or curling up to a good anime. Dana has over a year of experience as a Red Fox Program Coordinator and they are so excited to share their passion for the outdoors and circus arts with youth all over Metro Vancouver.
Program Facilitators
Keanna Mah
Keanna Mah joined Red Fox as a participant of our Seed Generation program with Environmental Youth Alliance in 2020. She began volunteering at our Active Play programs to complete her service hours. Keanna enjoyed playing with the children and encouraging them to be active and learn new skills. She was a natural, and so when our annual postings for our Canada Summer Jobs positions came out, Keanna applied and got a position. Once the summer ended, she continued to work with Red Fox at Active Play and our new HUB Cycling program. Keana also returned to Seed Generation to help out at the Garden sessions and at the recreation outings. She enjoys playing basketball and gardening in her spare time.
Adrian Cluney
Adrian has been a part of the Red Fox team for 8 years alongside some of his siblings. He started as a participant in our Active Play programs, then became a Youth Leader and went on to complete our Seed Generation and Youth Internship programs, and was then hired as a Program Facilitator. Adrian loves taking on more responsibility in Red Fox as he learns and grows. He is Esk’etemc First Nation from Williams Lake on his mother’s side. Adrian has a love for the arts and for acting in particular. He has taken years of acting training, and finds that he uses many of the skills he learned in his work with children and youth in Red Fox! With an eye for detail and a creative mind, Adrian makes every space he comes into a joyful and exciting one. He believes that there is always room to improve in all situations. A community based on diversity, justice, support and accountability is what’s important to Adrian. As a youth at risk for most of his younger years, he knows firsthand the importance of giving youth the right tools and support they need to connect with others and change their lives. Adrian enjoys skateboarding, photography and music.
Ebony Walker
Ebony Walker was born and raised in Surrey, BC. She is Indigenous on her mother’s side and Scottish and Irish on her father’s side. Ebony is 18 years old and joined Red Fox when she was 12 as a participant at one of our Active Play programs. She became a youth leader at age 14 and completed our Seed Generation program and then our Youth Internship program. Ebony is a talented and dedicated leader so once she completed the training programs, we hired her as a Program Facilitator. Ebony enjoys working with all the children and youth in our programs. She loves encouraging them to try new things and teaching them new skills. She enjoys playing sports, hiking, camping, and spending time with family and friends.
Simret Ghebreslasie
Photo and Bio coming soon.
Program Contractors
J Peachy, Creative Director of J Peachy Gallery
J Peachy is active in his community engaged art practice through a wide range of creative projects from solo work to multi-disciplinary arts activations. J Peachy is an Arts Based Environmental Health Advocate and his art speaks to themes as they relate to the psycho, socio and ecological environments. Through arts based Wild Salmon Advocacy in BC, he has combined mental wellness and environmental advocacy through a number of Arts based initiatives including working with the Port Moody Ecological Society, Wild Salmon Caravan and many indigenous communities in Coast Salish Territories. Jay often shares knowledge through an entertaining inspiring lens, designed to challenge how we think we see the world around us. As a bearista and creative producer of mobile creative cafe events, his expressive platform can be taken to the streets. The collaboration with Red Fox Healthy Living Society is truly exciting. www.jpeachygallery.com
Red Fox Healthy Living Society 