Who We Are

Lerena Greig has worked in the non-profit sector since 2007, specifically in the field of addiction and recovery. She has presented all over Alberta with her lived experience and advocates for change in mental health and addiction stigma. In 2019, she joined as a Director of the Board for Our House Addiction Recovery Centre. As Executive Director of Parents Empowering Parents (PEP) Society, Lerena oversees and implements the programs for PEP, hiring and training the administrative staff and facilitators while also fulfilling the role of public relations and resource development. She is a trained facilitator for the Family Recovery Group and on the team that manages the family support line. Lerena is passionate about empowering families and individuals to take that step into recovery and break the cycle of addiction.

Debbie began her journey with PEP as a parent participant in Family Recovery meetings. She
joined the PEP team as a facilitator in 2019 and continues to assist family members in their
recovery journeys using her group facilitation skills and personal lived experience. As the
Program and Communication Manager, Debbie oversees the development and implementation
of PEP's programs, manages HR processes, and works closely with the team to support
recruitment, onboarding, and day-to-day operations. She also delivers community
presentations. She feels honoured to walk alongside families as they reclaim their wellness and
lives and is dedicated to expanding her knowledge in addiction and Family Recovery. Debbie
recently completed her Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Human Resources, further enhancing her contributions to the organization. In addition to her role at PEP, she works as a People and Culture Consultant with Involvi Consulting, supporting clients on people-operations projects. Living in the country, she enjoys spending time with her family and is a lifelong learner.

Rachel has been with PEP since 2015. She is a Family Recovery Group Facilitator and Family Support Line team member. She is also the M.E. Coordinator and supports data and evaluation activities at PEP. She has an undergraduate honours degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Community Health Sciences. She volunteered on a crisis support line in her hometown of Winnipeg for several years. Rachel is currently a Research and Policy Manager with PolicyWise for Children & Families. She is passionate about providing education and resources to families and supporting family recovery. In her free time, Rachel enjoys reading, watching sports, and hanging out with her cat, Monty.

Vivian is a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor, Certified Recovery Coach, and Certified Professional Coach. She works as an addictions counsellor with Enoch Cree Nations. Vivian is a facilitator of the Family Recovery Group and is a Family Support Line Team Member. She is passionate in her belief that we as a society can make a great impact on change and hopes to be a small part of this process. “Knowing that addiction affects the whole family and community and being passionate to assist families both as a professional and through lived experience, I was humbled when asked to facilitate for Parents Empowering Parents. The greatest gift a family can give itself is the strength and knowledge to enter into their own recovery regaining their health and peace."

Alana, a registered Social Worker with the ACSW, has been a part of the PEP team since 2023. Her role as a Facilitator with PEP is a testament to her dedication to supporting families dealing with addictions. In addition to her work at PEP, Alana works full-time at YOUCAN Youth Services, where she supports high-risk youth in the criminal justice system. She is passionate about working with families by empowering individuals and helping them through their most challenging times. Alana loves to see families overcome obstacles and thrive in their recovery journeys. The emotional rewards of witnessing positive changes and growth in families bring her profound personal fulfilment. Alana takes pride in her work and enjoys meeting families and youth where they are, allowing them to take control of their ability to make changes. Alana loves to be outdoors and connect with nature; in her free time, you can find her camping or hiking in the mountains.

Joanne, a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor, joined the team in 2023. She began working in the field of Addictions and Recovery in 2001 and has extensive experience working in the non-profit sector in various capacities. One of her favourite quotes is “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional,” by John Maxwell. She finds inspiration in the reality that no matter what unexpected things life throws our way, we have a choice and an opportunity to grow. We don’t have to stay stuck. She is a firm believer that growth happens best with the support of others. When not working with PEP, Joanne spends her time caring for her three busy little boys, trying out new gluten-free and allergy-friendly recipes and watching the occasional cheesy rom-com mystery movie with her husband. 

Shayla joined PEP as a Facilitator in early 2024 to co-facilitate weekly virtual meetings. Shayla values building community and supportive environments and sees the power of bringing people together in the virtual space. Her foundation includes an undergraduate degree in human services, volunteer participation with a crisis text line, and experience working in an Indigenous-based addiction treatment centre. She also spent over two years leading a housing first team in Edmonton. Shayla currently works as a program advisor of public safety and community support. In her free time, she enjoys Latin dancing, exploring the mountains, and hanging out with her two dogs and three cats.

Ginger Whittal is an addiction recovery specialist with over six years of experience serving our most vulnerable populations during the height of the opioid crisis. Driven by her own lived experience, her passion is to guide others through their journey while empowering them to achieve their wellness goals. As a community builder with over 12 years of professional leadership experience, Ginger founded and led a community mutual support group for women in recovery; she served the group for nearly five years. Currently working as an Addictions Nurse and Recovery Navigator with Alberta Health Services, she is well versed in the many approaches to addiction recovery, which she has carried into her professional private practice as an Addiction Recovery Coach, for which she holds a CARE Seal of Excellence. She also sits on the CARE credentialing committee. At PEP Society, Ginger works as a Family Recovery Group Facilitator and holds a part-time position as an Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. Ginger enjoys spending time with her family, skiing, mountain biking, and camping.

Michelle is a Youth Group Co-Facilitator for the URise Wellness Program, which supports teens affected by family addiction. With a degree in Education and extensive experience in teaching, volunteering, and supporting youth, Michelle excels in creating and leading group activities and discussions tailored to youth needs. Her professional training includes Facilitation, Sexual Abuse Prevention, the P.A.R.T.Y. Drug and Alcohol Program, Anger Management, Social Emotional Learning, Conflict Resolution, Resilience, Mindfulness, and Meditation.

Michelle's personal experiences with growing up in an alcoholic family and struggling with addiction provided her with a deep understanding of addiction and mental health issues. As a Holistic Wellness Practitioner, she empowered individuals through self-awareness, mindfulness, meditation, grounding, and other self-care practices.

With over 16 years of experience facilitating group discussions in nurturing supportive environments, Michelle is dedicated to offering a non-judgmental, empathetic space where individuals feel safe to share their experiences and foster personal growth. For fun, Michelle loves to spend time in nature, painting, and practicing meditation and yoga.

Aley Kulbaba has been with PEP since January 2024. She has been dedicated to developing the URise program, where she serves as Lead Facilitator. Through the URise program, she aims to provide the resources and encouragement necessary for youth to embark on their journey toward resilience and wellness.

As a registered social worker, her career has been driven by a deep commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of children and youth. Aley is passionate about mental health and addictions, focusing her work on providing comprehensive support to those affected by these challenges. Outside of work, Aley loves spending time with her family and friends, watching movies, and eating great food!

Kath Hoffman is very excited to be a part of the PEP team! She brings with her over 30 years of experience working in addictions and homelessness. Her early years saw her working on the streets with outreach programs, operating a mobile needle exchange program and facilitating life skills in a recovery centre. For the past 20 years, Kath has been the Executive Director of the Safe Harbour Society in Red Deer. The organization grew from a staff of 16 to 96 in the time she was there. Programs offered at Safe Harbour include 24/7 shelter for people under the influence of substances, a medically supported detox program, Social Diversion and urban encampment outreach teams, a housing assessment team, and an Indigenous recovery program.

Through all her work experience in addictions, Kath recognized how much support the families and loved ones of the people she was serving were aching for, how lost they were, and how helpless they felt. She also knew the shame and stigma that can prevent people from reaching out for that support. Kath recently retired from Safe Harbour but wanted to find a way to help individuals, families, and the broader community understand the world of addiction and the recovery journeys we all need to embark on to move forward in a more productive and healthy way. The opportunity to be a part of the PEP team is the perfect way for her to do that!

As a certified and designated addiction recovery coach, family coach, certified parent coach, and certified spiritual coach, Sharlin brings a wealth of experience helping others achieve their wellness goals. 

Sharlin has been working in the human service field for over 18 years and is passionate about coaching others to reach their full potential. With lived experience as an adult survivor of addiction and family violence, she has dedicated herself to support people in the addictions field for over seven years.

“It is my passion to help others live a fulfilled and meaningful life, and I am pleased to be a Family Recovery Facilitator with PEP Society” - Sharlin Rahiman

Paul has been working in the addictions field for about more than 20 years, most of this time spent with individuals from the Downtown East Side of Vancouver. Through his journey, he became more cognizant of the importance of family and social support in the recovery journey.  Additionally, he became more aware of the impact of addiction on the family: it was not just limited to the individual in addiction. 

He has had the privilege of working with family members who believed they were trapped in a hopeless cycle and witnessed how they took control of their own life and recovery. He has seen lives transformed as the families became knowledgeable about addiction and moved towards a life of recovery, often sharing how they are grateful for what they learned in overcoming adversity.  

Paul has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a master’s in Counselling. In his leisure time, he enjoys mowing the lawn, grilling and barbecuing, and building random stuff out of pallet wood.