Veteran Family Summit 2025

Francis Auclair has been CANEX’s Eastern District Manager for the past year. He is responsible for the management team for 12 CANEX stores located on eight military bases in Eastern Canada: Bagotville, Gagetown, Goose Bay, Greenwood, Halifax, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, St. John’s and Valcartier.

Before earning the title of District Manager, Francis began his career in 2018 with CANEX as the Recruit School Store Manager for the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu base. After three and a half years, his dynamism, innovation and leadership qualities helped him to be promoted to Area Manager for a period of two and a half years. This position enabled him to acquire the skills and qualifications needed to become Eastern District Manager after six years with the company.

Francis has worked for more than 15 years in the retail field, notably with Future Shop, Best Buy and RONA. During these 15 years, he acquired extensive experience in customer service, team management, inventory management and sales.

As District Manager, he and his team look forward to continuing to serve military customers to deliver the best possible in-store experience, while enhancing their role, services and member benefits, with the goal of serving those who serve and have served our country.

Jenna Babin is a dedicated advocate for mental health, particularly for veterans and their families. As the spouse of a Veteran husband living with posttraumatic stress disorder, she intimately understands the challenges faced by those navigating the complexities of mental health care. Her commitment to raising awareness and creating supportive environments is further exemplified by her husband’s involvement in the Invictus Games 2025, where they both champion resilience and recovery. A Family-oriented individual, Jenna is passionate about fostering community and encouraging open discussions surrounding mental health.

Mike Babin is a retired Warrant Officer who served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons as an Armour Soldier and remustered to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Operator with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). Medically released due to physical and mental injuries sustained from service, he understands the struggles of trying to serve and be a part of a Family. He hid his injuries for over a decade before it started to affect his work and everyday life and he finally accepted that something was not right. He shares about how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) along with physical injuries cannot be fought alone and how support from the medical community, friends and Family is a must. He continues to try to focus on his own well-being as well as that of those close to him by participating in programs for PTSD.

Marie-Eve Bastien is the Veteran Family Program Coordinator (VFPC) for Military Family Services in the National Capital Region (NCR). She works directly with members transitioning medically from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and their Families, while also accepting non-medical referrals. Marie-Eve has nearly 20 years’ experience in intervention and mental health, mainly in community organizations. Over the years, she has worked with the unhoused population, residents diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolarity, kids in difficulty and much more.

She joined Military Family Services in 2021 as the VFPC, where she was able to work front-line with medically transitioning members and their Families. She became one of the first Family Transition Advisors (FTA) working with the Families of voluntarily transitioning members and has since made the shift back to the VFPC role. Having supported both roles, Marie-Eve has been the right-hand person for every transitioning Family in the NCR.

Marie-Eve also has a personal understanding of the challenges Veteran Families can face. As a spouse of a medically transitioned CAF Veteran with PTSD and a mom to a little one impacted by operational stress injury, she draws from these experiences as she works and advocates for military Families.

Tabitha Beynen served for 10 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Medical Technician. Her story of her experience with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlights the unique struggles related to women’s mental health, being in survival mode and learning to live again with feelings and emotions. She also focuses on the unique needs and experiences of single parents struggling with PTSD. She currently serves as Lived Expertise Lead, Veterans at the Atlas Institute.

Farah Dib is an investment advisor with more than 15 years of experience in the financial services sector, both abroad and in Canada. With a deep understanding of the unique financial needs and challenges faced by military members, she is dedicated to helping serving members, Veterans, and their Family members build and manage their wealth effectively. As an experienced investment advisor, Farah provides tailored guidance in retirement planning and investment strategies that align with the career transitions and financial priorities of military life. By offering a full range of financial solutions, she empowers military Families to reach their financial goals with confidence and peace of mind.

With a bachelor’s degree in social work and over 23 years of experience in justice, delinquency and mental health, Myriam Dutour has expertise in individual and group interventions, as well as in mediation training in justice and citizenship. Her experience has led her to develop various workshops and sessions on a range of topics.

For the past seven years, she has been the coordinator for the Veterans Program at the Military Family Resource Centre in the Montreal region, where she has established and developed services for Veterans released for medical reasons and their Families. This work has resulted in a deep understanding of the issues surrounding the release from the Canadian Armed Forces. She collaborates with various stakeholders in the Veteran community, as well as with community and public organizations, to raise awareness of issues related to Veterans and their Families. In this way, she facilitates the transition and integration of Veterans and their Families into post-service life.

Since 2018, she has been collaborating with her colleague Audrey Gallant to continue the development and adaptation of a workshop for medically releasing military personnel and their spouses to better meet the needs of participants and ensure its success.

Jennifer Eyre is a bilingual teacher, facilitator, instructional designer, the spouse of a retired Canadian Armed Forces member, and mother. With many domestic and international military moves under her belt, she has worked and volunteered in many educational capacities, from high school classrooms with various school districts to instructional design with the Government of Canada. Jennifer has also taken educational opportunities such as becoming a Master Resilience Trainer with the University of Pennsylvania and the United States Army. She has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) with a major in Biology from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Education from the Collège universitaire de St. Boniface (University of Manitoba).

With a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work, Audrey Gallant in her role as the Family Liaison Officer (FLO) at her Military Family Resource Centre has more than 15 years of experience working with Families of ill and injured military personnel, as well as Families of the fallen. Primarily a front-line clinician, she provides individual and couple counselling specifically related to grief, adaptation to illness or injury, burnout and other challenges affecting military personnel and their Families.

As one of the first 10 FLOs in the country, she identified gaps in services and was invited to participate in the national working group for the Veteran Family Program. Through her work with these Families, she noted several deficiencies, particularly regarding the transition out of the military for both members and their Families. She has fostered various collaborations with service partners to better inform and support these Families at her local level. Additionally, she has created a workshop for couples to address psychosocial issues related to medical releases from the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2018, her colleague Myriam Dutour joined the team, and together they continued to refine this workshop to better meet participants’ needs and ensure its success.

Michèle Gauthier is a counsellor with the Military Family Services (MFS) Family Information Line (FIL). She receives calls from military members, Veterans and their Families — both near and far — offering information, referral to various programs, crisis support or ongoing emotional support.

Before joining the MFS team, Michèle worked with Families under the Director of Youth Protection, offering them tools and resources to help them continue their journey in the right direction. Working directly with children and youth, she has learned a great deal about intervention and emotional support, offering clients a safe space to express and share their emotions. Michèle uses her skills in her work with military and Veteran Families.

Working with FIL since 2022, Michèle has adapted her skills and learning to her current work environment. She asks clients questions in order to fully understand their issues and refer them to the best resource, and listens to the emotions and concerns of each caller.

Andrew Gough is a medically retired police Sergeant (London Police Service in Ontario) and soldier. Andrew served concurrently in both vocations for nearly 25 years.

Injured by an “act of terrorism” in Tripoli, Libya, and having also been involved in the evacuation of the Canadian Mission to Libya in July of 2014, coupled with years of policing, Andrew was diagnosed with a complex posttraumatic stress injury in 2016.

Andrew has turned his injury into advocacy, starting a federal not-for-profit, Veterans and Everyday Heroes (V-EH!) in 2018. V-EH! aims to provide acts of kindness and service dog funding support for Veterans and first responders.

As a result of his passion for the Veteran and first responder communities, Andrew has received the Canadian Mental Health Association’s “Champion of Change” award, Canada Beyond the Blue’s “Community Partner” award, the Police Association of Ontario’s “Police Services Hero of the Year” award, and the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation.

Andrew has been married to his high school sweetheart Elizabeth for more than 21 years. They have two teenage children together. Andrew can always be found with his service dog Riggs.

Erik Gravelle has been in the insurance industry for 21 years and strives towards a holistic approach when dealing with clients. He enjoys the interaction and is always looking for ways to simplify financial questions.

In his free time, he volunteers with different local organizations and enjoys cycling around Ottawa, discovering numerous bike trails.

Helena Hawryluk, PhD, RSW is one of the co-founders of Families First: Supports for Occupational Stress Inc. and director of the National Warrior Kids Programs offered through Wounded Warriors Canada, available to children and youth from military and first responder Families impacted by a parental psychological injury.

Helena has spent more than a decade creating a space for the development and provision of meaningful mental health services for Veteran and first responder Families. She believes in critically examining what the research offers in terms of new knowledge on this population and translating this into evidence-informed practice.

Helena completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at Concordia University, a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Calgary, followed by her Master of Clinical Social Work and then her PhD with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. She was awarded the Wounded Warriors Doctoral Scholarship for her research with youth in military Families impacted by posttraumatic stress disorder, post-Afghanistan war.

Gary Hollender started his service in uniform as a Cadet with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada at age 12. He went on to serve in the Reserves before becoming a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Auxiliary Constable in 1988.

After Language Training and Depot, his first posting took him and his wife and three daughters from British Columbia to Peace River, AB. a wonderful community that accepted him and his Family as one of their own. It was also the first place someone shot at him.

After postings at Hobbema, AB, Cross Lake, MB, and again across Alberta in Leduc, Assumption, Thorsby, Breton, Maskwacis, Edmonton, and finally at the Edmonton Airport, he retired in July 2021. In addition to his normal duties, Gary volunteered with the Special Tactical Operations Team, then as a tactical medic with the RCMP Emergency Response Team and finally on the Community Liaison Team (dealing with protests and other major events).

The highlight of his career was as an Operational Trainer/Mentor to the Afghan National Police, in Kandahar, from March to December of 2009 while seconded to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and United States Army.

In his spare time, he volunteered as a firefighter / Lieutenant from 1998 to 2013 in the communities where he lived, as well as a CAF Cadet Instructor training Cadets in Alberta and Manitoba since 2006.

He now works as a labour relations officer with the National Police Federation.

He has been married for 40 years, He has three daughters, six grandchildren, one dog and two cows.

Fardous Hosseiny is the President and CEO at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. Before coming to Atlas, he was most recently the interim National Chief Executive Officer and the National Director of Research and Public Policy at the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Fardous hopes that Atlas embodies “serving those who have served” as we continue to work hand in hand with Veterans and their Families. His goal is for the Atlas Institute’s work, research and outreach to be imbued with the voices of Veterans and their Families, as he believes change will come through this kind of meaningful engagement.

Dean and Gailynne Irvine are 2018 Invictus Games alumni.

They are humbled to be able to participate in the Veteran Family Summit and be able to share and speak about their Invictus journey.

Dean was medically released in 2018. His Invictus experience taught him many things, some things that he wanted to learn and some things that he didn’t. It taught him tenacity and reinforced his “no quit” attitude, no matter what. He has learned that as long as he tries and tries everything, he may fail, but he will try again and in time he will always find a way to succeed. In 2024, Dean battled an aggressive cancer. He reflected back on the Invictus Games and used many skills that I learned from the Games to fight hard through his chemo treatments. Through it, he found himself rediscovering Family again. He shares that it’s important to never give up and keep moving forward, whatever your forward is, as everyone’s journey is different.

Invictus 2018 also gave Gailynne and Dean a rare gift through the renewal of their wedding vows. On the last day of the Games, they were surrounded by their Family, friends and new friends from around the world who were their witnesses. Invictus 2018 will always hold a special place in their hearts and has given them a memory together, as Dean doesn’t remember their first wedding in 2000 due to an accident in 2004. After Dean’s wheelchair rugby game, the Irvines were voted as the “Unconquered Family.” In all the ups and downs, they have seen that their Family is always there and that they are Invictus.

Laryssa Lamrock is the National Strategic Advisor, Families at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. She has a personal understanding of the many challenges facing Veteran Families as the spouse of a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran who was medically released with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, and as a mother supporting four children impacted by the operational stress injury of their loved one. Laryssa draws from these experiences as she advocates passionately for and represents the voices of military and Veteran Family members.

Captain (Ret’d) Hélène Le Scelleur enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces in March 1990 when she was only 17 years old. She joined the first female cohort in the infantry trade at the Régiment de Maisonneuve in Montreal. Hélène’s love for service to her country led her to join the Regular Forces in 1999 where she served a further 17 years, primarily as a health care administrator. During her long career, Hélène has had numerous assignments and deployments, notably in the former Yugoslavia on two occasions and in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2008.

Due to the recognition of her work in Afghanistan, Hélène received a commendation from the Commander of the Expeditionary Forces Command and was also chosen to become the aide-de-camp to the former governor general of Canada, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. Sadly, Hélène’s career came to an end in 2016 following a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder linked to her last mission in Afghanistan. Deciding not to give up in the face of this irreversible decision, she pledged to pursue doctoral studies with the aim of finding new solutions to deal with the identity crisis that follows the transition to post-service life for military personnel living with an operational stress injury.

Brad LeBel currently serves as a Sgt Vehicle Tech at 2 Field Ambulance in Petawawa, ON. He is married to Julie and they have two daughters, Kaydence (13) and Kailynne (10).

Brad grew up in Gillam, MB and joined the Reserves in Sault Ste. Marie in 2001 while going through college as an automotive technician. He has been on four operational deployments and has been posted to multiple places across Canada.

This year, he is fortunate to have been selected as a participant in the 2025 Invictus Games, participating in sitting volleyball, alpine skiing and indoor rowing.

Polliann Maher is the Lived Expertise Lead, Families at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. She is the spouse of a Veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder and brings to her role more than 20 years of lived experience in navigating the mental health system. Polliann is passionate about educating the Veteran community and sharing her knowledge of the resources that are available to them. She is a strong advocate around changes that encompass the Family, which are many times an afterthought or forgotten.

For the past 12 years, Rebecka Mason has parented alongside her husband, a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veteran living with a posttraumatic stress injury (PTSI). During the first nine years, he was still actively serving and frequently deployed. Their journey with PTSI has had its highs and lows, which they have faced together as a Family, ensuring open communication with their daughter about her father’s experiences and challenges. Over the years, Rebecka’s husband has made significant strides and now serves as a certified meditation teacher, assisting other Veterans and CAF members with PTSIs. Rebecka has dedicated eight years to providing peer support to other Families through the Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) program at Veterans Affairs Canada and has also been actively involved in co-developing a new resource on parenting with PTSI with Atlas. Her volunteer efforts and area of passion extend to supporting youth sports, including U13A Rep Hockey and serving as an Assistant Coach for a U13 Rep Fastball team.

Holding undergraduate and graduate degrees in Family Science, Deborah Norris is a professor in the Department of Family Studies and Gerontology at Mount Saint Vincent University. She has developed and taught many Family studies courses in that program, including a course focusing on military and Veteran Families.

An abiding interest in the interdependence between work and Family life led to Deborah’s early involvement in planning and implementing military partner programs and parent education programs at the first Military Family Resource Centre located at Canadian Forces Base Halifax. Insights gained through conversation with program participants were the sparks that ignited a long-standing commitment to learning more about the lives of military-connected Family members.

Informed by ecological theory and critical theory, Deborah’s research program is applied, collaborative and interdisciplinary. She has facilitated studies focusing on the everyday lives of women military partners experiencing the cycle of deployment, resilience(y) in military and Veteran Families, work-life balance in Families where mothers are serving members in the Canadian Armed Forces , the bi-directional relationship between operational stress injuries and the mental health and well-being of Veteran Families, Family psychoeducation programs for military and Veteran Families and the transition to post-military life. She has collaborated with fellow academic researchers, defence scientists at the Department of National Defence, Veterans Affairs Canada personnel and others. Recently, her research program has expanded to include an emphasis on the impacts of operational stress on the Families of public service personnel.

Luisa Russo-Lemay retired from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with 40 years of experience as a police officer and civilian. Her service has taken her across Canada as well as China, Egypt and parts of Europe where she led multidisciplinary teams for the purposes of security, law enforcement, investigation, human resources, strategic planning and operational support to preserve national safety and integrity.

In 2018, faced with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, Luisa sought treatment at the Operational Stress Injury Clinic in Ottawa in the hopes of developing methods and skills to assist herself, her husband and their two children to better understand and manage the diagnosis. Over the past six years, she has openly discussed her diagnosis and has developed strategies, with the assistance of professionals, that work for her and her Family.

Luisa has a passion for cooking and baking, volunteering with not-for-profit organizations and hiking/walking her beloved dog Shelby who has been instrumental in her journey to better health.

C. Richard Spates is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at Western Michigan University. With a career spanning over four decades, he has become a leading expert in anxiety disorders, trauma and empirically supported treatments.

Richard earned his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois in 1976. His career includes significant roles in public mental health administration and academia. At Western Michigan University, he served as Director of Clinical Training for 20 years, and as Department Chair during that time.

His research focuses on anxiety disorders, trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with extensive work on eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive-behavioural treatments. Richard has also explored technology-based interventions for mental health issues.

As a consultant, Richard has worked with various organizations, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, providing expertise on PTSD treatment and program evaluation. His work with the Michigan Department of Mental Health has influenced policies on clinical standards and behavioral services. He has also served as an expert witness in cases related to trauma and PTSD.

Recognized internationally, Richard has held visiting professorships in Australia and Japan, and has presented his research worldwide. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and has received numerous honours.

His latest work, co-authored with Karis Callaway, The Moral Injury Spectrum: From Conflict to Healing in Individual and Cultural Contexts, reflects his ongoing commitment to understanding and addressing complex psychological issues, including moral injury.

Craig P. Stewart, MB BAO BCh, MA, FRCPC is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Interim Medical Director at the St. Joseph’s Operational Stress Injury Clinic (London, ON), working out of the Greater Toronto Area satellite site. He completed a Clinical Fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University (London, ON) where he serves as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. His academic role primarily involves contributing to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching on sleep. He holds a master’s degree in behavioural neuroscience from Brock University (St. Catharines, ON) with a focus on neurophysiological correlates of sleep, with additional research experience in circadian rhythms. In addition to his regular OSI Clinic work, he also practises at a community sleep clinic in the Greater Toronto Area.

Shawna Stewart is a dedicated educator with a rich background rooted in military, public service and Family. She is the daughter of a retired military Veteran, the wife of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer living with posttraumatic stress disorder and the mother of both an Emergency Services Operator and a serving soldier. Shawna has a deep personal understanding of the unique challenges faced by military Families, first responders and those living with trauma.

Having served as a reservist for six years, she has a first-hand appreciation for the sacrifices made in service to the country. With a Bachelor of Education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, focusing on trauma and resilience in classroom settings, Shawna is committed to creating supportive learning environments where all students can thrive — especially those impacted by trauma.

Her dedication to education, mental health and resilience continues to drive her work as she advocates for the well-being and success of those who have given so much in service to others.

In her free time, Shawna is an avid sports fan and can be found in arenas or gyms across Alberta cheering on her children or watching the Edmonton Oilers at home.

Linna Tam-Seto is an occupational therapist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Linna’s research focuses on the identification and clinical implementation of occupation-specific cultural competencies, understanding the role and identity experiences of women in security and defence careers, and the impact of security and defence careers on the life course of Families. She works closely with local, national and international collaborators and organizations in support of security and defence Families.

Lori-Anne Thibault is the Bilingual Communications Specialist at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. As the daughter of parents who have served and the spouse of a serving Canadian Armed Forces member, Lori-Anne brings an understanding of the challenges that emerge from a life of service, the cost of service, and in that is deeply passionate in working to address the need for appropriate care for Veterans and their Families. She also brings experience working with serving Royal Canadian Mounted Police members, having a special interest in telling their stories and advocating on their behalf.

Margaux Wolfe has been a dedicated advocate for military Families since 2018, when she joined Military Family Services as the Veteran Family Program (VFP) Coordinator. She later took on the role of VFP Manager in 2020. In 2021, Margaux transitioned to the Spousal Employment Team, where she currently serves as the Employment and Entrepreneurship Program Manager.

In her role, Margaux focuses on bridging employment gaps for military spouses by fostering partnerships with employers who are committed to hiring and retaining military spouses throughout their careers. She oversees and leads strategic initiatives within the Military Spousal Employment Network, including organizing virtual career fairs and the Employer Spotlight Series, which highlights companies dedicated to supporting military Families and supports the creation of meaningful employment connections between skilled military spouses and committed employers.

Before her tenure at MFS, Margaux worked in philanthropy as a Community Development Coordinator at Parkinson Canada, where she supported individuals living with Parkinson’s disease. Her diverse background and passion for community service continue to drive her efforts in empowering military spouses and enhancing their employment opportunities.