Tribunal mediators

About us

Last updated: April 1, 2025

Page contents

Overview

The Tribunal has a roster of experienced mediators that it contracts with to provide mediation services.

View the mediators’ Code of Conduct

Mediators

Albina, Laurel

Laurel Albina has worked for over 20 years in labor relations as a conflict management practitioner serving as a mediator, facilitator, and negotiator. She has extensive experience in Canada and the United States in dispute resolution, working with both labour and management in unionized workplaces. Her work includes supporting joint committees to address emergent concerns and to tackle systemic issues–including discrimination and bias.

Laurel continues to serve as an organizational development consultant and offers multi-party strategic engagement facilitation for organizations. She has studied Conflict Management and Mediation at the Conrad Grebel University College (University of Waterloo) and at the Justice Institute of BC’s Collaborative Conflict Resolution program. She holds an equity-informed mediation certificate with Resolutions Northwest in Portland, Oregon and a B.A. from Goddard College in Vermont.

Ashbury, Megan

Megan Ashbury obtained her law degree at the University of British Columbia (1998). She has broad experience in labour relations, collective bargaining, and workplace dispute resolution in both the public and private sectors, involving an extensive range of labour, employment and human rights matters.

Megan also maintains a private practice as a labour mediator and arbitrator. She brings a unique combination of union and employer-side experiences to foster relationships between diverse parties, and find effective, practical, and durable resolutions for all parties to a dispute.

Barnett, Sheriden

Sheriden Barnett has had the honour of working with indigenous peoples (Anishinabe, Cree, and Inuit) and Canadian Governments for more than 20 years, in order to advance issues that relate to Indigenous rights, including comprehensive claims and historic treaty disputes, the duty to consult, and resource development conflicts. Sheriden acted as the sole Mediator to the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal from 2005-2019. Her academic interests include comparative colonialism and customary Law (Ireland-Canada), peacebuilding, decolonization and indigenous land and resource rights in post-colonial societies.

Beltgens, Jacqueline

Jacqueline Beltgens (she/her) is a lawyer, mediator, adjudicator and workplace investigator. She has a broad background in civil and administrative law. Jacqueline was a member of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, a member and the Acting Chair of the BC Mental Health Review Board, and is presently the Chair of the Surface Rights Board. She has been in-house counsel and in private practice in Vancouver and Victoria, and taught law at the Beijing Foreign Studies University in China. She is presently a member of the Law Society of BC, the Canadian Bar Association, Mediate BC (Civil Roster), and ADRBC (Chartered Mediator). Jacqueline attended the University of British Columbia for undergraduate studies in international relations and obtained a Juris Doctor. Jacqueline also has a Diploma of Technology (Engineering) from the BC Institute of Technology. She completed workplace investigation training at the University of Toronto Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, and mediation training at Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation.

Chrest, Shelley

As a chartered mediator Shelley provides a continuum of dispute resolution services ranging from facilitated discussions between individuals to group mediations. Shelley also provides knowledgeable and practical assistance to groups and organizations in developing policies and best practice resources that reflect statutory obligations. Shelley’s educational background includes a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Laws degree. She has extensive dispute resolution training, including through the Justice Institute of BC and the Court Mediation Program. Shelley is also a qualified arbitrator on the roster of the ADR Institute of BC.

Cleary, Charlene

Charlene Cleary is a lawyer and mediator in Victoria, British Columbia. In addition to serving as a contract mediator with the Tribunal, Charlene operates a law practice with a focus on employment, estate, and business law. She was called to the bar in Manitoba in 2009 and the bar in British Columbia in 2010.

Charlene has a long-standing interest in human rights, focusing on child protection matters in the early part of her practice and later transitioning to human rights issues in the workplace. She takes a holistic and trauma-informed approach to mediation and wholeheartedly believes in mediation as a way of resolving disputes. Charlene is pro bono counsel to local societies in her community, a youth soccer coach and is a volunteer director with an organization that provides mental health and substance use recovery services.

Cotie, Joan

Joan Cotie has worked with families, youth and children in many capacities since 1976. She holds a Diploma in Child Care Work (Child & Youth Care), a Bachelor of Social Work and Master in Social Work degree, has studied Law and Women’s Studies at a Bachelor level, and holds a Certificate in Conflict Resolution. Joan has completed training in Gladue Report writing, and continues to undertake professional development in all areas of her practice. Joan is a Registered Social Worker and holds ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) designations of Chartered Mediator, Chartered Arbitrator, and Chartered Mediator-Arbitrator. Joan worked with youth and their families, and in the criminal justice system for 20 years before turning her focus to Conflict Resolution. Joan practices as a mediator, arbitrator, parenting coordinator and report writer throughout Canada. She believes that even those in high conflict situations have the ability and innate skills to come out the other side to resolution if given the proper guidance and direction and she enjoys working with people to this end. Joan lives with her partner and animal friends in Cobble Hill.

Delimari, Gina

Gina Delimari is an arbitrator, mediator, and trainer. Bringing strategic insight, clarity and neutrality, Gina assists disputing parties in addressing complex issues in a variety of contexts, in British Columbia, across Canada, and in the United States. Her practice areas include business, commercial and residential landlord-tenant, environmental, employment, human rights, real property, and sport. Gina has an extensive background in real estate negotiation, Crown-Indigenous relations, land use, resource extraction, and environmental assessment. She has unique experience navigating complex commercial transactions involving multiple stakeholders, including private parties, governmental agencies, and the community at large. Gina obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science at McGill University, a master’s degree in business administration at Royal Roads University, and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution: Third-Party Intervention at the Justice Institute of BC.

Foy, Christopher

Christopher J. Foy is a former Member/Adjudicator of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal. Mr. Foy attended Queen’s University and the University of Toronto for his Bachelor of Laws. He received his Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School. His Master’s work focused on workplace law, human rights and alternative dispute resolution. In addition, Mr. Foy received his Certificate in Mediation & Conflict Management from Harvard Law School. He is a member of the ADR Institute of Canada and holds a Qualified Mediator designation.

Mr. Foy has over twenty years of litigation experience in both the private and public sector in all aspects of workplace law before various administrative tribunals and at all levels of Court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Mr. Foy maintains a Canada-wide private practice as an Arbitrator and Mediator.

Kerenyi, Vivian

With over 30 years of combined training and professional experience in law, mediation and social work, Vivian Kerenyi brings a specialized and unique blend of skills and expertise to her mediation practice.

Vivian obtained her law degree at Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology)/Bachelor of Social Work from McMaster University.
She has a private mediation practise specializing in family, child protection, elder care, WorkSafe prohibited action matters and workplace issues. She is currently on the BC Civil, Family and Child Protection Rosters. She is an accredited family law mediator as recognized by Family Mediation Canada and the Law Society of BC. She possesses her Chartered Mediator designation through Alternate Dispute Resolution of BC (ADRBC) and is a qualified arbitrator and parenting co-ordinator.

Knapp, Cathy

Cathy is a Chartered Arbitrator (C. Arb) & Mediator (C. Med). Her career background stems from almost 30 years in the aviation industry, with over 15 spent in Human Resources as the Canadian HR Manager for the world’s largest airline. In this generalist role, Cathy wore many hats. She acquired a wealth of experience building a diverse portfolio, including Labour Relations, Employee Relations, Conflict Resolution, Investigations, Disability Management, Compensation & Benefits, Performance Development, and Occupational Health & Safety, with unionized and non-unionized workgroups. Much of her experience was gained through the challenging dynamics arising from Chapter 11, restructuring, and mergers.

Cathy launched her private practice, “Cathy Knapp, ADR Services Inc.” in January 2017, a practice dedicated to neutral work in workplace mediation, labour arbitration, investigations, assessments, and facilitation. As a neutral, she assists employers, unions, and employees in resolving conflict and applies a trauma-informed approach to her work.

Cathy has extensive experience as a mediator with the BC Human Rights Tribunal, WorkSafe BC’s Prohibited Action Complaint roster, and Troubleshooter. Her practice also includes restorative workplace mediation, helping Parties restore fractured workplace relationships to continue working together productively and sustainably.

Having completed an extensive arbitration mentorship with Gabriel Somjen, KC and Wayne Moore, she was placed on the BC Labour Board’s Collective Agreement Arbitration Bureau (CAAB) in May 2019. Cathy became a member of the British Columbia Arbitrator’s Association in March 2021 and currently serves on its Executive.

Matthews, Laura

Laura Matthews has worked throughout BC delivering community legal outreach education with the Legal Services Society to remote and under serviced communities. As a person of indigenous heritage, much of her work has been centered around working to resolve the over-representation of indigenous peoples in child welfare as well as the correctional system. This led her work to include preparing Gladue reports for indigenous accused involved in the criminal court system. She has had extensive personal and professional experience with issues faced by Aboriginal people both on a community and political level.

She has been honored to have had the ability to work closely with many communities introducing mediation as a tool to resolve child protection concerns outside of the court process. She encourages collaborative work to achieve positive outcomes for the people she serves.

McLaughlin, Shelly

Shelly McLaughlin brings extensive experience in conflict resolution and a rich tapestry of over 30 years spanning education, business, and leadership. Her early years in the investment sector honed her acumen before she transitioned into the world of dispute resolution, collaborating with both private and public entities to forge constructive outcomes. Educationally, Shelly began at Western University, securing an HBA and interning at the International Foundation of Employee Benefits. She continued her journey of learning, gaining education and credentials from the Chartered Financial Analyst institute, Certification in Conflict Resolution from the Justice Institute of BC, Arbitration with Royal Roads University, the Med-Arb process with Continuing Legal Eduction of BC and becoming Certified in Advanced Investigation techniques.

Notably, Shelly is recognized as a Chartered Mediator and Chartered Arbitrator by Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada and is a member of the International Association of Workplace Investigators. With deep experience in Mediation, Arbitration, and facilitated dialogues, Shelly excels in workplace disputes and behavioral concerns. Beyond resolving conflicts, she offers workshops, lectures, and collaborates through The Neutral Zone and The Collaborative Law corp.

Pacey, Katrina

Katrina Pacey is a mediator and lawyer who lives and works on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, otherwise known as Vancouver, BC. Katrina has been guided by values of justice, equity, and peacebuilding throughout her life, and those values led her to a career in the human rights field.

After many years working as a litigator, Katrina became increasingly drawn to dialogue and conflict resolution. She is grateful to work as a mediator with the BC Human Rights Tribunal where she can use her skills to create space for meaningful dialogue and effective resolution.

Palleson, Leslie

Perks, Steve

Steve Perks (“he, him”), is an Associate Mediator with Mediate BC, and a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada. Steve is a former Member of the BC Human Rights Tribunal. He is presently the Vice-Chair of the Community Care and Assisted Living Appeal Board. Steve is a retired lawyer and law professor of over thirty years experience, most significantly having served as Director of The Law Centre Clinical Program and Human Rights Clinic of the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria. His practice included representation of both complainants and respondents with matters before the BC Human Rights Tribunal. Steve has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Environmental Studies, and a Bachelor of Law degree, both from the University of Victoria. His university teaching was in the areas of Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Social Welfare Law, and Legal Skills.

Rollins, Adam

Adam Rollins has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and has worked as a consultant and psychotherapist for over a dozen years. He specializes in conflict resolution and works as a trained mediator, with particular experience supporting organizations and their staff. Adam was a tribunal member for the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation and has worked as a therapist for Correctional Service Canada.
Adam has volunteered in the local 2SLGBTQIA+ for decades and is born and raised in Vancouver, BC. He is excited to be able to contribute to the important work of the BC Human Rights Tribunal.

Syer, Ashley

Ashley Syer holds Chartered Mediator (C. Med) and Registered Roster Mediator (RRM) designations, and has completed training at Harvard Law on mediating complex disputes. She regularly coaches mediation courses, and provides private mediation services through Gastown Mediation.

In addition to her mediation work, Ashley is a lawyer at Syer Law, where she represents clients in a variety of areas of administrative law and civil litigation matters.

Tennant, Kellie

Kellie Tennant is from the Cree Nation, Peguis Manitoba, and has been a visitor in Coast Salish Territory for over 30 years, since 1992. Her education includes a Bachelor of Social Work (UFV) and a Masters of Social Work (UBC). Some of her many areas of practice include clinical counselling, youth work, addictions and mental health counselling, coordinator and faculty in an Indigenous child and youth care program, policy and legislation, adoption openness mediation, and child protection mediation.

Kellie has been a child protection mediator for 10 years, with over 700 mediations completed, to include mentoring new mediators. Her practice is relational and restorative as she supports people with really difficult conversations. Her other passion is Traditional Decision Making with Indigenous families, where she and families work together to have a culturally appropriate mediation process.

She has a busy private practice and also provides mentoring and training for Indigenous agencies in Metro Vancouver focusing on mediation and facilitation, legislation, policy, and practice in child welfare or areas of social justice, as well as small writing projects. Kellie specializes in urban Indigenous social issues and assisting youth and families to walk in both worlds with cultural pride, while navigating colonial systems.

As Indigenous people become more present in these colonial systems there is a higher need for Human Rights mediation. Representation matters, and families having a strong Indigenous mediator that supports the processes with difficult conversations does help the families move forward.

Toner, Sheldon

Sheldon Toner is a Chartered Mediator (C. Med.) with extensive experience in human rights mediation. He is currently a member of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Adjudication Panel, and has been the chairperson of the Panel since 2016. He has mediated several human rights matters, including matters involving complaints in the areas of employment and provision of services, under numerous grounds including disability, race, family status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

Sheldon also has experience resolving many other types of disputes, including workplace issues which sometimes involve a human rights component. Sheldon is trained in interest-based mediation, and is open to applying restorative or other creative approaches where possible to assist the parties.