Pinwheel Education Series:
Mental Health of Aboriginal Youth
Speaker Biographies
Patricia Vickers
Dr. Patricia Vickers is from the Ts’msyen, Heiltsuk and Haida nations, and is a clinical counselor
and consultant. She believes ancestral principles and land-based programs are underused and
underrated solutions for problems that confront not only Indigenous Canadians but all human
beings.”
Dana Brunanski
Dana Brunanski is a Métis woman who has 13 years experience working with Aboriginal youth in
East Vancouver and whose recent master’s research focused on counselling with street-involved
Aboriginal youth. She currently works as a mental health clinician with the Aboriginal Assertive
Outreach Program of Vancouver Coastal Health’s Youth Outreach Mental Health Team.
Doris Peters
Doris is a proud member of the Stl’atl’imx Nation and N’quatqua band which is 70 km north of
Whistler. I have worked in the helping field within the Urban Aboriginal community for the past
17 years. I did my Masters in Social Work at UBC and focused my research specifically on mental
health. Doris is currently at Alan Cashmore Centre, providing mental health services to infants
and children under 5 years old.
Leslie Varley
Leslie Varley is the Director for Aboriginal Health for PHSA. She is Nisga'a from Northern BC.
Previously Leslie worked as a consultant in health and social services.