The Team
Who We Are
Mikhayla Patterson, MSW
CEO
With 9 years of experience in the social services field, Mikhayla has a knack for creating effective mental health and addictions support services. While being of settler descent, her expertise lies in addressing community needs through a wholistic approach that is centered on connection and relationships. Her most notable accomplishments include the development, implementation, and management of a mental health and addictions department that saved over 36 lives from the opioid crisis in 3 years.
705-210-1511
Brooke Debassige
Youth Prevention Lead
Brooke is a proud Anishinaabe kwe from M'Chigeeng First Nation. Since 2016 Brooke has had several experiences working with and for youth. From serving on the NCCT youth council as a youth council member, youth engagement facilitator for OFIFC, and prevention worker for M'Chigeeng First Nation her passion stems from supporting the next 7 generations. In 2020, she co-founded a non-profit collective for youth of Manitoulin Island called Maamwi Noojmadaa. She looks forward to supporting all nations on Turtle Island to maximize youth capacity while creating safe spaces for them to explore their cultural identity and learn about mental health
705-929-4606
Kachina Wicks, MSW
Clinical Lead
With over a decade of experience in the helping field, Kachina received her Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) from Wilfrid Laurier University and has worked tirelessly to assist individuals struggling with addictions and mental health, including those in conflict with the law. While being of settler descent and with a focus on compassion, acceptance and belonging, Kachina utilizes both her education and years of lived and work experience to assist frontline staff and managers in learning how to show up for, and support, those in need, from a trauma-informed lens and community-centered approach.
705-929-4047
Leslie Scott
Systems Navigation Lead
Having been the Systems Navigator in her home community for 2 and a half years, Leslie brings a wealth of knowledge that pertains to resources, supports, and services that are in, as well as surrounding communities. Researching, communicating and visiting all possible services, supports, and resources that are accessible to community is an important part of her role to be able to create a solid database of what is available. Leslie is a genuine, understanding, and caring Anishnaabe Kwe whose desire is to help people, and ensure that they get what they need. Building a bridge between the gaps is a hard task to fill, and she makes it a priority to close that gap.
249-777-2964
Tania Jacko
Outreach Lead
Tania is a proud member of Whitefish River First Nation. She has extensive experience as an outreach worker and took part in the development and implementation of a peer support and outreach program that was instrumental in addressing the opioid crisis in a First Nation community. Tania has a passion for helping others and believes in the ability for people and communities to heal from addictions in providing compassion, love, and support.
249-777-2965
Grace Debassige
Child & Youth Empowerment Lead
Grace is a proud member of M'Chigeeng First Nation and possesses a social services worker diploma. She has a passion for children's mental health that includes working with children, their families, and educators to create safe spaces to help children and families achieve their goals. Grace believes in combining Indigenous worldviews, values, and healing practices, with a variety of counselling techniques. She has extensive experience facilitating youth programming with a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive approach. She is trained in Critical Incident Stress Management and Advanced Crisis Negotiations, Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator, and is a RedPath Addictions Treatment Program Facilitator.
705-690-5276
Emily Patterson
Child and Youth Clinical Lead
Emily is from Manitoulin Island and has a BA(Hons) in Psychology with a minor in Family and Child Studies. She takes a trauma-informed, strengths based, and person led approach to care and believes that a wholistic approach is essential in addressing each person's unique challenges. Emily is passionate about assisting everyone in learning new tools to support young people in their lives. She is committed to collaboration with the entire circle of care including families, educators, and other service providers to ensure each child or youth and their loved ones take an active role in identifying the resources they need to thrive. She is also a Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator, a RedPath Addictions Treatment Program Facilitator, and has training in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills, Critical
Incident Stress Management and Advanced Crisis Negotiations.
TBD
Jordan Ense
Peer Support Lead
Jordan is a proud member of M'chigeeng First Nation. Through his own lived experience, he has connected with members of his own community, as well as many other First Nations. His goal in this work has always been to help others in need. Each night after his shift, he feels that goal is completed, as he and our outreach team reach and server the people each day.
Xavier Trudeau
Outreach
Xavier was born and raised on Manitoulin. His working experiences include youth and outreach work. On his spare time he enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his two dogs. Xavier continues to look forward to making more relationships and helping communities.
Darian Mandamin
Outreach
Darian's ancestry is Ojibwe & Mohawk. Darian's experiences include working in treatment centers and shelters in her community. She enjoys spending quality time with her son & family, camping, and spending time by the water. She is excited to be a part of Outreach to continue to support the people.
