Conferences & Special Events

Speaker Bios

Terresa Augustine

Terresa has been leading, advising, and coaching organizations, communities, and individuals in profit and non-profit sectors from current to preferred positions for 25 years. She joined Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries in 2013 as a Community Mental Health Coach and in 2014 stepped in as Director of Programming. Her practical experience is enhanced by an MA in Leadership, graduate studies in career development, undergraduate studies in adult education and technology, and education for ministry (EFM) studies. Terresa has worked in the education, social justice, career development, public legal education, and technology sectors locally, nationally, and internationally.

Fiona Choi

Fiona received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia with a focus on preclinical models of addiction. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute of Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC. Her research explores factors associated with substance use disorders, trauma, and related psychopathology. She is also involved in the development of an integrated mental health web platform for vulnerable youth, utilizing e-health tools to strengthen mental wellbeing. Fiona has been involved with Sanctuary as a volunteer and as a community coach for the past several years.

Lee Kosa

Coming from an artistic family, Lee earned a bachelor of fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. After working in the field of marketing, communications, and design, Lee and his wife Sage moved to Canada where Lee completed a Master’s of Divinity from Regent College before serving as a pastor in Vancouver for several years. Lee currently serves as the Lead Pastor of Cedar Park Church, a vibrant Anabaptist faith community in Ladner, BC. Lee enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, (Lucas, Jude, and Eden) and loves dabbling in the genre of spoken word poetry, which he sneaks into sermons whenever he gets the chance. Lee is also passionately committed to the lifelong pursuit of becoming a peacemaker at home, in his work, and in his community. Lee has partnered with Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries for over five years, in two different churches, and deeply appreciates their wise and compassionate work in equipping faith communities to address issues related to mental health.

Edward Ng

Dr. Edward Ng was born in Ontario and has lived across Canada. After studying at UBC (BSc, BEd), he moved to Hong Kong, where he taught science and served as a chaplain at an international school. He came back to Vancouver to complete an MDiv at Regent College, after which he helped to plant and pastor a church in the Dunbar neighbourhood. He then entered into the field of clinical psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary’s Graduate School of Psychology (Pasadena, CA.), an institution renowned for its integration of psychology and theology. He completed his Doctor of Psychology degree in 2016, and currently is the Director of Counselling Services with Soma Counselling and Family Resources (www.somacounselling.com), an organization that desires to serve churches and other communities in their mental health needs.

Ed's academic interests include the application of cultural narrative and cultural psychology in counselling settings and relational psychoanalysis. Ed lives in Vancouver with his wife and two sons, and when he has a moment, he enjoys running, reading, and writing.

Daniel Whitehead

Daniel is Executive Director of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. In this role, he spearheads the movement to prepare churches to support mental health recovery in their communities. Previously, he spent 10 years in full time vocational ministry, serving as senior pastor of a church for eight years. Daniel hails from the UK, is married to Annie, and has two young children, Evie and Jack. He is also a certified mediator and a Regent graduate.