Dr. Hervé is the President and Practice Director at The Forensic Practice, and a registered clinical psychologist who specializes in forensic psychology. By utilizing expertise in psychology, human behaviour, memory, and evaluating truthfulness, Hugues advocates for the advancement of investigative, assessment and decision-making practices to promote safety and wellness of communities.

Susan Kim is the co-founder and Operations Director of The Forensic Practice. Trained in clinical-behavioural psychology, she previously worked in the federal correctional system conducting assessments and treatment. She strongly believes in peoples’ capacity for growth and respecting individual differences. She strives to inject kindess and playfulness into all aspects of her work.

Andy Stuart became a StepWise interviewing instructor in 2008, under the mentorship of Dr. John Yuille and Dr. Hugues Hervé. Since then, he has trained hundreds of front-line staff. As the Training Division Manager with The Forensic Practice, Andy mentors new trainers, consults with interviewers in the field, and develops new workshops. Prior to this, Andy was Staff Sergeant at the Saanich Police Department. His policing career began in 2001. He is the recipient of multiple police commendations, including the Meritorious Service Medal. He has also held instructional positions with Camosun College and the University of Manitoba. Andy holds a diploma in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Dr. Kristin Coyne is a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers. She has been working in the human service fields for over 15 years. Dr. Coyne has experience conducting research with forensic and clinical populations, and providing therapy in in-patient, out-patient, and community-based settings. She currently manages clinical counselling programs at two community-based agencies. In this role, she has the privilege of supervising therapists and interns undertaking individual, group, and family therapy, with a variety of populations, including children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Coyne’s therapeutic practice focuses on working with survivors of trauma, and supporting people to work through relationship issues and mental health difficulties. She has specific training and experience with play therapy and utilizes a variety of these approaches in her practice. She was originally trained in the StepWise interview protocol in 2001 and this knowledge has helped inform her practice, particularly as related to children’s experiences of abuse and trauma. Dr. Coyne has taught at the University of British Columbia.

Carolyn Thom is a child forensic interviewer and Associate Trainer with The Forensic Practice in Canada. She has conducted training across Canada, the UK, and the USA.

With over 25 years of experience as a social worker and 15 years as a Specialized Child Forensic Interviewer she has completed over 2500 child/youth interviews. Carolyn has qualified as an expert witness in interviewing children and persons with diminished capacity and she is a subject matter expert in investigating their maltreatment. Carolyn has trained various police agenices, child services agencies, crown prosecutors, and military police across the country.

She has contributed to Provincial and National strategies on child abuse, child exploitation, and forensic interviewing. A certified program leader with the Courthouse Dogs Foundation, Carolyn was one of the first forensic interviewers to conduct canine assisted interviews in Canada. She worked with her canine partner, Fossey.

Michelle Hykawy is a Provincial Investigation Specialist with the Government of Manitoba, Child and Family Services Branch, and she serves as a mentor and consultant to child welfare workers across the province. Michelle’s career in child protection services began in 2001. She has specialized in the area of child abuse investigations for over 14 years, working in both Manitoba and Ontario. In addition to her investigative role, she trains child welfare workers and law enforcement officers in child abuse investigations. She also provides training and presentations to community service providers on child abuse and child protection. Michelle holds two university degrees, a Bachelor of Human Ecology (Child Development) and a Bachelor of Social Work. She has also obtained training in Advanced Practice in Forensic Interviewing of Children through Griffith University and the Centre for Investigative Interviewing.ere

Niki Sundher has been policing in British Columbia since 2011, and is currently working in the Family Protection Unit (the child abuse investigations team). Beyond her work as a criminal investigator, Niki has a strong interest in trauma resilience and a passion for helping children, youth, and families. She is a recipient of the Chief Constable’s Leadership commendation and she has been recognized multiple times for her community volunteer work. Prior to policing, Niki was a youth worker for court ordered youth justice programs. She conducted interviews to assess risk for program suitability in group wilderness settings and bail supervisory care homes. A skilled communicator, consensus builder, and natural trainer, Niki has been teaching and public speaking for two decades, including as a basketball coach and an advocate for LGBTQ2+ rights. Niki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Care from the University of Victoria.

Sandra Rijken has been working as a police officer since 2013. Working in Major Crime for the past four years, she has developed expertise in interviewing and sex crimes investigations, and she mentors police officers in both. Sandra has been recognized by Crown for her dogged determination to protect survivors and is sought out for her reasoned investigational skills. Since being trained in the Stepwise, she has been able to better support adult and child survivors and their families. Prior to policing, Sandra worked as a youth support worker for children with acute mental health diagnoses. Sandra studied Criminology at Simon Fraser University and Police Leadership at Dalhousie University. She is currently completing her Honors Degree in Policing at Wilfrid Laurier University. Sandra also coached women’s rugby at the provincial and national levels. Passionate about her work, Sandra excels at creating positive learning environments and integrates her vibrant personality into her instruction

Dr. Schweighofer is a registered clinical psychologist with significant expertise in forensic psychology. He is a recognized expert in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders, including individuals with pedophilic interests and those involved with child pornography. He also specializes in the treatment of non-criminal sexually compulsive behavior and substance abuse. Dr. Schweighofer has provided expert testimony at provincial and supreme courts. He has presented at national and international conferences. He has provided training for the Correctional Service of Canada, Washington State Department of Corrections, and the Justice Institute of BC. He is a national trainer for the Static-99R, the Stable 2007, and the Acute 2007. Outside of his forensic work, Dr. Schweighofer maintains a private practice, with offices in North Vancouver and Burnaby, which includes the assessment and treatment of general clinical issues.

Dr. Dassinger is a registered clinical psychologist. She has both researched and worked clinically in the field of forensics since 2004. She has worked clinically in various custodial settings provincially and federally with female and male offending populations. She has completed psychological risk assessments on both male and female offenders (including Parole Board pre-assessments, Dangerous Offender updates, Specialized Sex Offender assessments, and Detention Reviews). She provides individual and group treatment to offending populations with a particular focus in sexual offending. She completes pre-trial psychological risk assessments and in the context of child protection. Dr. Dassinger maintains a private practice with a special interest in the assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress in both first responders and the general public.

Dawn has been working with adults with intellectual and cognitive disabilities for over 23 years in several capacities. Her employer, Regional Residential Services Society, has been using StepWise from early days when Dr. John Yuille came to Nova Scotia; she is now the agency’s lead investigator. Her responsibilities also include policy, staff training, program development, positive behaviour supports and counselling. She is a certified Mandt Instructor and has co-authored a provincial curriculum for the Nova Scotia Residential Agencies Association on quality care and supports. Dawn is a graduate of Acadia University and Kelowna College of Professional Counsellors and she has a particular interest in choice and voice regardless of ability.

Rayna Stuart joined The Forensic Practice in 2020. She is the Workshop Coordinator, where she facilitates and coordinates learners attending online and in person workshops across Canada. Rayna Stuart is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rayna was a NCAA student athlete as a member of Women’s Rowing Team. In 2019 she was nominated for the Female Athlete of the Year Award. In May 2019, Rayna graduated with a major in Psychology and maintained academic standing on the Dean’s Honor Roll. While at NSU, Rayna was invited to be a Research Assistant for the Treatment Unplugged study. Rayna is also an Administrative Assistant at the Saanich Police Department. She is a member of the Peer Support Program, helping those in need of mental health resources and being a support system. These positions have prepared Rayna for pursing graduate studies in Psychology.

Nadia’s started her career as a front-line Child Welfare Social Worker, Collaborative Practice Facilitator and Practice Consultant with the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development where she worked for over 20 years. Nadia’s passion for training and conflict management led her to be the founder and president of Now What Facilitation; a team of Social Workers bringing people together to support dialogue and growth. Nadia has published a book on how coaches can transform conflict into high performance. Nadia is a recognized international expert on communication and conflict management in high performance sports. In addition to training newly hired Social Workers, Nadia teaches at the University of British Columbia School of Social Work.

Shelbie is an Experimental Law and Forensic Psychology student at Simon Fraser University. She obtained her undergraduate degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland and her masters at Simon Fraser University. Her research centres around memory, children and the law, with a primary focus on interview strategies and techniques. She is currently working towards her PhD; Her Dissertation will be focused specially on the adaptation of ground rules for an adolescent population.

Daniel Derksen is a graduate student in the Law and Forensic Psychology program completing his PhD at Simon Fraser University. He obtained his undergraduate honours degree at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Master’s degree in Law and Forensic Psychology at Simon Fraser University. He is studying belief and decision-making in forensic and everyday contexts. In particular he is interested in how the experience of processing and interpreting different types of information can be misused as an indication of truth and credibility, and subsequently lead to errors when making decisions. He is currently working with the Forensic Practice to develop research summaries, training tools, and learning materials.

Kamna Nand is the Practice Manager.