Meet Our Members

Learn more about some of CCCIP’s members below.

Shawn Bayes

CCCIP’s chair, Shawn is an early advocate of the impacts of parental incarceration on Canada’s children. For 38 years, she worked with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, retiring from her role as CEO in 2023

CCCIP’s chair, Shawn Bayes, is an early advocate of the impacts of parental incarceration on Canada’s children. For 38 years, she worked with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, retiring from her role as CEO in 2023. While pursuing her Master of Management at McGill University in the early 2000s, Shawn identified children of incarcerated parents as an unserved marginalized group in Canada. She created JustKids, the country’s first umbrella of advocacy, partnerships and programs.

Shawn continues to champion the needs of children of incarceration, assisting organizations in developing programming, research and advocacy.

CCCIP Library Contributions:

Christine Arès

Since 2022, Christine has been working as a psychosocial worker for Relais Famille, a community organization whose mission is to support the relatives of people in conflict with the justice system in Quebec. Prior to this

Since 2022, Christine has been working as a psychosocial worker for Relais Famille, a community organization whose mission is to support the relatives of people in conflict with the justice system in Quebec. Prior to this, she served as a federal prison chaplain for 21 years.

Vivienne Chin

Vivienne is a Senior Associate at the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, a United Nations-affiliated research institute in Vancouver. Her work has included promoting the rule of law and good governance,

Vivienne is a Senior Associate at the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, a United Nations-affiliated research institute in Vancouver. Her work has included promoting the rule of law and good governance, as well as human rights, including a special focus on women’s and children’s rights. She is currently dedicated to addressing the lack of support for children of incarcerated parents and how to reform the justice system in Canada to ensure the effective implementation of the best interests of the child. She has been a member of the Canadian Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents since its formation.

 

CCCIP Library Contributions:

Olivia Gemma

Olivia is a case manager at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa, where she supports women with finding housing and community reintegration. She holds a Master’s degree in Criminology and Social Justice from Toronto Metropolitan University

Olivia is a case manager at the Elizabeth Fry Society of Ottawa, where she supports women with finding housing and community reintegration. She holds a Master’s degree in Criminology and Social Justice from Toronto Metropolitan University. As a child of a parent who was incarcerated, Olivia brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She is deeply committed to supporting children impacted by parental incarceration and advocating for more responsive, compassionate systems that address their unique needs.

Kirsty Gordon

Kirsty is Supervisor of EFry Vancouver’s JustKids initiatives, a suite of programs developed to support children with incarcerated parents. In Canada, she has worked with this group of children and youth since 2013

Kirsty Gordon is Supervisor of EFry Vancouver’s JustKids initiatives, a suite of programs developed to support children with incarcerated parents. In Canada, she has worked with this group of children and youth since 2013. Kirsty first recognized the unique needs of inmates’ children, and the importance of specialized support to sustain parent-child connections, when she was an educator in the United Kingdom. In addition to her membership with CCCIP, Kirsty is a co-convenor of a working group for the Children of Incarcerated Parents of Childs Rights Connect, the international advisory body to United Nations on children’s rights.

Robin F. Hansen

Robin is an Associate Professor at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where she teaches international law and human rights law. She is the author of Prison Born: Incarceration and Motherhood in the Colonial Shadow

Robin F. Hansen is an Associate Professor at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, where she teaches international law and human rights law. She is the author of Prison Born: Incarceration and Motherhood in the Colonial Shadow, (University of Regina Press, 2024) which examines the rights of newborn children not to be automatically separated from their mothers by the state without due process. She primarily researches how legal personhood is constructed within legal systems, and how this construction frames accountability.

Jan Höltge

Jan is an Assistant Professor of Research at the Resilience Research Centre at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. While research often emphasizes the challenges and deficits children face due to parental incarceration

Jan is an Assistant Professor of Research at the Resilience Research Centre at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. While research often emphasizes the challenges and deficits children face due to parental incarceration, his work takes a strength-based approach, examining the resources these children need to thrive. By amplifying success stories, he seeks to inspire young people with incarcerated parents and shift public narratives from deficit-based stigma toward understanding and support.

Chantal Jacques

Chantal has been an Occupational Therapist in the Montreal area for more than 30 years. Following the arrest of her son in 2020, she called on Relais Famille, the only francophone organisation supporting

Chantal has been an Occupational Therapist in the Montreal area for more than 30 years. Following the arrest of her son in 2020, she called on Relais Famille, the only francophone organisation supporting families of people in conflict with the law. The experience transformed her understanding of the judicial system and its impact on all family members, especially the young. In 2022, she became a member of the board of directors for Relais Famille, which at the organizational level is developing a partnership with now-adult children of incarcerated parents to act as mentors in an adolescent peer support group.

Else Marie Knudsen

Else is an associate professor and director of the Department of Social Work at Trent University in Ontario. Her research focuses on the criminal justice system, including the experiences of children of incarcerated parents

Else is an associate professor and director of the Department of Social Work at Trent University in Ontario. Her research focuses on the criminal justice system, including the experiences of children of incarcerated parents in Ontario. She’s a member of several research and policy networks and is a founding member of CCCIP. Prior to entering academia, Else was a social worker in Toronto for several years. She holds BSc and MSW degrees from the University of Toronto, and MSc and PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics & Political Science.

CCCIP Library Materials:

Sandra Lehalle

Sandy studied law and criminology following her lived experiences with loved ones in custody. She is now Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Ottawa, where she conducts research

Sandy studied law and criminology following her lived experiences with loved ones in custody. She is now Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Ottawa, where she conducts research on the prison system and promotes inclusive learning exchanges inside prisons. Sandy leads CCCIP’s Lived Experience Advisory Group and has also built a webpage with and for loved ones of incarcerated persons, prisonricochet.ca.

Ruth Elwood Martin

Ruth is a clinical professor emerita at the University of British Columbia. A retired family physician, Ruth spent 16 years working in health care clinics at correctional facilities. There, she witnessed women’s desperation

Ruth is a clinical professor emerita at the University of British Columbia. A retired family physician, Ruth spent 16 years working in health care clinics at correctional facilities. There, she witnessed women’s desperation at being separated from their children due to incarceration. This sparked a commitment to research, education and advocacy. Ruth co-led participatory health research with incarcerated women in BC for two years and in 2006, she co-established the Canadian Collaboration for Prison Health and Education, a research unit with the School of Population and Public Health at UBC. She is co-editor of the book Arresting Hope: Women Taking Action in Prison Health Inside Out.

CCCIP library contributions:

Martha Paynter

Martha is a writer, registered nurse and public scholar recognized internationally for her expertise at the nexus of reproductive justice and prisoner health. An associate professor at the University of New Brunswick

Martha is a writer, registered nurse and public scholar recognized internationally for her expertise at the nexus of reproductive justice and prisoner health. An associate professor at the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, her research includes addressing the health rights of people experiencing incarceration. Martha has led in-depth research on the Federal Mother-Child Program and is a dedicated advocate for the rights of children with incarcerated parents, situating this work within the broader framework of reproductive justice.

CCCIP Library Contributions:

Barbara Pickering

Barbara is curriculum coordinator for the Master of Counselling program at Athabasca University. In addition to teaching and supervising graduate students in counselling psychology, she is a registered psychologist

Barbara is curriculum coordinator for the Master of Counselling program at Athabasca University. In addition to teaching and supervising graduate students in counselling psychology, she is a registered psychologist with a small private practice for people with complex trauma needs.

Through the experiences of a family member, Barbara became interested in the stories of people in conflict with the law and their families. As part of her doctoral work, she engaged with adults who had experienced parental incarceration as children and later undertook community education to break down stigma and help professionals evolve how they work with children who have a parent in prison.

CCCIP Library Contributions:

Jessica Reid

Jessica is a founding member of CCCIP and former board member of INCCIP. In response to a critical gap in services she identified while teaching, Jessica co-founded Kids with Incarcerated Parents Canada

Jessica is a founding member of CCCIP and former board member of INCCIP. In response to a critical gap in services she identified while teaching, Jessica co-founded Kids with Incarcerated Parents Canada, a charity dedicated to supporting children and youth affected by parental involvement with the justice system.

Currently a Psychology Professor at Niagara College, Jessica has been active in working to raise awareness of children with incarcerated parents throughout her career. She holds a Bachelor of Education from Western University, a Master’s degree in Psychology from Trent University, and a PhD in Human Relations and Family Development from the University of Guelph.

Nancy Russell

Nancy is a founding member of CCCIP and previously served as its Coordinator. Throughout her career, she has worked directly with children of incarcerated parents and their families. A child and youth care practitioner with

Nancy is a founding member of CCCIP and previously served as its Coordinator. Throughout her career, she has worked directly with children of incarcerated parents and their families. A child and youth care practitioner with extensive experience in youth justice and mental health, Nancy worked with the Office of the Ontario Child Advocate, Central Toronto Youth Services and the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health. Now semi-retired, she serves as a Designated Representative for children and vulnerable adults in refugee claims. Nancy’s work is grounded in reducing gaps between service providers and those they serve, and in advancing kinship across diverse communities.

CCCIP Library Contributions:

Dennis Whitford

Dennis operates 2Thunder Consulting, through which he prepares Gladue Reports for Alberta Justice. A Registered Social Worker who holds a Master of Social Work, David spent 30 years’ working in the child welfare system

Dennis operates 2Thunder Consulting, through which he prepares Gladue Reports for Alberta Justice. A Registered Social Worker who holds a Master of Social Work, David spent 30 years’ working in the child welfare system. During that time, he determined the system did not operate in the best interests of Indigenous people. This led to his involvement with CCCIP. Dennis is a firm believer that society must not accept children as collateral damage from criminal court sentencing, which can lead to inter-generational involvement with the law. He seeks to support change that respects Indigenous people, keeps families together and prioritizes the well-being of children.