Who We Are

Meet the PEP Team

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 first came to PEP as a parent looking for support and found connection, understanding, and hope in the Family Recovery meetings. That experience shaped her path forward. In 2019, she joined the team as a facilitator and continues to walk alongside families as they navigate their own recovery journeys. Her approach is grounded in compassion, lived experience, and the belief that change begins with each of us.

In her role as Program and Communication Manager, Debbie leads the development and delivery of PEP’s programs, supports facilitators, and day-to-day operations. She also helps grow PEP’s reach through community presentations and partnerships.

Debbie recently completed her Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus in Human Resources, further strengthening her leadership and people-centred approach. She’s a lifelong learner who finds joy in quiet country life, meaningful work, and time with her family.

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.

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!

I am a facilitator at the Red Deer PEP Society meetings. I come from southern Alberta, west of Medicine Hat, currently living in Lacombe. I have 3 married children and currently have 7 grandchildren. I have worked in the addictions field since 2017, after completing a bachelor's degree in Behavioural Science through Burman University. I completed my Addictions Extension Certificate through Mount Royal University in 2021 and received my CACCF certification as an Addictions Counsellor in July 2025.

I am passionate about being a part of the PEP Society because of my own lived experience with a loved one struggling with addiction. My ex-husband struggled with several addictions that he was never able to overcome, ultimately destroying our relationship. I have learned that the hard things I dealt with in my early adult years prepared me to be an encouragement and support for others going through similar challenges. I have seen incredible value in what the PEP Society offers to families - information, support and a community that would have helped carry me through so much of the trauma, pain and sorrow that I struggled through alone. I am grateful to be a part of this community now. My favourite hobby, among many, is horses, who have always been a significant part of my life and self-care, and I currently own, train and ride an Alberta Rocky Mountain Wild horse.

woman comforting patient Pep Society Alberta

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.

Scott Billan joined the PEP team as a Group Facilitator in October 2024 following a career in mental health which spanned four decades. He retired in 2023 from Alberta Health Services, where he supervised addiction counsellors. Scott was formally trained as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in Saskatchewan and also has an undergraduate degree in Adult Education. He is also a Certified Thanatologist and volunteers with the Red Deer Hospice in their bereavement support program. Born and raised in southern Saskatchewan, Scott relocated to Red Deer in 1989 where he and his spouse Karen put down roots and raised their two children. When not out doing yard work, Scott enjoys curling in the winter months and long-distance running all year long.

Linda is a registered Social Worker and has been working with families and young adults in the areas of mental health, addiction, and trauma for 20 years. Currently she is a family counsellor helping clients in treatment and early recovery and their parents, navigate repairing and re connecting their relationships to a healthier place that makes recovery for families and clients better. She has a passion for helping families discover healthier ways to communicate during times of high stress and hurt feelings and for her clients, her dedication to their well being shows in all the work she does. Linda appreciates the challenge PEP offers her where she can bring her skills and passion to families who deserve recovery.

I began my journey at PEP as a Motivational Experience participant (ME), and over time my path has been deeply shaped by my own experience as a person in recovery. Today, I serve as a designated Recovery Coach at the Navigation Centre, where I guide, support, and empower individuals as they navigate their own recovery journeys. My background in recovery has given me both lived experience and professional insight. Through training and certification as a Recovery Coach, I’ve developed the tools to meet families where they are, offering encouragement to help them move forward. What inspires me most is witnessing parents and families discover positive shifts—moments when they begin to grow, heal, and find strength within their own recoveries.

I am passionate about this work because I know firsthand the challenges and the hope that recovery brings. Outside of PEP, I enjoy exploring new hobbies and staying active, which helps me maintain balance and perspective.

I started my journey into the addiction field, beginning with lived experience, then completing an Addiction Extension Certificate through Mount Royal University going on to become a Certified Canadian Addiction Counsellor and a Canadian Certified Recovery Coach. I bring a wide cross of experience in the Addiction sector starting with the Calgary Drop in Center, Simon House Treatment Center, Recovery Coaches Alberta, Oxford House Pre-Treatment and The Encampment Program, leading with empathy, compassion and meeting everyone where there are at.

My passion for encouraging hope and connection, which is key in Recovery, stems from years of family addiction.

To be a part of a family support organization, that evokes change and unity is powerful and humbling, and honoured to walk the journey with each family.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my sons and family, as well as horses, my dogs, crafting and meditation.

Amber French is a dedicated and passionate PEP Facilitator and Administrative Coordinator committed to empowering people and fostering positive, inclusive environments. With a strong foundation in counselling, mental health coordination, and life, spiritual and recovery coaching, she brings compassion, professionalism, and insight to her facilitation and administrative leadership. Amber’s work reflects over a decade of experience supporting individuals and communities through education, personal development, and wellness initiatives. Her humanitarian achievements have been recognized with the BC Women of the Year Award for her outstanding contributions to community service and advocacy. Outside of her professional life, Amber enjoys connecting with animals and horseback riding, pursuits that reflect her empathy and grounded approach to life and work.

Steve has been with PEP since July 2025 and is the Regional Lead for PEP in Calgary. He is the founder and director of Recovery Coaches Alberta, Canada’s first and only recovery coaching program providing both coaching and professional training to individuals across Canada and the United States. Steve supports program development, training delivery, and recovery-oriented initiatives across the province.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology and a Master of Science in Public Health. Before joining PEP, Steve worked across community health and addiction-recovery programs in Alberta, where he supported frontline staff, facilitated recovery-focused services, and contributed to evidence-informed program design. He has also provided coaching and mentorship to individuals and families navigating substance-use challenges.

Steve is passionate about strengthening recovery-oriented systems, building competency in the recovery coaching field, and increasing access to meaningful support for individuals and families. In his free time, he enjoys reading, strength training, exploring new research in positive psychology, and spending time with his wife and dogs.

Dr. Ray Baker, Recovery Medicine
Specialist - PEP Advisor and Ambassador

Dr. Ray Baker

Dr. Ray Baker is a recovery medicine specialist and retired addiction and family physician who advises PEP on the development of our Family Recovery Program. He helps us align our work with current recovery science and recovery focused systems of care, while staying grounded in the lived experience and wisdom of families. He is also a generous supporter of PEP in the community, often speaking about the value of our work and referring families, workplaces, and partner organizations to our services.

Board Of Directors

Kirk Harline - Chair

Carla Lloyd - Vice Chair

Saqlain Mustafa - Treasurer

Thyra Marleau - Secretary

Jennifer Brown-Flewelling - Director

Liam McConnell - Director

Lorne Harvey - Director

Jamina Kotak - Director

Giselle Crawford - Director

members clapping in a group Pep Society Alberta

Upcoming Meetings

Join the group in a safe, non-judgmental place. Drop in with no registration required.

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Journeys of Hope

As our Red Deer Family Recovery Group approaches 1 year (April 1st start date) please know how many lives you have impacted and gave hope to in our very hard journeys. Our facilitators are wonderful and PEP has truly saved my life and helped others - mother of a son on journey.

With PEP I learned that I needed to take care of myself and that it was ok to love me again.

I encourage others to reach out sooner. You are not alone and with the support of others and the knowledge you gain through PEP's Family Recovery Group, healing can begin. You can find yourself again.

The greatest thing that PEP Family Recovery Group brings to my life is the feeling that I am not alone. Hearing others stories while crying and laughing together is my safe place to find healing.