ABOUT US
Board of Directors 2023-2024
Alex Thompson is the executive director and founder of Power For All. With the help of amazing mentors and partners, the vision of bringing adventure access and innovative therapy to all abilities materialized with the creation of PFA. With a background in education, outdoor recreation, adventure therapy and occupational therapy, Alex shares her passion and knowledge of the outdoors with clients of all ages and abilities in her work with PFA. Every client and seeing their engagement in every session is an incredible privilege and a source of inspiration that keeps Alex fired up. Alex believes that Adventure should be accessible to All and that we should each challenge societal stigmas related to disability every chance we get. This is what her work with PFA is grounded on.
Brent Thompson is a high school teacher, currently with the Mission Public School District. After 20 years of experience working with youth and young adults, he is still excited to motivate and encourage, inspiring others to step beyond boundaries to try something new or challenging! Power For All has provided Brent the opportunity to build relationships designed to utilize these gifts and especially aid in the organization of group sessions during the summer. He is proud to support PFA and his wife, Alex, as she leads the way as a pioneer for Adventure Therapy in Canada.
Harjit has been a practicing Occupational Therapist (OT) for the last 10 years and continues to be passionately involved in advocating for inclusion, raising funds for vital research and equipment, and having fun while trying to make a difference in someone’s life. Harjit is an entrepreneur and ran her own business providing mobile OT services to a variety of clients and setting up workshops focusing on Assistive Technology to enhance function.
Harjit is currently working on a technology project full-time with a local health authority and as a consultant part-time for ACOTRO with a focus on maintaining clinical standardization. When Harjit has some spare time she volunteers her time with a variety of organizations and you can find her spending time with her family, friends and pup. She enjoys being outdoors, by the water, playing volleyball, hiking, experimenting in the kitchen and of course eating!
Lucy served as a Delegate for the United Nations, and served as a diplomat for 20 years in a variety of countries. She is an active volunteer in charity, civic and cultural organizations including Habitat for Humanity in San Francisco, Hope International, The Canadian Cancer Society, the Guatemalan Fraternity in Vancouver, Christmas and Community Parade in The City of Langley, Terry Fox Foundation in Langley and Power for All. Lucy loves to travel, kayak, snowshoe, read, and take walks beside the ocean whenever possible. She loves seeing individuals in the community feeling enabled and having access to the activities they enjoy the most. Power For All seeks to provide access to All, I am happy to be part of this organization.
Alana grew up on and in the water. She has a passion for adventure and is always looking for her next opportunity to be outside. She loves to kayak and swim. She has worked at summer camps and coached volleyball teams. Currently she also volunteers with high school robotics competitions. In her time with Power For All, Alana has shared amazing experiences with people from all walks of life. She began as a volunteer before transitioning to staff and finally a director.
Alana is a student at UBC and is finishing her Bachelor of Education with a specialty in technology education. Her hope is that youth will come into her classroom and learn new skills, as well as gain a confidence to try new things. As a teacher she plans to continue to spend her summers exploring the outdoors and bringing others along for the ride. She feels that everyone should have access to incredible adventures!
Janna Grant is a student at Simon Fraser University, studying linguistics, psychology, learning and developmental disabilities. She hopes to one day become a Speech Language Pathologist. Janna works as a Behaviour Interventionist and a tutor for kids with various learning disabilities. Outside of school and work, you can always find Janna on some sort of new adventure. She loves to go camping in all seasons, and enjoys skiing, hiking, cooking, painting, and musical theatre. Janna is grateful to be a part of Power for All, as it allows her to share her love of the outdoors and help empower those to pursue new adventures.
Jacky graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Kinesiology. He is currently practicing as a Kinesiologist within the Tri-Cities. When Jacky is not working, you will likely find him somewhere deep in the woods, camping, trail running, or cycling. Jacky is excited to join the PFA team as it allows him to share his love for the outdoors while also being a part of the PFA vision to create equal opportunities for everyone to enjoy outdoor activities. Jacky aims to make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of others whenever possible.
Fun facts about Jacky, he is also a personal trainer, lifeguard, and water safety instructor!
Elizabeth McWilliams Hewitt, MA Ed is a Behaviour Consultant in private practice and a sessional instructor at UFV in the Child, Youth and Family Studies Department. As a consultant, Elizabeth support families and teams who care for a person with a disability, including Autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety and other neuro-developmental disabilities. Passionate for sharing knowledge, Elizabeth has been an active member of the FASD Collaboration Roundtable for over 10 years, hosting yearly conferences on a variety of topics related to FASD and trauma. With a strong belief of inclusion and the therapeutic benefits of nature, Elizabeth has been facilitating an Outdoor Adventure Group for youth with disabilities, exploring trails, riverways and all nature has to offer! When not working, you may find Elizabeth hiking, kayaking and camping, always with a good book tucked in her back!