Why terminator

Because. We are relentless when it comes to fighting for your life and your freedom from addiction and mental health challenges. If you have been struggling with addiction, or if you have ever struggled with it, then you know that addiction is all-consuming, it’s torturous, and it will take everything from you until it takes your life. 

 

At Terminator, we believe that YOU are far more capable than maybe you currently believe you are in this moment. We believe that engaging your physical body and challenging your physical strength, endurance, and grit ignites your brain to achieve what was once thought impossible- whether that’s overcoming your addiction for the first time ever- or maybe you’ve tried multiple times before and keep slipping- or maybe you just want more out of your life and your recovery -We believe you can have it!

 

We know our ABRT Program can take you there. Beyond your current situation, beyond what you currently believe about yourself and your abilities. Beyond your addiction, beyond your mental health challenges, the anxiety, the depression, that tape that plays repeatedly in your head that says this is as far as you’ll ever go- that says recovery won’t happen for you, that you don’t have what it takes. 

I’m here to tell you right now – that’s a lie. And we can prove it. 

 

Why Terminator? Because your life is WORTH IT, and the truth is you can recover. 

 

our people

Dedicated to supporting our community

The Terminator Foundation’s vision is to reach individuals on a global scale who are affected by drug and alcohol addiction to radically revolutionize their lives using the Triathlon experience. We have a team of passionate individuals, who together, offer a holistic approach to addiction recovery using triathlon coaching, nutrition coaching, and physiotherapy, as well as provide therapy and mental health resources to our athletes.

Vanisha Breault

Founder & CEO

Read Vanisha's bio

Mary Jessey

National Program Director

Read Mary's bio

Llew Edwards

Assistant Program Director & Senior Coach

Read Llew's bio

Eden Ericksen

Program Coordinator & Recovery Peer Support Coach

Read Eden's bio

Aimee Philpott​

Recovery Coach

Read Aimee's bio

board of directors

Jack Toth

Board CHAIR

Jack is passionate about Canada becoming a Nation where every individual has the opportunity to discover and live from their strengths, and use those strengths to build up themselves and the community around them. Over the past years, he has primarily led Impact Society to focus on helping individuals, especially youth, discover their strengths and assist them to discover the greatness already inside them. However as we know, it takes a community to raise a child, which is why we also work hard to build the strengths of adults and leaders who influence youth. Since 1994 our HEROES series of programs (HEROES, HEROES2, HEROES at Home, LEGENDS (HEROES for Leaders) and Indigenous Leadership & Development) have helped over 170,000 youth and adults, discover their gifts & abilities and live with purpose and significance.

Jack and Impact Society are also dedicated to strengthening the Indigenous peoples of this country. There is much that every Canadian can learn from Indigenous culture and history, which can assist us all to become better, more responsible citizens. This is why we work hard to help Indigenous communities see the tremendous strengths they have, to grasp how the Creator has put in every community all the strengths needed to achieve physical, mental, social and emotional health and balance. That as the strengths in communities are built up and established, then the whole community will grow together. He is confident that by choosing to understand the wisdom of 7 Sacred traditional teachings of – love, respect, honesty, humility, courage, wisdom and truth, that we as a society can advance together, resulting in Canada becoming a Country providing an example to the world of how to work together, learn from each other and utilize our resources in ways that benefit and contribute to all man-kind, and leave a world which our children and children’s children will enjoy and grow together in.

Derek D. Fraser, CFRE

Vice Chair

Derek is President of Derek D. Fraser Philanthropic Advisors Inc., a fund development consultancy in Calgary, AB. The firm’s current clients reach across a broad spectrum of organizations from independent schools, professional association foundations, performing arts organizations, and social service agencies. Derek has worked in the non-profit sector since 1987 and has had the privilege of experiencing the width and breadth of fund development work with concentrations in annual giving, capital campaigns, major gift work both in Canada and abroad, Board development, strategic planning, alumni affairs, along with association organization and volunteer management. Derek has been a part-time instructor with Georgian College with their online non-profit studies program. He has also been a mentor, over the last 3 years, to over 40 arts organizations through the “artsVest” national program administered by Business in the Arts. Derek first worked in marketing the Arts while working at the Shaw Festival Theatre in 1985, after completing an exciting fellowship program year at Disney’s EPCOT Center in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
 
Derek served as chair of the AFP Canadian Council in 2013-2014 and is a past president of the Calgary & Area Chapter of AFP. He also serves as Chair of the Major Gifts Committee for the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada, as well as committee roles for AFP Canada and AFP Global. Derek recently retired from the Board of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – AB/NT/NU Division after 11 years and he also chairs the Fund Development Committee of Youth Central in Calgary. Derek has recently joined the Board of the Terminator Foundation in Calgary.

Derek holds a B.A. (Hons) in Film Studies from Queen’s University and earned his Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) in 2004 with re-certifications in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019.

Lindsey Witzel

Secretary

Lindsey is the clinical director and owner of Versa Movement Collective – Physiotherapy in Calgary, AB. Her commitment to a professional atmosphere that integrates itself with the community and her passion to develop and grow business that exists to drive real change in our community has brought her to the board of directors for the Terminator Foundation. 

After losing her brother to addiction in 2014, Lindsey felt that more had to be done within our communities to support our brothers and sisters, mothers, fathers and loved ones who are fighting for sobriety. Sitting on the board of directors is an honour that Lindsey holds close to her heart and is grateful to be a driving force towards change. 

In Lindsey’s free time, you will most likely find her rinkside cheering on her son and his hockey team or in dance studios trying to learn her other son’s latest hip hop combo. In her true free time, she enjoys hiking with her husband Jordan and living an overall healthy and active lifestyle with her family.

Debbie Ermel

Treasurer

Debbie Ermel is a Chartered Professional Accountant with more than 20 years of experience in accounting and tax, primarily in the private sector.  She currently owns and manages a small accounting firm in Calgary, Alberta.  

Debbie volunteers with Terminator because she is proud of the values and opportunities Terminator presents to those struggling with addictions.  Debbie enjoys giving back to the community and is a strong advocate for empowering others.  Debbie and her family are active in enjoying Alberta’s great outdoors and spend much of their time hiking, camping, skiing and cycling.

Daniel Lawrance-Lopez

DIRECTOR

Daniel is a driven and hardworking go-getter focused on leaving a mark on his generation. Growing up in a household that fostered entrepreneurship, he developed a passion to try new things and explore the world of business. This led him to start ventures of his own, but more importantly find ways to give back to where his heart lies: the youth.

He has been involved in school programs that teach youth how to take an idea and use it to start a business, in addition to personally mentoring not just in their business life, but in their mental and spiritual lives as well.

He served for several years as a youth/young adults leader with his local church, being able to directly make a positive impact in the lives of those who needed it.

Daniel loves working with people, travelling, sports cars, and anything fun and exciting.

Currently, he runs his own practice in the financial industry where he leads an advisory team of over 10 people, whose focus is to empower people so they can make educated decisions about their own money. In conjunction with this, he produces daily resources and material via social media for the next generation, so that they can be inspired to find purpose and passion in their everyday living.

advisory council

Shelley Gunn

Indigenous Relations

Shelley Gunn loves working with youth.  Most recently she was employed by YTC social services as a community service youth worker.  Shelley is certified in Play Therapy and Integrative Play Therapy Studies. She also completed a two-year diploma in Addiction counselling. In addition, she utilizes wilderness therapy as she is trained a variety of experiences in the outdoors: rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing, survival skills, and is a lifeguard. Additional diplomas were earned in Recreation Management and Outdoor Recreation Programming.

If life isn’t busy enough, Shelley finds joy in training for triathlons.   She has worked in group homes and youth groups in BC. She also worked for a government program called “friends”, where youth learned to developed life skills to become independent. She was their caregiver, mentor and friend.

Finally, she was an adventure therapist in the Reach-out Expeditions, in the USA, where children and young people were challenged to test their abilities, through rappelling down cliffs, hiking glaciers, and trekking over mountains and valleys.

She believes Play Therapy expands the children’s ability beyond a classroom.  Learning through the outdoors allows students to build self esteem by overcoming challenges.  Obstacles push clients beyond their limits, leading to discovery of hidden strengths and abilities. She believes that children are expressive human beings that need to explore and discover who they are and what they can accomplish.

Shelley looks forward to engaging the youth in discovery and learning.

Mike Gunn

Indigenous Relations

Mike Gunn holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Counselling and 5 year Bachelor of Education teacher’s degree from UBC, Vancouver. He has been counselling for 15 years and worked for several health centres as a mental health therapist.

Presently he is employed as the main therapist for New Beginnings, Cote Health, O’Chapawace. He is also contracted for crisis situations for Yorkton Tribal Council. 

Mike has a specialty in sexual abuse and has set up programs for the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Great West Life, etc. He produces many workshops utilizing a wholistic model of healing that integrates a strong spiritual component.  

As a previous school principal, Mike grew distraught over the number of students who were suffering from trauma and thus struggling in their schooling.  Students were disclosing personal tragedies; their suffering stirred his heart to explore their deeper emotional problems.  In so doing, Mike began a pursuit to help heal trauma by obtaining his Masters degree in Counselling. 

His goal is to have people see themselves as the beautiful creations they are. “What people can’t feel, they can’t heal! Students need to see through their pain, allowing healing belief to arise, then expectation will follow, leading to discovery of life purpose…”

“The wounded heart must receive love before it can transmit love. Even wilted plants grow healthy, once transplanted into a nurturing environment.”

Mike deeply cares about his clients; strives to create the conditions for deeper self-awareness.  He counts it a privilege to join others in their journey toward peace, acceptance, and connection to the Creator. “Those healed in love leave lasting impacts on generations to come!” “Let life be awakened…”

DR. ROB TANGUAY

Board Advisor

Dr. Tanguay is a Psychiatrist who completed two fellowships, one in Addiction Medicine and one in Pain Medicine. He is a clinical assistant professor with the departments of Psychiatry and Surgery at the
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Most recently Dr. Tanguay helped found and is the Chief Medical Officer of Aspen Island Therapeutics, a program dedicated to providing medical and psychological intervention for people living with complex and treatment resistant mental health disorders such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, addiction, and chronic pain with use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. 

He is the Medical Lead for the Alberta Addiction Education Sessions for Alberta Health Services (AHS). He is the Regional Director for Alberta and North West Territories for the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) where he sits as a board member, the President of the Pain Society of Alberta, and the co chair of the internationally recognized Alberta Pain Strategy. He is the founder of the Opioid Deprescribing Program with AHS, the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Community Clinic with AHS, and the Transitional Outpatient Pain Program for Spine (TOPPS) clinic working with spinal surgeons to optimize
spinal surgery outcomes. He also consults with the Carewest Operational Stress Injury Clinic treating veterans and RCMP for trauma related injuries.


Dr. Tanguay is also the lead lecturer for Addiction for the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Academically, he is involved in research in trauma, addiction, chronic pain, opioids, and cannabis and is a member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education at the University of Calgary.