Deafblind Services Society
of British Columbia

Deafblind Services Society of BC is supported and governed by a dedicated Board of Directors. These board members have family members who are deafblind, are interested parties, or are experts in finance, development or fundraising.

Board Members

• Eric Durack, Chair (Eric's bio)
• Alvina Tyler, Vice Chair
• Rebecca Shields, Treasurer
• Stewart Calder, Director
• Ed Champion Jr., Director
• Bonnie Langland, Director
• Alvina Tyler, Director
• Jen Young, Director
• Shannon O'Rourke, Director

Office Staff

Debbie Salmonsen
Executive Director
email Debbi

Salim Jiwani
Director, Finance
email Salim

Ellen Faustman
Director of Intervention Services
email Ellen

Eddy Morton
Coordinator, Volunteer Intervention Program
email Eddy

Jessica Chung
Administrative Assistant
email Jessica

Intervenors

Our Intervenors have a unique complement of intensive intervention training along with training for high quality client centered residential care provision. Our total communication approach includes

• multi-communication systems
• American Sign Language
• adaptive sign
• picture symbol
• voice
• gesture
• written word

Training is customized to each client based on their current abilities and communication needs. In addition, regular training is provided in areas such as

• Current Intervention Techniques
• Orientation and Mobility
• Food Safety
• Personalized care that includes the dispensing of medications, hygiene, and home maintenance
• First Aid and CPR certification
• Non-violent crisis intervention training

Our Intervenors are supported by deafblind specialists who bring decades of experience in the field of deafblindness. Our consultants support and advise the Intervenors to improve quality of intervention and personalized program development.