Andrea Paquette
President and Co-Founder
Andrea Paquette, President and Co-Founder of the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society, is a speaker, author, and advocate for mental health. She launched her advocacy with the Bipolar Babe Project in 2009, evolving her efforts in 2016 into the Stigma-Free Society. Now known as the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society which impacts communities across Canada with robust educational programs. Her work, deeply rooted in her personal experience with bipolar disorder, aims to combat mental health stigma and foster understanding. She holds a double major degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies and she has worked for the BC government in the areas of mental health and addictions, social development and education. She is certified in Mental Health First Aid and ASIST Suicide Prevention. She has also been trained and certified in the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Mental Health First Aid course.
Andrea has spoken at over 850 venues, earning multiple accolades, including the 2023 Alberta Blue Cross – Faces of Wellness Recipient and the 2019 President’s Commendation from the Psychiatric Association of Canada.
Shirley Kine
Operations and Engagement Manager
Shirley has a Masters’ Degree in Social Work – Leadership (Complex Systems) with BSW Undergraduate Degrees in Indigenous, Rural and Remote Social Work and BA in Women’s Health. She is Certified in Adult Education, Conflict Resolution, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST Suicide Prevention and Beyond the Hurt (Anti-Bullying). Shirley is also a Director for the Health Quality Council of Alberta, Senator for the University of Calgary and Victim’s Advocate for BVVSA. Shirley has spent most of her professional career working in Indigenous, Rural and Remote social work capacities. For the past 15 years, Shirley has tinkered in social enterprise and measuring the impact of social initiatives when she wasn’t doing her lifelong learning. Shirley lives and works with purpose in mind – we must be the change we wish to see.
Jillian Boyd
Programs and Content Manager
Jillian has a combined degree in Health Sciences majoring in Public Health, and General Management from the University of Lethbridge. She has developed and facilitated a variety of impacting programs to empower youth in past roles and has spearheaded numerous service projects and events in rural Southern Alberta. Jillian believes fostering awareness and education around mental health is a necessary and effective way to prevent stigma and promote more inclusive communities. She has completed her Suicide Intervention Training and is also ‘Dare to Lead’ certified. Jillian is excited to work with the Stigma-Free team as she has always been deeply passionate about mental health promotion and helping people navigate their mental wellness journeys with resilience.
Alice Wilcox
Office & Programs Administrator
Alice is originally trained as an Educational Assistant and later realized that her skill set was better suited in an administrative role than in the classroom. She values meaningful community work and this led her to the non-profit world. Her background includes file management, program support, and technical database support. As a parent of school age children, Alice understands the importance of accessible, quality programming with a focus on mental health. Awareness and education allows youth to be engaged, ask questions, and learn that there is no shame in being your own self. Alice is excited to be on the SFMH team because of the importance of vital conversations and resources the organization provides around mental wellness and encouraging a Stigma-Free world. In her free time, Alice enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family.
Monica Bilung
Social Media Marketer & Graphic Designer
Monica is a creative marketing professional with a passion for creating high-quality content to engage vast audiences. She deeply cares about mental well-being and hopes to raise awareness of Stigma-Free Mental Health Society’s programs to reach those who need them most. She has a track record of working in challenging dynamic workplaces across brands and client segments. She excels at social media marketing, design, content management, and video editing. After completing her Masters in advertising, she spearheaded social media operations at an advertising agency before pursuing her passion for helping animals. She worked with PETA India for four years and has volunteered at local animal shelters. She loves to travel and explore local vegan food.
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Monique Zizzo
Content Writer
Monique is a content writer and researcher committed to helping individuals of all ages improve their mental health. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Western University and an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brock University. Monique currently works as a scriptwriter for Psych2Go, where she creates educational videos about psychology. She also works with the Youth Development Lab at Brock University to conduct research examining the effects of social media on young people. In addition to her content writing work, she volunteers at Certified Listeners Society as an Emotional Support Chat Responder. She runs a website called Love Our Minds that provides mental health resources to help people live happier and healthier lives. Monique combines her passion for creative writing and research communication to provide useful information in an entertaining and relatable way. She is thrilled to work with Stigma-Free Mental Health Society to help open minds and facilitate a culture of compassion.
Surat Singh
Adler University Intern
Surat is currently in his first year of study in the Master of Counselling Psychology program at Adler University. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology-with distinction, from the University of British Columbia and is currently a research assistant in two labs at UBC. In the UBC Interpersonal Lab, he is researching reassurance-seeking behaviours in individuals experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder. In the UBC Counselling/Psychotherapy Research, Teaching, and Service Lab, Surat is researching mental health help-seeking behaviours among Filipinos. He is passionate about spreading mental health awareness in a culturally sensitive context. He hopes to contribute to this process through various outreach initiatives with the SMFH team. In his spare time, Surat enjoys golfing, skiing and playing basketball.
Alexis Velazquez
Adler University Intern
Alexis is a dedicated mental health professional with a focus on child and adolescent well-being. Currently undergoing a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology, Alexis has a strong foundation in therapeutic techniques and a passion for working with diverse populations. Her experience includes working and volunteering in schools and community settings, providing specialized support to children with various needs. She is also passionate about Stigma-Free mental health awareness and promoting it to society. She is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of young people and their families.
