Leadership Team
Our Leadership Team makes up the backbone of Stigma Ends at CU. We are grateful for the contributions of Faculty and students who organize the campaign, and show dedication to working towards reducing stigma around substance use and addiction. Our Leadership Team is led by our Team Lead. Within our Leadership Team, we have smaller sub-teams who are responsible for different initiatives to support the campaign.
Faculty Lead
Dr. Kim Hellemans
Dr. Kim Hellemans is an Assistant Professor in Neuroscience and Associate Dean of Science at Carleton University. She has received several prestigious teaching awards that recognize her passion and dedication to university teaching, including the Provost’s Fellowship in Teaching Award and, most recently, the OCUFA Provincial Teaching Award. Her current research explores how early-life trauma and cannabis use relate to mental health and academic outcomes among university students. She is passionate about knowledge translation and knowledge mobilization and has created several freely available animations on the topic of neuroscience, addiction, and stigma. She is also the co-host of the award-winning podcast “Minding the Brain”.
Team Lead
Mya Duffy (she/her)
Mya is currently a 3rd year undergraduate student at Carleton University studying for a BSc Honours in Neuroscience and Mental Health with a Minor in Critical Race Studies. She is the 2024-2025 Team Lead of Stigma Ends at CU, and proud to have been on the Leadership Team of SEACU since the beginning of her 2nd year. Mya joined SEACU as she has a passion for social justice and health equity, especially in the areas of substance use health and mental health, where individuals often face many stigmatizing barriers to getting support. In her free time, you can catch her volunteering in the community or playing volleyball!
Communications Team
The Communications Team strives to increase online interactions and engagement between the campaign and students/community through our website and Instagram presence. They curate and design educational and informed content that aims to de-stigmatize the conversation around substance use and addiction.
Our Communications Team consists of our Communications Lead and Communications Executives.
Community Engagement Team
The Community Engagement Team strives to reduce stigma through education of Carleton students by hosting panel/symposium events for the Carleton community. They also plan other initiatives including booths or stations on campus and classroom visits to reach students. The Community Engagement Team is additionally responsible for continuing to provide support to our community partners and their events.
Our Community Engagement Team consists of our Student Outreach Lead and Events Lead.
Student Support Team
The Student Support Team strives to create a safe and inviting space for returning and non-returning members through hosting trainings, educational opportunities, wellness initiatives, socials and team bonding activities for SEACU Members and the Leadership Team.
Our Student Support Team consists of our Training Lead, Wellness Lead and Wellness Executives.
Members
Members of Stigma Ends at CU are those individuals who attend and participate in events and are well integrated in the SEACU community. Members can include:
- Those looking for a safe space with open conversations and resources surrounding the topic of substance use
- Those who get involved by volunteering or regularly attending SEACU/partnered events
- Those trying to become more educated and visible allies to people challenged with substance use disorders
Members can receive CCR accreditation for their involvement in the campaign by completing the trainings in the following section and being regular participants or attendees of SEACU functions.
Community Partners
Our campaign is grateful to collaborate with various community experts and organizations to provide education about substance use disorders, harm reduction, and paths to wellness.
At Carleton University, we partner with The Umbrella Project, Student Affairs, Carleton Wellness, and university Faculty members.
Externally, we work in partnership with the Canadian Centre of Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), the Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA), and Ottawa Public Health.