Our Team
Who we are
The Compass team are a group of highly trained individuals here to provide support and education on mental health and substance use care.
Andrew Ryan
Nurse Clinician
Ontario-born Drew is a husband, father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and queer. As a registered nurse, Drew has worked in mental health and addictions for 17 years (including postings in acute psychiatry, emergency, community outreach, program development and leadership). He has a wonderful husband named Randy who can still make them laugh after 20 years, and is a father to Jack, who has taught them a great deal about patience and unconditional love. Drew enjoys weekends, hikes with Larry the dog, local restaurants, science fiction, reading, exercise and travel.
Carollynn Fong
Youth & Family Counsellor
Daughter of immigrant entrepreneurs, Carollynn was born and raised in the Lower Mainland. Being raised by traditional Chinese parents within predominately White community, Carollynn battled with her sense of identity for many years. This created a passion to create supportive and inclusive communities and inspired Carollynn to obtain her Bachelors in Child & Youth Care. Carollynn’s experience has been in non-profit sector working with disadvantaged communities with children, youth and families. Outside of work, Carollynn enjoys boxing, recreational dance classes and fostering cats.
Darla Chorney
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Darla graduated from the University of Victoria with a Masters’ Degree in Counselling Psychology. She has over 23 years of experience across health care and education settings, providing counselling and psychotherapy to children, youth and families. At the core of her work, is a passion for supporting individuals in accessing and developing their internal resources and resiliency, while expanding their learning and building capacity throughout the lifespan. With the varied experience of a generalist, a clinical focus on depression, anxiety, and trauma, alongside an appreciation for the benefits of supportive consultation for practitioners, she joined the Compass Team. Outside of work, Darla enjoys global and local travel adventures, and staying active in mind and body.
Devin Hyde
Program Coordinator
Devin is a dedicated Program Coordinator at BC Children's Hospital, bringing two years of valuable Project Coordinator experience to the Compass Program. Having once been a patient at BC Children's Hospital as a child, Devin is driven by a deep desire to give back to the community that played a crucial role in his own health care journey. Outside of the hospital, Devin enjoys travelling, music festivals and playing video games during his downtime. A true sports aficionado, he passionately follows Tottenham Hotspurs football club and actively engages in physical activities like hockey and boxing.
Eddie Chau
Nurse Clinician
Eddie has years of experience working with children and their mental health as a schoolteacher and daycare manager, where he found a passion for working collaboratively with families/caregivers to support their children. This inspired him to pursue a career in Nursing, where he spent several years at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry inpatient units at BC Children’s Hospital, and as a School Nurse. He feels fortunate and privileged to be able to connect with his culture and practices, which include cooking Chinese cuisine, Lion Dancing, and practicing Chen’s Style Tai Chi for over 10 years. On his days off, he also enjoys the outdoors hiking and paddle boarding. At home, he spends his days being the best cat dad possible.
Elizabeth Partridge
Nurse Clinician
Elizabeth Partridge grew up, taught and has practiced in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia after her parents immigrated from England. She is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse, having completed her diploma at Douglas College, undergraduate and Masters in Nursing at Charles Sturt University. She has proudly practiced and taught in a diverse number of clinical and environmental settings including providing clinical consultation, teaching in post-secondary degree programs and practicing in Child and Youth Mental Health inpatient and community teams. Most recently, Elizabeth has had the honor to work as a Nurse Clinician at the BCCH Compass Program for almost two years. Elizabeth is an avid reader and learner when she isn’t spending time with her husband and chasing after her children and dog.
Dr. Erin Smith
Psychiatrist
Dr. Erin Smith is a psychiatrist with the Compass program at BCCH and also works at BCWH at Reproductive Mental Health and the Oak Tree Clinic. She completed her general adult psychiatry residency at UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and also completed an addiction psychiatry fellowship at the same institution. Prior to working for Compass, Dr. Smith worked at the Provincial Youth Concurrent Disorders clinic at BCCH. She is passionate about working with people during their pregnancies and in the postpartum period as well as transitional age youth and adults with concurrent disorders and their families. Dr. Smith is also a motivational interviewing (MI) trainer and a member of the internationally regarded organization Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). She is a published author in the field of MI as well as the field of addictions and is passionate about teaching motivational interviewing and also lectures on a variety of different topics for medical trainees through her role as a clinical instructor at UBC. Dr. Smith is proud to be part of the collaborative and multidisciplinary team at Compass.
Helen Kennett-Bacon
Nurse Clinician
Helen is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse, working with children with mental health concerns and their caregivers for 20 years. Prior to working in Compass, Helen was the Nurse Clinician in ADHD Provincial Program for almost 10 years. Helen graduated with a Masters of Education in Contemplative Inquiry and Approaches to Education from Simon Fraser University in 2017. Helen is a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, recently graduating from the 2 year MMTCP program with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She is a member of the advisory council at the Centre for Mindfulness at BCCH and enjoys providing mindfulness classes for healthcare providers. Originally from Yorkshire, England, Helen moved to Vancouver 15yrs ago with her husband who is also a nurse. She enjoys cooking new recipes and makes a great Yorkshire Pudding. She loves fashion, art, knitting and being creative. Helen completes the Sudoku in the New York Times everyday. Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband and their French Bulldog, Dave.
karina czyzewski
Social Worker
karina is a settler of French & Slavic descent originally from Ottawa, which is on unceded Algonquin territories. They have been an uninvited guest on the stolen territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations for the last 11 years. They are a registered clinical social worker (RCSW #12616) with an additional MA in Anthropology & Indigenous Health. They have been working in the mental health and substance use field for over a decade in direct service (traditional social work and clinical counselling), research, consulting, education and community organizing. They are passionate about youth mental wellness, substance use destigmatization, critical health research and gender-affirming care. When not working, they can be found dancing, reading, cycling or enjoying some vegan treats.
Kate Cheung
Nurse Clinician
Kate was born in Hong Kong and moved to North Vancouver when she was young and grew up with the North Shore Mountains and trails at her back door. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She focused her career at BC Children’s Hospital and has worked in the various mental health programs offered at the Healthy Minds Centre since 2009. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her young son and family, travelling, watching movies and shows, reading and discovering new and exciting places to eat at.
Lynne Hill
Indigenous Care Social Worker
Lynne is a mixed Red River Metis, Cree, and British woman from Treaty 1 who has had the privilege to live, love, and learn alongside Coast Salish peoples for almost a decade. Growing up in the foster care system and walking alongside youth in care for more than 10 years led her to social work. Specializing in an Indigenous Field of Study MSW at Wilfred Laurier University, Lynne is intentional about sharing Indigenous wellness perspectives within the healthcare system. You will often hear her say that Culture is Healthcare, and that Education is Ceremony. Outside of work, Lynne enjoys being in the mountains or by the ocean with her dog and loved ones.
Dr. Priya Watson
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr. Priya Watson is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with the Compass Program at BCCH. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Watson has published articles, books, and online courses on the subjects of trauma, culture, psychotherapy, and continuing professional development. She has a particular interest in childhood trauma, and collaborating with front-line care providers to provide trauma-informed care to children, youth and their families.
Robelle Salvador
Nurse Clinician
Robelle is a daughter of parents who originated from the Philippines. She has had extensive experience working within the field of child and youth mental health. In particular, she has worked at BC Children’s Hospital as a psychiatric nurse clinician, in emergency, consultation liaison psychiatry, and LINK. She has also worked as a front line nurse in BCCH adolescent psychiatry, CAPE and child psychiatry units and at the Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre. She is passionate about holistic health, spirituality, earth-based healing practices, and Buddhist philosophy. Furthermore, her hobbies include paddle boarding, gardening, meditation, and spending time with her two dogs and husband.
Dr. Roberto Sassi
Psychiatrist in Chief, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Dr. Roberto Sassi is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Associate Professor (Partner), Head of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the UBC Department of Psychiatry, and Psychiatrist-in-Chief at BC Children’s and Women’s Hospitals. He graduated from medical school at the University of São Paulo, Brazil in 1996. Dr. Sassi completed his residency training in adult psychiatry at the University of São Paulo as well as at the Massachusetts General Hospital / McLean Hospital, Harvard University, in both adult and child & adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Sassi has a PhD degree from the University of Sao Paulo, with a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroimaging at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, where he worked on magnetic resonance imaging investigations on bipolar disorder. Prior to joining UBC, Dr. Sassi held faculty appointments at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, FL and at McMaster University, in Hamilton, ON
Dr. Robin Friedlander
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Robin Friedlander is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Program in the Dept. of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is past head of the Neuropsychiatry clinic and currently leads the SIB clinic at BC Children’s Hospital. Dr Friedlander trained in medicine and psychiatry in South Africa. Since moving to Vancouver, BC in 1993, clinical, academic and teaching pursuits have been in the field of Developmental Psychiatry.
Sonja Sinclair
Program Director, Outpatient Child & Youth Mental Health Programs
Sonja has a Bachelor’s in Child and Youth Care and a Master’s Degree in Human Security. Currently Director of the Outpatient Psychiatry Department at BC Children’s Hospital, Sonja previously worked within a variety of roles supporting vulnerable populations with challenges related to mental health and substance use, including supporting children, youth and families, individuals living in conflict zones, individuals struggling with homelessness in the Downtown Eastside, and adults with mental health issues involved with the criminal justice system. She has worked with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Children and Family Development around Provincial initiatives to improve responses and supports for families affected by mental health and substance use issues with an emphasis on whole family supports, recognizing the intergenerational nature of these concerns. Outside of work, Sonja can be found horseback riding and jumping or curled up with a good book.
Dr. Susan Baer
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Susan Baer is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with the Compass team. She was born in the US and grew up moving around the US and other countries before settling in the beautiful traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, where she raised her two children. She has worked at BC Children’s Hospital since 2004 in clinical and administrative roles. She is proud to have helped found the Compass team in 2018 and is passionate about increasing access to mental health supports for children and youth across BC. She has particular interests in anxiety and neurodevelopmental disorders. Her favorite part about working on Compass is collaborating with community providers across the province as well as working with the multidisciplinary Compass team. Outside of work, she loves all outdoor activities, particularly backcountry adventures with her two dogs.
