Our History
Brainstreams.ca is the official website of the The BC Brain Injury Association (BCBIA). We are a non-profit provincial organization in British Columbia serving the interests of the acquired brain injury population. It was founded in 1982 and was incorporated July 6th, 1983. In November 2012, BCBIA and the Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference Society (PCBICS) joined together to become one organization with a focused and clear purpose to support the province of BC’s brain injury community. BCBIA engaged The Governance Group to help facilitate the merger and to lead the new board through a strategic planning process and active board governance development. The strategic planning and governance development process began in the spring of 2014.
We are continually revising, adapting and creating content to ensure British Columbians are informed about the brain and brain injury and have access to the kind of information they require, when they require it. With your continued support and feedback we hope to fulfill an existing gap in the brain injury community.
You can view our organization’s Constitution and Bylaws.
Meet our Board of Directors for 2022-2023
Geoff Sing
President
Geoff has been working in the field of brain injury for the past 20 years. Presently, he is the Manager of Brain Injury Services with The Cridge Centre for the Family. This program includes a continuum of residential programs, community support clients and several employment training programs for survivors of a brain injury. He served on the steering committee for the Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference for 15 years. He was the chairperson for Advocacy Plus – a program that trained survivors to advocate for themselves. Geoff has a Masters of Administration from the University of Victoria.
As a stereotypical survivor of a brain injury (at 18 years of age he was in a serious car crash that had him in a coma for a number of days; as well, he suffered several concussions in athletic pursuits), the field of brain injury is Geoff’s life and passion. As an advocate, supporter, or a “whatever it takes” proponent, Geoff’s goal for survivors of a brain injury and their loved ones is your goal – find and develop the best services possible and achieve the best outcomes possible.
Dana Jardine, CPA Treasurer
Dana is a Chartered Professional Accountant who qualified in 2019. Dana started her career in audit and tax in 2016, moving on to the non-profit sector in 2020. Dana has since moved on to work for CONNECT Communities, which is a private organization which houses and supports individuals with brain injury and stroke. The organization and its leadership have been an inspiration and encouraged the participation on the board of BCBIA as it’s treasurer.
Tony Mok
Director
In January of 2009 the lives of Tony Mok and his family changed forever when Tony suffered an unexpected stroke. At the time, he was living a healthy life style, always taking good care of himself by exercising and eating well.
Since Tony’s stroke, Tony and his devoted family have had to adjust to a new way of life. With love and support they discovered ways to step up to the challenges of living with the devastating effects of a brain injury.
One of Tony’s challenges is dealing with post-stroke fatigue, where even simple things like watching TV or talking to his family and friends takes its toll. Tony continues to fight his way through the challenges that he faces on a daily basis. Tony knows that feeling valued and staying productive are key to survival and has chosen to speak up for others that are living with the effects of a brain injury.
Tony lives to advocate for other brain injury survivors and has proven he is a voice for brain injury survivors. Tony Mok was first welcomed to BCBIA as a director of the board in July of 2014.
Kix Citton
Director
With over 20 years of working with non-profit organizations in Canada and overseas, Kix brings a passion for innovation, collaboration and inclusive leadership. Her experience in program development, community building and advocacy are assets she brings to the BCBIA Board of Directors. She is the Executive Director of the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society and helped found a successful non-profit service co-operative. When not in the office, you will likely find Kix hiking the trails or paddling the waters around beautiful Vancouver Island.
Bailey Davies
Director
Bailey is a practicing Occupational Therapist who graduated from UBC in 2010. Her focus began in brain injury, largely supporting the recovery of individuals with TBI from motor vehicle accidents. To support her practice, she invested extensively in professional development courses to specialize in the treatment of brain injury, chronic pain, and mental health. Helping individuals uncover their own unique strengths and empowering them to harness these strengths to make constructive changes in their life has become her professional passion.
Currently, she runs her own private practice in Surrey, B.C., using her expertise to provide treatment to those in the community with brain injury and mental health difficulties. Outside of work, she has been involved in a number of volunteer opportunities such as developing and implementing mentorship programs, guest speaking in university classes, and consulting to a NFP Board. Outside of work, Bailey and her husband are raising two young and active children.
Robin Bienvenu
Director
Robin acquired a brain injury in the spring of 2007, as a result of a rare illness. He went into a sudden, unexpected coma for over six weeks, and woke up completely paralyzed, mostly blind, and very confused.
He understands how a brain injury can instantly change every aspect of a person’s life, and some changes are more permanent than others.
The experience does not always have to be a completely bad one. Sometimes a person can use it to motivate themselves to take life more seriously and pursue a previously unknown interest.
Robin started college in January 2009 and went on to University in September 2014 He finished in June 2022 with an Associate’s Degree in Social Work from Camosun College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Victoria. The education process turned out to be perfectly suited for brain injury rehabilitation. Surviving a brain injury is a constant learning process. Now the goal is to help others with brain injuries.
Geoff Sing and The Cridge Center for the Family are giving Robin an opportunity to apply what he has been studying.
Understanding the uniqueness of each individual before rehabilitation can begin is important. Their goals, hopes, dreams, and how they can change or be altered into realistic, attainable ones.
Cognitive reassessment techniques help to turn a negative event into something more manageable. Basically, developing creative ways of turning something negative into something more positive. Improving a person’s quality of life by re-evaluating life’s priorities.
He is looking forward to helping people with brain injuries cope with their new lives, and learning more about how our brains function.
Gary Richardson
Director
Gary has a varied work history including banking, logging, running garages and service stations, smelter work, lumber yard, auto wrecking, bookkeeping, construction (road building and site preparation), operations manager of a marketing research firm and psychiatric assistant (five years) at UBC hospital. His last job was Disability Awards Officer, assessing and granting disability pensions with the Workers Compensation Board, and retired 16 years ago after 25 years of service. In 1969 he lost his right leg in a motor vehicle accident and uses an artificial leg. He also obtained a degree in psychology at UBC.
His volunteer history includes working with autistic children, developing a Parent and Tot program at a local community centre and working with various non-profit organizations including the Amputee Coalition of Canada (VP), Amputee Coalition of BC (Peer
Visitor and trainer), and Visitation Director for the Association for Injured Motorcyclists for many years where he developed a resource manual for downed riders and a training program for other Visitation Volunteers.
Gary has worked on an advisory committee with BCBIA and recently assisted with “The Journey Ahead” program.
During his visitation work with downed riders, he noted signs of brain injury in most of them and also noted they were overlooked in most cases with no treatment program being provided. With some he was able to lobby with ICBC and the medical system to consider the brain injuries to assess and provide treatment.
He has been increasingly interested in brain injury and looks forward to working with BCBIA.
Bob Coss
Director
Bob and his wife moved from Quebec City to Coquitlam in 2006, to support their son, Michael, who had experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of a motor vehicle accident. This life-changing event fueled his unwavering dedication to assisting and championing brain injury survivors, emerging as a central purpose in their retirement years.
Although Bob is retired, he maintains an active lifestyle by frequenting the gym. His unwavering dedication to supporting brain injury survivors is evident through his involvement as a member of the Tri-Cities Brain Injury Support Group. Bob is also actively engaged in a parents’ group advocating for permanent housing with support for brain injury survivors. He volunteers on various committees in his residential complex, underscoring his commitment to community engagement and making a positive impact on the lives of other.
Linda Sankey
Director
Linda Sankey is the Executive Director of the South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society where she has worked for 22 years. In addition, she has two family members who have had Traumatic Brain injuries both who were injured in seperate work place injuries.
Linda has lead her organization to diversifying the scope of supports to including people with unmet housing needs and people who are living with Stroke. She has led the organization to owning and operating 7 separate, low income housing projects.