About

Our Mission

RCR’s mission is to acknowledge the role of oppression based on identity and its effect on addiction and mental health. By increasing accessibility of trauma-informed care through evidence-based practice, we aim to cater our program to those who have historically been underserved in these areas of healthcare. Our mandate is to cultivate a life-long relationship of positive support and community involvement with each of our clients.

Our Values

Inspired by the Greek word, regenesis, meaning renewal or rebirth, we plan to stay true to our name and provide clients at RCR the fresh start that they deserve. Trauma-informed care, compassion, and a supportive community are at the heart of our work, while evidence-based practice strongly influences our therapeutic values.

Our Vision

We are a not-for-profit residential recovery facility governed by an active volunteer board of directors, including all three of RCR’s current team members. Our vision is to provide care based on four unique pillars:

 

  1. To prioritize the inclusion of traditionally marginalized groups such as women and gender non-conforming people with intake priority given to those identifying as Indigeneous peoples and/or members of the 2SLGBTTQ+ community. 
  2. To serve as an extension to existing addictions care by providing a more gradual transition between traditional primary treatment and independent community living. 
  3. To work with various pre-existing organizations by emphasizing and encouraging the development of extensive and external positive support networks specifically tailored to individual wants and needs. 
  4. To provide comprehensive outreach support free of charge to all graduates of the program as well as group meetings and activities to all clients who exit the program for the purpose of building a lifelong supportive relationship.

Our Team

Cindy Foster

 Executive Director

Cindy Foster (she/her) is the driving force behind the organization and fills the Executive Director role at Regenesis Centre for Recovery. Cindy earned a Bachelor of the Arts Double Honours degree in Psychology and Political Studies from the University of Manitoba, and is currently working toward her Master of Education in Counselling Psychology, also from the University of Manitoba. Currently, Cindy is working as an Addictions Counsellor and has six years of social service experience including working with high-needs youth. In addition to her duties as the Executive Director, Cindy provides the in-house counselling sessions.

Maria Benedict

Policy Development Officer

Maria Benedict (she/her) and is currently a Policy Development Officer for the Regenesis Centre for Recovery. She has years of experience working in recovery with women as both a support worker and rehabilitation counsellor in a women’s only in-treatment program. She has Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and will be planning to continue her education further. She is very passionate about building recovery culture and helping to improve/further supports for marginalized individuals. In my free time, she likes to volunteer for various organizations, create artwork, cuddle her cats, and spend time with friends/family.

Ashley Knight

Policy Development Officer

Ashley Knight (she/her) is a policy development officer here at Regenesis Center for Recovery, and uses she/her pronouns. Her passion for community work and advocacy for people living with addictions are what lead her to RCR. Ashley is also a proud mom of two, loves cooking, and is usually holding at least one cat. Working closely with people living with addictions, Ashley has seen first hand the racism ingrained in our healthcare system, along with the huge gaps and roadblocks that exist for women when seeking addictions treatment. As a queer Métis woman, Ashley strongly believes in the importance of community. She hopes to use her personal and professional experience to work with the RCR team to meet people where they’re at, and support them in creating strong communities.

Allison Reimer

Program Development Officer

Allison Reimer (she/her) has been a Program Development Coordinator on the Board of Directors for RCR since August of 2020.   She identifies as a queer intersectional feminist and has a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies from The University of Winnipeg as well as a Bachelor of Social Work from The University of Manitoba. Allison has a background in community development and mental health and discovered her talent for interpersonal connection and service delivery while working as the Women’s Centre Coordinator at the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association.  She gained program development and counselling experience during her concentrated Social Work practicum at Norwest Coop Community Health and currently works at the Youth Addictions Stabilization Unit.  Allison is passionate about community care and would love to be a part of making Winnipeg a safer place for people who experience addiction.

Kira Pavagadhi

Grants, Policies, and Procedures Specialist

Kira Pavagadhi (she/her) is the Grants, Policies, and Procedures Specialist at Regenesis Centre for Recovery. Kira earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology from McGill University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Toronto. Kira has experience working in public health research, program evaluation, healthcare accessibility, and policy. In this role, Kira hopes to bring together evidence-based practice and comprehensive care to build policies that promote long-term recovery and ongoing support.

Bri Griffiths

Community Connections Liaison

Bri Griffiths (she/her) is the Community Connections Liaison on the Board of Directors at Regenesis Centre for Recovery. She is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse with experience in addictions services, forensic mental health, and working with youth. Bri recognizes the importance of community care and believes that all people deserve access to the support and services they need in order to thrive.

Tanya Jaggard

Fundraising and Events Coordinator (Treasurer)

Tanya Jaggard (she/her) is the Fundraising and Events Coordinator and Treasurer at Regenesis Centre. She felt called to serve the community during the pandemic seeing how it affected so many already underserved populations in Winnipeg. Knowing firsthand, the trauma that lack of support and long term care in addictions treatment can cause, she was ecstatic to hear about the much needed space Regenesis is creating to fill a void here in the city and excited to support this endeavor. Her educational background is in social sciences, she holds an Advanced Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Family Social Sciences, but she currently works in investment finance, lending her a unique perspective on our board. In her spare time, she loves baking and finding new documentaries to watch.

Leah Klassen

 Leadership and Mediation Officer

Leah Klassen (she/her) is the Leadership and Mediation Officer (LMO) on the Board of the Regenesis Centre for Recovery. As the LMO, Leah provides leadership and guidance to board members and works as an impartial mediator in the case of disagreements between board members, staff and directors. She is also a member of the Community Connections subcommittee. Leah obtained her law degree from the University of Manitoba and was called to the bar in Manitoba in 2015. She currently is a lawyer with Wolseley Law, a community-minded law firm in Winnipeg’s west end. She has experience working in family law, real estate law, and wills and has been involved in various access to justice initiatives. Leah focuses on providing client-centred and trauma informed services to her clients.

Mikayla Hunter

Social Media Coordinator (Vice-Chair)

Mikayla Hunter (she/her) is the Social Media Coordinator and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Psychology and Rhetoric, Writing, and Communications from the University of Winnipeg, and is currently pursuing her Master of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. Her research interests include social determinants of health and dismantling barriers to access of services. In her free time, Mikayla likes to garden and create many forms of textile art, including knitting, crochet, and sewing, with many of these projects donated to organizations within Winnipeg as well as internationally.

Ginelle Giacomin

Events Analyst (Chair)

Ginelle Giacomin (she/her) is the Chair of RCR Board of Directors as well as the Current Events Analyst. She is a college instructor in Winnipeg, specializing in family studies and child development. She is also a Doctoral Candidate, exploring the intersection between sexual exploitation of Indigenous women, post-secondary education, and parenting. Her passion lies in educating survivors of sexual exploitation to become effective supports for at-risk Indigenous youth. In her role as an educator, she has worked with many students who are experiencing addiction, witnessing first-hand the devastating outcomes when someone is unable to access adequate and timely supports and a safe place for their recovery journey. Ginelle joined the RCR board in order to share her experience, education, and research work, as they work to build a safe and effective model for providing long-term support for women and non-binary individuals on their  journey.