About Us
Our Staff

Jo
Jo is a KidStart Coordinator for the Vancouver area. She has worked in social services her whole career and has worked for PLEA since 2017. She started in Tri-Cities as a youth worker and then moved to Vancouver as an ISSP worker. Jo has been an active MANDT trainer for the agency since 2018, and loves facilitating trainings. She enjoys supporting children and youth to help them discover their strengths and thrive. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, and attending live music of all kinds.

Khesro
Khesro is the KidStart coordinator for the Tri-Cities area. He started working with PLEA as a youth worker in 2014, and prior to that was a KidStart volunteer for many years. Khesro enjoys spending time with his son, fishing at local lakes and car camping in the summer with his family. Khesro finds the preventative work that is KidStart very rewarding.

Kevin
Kevin is the coordinator for KidStart Fraser and has been with the program for more than 35 years! When not at work, you can find him coaching rugby or spending time with his family.

Lak
Lak has been a coordinator with KidStart in the Vancouver area for more than 10 years. Laughter is important to Lak…”For me, laughter is like a cup of coffee…I need it everyday!”

Erika
Erika is a coordinator with KidStart. She has been at PLEA for over 10 years and is a former KidStart volunteer mentor herself. Outside of work, you can catch her spending time with family, friends, and her two dogs.

Michelle
Michelle is the KidStart coordinator for the Ridge Meadows area. Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, is an animal lover, and has an array of various pets at home.

Julia
Julia is the manager of KidStart for Vancouver Coastal. Born and raised in Vancouver, Julia is a champion for programming that meets children and youth where they are at and is agile and flexible enough to respond quickly to their unique needs and circumstances.

Ethan
Ethan is KidStart’s fundraiser and has been with the program since September of 2019. In his spare time he enjoys drinking coffee around Vancouver and playing board games.
Our Donors
We are extremely thankful to have such incredible supporters who have donated funds to us over the years. Our donors have been vital to our success and growth as a program. Large or small, every contribution has helped provide life-changing mentorship to children across the Lower Mainland.
We truly appreciate all current and past support, here we specifically acknowledge the following who gave $500 or more this fiscal year:
Community Partners
VRCA Young Construction Leaders (YCL)
United Way of the Lower Mainland
Corporate
Dayhu Investments
First West Credit Union
G&F Financial
Josh Bath – Personal Real Estate Corporation
Porte Industries Ltd.
Vancouver Fire and Radius Security
Foundations
- Ames Family Foundation
- Andrew Mahon Foundation
- Gordon Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation
Mackay Family Fund, held at Fiera Capital Foundation
RBC Foundation
Stewart Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation
- Volunteer for Children Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation
Provincial
We gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia.
Municipal
- City of Vancouver
Individuals
- Ann Alexander
Ardyth Macquarrie
Donald Gordon
Einat Stojicevic
- Jen Graham
- Joan Andersen
- Joyce Preston
Kevin Michael Taylor
Mike Jeffreys
Nancy Gordon
Sandra Sengara
Sharmani Pillay
Scott Campbell
- Tim Agg
- Tim Veresh