Margaret A. Jackson (Ph.D.)
Co-Director
Margaret is a Professor Emerita in the School of Criminology and past Director of the Institute for Studies in Criminal Justice Policy at SFU. She was principal investigator for a Federal Ministry of Justice study on child abuse. Other research areas of interest include criminal justice policy analysis, sociocultural factors impacting marginalized girls, problem-solving courts, and most recently, bullying and cyberbullying. As Co-Director of FREDA, Margaret primarily focuses upon research issues related to domestic violence and its impacts on women and children.
Sarah Yercich (Ph.D.)
Co-Director
Sarah (she/her) is a multi and interdisciplinary researcher and activist focused on violence against women, children/youth, and gender diverse communities, as well as prison education and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her expertise spans the disciplines of critical criminology, sociology, socio-legal studies, and women’s and gender studies. In addition to Sarah’s role at the FREDA Centre, she is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia and full-time Instructor in the Sociology and Criminology Department at Capilano University in North Vancouver, British Columbia. At Capilano University, Sarah has a cross appointment in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department where she is currently serving as the Department Head. Sarah is also the Editor of the Western Criminologist, as well as part of the Alliance Against Violence and Adversity’s (AVA) Leadership Team and an AVA Early Career Researcher.
Kate Rossiter (Ph.D.)
Associate Director
Kate (she/her) is a gender-based violence researcher, educator, and advocate. She is the Director of Provincial Services at the Ending Violence Association of BC (EVA BC), a provincial non-profit organization in the anti-violence sector, and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Kate completed her PhD in Criminology at SFU and returned years later to complete the Non-Profit Management Certificate Program.
Michelle S. Lawrence (Ph.D., LL.M.)
Honorary Associate Director
Michelle is an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria. She teaches and researches primarily in the areas of criminal law, sentencing, and the law of evidence. Michelle completed her doctoral work as a Trudeau Scholar, in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. She previously practiced law as a partner in the Litigation Department of McCarthy Tétrault LLP.
Edith Wu
Research Associate
Edith Wu is a doctoral student at Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology. With a primary focus on political violence in her degrees, her B.A. (Hons.) thesis applied social network analysis to assess al-Qaeda and its leadership. She then developed a model, the Steam-Valve Theory, on anti-state terrorism and political activism for her M.A. thesis. In addition to violent extremism, her research interests extend to homicide and legal studies.
Chris Giles (Ph.D.)
Research Associate
Chris Giles is a faculty member in the Criminology Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). He earned his Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts in criminology at Simon Fraser University (SFU). His research has focused on several domains, including high-frequency offenders, the operation of the criminal justice system, street gangs, and intimate partner violence.
Ilvy Goosens (Ph.D.)
Research Partner
Ilvy Goossens (She/Her) is an immigrant, permanent resident of Canada, and a first-generation university graduate with a Ph.D. in Clinical and Forensic Psychology from Simon Fraser University. Her career is dedicated to supporting mental health, recovery, and violence-free living, particularly for marginalized groups within the criminal justice system. As a scientist-practitioner, Dr. Goossens focuses on generating knowledge that enhances assessment and clinical services, and informs evidence-based policies. Her research lies at the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on violence assessment and prevention, trauma, and forensic systems. With FREDA specifically, her goal is to contribute to research that can meaningfully improve the lives of those affected by violence and support their journey toward a value-based life. Dr. Goossens is a co-author of the DIARI (Decision-making In Abusive Relationships Interview: Nicholls, Hilterman, & Goossens, 2017), a tool designed to aid safety planning for women in abusive relationships. She approaches research from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, with experience in network data, legal simulations, focus groups, interviews, and cohort datasets.
Melissa Gregg
Past Research Associate
Melissa is currently pursuing a PhD in criminology at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Her areas of research interest are international criminal justice, conflict-motivated sexual violence, and the life cycle of international norms. In 2017-18, she interned and worked at the International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor in The Hague, Netherlands. She has taught summer courses on international justice and post-conflict transitions in the Netherlands and will teach a course on the same topic at SFU in Fall 2020.
Bruce Kachuk
Past Administrator
Bruce Kachuk served the FREDA organization well, beginning in April 1998. He continued for years in the capacity of a valued volunteer and, additionally, became an Associate Member of the Centre. Bruce kept the downtown office in Harbour Centre going while he lived in Vancouver. What is amazing is that he kindly agreed to maintain his helpful presence via computer ether space since moving to Toronto with his partner in 2005. He was the webmaster of the FREDA website initially, which he created in 2001 and nurtured with care. As well, he has monitored the FREDA e-mail system. These tasks allowed FREDA to continue as a viable centre. While here, he also undertook a variety of other tasks as the FREDA staff person and communications director. Those included editing and production of reports; arranging meetings for FREDA purposes; ordering supplies; maintaining a pleasant and helpful presence with other Harbour Centre personnel; fielding queries; and otherwise being the FREDA face at Harbour Centre. We still receive enquiries about how he is doing from those whom he touched while here. We wish him all the best and give him our deep gratitude both for who he is as a person and for all that he has done for us and others. Thank you, Bruce!