Lisa Martz, President (she/her)

Lisa has been a lawyer for more than 25 years. She has had a diverse legal practice that includes representing youth in care and serving as part of the commission counsel team for the Gove Inquiry Into Child Protection. She now also teaches law students and provides assistance to people and organizations in the non-profit sector.  She has always been interested in the “big picture” and how we can make things in society, government or any organization work better. Lisa previously served on the board of LOVE (BC), an organization that helps youth overcome the challenges they face through youth-driven programming. Lisa is a passionate believer in the power of supportive one to one relationships that is at the core of PLEA’s programs. 

Tracy Logan, Vice-President (she/her)

Tracy has served as a volunteer in many different capacities for PLEA and other charities in the not-for-profit sector. She is passionate about PLEA’s approach of developing individualized care plans to support people to live their best lives. Tracy provides consulting services to the corporate sector in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility and specifically, corporate giving. She has experience in all three sectors – corporate, not for profit, and government – and uses this experience to bring a balanced perspective to her work, and to her role on PLEA’s Board. She holds a MA in Leadership from Royal Roads University, a BA from the University of Western Ontario, and is a certified yoga teacher.

Shirley Wolff, Treasurer (she/her)

Shirley is a CPA, CA and brings more than 25 years’ experience in public practice, where she has served as an audit partner with a focus on the government, not-for-profit and financial services sectors. Shirley led Deloitte’s audit and assurance services to the public and not-for-profit sectors in BC for 8 years and advised her clients on the adoption of new accounting standards, accounting for complex transactions and improvements to their internal controls. Shirley is also a member of the finance committee of the Minerva Foundation for BC Women and a board member for North Lonsdale United Church.

Zain Ali, Secretary (he/him)

Zain is a lawyer who primarily practices in the lower mainland. He represents adult and youth in criminal justice and child protection matters. He takes great pride in advocating for people who are experiencing difficult circumstances. His experience provides greater insight into the importance of structure, stability, and support in a person’s life.

Larisa Hanssen (she/her)

Larisa is the Co-Coordinator of the Youth Justice Program and a Regular Faculty member in the Child and Youth Care Program at Douglas College. With more than 25 years of experience, she has been a tireless advocate for young people and their families, working across a broad spectrum of services in both Canada and Australia. Her career spans community outreach, child protection, youth justice, and youth housing—bringing a depth of understanding to the complex systems that shape young lives. In addition to her frontline and academic roles, Larisa actively partners with organizations, schools, and community groups to strengthen their capacity in areas such as youth mental health, transitions out of government care, and ethical professional practice. Her commitment to equity, empowerment, and systemic change continues to inspire those she teaches, mentors, and collaborates with.

Susan Harmer

Susan is a seasoned human resources executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in the technology and financial sectors. Throughout her career, she has championed values-driven, mission-focused, and people-centric organizations, helping them become industry leaders while creating meaningful value for all interest-holders. Prior to joining the board, Susan contributed her HR expertise as a volunteer on a PLEA board committee. PLEA’s vision that ‘everyone has the opportunity to have a good life and everyone counts’ resonates strongly with Susan and drives her desire to help enable it in any way she can.

Brendan Munden (he/him)

Brendan has worked with the Vancouver Assertive Community Treatment team since March 2009 and set up, along with a colleague, the first ACT team in Vancouver. Since 2013, he has worked as the Clinical Supervisor of the Vancouver Coastal Health Assertive Community Treatment Team 1.   He has spent his career working with people with complex mental health and addiction challenges. An evolution of this has been his ongoing work to promote trauma-informed practice in all areas of healthcare.  Brendan provides workshops and in-service training on concurrent disorders, trauma-informed practice, CBT for psychosis, personality disorders, dialectical behaviour therapy, advocacy, harm reduction and working with marginalized populations. He taught the addiction course at Douglas College’s BSW program and has been a guest speaker for classes at UBC, Douglas and Kwantlen Colleges.

Justice Okpalugo

Justice is an accomplished Program Manager with more than eight years of experience in the nonprofit social services sector. He brings a strong track record in designing, implementing, and evaluating community-based programs that create lasting social impact. Known for his strategic leadership, Justice excels at guiding cross-functional teams, fostering meaningful stakeholder relationships, and driving data-informed decisions that align with both organizational goals and community priorities. He has successfully led government- and grant-funded initiatives, ensuring compliance while delivering measurable outcomes. Deeply committed to equity, empowerment, and sustainable change, Justice is passionate about creating responsive, community-rooted solutions for underserved populations.

Chad Rickaby

Chad is the CEO of Unify Partners, an organization that partners with community organizations to amplify their impact. He brings over a decade of global experience in community social and economic development, leading partnerships between non-profits, governments, and Indigenous communities. He has worked with non-profits of all sizes, including co-founding a registered vocational training charity during grad school. Chad has extensive experience conducting Social and Economic Impact Assessments, helping non-profits tell the full story of their impact, and advocating at all levels of government. He also has developed outcome reporting frameworks and Social Return on Investment (SROI) reports for clients around the world. His global and local experiences give Chad a unique understanding of best practices and strategic growth opportunities for non-profits and social enterprises. 

Steve Wetter

Steve’s career spans policing, the technology sector, and meaningful volunteer work, with each chapter reinforcing his belief in the power of compassion and accountability to drive lasting change.

During his days in law enforcement, Steve led complex, multinational investigations, overseeing large teams and high-stakes operations. He was responsible not only for delivering results but for ensuring that every project was executed with precision, transparency, and ethical rigor. While in the tech industry, he worked in a lab training artificial intelligence and assisting with data collection, and specifically enjoyed being exposed to cutting-edge technologies and working with young engineers and scientists. His time in this field deepened his awareness of the ethical dilemmas that often accompany innovation—particularly the tension between technological advancement and its social impact.

Beyond his professional achievements, and prior to volunteering with PLEA, Steve volunteered with the Seniors Services Society of BC helping seniors in New Westminster with their daily living.

Having been appointed to PLEA’s Board in 2025, Steve brings not only strategic insight and operational excellence, but also a heartfelt commitment to advancing equity, inclusion, and ethical decision-making at every level. His firsthand experiences – on the front lines of policing, at the cutting-edge of technology and in the heart of community service – have shaped his belief that compassionate organizations can profoundly transform lives.