Our Team
Our interdisciplinary team is made up of planning, evaluation, and public engagement specialists. Click on a team member to learn more about them and to get in touch, or email bchc@bchealthycommunities.ca and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Jodi Mucha
Executive Director
Jessie Edwards
Finance & Operations Specialist
Lauren Olson
Administrative & HR Assistant
Jodi Mucha
Executive Director
jodi@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-8442
Jodi has a Masters in Environment and Management, over 20 years of community development experience working both at the local and international level. She also has a strong background in engagement and leadership, community change and practice-based research. She provides expertise in multi-sectoral collaboration and partnerships, systems thinking, the healthy communities approach and practical approaches to understanding the links between the determinants of health.
As a hobby, Jodi runs ultradistance trail races, facilitates leadership courses and maintains her organic garden.
Jessie Edwards
Finance & Operations Specialist
Originally from Eureka, KS Jessie brings her passion for public health as well as substantial administrative experience to her role at BC Healthy Communities. Jessie’s professional background includes a BSc in Microbiology and time in public health administration as well as general operations management. With her strong interest in urban planning, sustainability, intergenerational integration, and the role of communities in supporting mental well-being, Jessie brings a strategic and informed lens to her financial and operations role.
In her spare time, Jessie enjoys running, gardening and spending time with her two young children.
Lauren Olson
Administrative & HR Assistant
lauren@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-8442
With a diverse background including training in photography, human resources, counselling, sound production and leadership, Lauren brings a range of skills supporting all aspects of administration and HR. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences in Counselling and a Post-Degree Diploma in Business Administration, with a focus on Human Resource Management and Leadership from Camosun College.
Having lived in multiple countries including Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu and Guam, Lauren has a deep understanding of community connectedness in different contexts and cultures. In her spare time, Lauren is a textile artist, focusing on hand sewing and other needlework.
Johanna Henderson
Communications Specialist
Kathryn Johnson
Communications Coordinator
Johanna Henderson
Communications Specialist
johanna@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-2159
Hailing from Charlie Lake in northern British Columbia, Johanna is a seasoned communicator and researcher with a deep curiosity about communities and the people that comprise them. Her background includes work with a variety of community-based organizations across the province, with project areas including social policy, social innovation, sustainability, community-university engagement, and health initiatives for seniors and men.
Johanna recently received the Royal Roads Chancellor’s Award for her graduate studies in Professional Communication, where her graduate research focused on the intersection of communications, organizational theory and urban studies in neighbourhoods. Johanna also holds certifications in Community Economic Development and Volunteer Administration, and has studied Communication Design at Emily Carr and the Alberta College of Art and Design.
Kathryn Johnson
Communications Coordinator
kathryn@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-2159
Kathryn is a graduate of the Media Studies program at the University of Guelph-Humber and holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Media Studies with a diploma in Media Communications. Throughout university she was involved in research projects and leadership positions around the school, and recently completed an honours thesis investigating news literacy in teenagers.
Originally from Victoria, she has lived in Toronto, Germany, and France, traveled throughout Europe, and driven across Canada and the northern US, which allowed her to experience cities and communities at various stages of growth. In her spare time, Kathryn can be found fostering dogs, trail running, and coaching track and field.
Connie Berrios
Research & Evaluation Specialist
Claire Sauvage-Mar
Grants & Engagement Coordinator
Jacob Cramer
Researcher
Connie Berrios
Research & Evaluation Specialist
connie@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-1845
Connie strives to empower communities to take their health and well-being into their own hands. Using a strength-based approach, she provides communities with the tools and resources needed to help them make decisions most beneficial for them. Through continuous learning, reflection and improvement, her aim is to make equitable, community-driven, sustainable contributions to community development programs.
Connie’s background includes work in health research and evaluation, multi-sectoral policy development and social service work. Through her front-line experience, she gained first-hand knowledge of need for equitable public policies that address the complex nature of social challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Using her Masters in Environmental and Occupational Public Health training, she uses her knowledge of the healthy built environment to inform upstream interventions that tackle determinants of health.
Claire Sauvage-Mar
Grants & Engagement Coordinator
claire@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-1845
Claire holds a BA in Political Science and an MSc in Kinesiology. Her international background includes work with non-profit organizations in Korea, Vietnam, and New York City. She brings expertise in community engagement, physical activity and lifelong health research, and a deep belief that holistic public health and planning are essential to thriving and resilient communities. She loves learning from her colleagues in Victoria and collaborators around the province.
Claire enjoys volleyball and other sports, reading and writing, bringing people together over food, and finding the perfect quote for any situation.
Jacob Cramer
Researcher
jacob@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-2159
Jacob’s background includes a Bachelor of Political Science from UBC and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Urban and Rural Planning from Langara. This applied education in community land-use planning, paired with a focus on domestic and social policy, provides him with a wide-ranging set of tools and approaches for working in and with communities. His past experience includes projects focusing on equity and sustainability, and he brings these lenses to his work at BC Healthy Communities.
As our Researcher, Jacob informs the development of projects and activities across BC Healthy Communities, with a focus on our evaluation frameworks. In his spare time, you’ll find Jacob biking, surfing, cooking, and spending time with his friends and family.
Emily Johnson
Healthy Community Planner
Sarah Dyer
Community Wellness Specialist
Emily Johnson
Healthy Community Planner
emily@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-1845
Emily is a community planner who is passionate about the potential for planning and design to promote health and well-being. She believes in community knowledge and expertise as powerful levers to support equitable and sustainable decision-making. Emily’s background includes a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a Masters in Community and Regional Planning. Her past experience includes projects focusing on urban design, active transportation, physical activity, sustainability and social inclusion.
As a community planner at BC Healthy Communities, Emily supports communities as they work towards better health and well-being. She also works together with our partner organizations across the province, facilitating workshops and collaborative planning processes. In her spare time, Emily can be found biking, skiing and surfing.
Sarah Dyer
Community Well-being Specialist
sarah@bchealthycommunities.ca
250-590-7210
Sarah holds a BSc in Food and Nutrition as well as an MSc in Nutritional Sciences, with a focus on nutrition in older adults. Her background includes more than 15 years of experience in best practice health research and health communications in a number of health areas, including gerontology. Sarah is committed to transforming thinking around aging to focus on health and vitality.
In her role with BC Healthy Communities, Sarah supports communities as they implement plans and projects for healthy aging. She also brings her research and communications skills to her work supporting Healthy Communities initiatives as part of the PlanH program.
Claudia de Haan-Hewett
Operations Specialist (On Leave)
Jennifer Butcher
Community Well-being Specialist (On Leave)
Claudia de Haan-Hewett
Operations Specialist (On Leave)
Claudia has been working in the field of sustainable (community) development for several years now. She was involved in various sustainable tourism projects in Europe before she moved to Canada. Claudia has a Bachelor of Business Administration and has extensive experience in event management and coordination, and project and financial management. Through her work and travel experiences in Europe, North America and North Africa she has gained a deep understanding of the importance of communities for creating healthier cities and building resilience. She is a bike advocate and strongly believes in grassroots advocacy.
Currently, Claudia is supporting a mapping project with the North Park Neighbourhood Association as a result of her involvement with the United Way Community Tables. She is also involved with outreach activities for the Surfrider Foundation. In her spare time, Claudia can be found on top of a mountain hiking, in the ocean paddling, or on the streets biking.
Jennifer Butcher
Community Well-being Specialist (On Leave)
Jennifer brings several years of experience as a learning facilitator and sustainability coach for population health promotion initiatives to her role. She believes in supporting communities to grow and thrive through upstream approaches, cross-sector collaboration, and asset-based strategies.
Jennifer’s work in this area has included development and facilitation of learning sessions and workshops for health, education, government and community organizations across B.C. She facilitates resource development, healthy community program planning and evaluation, as well as supports cross-sector collaboration initiatives. Jennifer holds a Bachelors degree in Nursing and a Masters degree in Public Health.
Claudia de Haan-Hewett
Operations Specialist (On Leave)
Jennifer Butcher
Community Well-being Specialist (On Leave)