2018/19 Board
PRESIDENT
Professional Representative (1 of 2) | Melanie Osmack
Melanie Osmack is the founder and director of Fit 4 Two® Pre and Postnatal Fitness. She has been connecting new moms and moms-to-be through fitness since 2003. Melanie has a passion for developing teacher training programs, facilitating courses and presenting at conferences. She has served on the BCAPOP Board since 2015 and is the current board president. The skills she brings to the board include: leadership; marketing; strategic planning; project management; and pre & postnatal health and fitness expertise. Melanie lives in Vancouver with her two children and loves to cycle. You can contact her at melanie@fit4two.ca.
VICE PRESIDENT
At-Large Representative (1 of 2) | Liz Kahle
Liz Kahle is the Coordinator of Best for Babies with Abbotsford Community Services; she facilitates groups and provides outreach support. Liz developed a deep passion for supporting families while working at New Beginnings, a young parent school completion program and witnessing how education, support systems and community were so powerful and made an impact in these young families’ lives. Liz is passionate and intentional about sharing breastfeeding knowledge and connecting families to perinatal education, support and community. This is her second year sitting on the Board and she is inspired by all the experience the Board Members bring to the table. When Liz is not at work, she is spending time outdoors with her two daughters and husband in the Lower Mainland.
Immediate Past President | Vacant
SECRETARY
Northern Representative | Erin Smedley
TREASURER
Aboriginal Funded Agency Representative | Adrienne Johnny
Wéytk Adrienne Johnny ren skwekwst. Hello my name is Adrienne Johnny, I am from the Secwepemc’ulecw Sxwetsmèllp IR #6. I am of Shuswap decent born and raised from Salmon Arm, BC. I have been working with Merritt Moms and Families since 2012 as a frontline worker and now I am the Prenatal Coordinator here at Conayt Friendship Society. I currently sit on the Board of Directors for BCAPOP as the Aboriginal Funded Agency Representative and I look forward to be a part of this wonderful opportunity.
Fraser Representative | Helen Rex
Helen has been with the Healthy Babies program since 2014. Previously she had worked as an Early Childhood Educator for over 20 years, starting her career in England before moving to Canada in 1992. Helen enjoys supporting women through their pregnancies and is a great believer in informed choice. Helen enjoys the variety that her work provides, particularly learning about child rearing from other cultures. Helen runs groups in Maple Ridge and the Tri-Cities area. She has served on the board since 2017. Helen is a mom to two teenagers and a Cocker Spaniel dog, she enjoys family walks and kayaks.
Interior Representative | Michelle Querin
Michelle Querin is from Baby’s Head Start in Kamloops. Working in a pregnancy outreach program allows her to support women to be their best selves. Her particular passion is the post natal period. Having suffered and survived two bouts of post partum depression helps her empathize with and support new moms. When she is not at work she is running around after her two children and trying to find a wee bit of time for herself outside on her skis or her bike.
Vancouver Coastal Representative | Meaghan Brister
Meaghan has a degree in Psychology from Trinity Western University and an MA in Devising Theatre from London’s Central School of Speech and Drama, followed by a career in social services. Most of her work has involved supporting women along various stages of transition and recovery using many tools, including theatre workshops aimed at empowering oppressed or marginalized communities to advocate for themselves, as well as her qualifications as a yoga therapist and a full spectrum Doula. She has always been passionate about pregnancy and childbirth as a hugely transformational time for women to heal and realize their own strength, something they can take into, and beyond, their role as a mother. Having the blessing of being invited into this journey has inspired her every day as to the resilience and power women have. She considers it the highest honour to come alongside and hold space for these incredible women in their own healing, their families, and within the lives that they are courageously creating. Meaghan is currently on maternity leave from her role as the Support and Education Worker with Burnaby Family Life’s Pregnancy Outreach Program, where she runs educational programs to support informed consent in the birth space and beyond. She works with women facing various barriers and life challenges during pregnancy and with their babes up until six months old, and the majority of this population is made up of new immigrant and refugee women. Meaghan and her family are grateful to live, work, and play on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
Vancouver Island Representative | Hanne Bruhwiler
Originally from Denmark, Hanne has been living in Tofino on Vancouver Island since 2001 with her family. She has a BSc in Dietetics from the University of Copenhagen. Hanne has been the facilitator for a BCAPOP program since 2011, for both First Nations and non-First Nations' families. The Healthy Baby program is on reserve but is open to all families in their region. The program is unique as it serves families in their program until the child is three (3) years of age. Besides facilitating the Healthy Baby program once a week she is also a part of a bigger Maternal Child Health team and trained as a Birth- and Postpartum Doula. In addition to her work with perinatal women and their families she also works for the Aboriginal Infant Development and Supported Child Development Programs.
At-Large Representative (2 of 2) | Vacant
Professional Representative (2 of 2) | Vacant
