As the chair of Pivot’s board of directors, I love it when it is time for our annual general meeting and we get to welcome new talent onto the board. This year, we welcomed three new incredible directors into the Pivot community.
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Using the law as a catalyst for positive social change, Pivot Legal Society works to improve the lives of marginalized communities.
I am thrilled to introduce them to you:
Patricia Barkaskas
Patricia is a Academic Director of the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic and a lecturer at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. She has a Master of Arts in History, with a focus on Indigenous histories in North America. Patricia received her law degree from UBC with a social justice specialization. She has practiced in the areas of child protection (as parent’s counsel), criminal, family, as well as civil litigation and prison law. Patricia brings a deep expertise on access to justice, decolonizing justice and legal practice, and Indigenous legal theories and traditions. Patricia was born in Alberta and is Métis descended from families of the Lac Ste. Anne Cree/Métis and Red River Métis communities. She's excited about and dedicated to the work Pivot does because this work addresses and contributes to ending systemic oppression for Indigenous peoples in the Canadian legal system.
Dara Parker
Dara is the Executive Director of Social Venture Partners (SVP) Vancouver, a network of engaged philanthropists who invest time, money and professional expertise in local non-profits. She is a community planner with a background in diversity and inclusion, and has more than 15 years’ experience working in social-profits and local government. Dara is deeply committed to Pivot's mission to tackle the root causes of poverty using the law, and is humbled to help lead this organization. She is excited to use her knowledge of building strong nonprofits to contribute to a healthy and thriving organization, whose mission is both urgent and critical!
Jordan Westfall
Jordan is the provincial coordinator at Community Action Initiative. He is also a steering committee member with the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, and the chair of the board of directors of the Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs. Jordan has a Masters of Public Policy from Simon Fraser University where he conducted his masters thesis on the role of various policies in reducing fatal overdoses, including the Vancouver’s police department overdose prevention policy. He believes that Pivot has done some of the most important work in social/drug policy reform, and feels honoured to be a part of that.
I feel honoured to have the chance to work with Jordan, Dara, and Patricia who will provide important new perspectives, ideas, and leadership.
