Facilitators
Contract Facilitators
Rene Boucher
Rene Boucher is an Indigenous man Living with HIV/AIDS (IPHA) for over 28 years and has been a strong advocate for other IPHAs just as long. He believes that in order to see change happen in the disproportionately high rates among Indigenous peoples, we need to address the HIV stigma that continues to create barriers to treatment, testing, as well as misinformation about HIV. He looks forward to continuing to create solutions from a GIPA (Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS) perspective and support our Indigenous communities with more awareness from an Indigenous perspective.
Chris Leonard
Chris Leonard brings experience from her work in the HIV sector that started at Black CAP 30 years ago and also from her work supporting communities impacted by grief and trauma related community violence, the overdose crisis, sexual violence, and other traumatic losses. Her process facilitation and trainings are grounded in wholistic, anti-oppressive, transformative resistance, and restorative approaches that aims to build capacity and strengthen individual and collective well-being. Chris brings mindful awareness from her training as a Zen Shiatsu therapist into her work of holding space for workers impacted the weight of these extraordinary times.
Sheila Berry
Sheila Berry has been a therapist and bereavement counsellor since 1990. She completed a BHA in Psychology at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay after which she worked as a Support Coordinator at the AIDS Committee of Thunder Bay for 12 years. In 1994, she was introduced to the AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario, and trained as a regional consultant. In 2002 she moved to Toronto and completed Expressive Arts Therapy. While living in Toronto, she provided home hospice support to families in North York and facilitated grief support groups introducing expressive arts. Currently Sheila resides in Thunder Bay and continues to serve as a member of the ABRPO consultant team. Her connection to nature is well reflected in her artwork, song writing, and poetry. Her philosophy stems from the belief that nurturing the strengths in people leads to self-growth and increased self-empowerment.
Eno Akan-Essien
Eno has worked with community for the last 2 decades. Through her work, she connects with Peers and Workers seeking to heal together in acknowledging our shared losses, unprocessed grief by using tools expressly developed for this purpose. Her practice is centred on African ways of knowing and inclusive of other authentic ways developed by different cultures. The ultimate goal in her mind is community healing and wellness.
To help her process and ensure continuity, she lifts very heavy things and sets them down as a powerlifter!
Martin McIntosh
While Martin grew up and completed his education at Western University in London Ontario, he spent much of his adult life living and working abroad in England and in Toronto in the fast paced world of advertising. Since his return to London in 2012, he has devoted a huge share of his time and passion to the HIV/AIDS sector. He currently holds a role as a member of the leadership team of London’s Regional HIV/AIDS Connection, where he has worked for over a decade. He also has over eight years combined experience working as a facilitator within community for both the Ontario AIDS Networks ( since 2014) and his role here at ABRPO (since 2019 ). Additionally, served as OCS Governance Committee Co-chair (2020-2022). When it comes to balancing things out, hot yoga and local theatre are two of his top ‘go to’ wellness activities – loving all the twists that both bring! However, his number passion remains showing up for, and also allowing himself to be held by, the various communities of people with whom he shares vital and powerful lived experience.
Aara Amey-Ayer
Aara is a dedicated and passionate Harm Reduction professional and a Social Justice Warrior. Aara has worked in the Social Services Sector for the last 33years. Aara was the Co-Chair of the Harm Reduction Coalition of York Region and a member of the Opioid Response Education and Anti-Stigma Groups of Public Health York Region, providing leadership and training in comprehensive Harm Reduction strategies. Aara is the Co-Founder of the People Who Use Drugs Alliance of York Region. Aara has spoken at The National (US) Harm Reduction Conference and has developed many workplace policies supporting this model. Aara is a vocal advocate for people who use drug and health promotion services. Aara has provided services such as HR training, design, packing and distribution of HR Safer Drug Using Kits, Naloxone distribution, Client support in Safer Consumption Rooms, support to people with Safer Opioid Drug Supply and the advocacy of dignified services for People Who Use Drugs. Additionally, Aara has worked extensively with people in conflict with the law. Aara founded the first Youth Mental Health Court in York Region. Aara also provided harm reduction counselling to people imprisoned in jails and prisons. Aara co-founded an Imprisoned Women’s Provincial Advocacy Group. Aara is a Queer parent of five children and lives in Kensington Market with her wife. Aara also identifies as an active drug user and a person living with a mental illness.
John Joseph
John Joseph has been celebrating the team of the Manor Road United Church family since May 2019. After receiving his B.Sc., M.Div., M.R.E., and M.A.M.S. from the University of Toronto, he turned another page and received his D.Min. from the University of Chicago. For the John Joseph community, wellness matters. 2012 received the Diamond Jubilee, and 2023 received the Platinum Jubilee for Community Service. John Joseph is a certified Spiritual Director and Labyrinth Facilitator. John Joseph and his husband, Bill, celebrate 20 years of marriage. John Joseph celebrates his 35th anniversary of ordination, having served in churches across the country, including Harrington Harbour in Quebec, Aneroid in Saskatchewan, Timothy Eaton in Toronto, St. Matthew’s and St. Paul’s in Hearts, Mono Mills in Dufferin County, New Horizons in Maple, and Metropolitan United in Toronto. He resides in Cabbagetown with his husband, Bill Calkins, whom he married in 2004. You can find John Joseph on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. John Joseph seeks to imagine and work with Manor Road United Church in worship, pastoral care, outreach, inreach, faith formation, and engaging with the community to heal, mend, and restore together.
Dang Din
Dang Din (he/him pronouns) is a Social Service Worker who graduated from George Brown College and is currently working out of Downtown Toronto. He works in the harm reduction sector and specializes in working with those who are experiencing homelessness and drug use, a clientele base which he shares lived experiences with. Ever since Dang was 14, he has battled with the incarcerate system, and for 10 years he struggled with opiate dependency. Today he is 7 years sober and is using that experiencing to connect with his clients. The Church of The Holy Trinity, Toronto Public Health, Rittenhouse and now ABRPO, provide Dang the platform where he can continue to grow, learn and teach.
Dang spends his off time reading, writing, painting, and working with dogs. His favorite books are A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Untethered Soul by Michael Singer.
If you are interested in working with one of our Contract Facilitators,
please contact us at abrpoinfo@abrpo.org.