Meet the Team
Jordi Jacko
Managing Director & Lead Land-Based Facilitator
Jordi (he/him) is a community member of Whitefish River First Nation. He has developed programing in his community as a youth worker for 2 years focusing on Land Based activities and Mental Health. Growing up on the reserve has created a path to want better for the community, to help when things are not the greatest but also celebrate the great times. Jordi believes in youth voice and how it can change how the community focuses on issues. He also wants to have communities look inward to find community members that have skills to teach, especially traditional knowledge.
Braiding Pathways, really, is Jordi's brainchild - having worked for years in the nonprofit and youth work worlds and seen the potential for a different way of doing things. Supporting communities in having their visions come to life is some of the most rewarding work he can think of. As Braiding Pathways grows, he hopes to see more and more communities share resources and partner together - hopefully one day putting him out of a job!
Steph D'Souza
Managing Director & Lead Arts Facilitator
Steph (she/her) is a multi-racial (South Asian & white settler) artist and experienced evaluation professional from Mississauga, Ontario (Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit). Steph is passionate about using the arts and participatory research for community connection and social change. She is trained in Photovoice, which is a process in which people use video and/or photo images to capture aspects of their lives and share them with others to inspire change. Steph believes in a future where community care is at the core of everything, and is always trying to learn, connect with & engage others, and use art to work towards this vision.
Eric Lavryssen
Managing Director & Lead Culinary Facilitator
Eric (he/him; white settler) is a skilled food industry professional and trained chef from Mississauga, Ontario (Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit). He is passionate about building community through food. Eric has spent the last 7 years in a restaurant setting, developing his voice through the food he cooks. He loves the idea that food can bring a sense of togetherness and act as a starting point to overcoming systemic injustice. Eric loves travelling and learning new things. His favourite food is street food - tasty, accessible and a microcosm of the local cultures.