Our Team

Ricky Kwan
Leader of Culture, People, and Services

Ricky is very excited becoming a member of CONNECT Communities. He joined CONNECT Partners in November 2023 and brought a successful track record in operation review and transformation, strategic planning and deployment, and evidence-based management, not to mention hands-on experience includes operating long-term care homes, supportive housing, community health centers, and service hubs.

Ricky is an authentic, courageous, and caring servant leader and an enticing, engaging team player in healthcare and community services with a clinical background in Occupational Therapy. He is quality-determined and results-oriented with a passion for promoting health and wellness for everyone and making a difference in the life of vulnerable individuals.

Ricky aspires to do better; to learn and apply new knowledge, to empower and facilitate team members to thrive in their roles enhancing the services we offer to the people we support at Cambie Gardens, and to advance Life Redesign Model.

Rain Van Der Kamp
Leader of the Coaching Resource Team & Independence Coach (OT)

Rain is a human who is enthusiastic about embracing change and finding new ways of doing things. This tendency has followed Rain on journeys both physical and academic. Rain has cycled across Europe (got lost only a couple times); learnt to fly gliders (crashed just once); learnt to unicycle, juggle, and walk on stilts (fell at least 7 times but stood back up at least 8 times); and most recently they left a little piece of their soul at the North West end of Hudson’s Bay. Prior to pursuing a career in occupational therapy, Rain went through a period of being chronically studious: during this time they conducted a study of teenage clumsiness, searching for a way to prove this phenomena’s existence, and achieving a Masters of Science in Kinesiology for their efforts. Rain is thrilled to find themselves with an amazing team at CONNECT Partners and to be a part of this endeavor.

Vanessa Chang
Interim Lead Health and Wellness Coach

Vanessa Chang began working for CONNECT Partners in April 2023. She holds an Associate of Arts, a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Archaeology and Anthropology, and a Post-Baccalaureate in Science. Additionally, she is a Registered Nurse (RN).

Before joining CONNECT Partners, Vanessa worked as a surgical nurse in a private surgical center and later as a fertility nurse. She enjoys the challenge of working on a pilot project and a start-up-like company, where she can contribute to life redesign, helping individuals transition from institutional living back into the community.

Vanessa believes that ingenuity, kindness, the ability to think outside the box, and compassion are essential skills for a career at CONNECT Partners. Outside of work, she is passionate about dancing, food, living an active lifestyle, and spending time with close friends.

Amanda Harvey
People Resource Coach

Amanda Harvey received their Hons. B.A. in Political Science in 2020 in London, Ontario before moving to Vancouver later that same year. Before working for CONNECT Partners, they worked in the non-governmental sector as an advocate for environmental and Indigenous rights, providing research and developing municipal policies. Having always gravitated towards community-based work, they are passionate about creating change through direct action.

In their free time Amanda likes to write and listen to music, spend time with their loved ones, and be in the great outdoors.

With a passion for helping others find their own happiness, Amanda is excited to be a part of a growing team that puts people and community first!

Alex Buchanan
People Resource Coach (Recruitment, Performance & Well-being)

Alex Buchanan started at CONNECT Partners on October 10, 2022. His role involves recruitment, where he finds joy in understanding applicants’ stories and motivations. Alex values essential skills like empathy, passion, flexibility, teamwork, joy, learning, creativity, and respect for creating a supportive work environment.

Outside of work, Alex indulges in various hobbies that reflects his dynamic personality. He enjoys the thrill of poker tournaments, the strategic engagement of fantasy sports, and the camaraderie of spending time with friends. Cooking also holds a special place in his heart, adding a touch of creativity and flavor to their life outside the office.

Karen Tims
Director of Leading Practice and Life Redesign

Originally from the UK, Karen, an Occupational Therapist, worked for ten years in private industry before deciding to change careers and become an Occupational Therapist (1987). A passion for people and a desire to challenge the status quo – especially within health care – have been personal drivers for Karen since, at the age of three, she contracted polio. Karen immigrated to Canada with her family in 1998.

She joined CONNECT in October 2008 as Leader of Rehabilitation and Clinical Programs with responsibility for developing a different model of service delivery for those living with brain injury. As Director of Leading Practice and Life Redesign, Karen’s focus is on evolving our model through innovation and discovery, teaching and learning, competency and practice leader support, service excellent and continuous quality improvement. Karen continues to challenge our teams to think creatively, imagine possibilities, and support change so that the Life Redesign Model™ can continue to evolve as best practice in the field of brain injury.

Karen likes to indulge her creative spirit either outdoors in the flower garden or in her “studio” creating art.

Jamie Curran
Director of Culture, People, and Services

Jamie Curran is responsible for supporting our people and making sure CONNECT is a safe, healthy, inclusive place to live and work. He is focused on mirroring, consistency and efficiency between our locations, quality enhancement initiatives, strategic and operational planning, leadership coaching, mentoring and support, and financial stewardship and accountability.

Like Patti, Jamie is a founding member of the Interdependence Network. He is a values-based leader, which definitely shows in the way he interacts within the teams.
Jamie keeps himself busy with two sons, his wife and an adorable German Shepherd named North. He is a huge hockey and sports fan.

Patti Flaherty
Chief Executive Officer

Patti Flaherty has worked in the field of brain injury and rehabilitation for almost 30 years. Before joining CONNECT as Executive Leader in 2007, she was a Senior Operating Officer at Vancouver Coastal Health responsible for the site operations of the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre. Patti has a degree in physical education, a Master’s of Education and completed the Executive Health Leadership Program at the Rotman School of Management. She helped develop and promote CONNECT Partners’ Life Redesign Model, which emphasizes social capital and person-centred coaching with a creative and flexible approach.

Patti is a founding member of the Interdependence Network, a past chair for the British Columbia Brain Injury Association (BCBIA) and past chair for the Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference Society. Patti is an active member of the Canadian College of Health Services Executive since 2005 and has been a mentor for the Executive Mentoring Program for the Canadian College of Health Service Executives. In her downtime, Patti enjoys time with her family and friends. She enjoys yoga, the outdoors, great music and traveling.

John Sherwood
Owner

John Sherwood has almost 30 years of experience working in health care and holds a BA in Economics. He joined family home care business Classic LifeCare in 1993 and has since helped expand the reach of services to include brain injury and stroke, mental health and addictions and transportation assistance. John relates to CONNECT Partners’ approach because he believes that the individual being is in control of their goals, choices and life. John enjoys travel, fishing, skiing, and time with family and friends.