Board of Directors
Rhonda Belczyk (Shears) - Board President
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Rhonda was born and raised in the East Kootenays and settled in the West Kootenay Boundary in 2005. Rhonda completed her Master of Social Work (2018) degree and Bachelor of Social Work (1996) degree at the University of Calgary. She is currently an instructor in the Human Services Program at Selkirk College. Her professional interests include community development, service coordination, and collaborative practice. "Be the change you wish to see in the world" is a philosophy Rhonda aspires to live by. Her social work practice is rooted in relationships, reflective practice, a strengths-based and solution-focused approach, knowledge based on both research evidence and practice wisdom, and a strong commitment to reconciliation. Rhonda's personal interests centre around outdoor pursuits, including skiing, biking, hiking, and paddling.
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Debra Potter - Board Director
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Bio coming soon!
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Victor Villa - Board Treasurer
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Victor Villa has a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Victoria and a PhD in Experimental (Cognitive) Psychology from the University of Oregon. He has taught Psychology at Selkirk College since 2007 and joined the Freedom Quest Board of Directors in 2019.
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Karly Olson - Board Vice President
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Karly was born and raised in Kootenay Boundary. After finishing university, she returned to the area to set down roots. Karly has a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science from Thompson Rivers University. Her professional interests include health promotion, prevention and community development. She is passionate about supporting and improving the wellbeing of youth and families in Kootenay Boundary. Karly was born and raised in Kootenay Boundary. After finishing university, she returned to the area to set down roots. Her personal interests include spending time with her wonderful family, her two dogs and gardening. Karly joined the Freedom Quest Board in 2018.
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Jim Fisher - Board Director
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Retired at the end of February 2020 after a long career of senior roles in community based, non-profit management in the social services sector.
I continue to have a strong interest in the social services sector with particular passion for Executive Management Mentorship, Leadership Development, Truth and Reconciliation, Program Development as well promoting the value and expansion of evidence-based intervention services to children and youth. |
Heather Kennedy - Board Director
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Heather became a harm reduction advocate and activist through Moms Stop the Harm following the loss of her daughter, Allison, in 2020 due to a lethal combination of cocaine, ketamine, and alcohol. In her work with Moms Stop the Harm, Heather serves as a peer facilitator for grief support groups, supporting individuals who have lost loved ones to substance-related harms. She is also an active member of the Nelson Fentanyl Task Force.
Heather has dedicated her professional life to education. She earned her Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia in 1988, with a focus on Inclusive Education. Over the course of her career, she has worked extensively with students with diverse learning needs, spending the past 29 years in School District 8. Prior to that, she taught in School District 83 (Salmon Arm) and School District 39 (Vancouver). In 2011, she completed a Master of Educational Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University. She currently works as an Inclusion Support Teacher with School District 8 through the Distance Education School of the Kootenays. Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Heather enjoys spending time on her rural property with her dogs and cats, as well as various family members. |
Past Board DirectorsOnce a Freedom Quest'er, always a Freedom Quest'er. We thank you for your many years of service.
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