I'm Graeme LeBlanc, a police officer serving with the Victoria Police for the past 25 years. Throughout my career, I've worked in various sections, honing expertise in investigations and supervision, particularly in Sex Crimes, Child Abuse, and Domestic Violence. Currently, I oversee a diverse team of up to 30 officers and civilians in Patrol Division, extending crucial support in first response and criminal investigations for the City of Victoria and Township of Esquimalt.
Beyond the police, I serve as a reservist with the Royal Canadian Navy, holding the position of Western Region Chief Petty Officer. In this role, I provide guidance on training, succession planning, culture, mentoring, and employee wellness for approximately 1100 sailors across Western Canada. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family - I'm married with two children. My hobbies include running, hiking in the beautiful South Island, and exploring local craft beer offerings.
My involvement with VCAPCC began during my tenure as a child abuse investigator, working with the Child and Youth Advocacy Center. Witnessing the invaluable services provided by VCAPCC to our most vulnerable—our children—has left a lasting impression. As the Chair of the Board, I see an opportunity to continue my journey of giving back to the agency and the wider community, aligning with my roots in law enforcement.
Lauren Duffield has immersed herself in the Canadian tech industry for 8 years, driven by a strong affinity for B Corps—a certification embodying social and environmental responsibility. Specializing in business development, encompassing sales, marketing, and strategy, Lauren brings a wealth of expertise to the table. While her professional endeavors are noteworthy, her beloved dog, Scooby, holds a special place in her life. Lauren's adventures have taken her to over 30 countries, where she's not only explored diverse cultures but also spearheaded numerous volunteer initiatives focused on children's welfare. Since settling in Victoria 5 years ago, Lauren has been passionate about giving back to her local community.
Hello, I'm Beth and I am the secretary of the board. I grew up in Victoria and was blessed to be adopted into a family of 12 children. My parents were wonderful role models for child protection, throughout their 35 years of providing emergency beds for MCFD they fostered countless children, many of whom they are still in contact with today. I joined the board in early 2019 after being invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the first Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Victoria, it was an exciting time to become a part of a team that clearly deeply valued child advocacy like I did. As a previous childhood client of VCAPCC I wanted to bring my passion and experience to help local families eagerly in whatever way I could. I tragically lost my mother and brothers while we were healing from an abusive parent, and it is because of my life story that I am grateful to be able to contribute to VCAPCC and all of the families that we support.
I'm Jeremy Leahy, and I am a mental health worker who works in shelters and low barrier housing. With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, I'm passionate about giving back to the community.
Beyond work, I find solace in camping, playing slo-pitch baseball, hockey, and exploring the Island. Family is paramount to me, and I cherish spending quality time with them.
Volunteering as a VCAPCC Board member fulfills my desire to make a difference in the lives of at-risk children. While I initially felt lacking in direct field experience, I saw this opportunity as a way to positively impact at-risk youth. Working alongside dedicated Board members, each bringing diverse expertise and a friendly environment, I find enjoyment and satisfaction in our collective efforts towards supporting youth that have been affected by violence.
Katy Hutchison grew up in Victoria, spending twenty years on the Mainland while studying business at university and starting a family. Following several years in manufacturing operations management she transitioned into community economic development. Katy returned to the Island in 1998 with her children following the murder of her husband; an event that changed the trajectory of her life in every way. She refers to her writing, education, facilitation and advocacy work in restorative justice and social justice as her “accidental career”; work that took her to classrooms, community centers, prisons and conferences around the world. Her board involvement for school, youth and other non-profit organizations kept Katy connected to local her community until she retired from public speaking in 2018. She has handled the financial management for her partner’s law firm since 1999 and more recently has also assumed the responsibilities of legal assistant in his busy litigation, corporate, family & estate practice. In her free time Katy loves spending time with her kids & grandbabies, chasing her dog Scrum and rolling out her yoga mat whenever she possibly can!
A former military, then NGO, ‘brat’ born in Quebec City, Dr. Michelle Tousignant has lived, worked, and studied, on multiple continents with stops in Rwanda, Belgium, Honduras, and Canada’s arctic, before settling on the wet coast of British Columbia. After completing a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology at UVIC, Michelle was fortunate to be selected as a member of the inaugural class of UBC’s Island Medical Program. After completing a family medicine residency in Vancouver, then an emergency medicine residency in Edmonton, Michelle spent a few action-packed years in Edmonton, working in one Canada’s busiest emergency departments, before returning home to the ER in Island Health, and joining the teaching faculty with the Island Medical Program.
One of the common threads of Michelle’s career, from volunteering in orphanages in post-genocide Rwanda, to helping survivors of Hurricane Mitch in Honduras, to managing trauma-filled emergency departments here in Canada, has been supporting our most vulnerable as they move forward after tragedy. It is her hope to be able to use those skills to be of service to the VCAPCC and give back to the first community she’s ever truly called home.
Outside of medicine, Michelle is involved in a variety of volunteer projects, primarily in the areas of child and youth advocacy and spends any remaining free time as an unpaid teen Uber driver, runner (preferably near the ocean), creative writer, and designated dreamer of her family’s next travel adventure.
My law enforcement career started with the Tsewultun Police Service, an on Vancouver Island. Here I learned to support survivors of the Indian Residential Schools and victims of domestic violence. The key to our success was to treat survivors with dignity and respect. We provided policing services to 4 indigenous groups, including the Penelakut. Where the Kuper Island Residential School was located.
I then transferred to the Saanich Police Department, primarily because of the existence of the Child Abuse Team, now called the Family Protection Unit. I spent 3.5 years with the Child Abuse Team before taking a seconded position with the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (RCMP-NCECC) in 2005. The NCECC is responsible for coordinating online child sexual exploitations investigations in Canada. I spent the next 16 years serving Police agencies in every Province and Territory, teaching investigative techniques and prevention methods for online child protection. During this time I developed technology and techniques to combat online child exploitation.
I also worked with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection; an NGO based in Winnipeg. During this time, we worked closely on both prevention and investigative tools to combat online child exploitation.
I served on the Interpol Crimes Against Children Committee, as the Sub-Chair of the Internet Facilitated Crimes Against Child Subgroup. Prior to this, as the Chair of the Technical Working Group now called DevOps. During my time serving the international community and providing training in various countries my presentations and training were always focussed on child victim identification.
I ended my time at the RCMP's NCECC in 2021 and joined the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Cybercrime Unit, located in Bangkok, Thailand. There, I offered training to police, prosecutors and judges in 5 nearby countries that would help build capacity to combat online child exploitation.
I am now retired from policing, but still serve the child protection community. I work at Hubstream Inc and provide training and support for their child protection software platform that I helped design while at the RCMP. I continue to work internationally, serving on the Interpol DevOps (Hackathon) committee. DevOps brings together NGO's, private industry and law enforcement to develop software to combat online child exploitation.
Born in Russia, Misha Smirnov immigrated to Canada at the age of twelve, bringing a unique perspective to both professional and personal endeavors. By day, Misha diligently works to maintain community safety, at the Saanich Police. Misha is currently an investigator in the Detective Division. As a graduate of the University of British Columbia music performance program, during leisure hours, Misha finds solace by contributing to the community through classical guitar concerts, a cherished pastime that extends to special events like weddings. In keeping with his Russian heritage, Misha also enjoys hockey and cross-country skiing.
Beyond the badge, Misha's commitment to VCAPCC is deeply rooted in a heartfelt desire to protect children and foster a safer community. A father of two, Misha brings a respectful and earnest demeanour to the cause, embodying the resilience and adaptability of an immigrant journey.
While the investigative skills are a testament to Misha's professional life, the commitment to VCAPCC showcases a different side – one marked by empathy and a commitment to making a positive impact. As Misha Smirnov stands with VCAPCC, the community benefits from both a vigilant officer and a compassionate advocate for child well-being, shaped by a unique blend of cultural influences and life experiences.
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