Shirley not only generously shared her time and knowledge, but often lead the way to the necessary steps to create lasting change for the community. One of these initiatives was the development of Fairview & Area Well Community Association.  This umbrella organization was set up to help small community groups address some of the concerns related to the safety and wellness of community members.  Within this agency Shirley turned her talents to the formation of a restorative justice program known as Fairview Community Restorative Justice. Shirley set up the structures of this program, wrote grants for funding and reached out to engage the support of many community agencies. She worked tirelessly with the Fairview RCMP detachment to see that this program would be a success. Not only was Shirley also a mentor to so many young people, she actively sought out volunteers for the Fairview Community Restorative Justice program and saw that they were trained and mentored.  Shirley has also sat on a number of  Boards in the Fairview area such as FCSS Board of Directors, Link Youth Centre Board, Fairview Drug Awareness Coalition and North West Peace Adult Learning Council to name but a few. She remains a champion for this important work after inspiring and supporting so many people to create such meaningful change alongside her.

Kimberly Gorgichuk is a young leader who is passionate about restorative justice, youth advocacy, education, and languages. Born in the northern Alberta hamlet of Eaglesham, Kimberly moved to Edmonton in 2016 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts with a combined major in French and Spanish, and a minor in Linguistics. It was shortly after moving to Edmonton in 2016 that Kimberly became involved with the Youth Restorative Action Project (YRAP), a for-youth-by-youth Youth Justice Committee based on the principles of restorative justice and youth advocacy. She began actively mentoring young people navigating the justice system before taking the lead in chairing restorative justice panels for young people and the people affected by their actions. Elected onto YRAP’s Board of Directors in 2017 as Secretary, she later moved into the role of Vice President, and then President in 2019. Kimberly has balanced this massive responsibility with her ongoing studies and work as a language tutor.

S/Sgt. Nelson Salter graduated from the RCMP’s Depot Division in 1990 The bulk of his career he has focused on community policing initiatives and improving the health and safety of First Nations communities. In 2009 he transferred Alberta, working in the Stony Plain/ Spruce Grove/ Enoch detachment.  One of his first projects was the creation of the Enoch/Paul band Crime Reduction unit in 2010. This was followed by many other initiatives including M.A.G.I.C (Mothers against Gangs in Communities). He co-wrote and was successful in receiving a grant to build youth lead restorative justice programs in both Enoch and Paul First Nations.

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During his time with the Enoch and Paul First Nations Nelson has always helped RCMP members and the communities to resolve issues thru restorative justice verses using the court system. Pushing the idea that as a community we must work together to resolve our issues in order to move forward and live together. Nelson has run a successful restorative justice program in Enoch for the past eight years which other RCMP detachments across Alberta have looked to as a best practice. 

Works with the Saddle Lake Restorative Justice Program, and has been employed as a Youth Justice Circle Keeper for the past 4 years.  He has been a member of the Saddle Lake Restorative Justice-Youth Justice Committee for over 12 years.  Stacey is a youth worker with over 26 years of front line experience working with troubled youth.   

Stacey’s commitment to youth work can be witnessed in listening to him talk about his work, as it truly is his passion.  He was once told, as a young man, to find a job you truly love, and you will never work a day in your life.  Over 26 years of youth work, he has found his calling.  He currently resides in Saddle Lake Cree Nation, having married into the community, over 22 years ago to Rhonda Harrison(nee Makokis).  His spare time, not that he has lots of it, is taken up by his other passions, which include: fostering a 10 year girl, raising 4 dogs, 3 cats, photography, arts and crafts, and prestidigitation (The Art of Performing Magic), and volunteering with various community programs and projects.

Don Lehman has been the Restorative Justice Program Coordinator in Fort Saskatchewan since 2009. He is a husband, father, and is employed full time outside of his RJ duties. Don demonstrates a passion for his programs and continues to develop new and innovative approaches to these programs each year. 

Continually developing partnerships within Fort Saskatchewan and surrounding areas has been an ongoing priority for Don. Some of these partnerships include the youth justice system, the Boys and Girls Club and the Multicultural Society. Don has made headway into local schools and is working with principals to see how restorative justice philosophies can be utilized in the next school year.

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Don has presented at the Community Conference and Peacekeeping Circles, to RCMP members, City Council, and other community partners which has seen a definite increase in interest in Restorative Justice programs within the community. He is focused on maintaining a strong, safe community, repairing damaged relationships, seeking justice for all without involving the court system.

Vanessa Omeasoo is the Neyaskweyahk Restorative Justice Coordinator with Ermineskin Cree Nation and uses circles to assist youth in conflict with the law and helping making available extra-judicial sanction. Vanessa also helps with assisting in workplace conflict and bringing family members together to decide upon a housing or lands decision.

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Ms. Omeasoo’s role facilitates Circles for people in the community. These circles are done for the purpose of support, healing and sharing. She works within the schools, Corrections and by the leadership of Ermineskin Cree Nation to perform these circles, which have been an effective form of intervention within the Maskwacis First Nation community. Ms. Omeasoo also shared her knowledge and expertise in the area of circles by recruiting and teaching volunteers within the community about the Circles as a way to provide the First Nations people in Maskwacis with the skills to manage conflict and to help deter the violence within the community.

Sgt. James LANK served in the First Nations community of Maskwacis,namely the four nations Ermineskin Cree Nation, Samson Cree Nation, Louis Bull Tribe and Montana First nation for the past several years and since has been transferred to Sundre, Alberta. We will miss him, his input and respect he had for our Cree traditions and values in the community

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Sgt. Lank allowed the youth and  young men of the community a chance to contact Elders, court workers or health representatives thus giving people a sense of need and desire to help themselves before anyone else can help them, for which they were very grateful. In the criminal justice areas where charges were laid to an individual, he worked with not only the families if they had to return home (i.e. domestic violence), he spoke and made sure not only the victim was being acknowledged but the home environment and who would be residing there.

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Sgt. Lank honoured the Cree culture and incorporated this into the files and meetings to address life altering issues, he would often sit with the victims at the courthouse or at community meetings support them and allow them to discuss their feelings as the victim keeping the calm presence, not only to our community but to his office environment and general duty police officer.