Our Team

Ben Maw – Educator

Ben was raised in Dunedin, New Zealand completing a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education at the University of Otago. After leaving the safety of home he moved to Wellington to take a job teaching English at Hutt International Boys School where he worked for ten years. During this time he was fortunate to learn from some amazing educators who helped him develop a student-led, strength-based style of teaching. Ben also took on a range of coaching opportunities during this time including Basketball, Cricket, Debating and Football. Getting to see students excel outside of the classroom has always been an amazing aspect of the job that brings him joy. As the son of two English teachers a passion for reading and desire to always be a life-long learner have both been fostered from a young age. When not in the classroom Ben can be found attending gigs, exploring the beautiful B.C. outdoors, watching/playing/discussing/obsessing over basketball or reading a book- coffee in hand.

Betty Pietak – Arts Educator, Part-time

Originally from Ontario, Betty relocated to the west coast to pursue studies at UBC, a journey that nurtured her passion for art history, drawing, painting, and the captivating realm of darkroom photography. While pursuing her BFA degree, she simultaneously worked at Harmony Airways, an experience that ignited her path as a travel and commercial portrait photographer. However, an awakening realization of the significance of education and community drew her back, prompting a pivotal shift. This transition led her to Los Angeles, where she obtained an MA in Art Education from California State University, becoming the cornerstone of her current journey as a dedicated Visual Arts educator. Throughout her career, Betty has experience in a variety of visual education areas, including darkroom and digital photography, video production, digital art, drawing, painting, and design. Her teaching footprint can be found across various educational settings, spanning public and private institutions in Langley, South Korea, Cairo, and West Vancouver. Beyond her professional pursuits, Betty embraces the outdoors, indulging in activities like hiking, scuba diving, snowboarding, and running, all of which underscore her vibrant nature.

Beulah Devanesan – Educator, Part-Time

Beulah Devanesan, MSc, BEd, MPhil, PhD, is a distinguished Senior Education Professional with a remarkable career spanning over two decades across India, the United Arab Emirates, Denmark, the USA, and Canada. With her background in science education, Beulah has excelled in leadership, administration, and event management. She passionately delivered the Biology curriculum at Everglades High in Florida, achieving exceptional results in Cambridge International Examinations and providing crucial mentoring on youth mental health. Her commitment extends to global initiatives, including coordinating charity drives and cross-cultural tours. Beulah is not only an outstanding educator but also a compassionate mentor, deeply dedicated to enriching the lives of colleagues and students alike.

Cassaundra McDonald – Youth Development Worker

Cassaundra, who prefers to be called Cassie, is a highly qualified member of our team. She pursued her education at the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto, Ontario, where she achieved an Honours degree in Family and Community Social Services and obtained a diploma to become a Social Service Worker. During her time in school, Cassie completed multiple field placements, which allowed her to gain valuable experience working with diverse populations.

Cassie has a wealth of experience, having previously served as an Educational Support Specialist and Developmental Therapist for children and youth on the spectrum at a private school, where she implemented the DIR/Floortime model. Her dedication to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all youth is evident, as she prioritizes building meaningful relationships that support learning and development.

In her free time, Cassie enjoys the great outdoors, often taking her miniature Golden Doodle, named Bentley, on hikes and picnics. Her passion for both her work and her personal life shines through in her commitment to fostering growth and well-being in the children and youth she works with.

Grayson DeJong – Admin/Youth Development Worker, Part-time

BC-born and raised, Grayson is a graduate from Simon Fraser University with a passion for World History and writing in the English Language. He has worked in many different fields during and after his schooling, including youth-based non-profits, municipal and federal governments, a tech-startup with a focus on developing software tools that support volunteerism in BC, and even an indie video game company as a narrative designer. He is fascinated by popular culture, film and digital media, as well as reading and creative writing — especially for his D&D groups. He is recently married, and has a dog named Sunny and a cat named Buffy. Grayson has a long-standing passion for education and will be attending UBC’s teacher education program in the fall, while continuing to work part-time at Whytecliff.

Haya Fadda – Educator

Haya grew up in Amman, Jordan and has been passionate about teaching from an early age. From teaching her teddy bears what she learned at school, to leading study groups with her classmates. Haya holds a BA in English Language and Translation from Petra University and an MA in Applied Linguistics from Trinity Western University in Canada. Haya loves learning new things and anything handmade. you’ll often find her trying her hand at a new craft that captures her interest. During summer, you’ll find Haya chilling on her paddleboard on a lake. Haya is excited to become a part of the Whytecliff family as an instructor and share her passion for teaching with the community.

Ian Graham – Youth Development Worker

Born and raised in Northern BC, Ian studied at Trinity Western University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. When he’s not chasing teenagers around Whytecliff, Ian is climbing, mountain biking, baking bread, or working in his garden. He loves building meaningful relationships through sharing the things he is passionate about. Ian is excited about his role as Youth Worker at the Burnaby Campus, and is looking forward to supporting the young people there as they grow and learn.

Jane Beimers – Youth Development Worker

Jane was born and raised in British Columbia and enjoys exploring the Fraser Valley’s waterfalls, trails, and hikes, as well as capturing BC wildlife on camera. Jane studied at the University of the Fraser Valley, where she earned a B.A. degree with honours in psychology in 2023. Now Jane has set her sights on obtaining a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, which she will begin this Fall. As shown by her educational fervour, Jane is an avid, lifelong learner, who is passionate about walking alongside youth as they learn more about who they are, and how they can thrive at Whytecliff and beyond. When Jane isn’t writing essays for her master’s or working at Whytecliff, she is drawing, walking at Campbell Valley with her husband, or playing with her family’s big, fluffy Bernese Mountain dog, Gatsby.

Lauryn Western – Educator

Lauryn was born and raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and has recently relocated to the Fraser Valley to begin a new journey, including being the Social Studies educator at WALC. Lauryn received her Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education from the University of Alberta in 2022, majoring in Social Studies and minoring in Health Education. After completing her Bachelor’s degree, Lauryn spent time substitute teaching across various high schools in Medicine Hat, and taking on a temporary contract, while completing her Master of Education in Teaching and Learning degree from the University of Ottawa. In this program, Lauryn was able to focus her research on inclusive learning and the education of marginalized youth, as well as COVID’s effects on various student populations. She enjoys engaging high school students in meaningful, relevant discussions to encourage identity development, as well as the exploration and understanding of different perspectives through Social Studies content. When not focused on education, Lauryn enjoys swimming, baking, reading, pilates, and any opportunity to be outside exploring this beautiful area of the world!

Leanne Roodt – Educator

Born and raised in South Africa, Leanne graduated from WITS University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. She started teaching in 1996 and has taught all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 12, specializing in Mathematics. She moved to British Columbia with her husband and two children in 2019 and has spent the past four years teaching in schools in North Vancouver and Burnaby. She has coached tennis and soccer,  loves the outdoors, and is passionate about hiking, swimming and playing tennis.

Marcus Malone – Youth Development Worker

Marcus has been a Youth and Family worker since 2012. He has shown on multiple occasions what “ethics of care” truly means. He started off his career by pursuing business and discovered his true passion was to help others, meaning that his commitment to the kids’ well-being is second to none. Marcus draws upon his approachable personality in active listening and hands-on learning. Marcus’s love of animals and nature is obvious, and he tries to incorporate his passion by integrating these into the program and when engaging with the youth. His goal this year is to help youth gain a better mind-body connection through physical activity, learning breathing techniques and key workouts in the gym. He is a key member for fostering growth through support in new experiences.

Marcus Vander Veen – Youth Development Worker

Marcus grew up in the Fraser Valley, moving a few times prior to his family purchasing a poultry farm in Chilliwack where he lived for 13 years. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology with a certificate in Human Services in April 2020. Marcus first got involved at Whytecliff back in 2019 as a practicum student. During this time, he connected with the students and staff and could not resist coming back. When Marcus is not at Whytecliff, you can find him hanging out with his friends, working on the farm, refereeing for Volleyball Canada, or detailing vehicles.

Megan Davis – Youth Development Worker

Originally from Oregon, Megan has a passion for supporting, empowering, and making a difference in the lives of neurodiverse youth and those that struggle with mental health. Megan has rich history and deep experience working with youth in a wide variety of settings, including, for several years, as an educational assistant and as a youth pastor. Megan is dedicated to continue supporting the inclusive and enriching environment that Whytecliff offers while also engaging, enriching, and equipping students to reach their full potential in a kind, caring, and heartfelt way.

Melina Arzua – Administrative Assistant

Melina was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2016, she earned a Bachelor’s in English, and in 2021 she moved to Langley, British Columbia to complete her Master’s in Linguistics. Melina has previously worked in a variety of different educational settings in Argentina and Germany, and after graduating from her Master’s program, she started working at Whytecliff. She has a passion for travelling, nature, and sports, including running and CrossFit; in 2017, Melina ran the Buenos Aires half marathon.

Rachel Sorsabal – Educator

Rachael Sorsabal was born and raised in Southern California, growing up to love the outdoors. She finished her education with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biology, wherein she discovered a passion for teaching science. After college, she spent some time in North Carolina raising beautiful twin boys, finally returning to Washington State. In Washington she spent eleven years coaching high school track and field and working as a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor. She is a passionate SCUBA diver, photographer, horseback rider, and outdoors woman.

Born and raised in Langley, Reece studied science at University of the Fraser Valley, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. While initially studying to become a medical doctor, Reece started work in the field of supportive care as a support worker for adults with disabilities, which led to supporting children and youth with autism in education. Through his experience, Reece quickly discovered his passion for working with and supporting youth with unique challenges. Outside of work, Reece is an avid musician who plays multiple instruments, playing guitar and singing professionally. Performing under the moniker ‘Daniel Reece’, Reece has written, recorded, and produced his own music with two singles out on streaming platforms. Some of Reece’s other hobbies include playing tennis, biking, hiking, and playing chess.

Robert Kissner – Executive Director, Principal (Burnaby)

Executive Director Robert Kissner, B.A. (Hons), M.A., Ph.D., R.S.W. is a specialist in stress and trauma with an interest in innovative ways to facilitate resilience and emotional recovery. He has experience in clinical practice, agency administration, teaching, research, and as a social innovator and entrepreneur. He served as President of the BC Association of Social Workers and was BC provincial representative to CASW. He was awarded the CASW Distinguished Service Award in 2012. Robert taught a wide range of subjects for the University of Chicago, SFU, Trinity Western University, UCFV and Douglas College, including courses in social work, education, criminology, and sociology. Bob is also a BC certified teacher (psychology). He has travelled extensively, lecturing and writing on developmental approaches, working with youth, addictions, stress and emotions. In 1975, Robert founded Focus Foundation of British Columbia, an addictions and education agency working with adolescents with complex needs and youth who are unsuccessful in the public school system.

Shelley Donald – Principal (Langley), Educator

Shelley earned a B.A. degree in neuropsychology and a BSc. Degree in computing right after high school. While at SFU she played on the soccer team and worked part time for a small building repair company. After graduation she continued to work in the trades for the next 25 years before returning to SFU to get a teaching degree specializing in education and learning disabilities. After five years teaching in public schools, she found a home at Whytecliff, where she gets to teach math, science, robotics, and carpentry.

Stephen Paras – Educator, Site Coordinator (Langley)

A proud father of six, Steve has been working in the field of education for more than 40 years. He holds a Bachelor of Education Degree (B.Ed.) as well a Master of Arts Degree (M.A.) in Science Education, both through the University of British Columbia. Stephen enjoys applying this postgraduate education to positively influence students’ acquisition of science concepts, enabling them to achieve excellent grades while enjoying the learning process. In his spare time, he likes to travel (hopefully to some remote an unexplored part of the globe). If not travelling, Steve may also be found cooking, baking, renovating, or reading novels.

Vanessa Stanley – Educator, Vice Principal (Burnaby)

Vanessa was born and raised on the BC Coast. She studied at Vancouver Island University earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Post Bachelor in Education. After leaving school she travelled and taught for several years in the UK. On returning to Canada, she founded a Forest School program on Vancouver Island and has spent the last several years inspiring a love of nature in young people in her community. Over the past decade she has been involved in the creation of other modern education programs that are rooted in the belief that education should be self-directed and holistic. Her educational philosophy is passion-focused, place-based and student-led, and focuses on the individual needs of the student and their connection to themselves, their community and the beautiful place we all call home. When not in school, Vanessa can be found spending time in nature, gardening, reading, acquiring new knowledge, and learning new skills.