TBA - Manager of Student Counselling Services
Jay Price - Secretary, Student Counselling Services
Born and raised in Toronto, Jay moved to North Bay in 2002 to embrace the perks of living in a smaller community within a picturesque landscape. She has over 20 years of experience in Mental Health and Addictions in an administrative capacity. Jay values kindness, respect, diversity, and inclusion in promoting the mental health well-being and happiness of all people. Additionally, she has a passion for environmentally friendly options that help sustain a greener lifestyle.
Jay enjoys exploring Lake Nipissing during the summer months, hiking, reading, writing, painting, music, movies, and binge-watching television shows on cold snowy weekends.
Andrea Havercroft - Counsellor
Andrea Havercroft has been working as a Counsellor at Nipissing University since 2008. Prior to working at Nipissing University, she was a Crisis Worker at a hospital where she gained valuable experience supporting clients in the areas of mental health and crisis situations. Andrea also has experience working with children and families in her role as a Child Protection Worker where she developed extensive skills in assessment, family intervention, advocacy, and community liaison. Andrea has a knowledge and skill base from several theories with a particular passion for cognitive behavioural and solution focused approaches. Andrea is passionate about prevention and enjoys developing and facilitating psycho-educational seminars and workshops on several topics that benefit students and promote their success. She completed her Social Services Worker diploma from Canadore College, as well as her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Laurentian University. Andrea is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
April Raftis - Counsellor
April is a registered Social Worker with over 10 years of experience. She has a BA in Psychology from Nipissing University and a BSW from Laurentian University.
She loves working with Nipissing University students to help them cultivate their strengths and create more presence and awareness in their daily lives. April’s approach is warm, interactive, and accepting. Her aim is to create a comfortable space for you to slow down and explore what is going on so that putting yourself first and seeking support can become less difficult.
Using integrative therapeutic techniques, she will guide you in ways that align with your core values and allow you to rediscover your passions and innate capacity for growth so that the work put into therapy will be meaningful and lasting.
April enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and exploring in nature. She looks forward to connecting with you and supporting you with the next step in your journey.
(April uses pronouns she/her/hers)
Danielle Morrow - Counsellor
Danielle Morrow is a Registered Psychotherapist and is recognized as being empathetic and friendly with an easy-going, yet professional and structured demeanour. Danielle is an alumnus from Nipissing University, having graduated with her BA Honours in Psychology and continued her passion of helping others at the University of Guelph, completing an MSc in Couple and Family Therapy. Danielle has extensive experience in both brief and longer-term therapy methods, working with (but not limited to) depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, sexuality and intimacy, chronic pain, addiction, crisis intervention, and couples/family conflict. It is of the utmost importance to Danielle that her clients feel safe, supported, and not judged in order to be open and vulnerable, both of which can be difficult and scary for some. She therefore strives to meet clients where they are at so that they can explore meaning in their lives and the goals that they wish to achieve for themselves. Danielle feels a true honour to be able to implement helpful tools to empower success within her clients, as she believes they are capable of achieving whatever is important to them – we all just need a little help sometimes!
Ibrahim Fayaz - Counsellor, BIPOC Student Support
As a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, Ibrahim holds graduate training in Counselling Psychology, Psychotherapy and Spiritual Care, and post-graduate certification in integrative psychotherapy with a commitment to ongoing learning.
Ibrahim's holistic and person-centered approach tailors therapeutic modalities to the unique needs and challenges of individuals. He has a passion for psychotherapy and its potential to advance awareness, healing, and empowerment. In addition, he provides culturally sensitive and responsive care to BIPOC students.
Ibrahim is easy to talk to and understanding, and he speaks Pashtu, Urdu, and Arabic in addition to English. Ibrahim is available to support you on your journey towards mental and relational wellbeing.
Alison Jackson - Dibaadan Wellness Coordinator
Alison grew up in Cobalt, a small mining town in Northern Ontario, and is a member of Temagami First Nation. She lives in North Bay on Nbisiing Anishinabek territory and has a strong connection with her home community of Bear Island Lake Temagami. After completing a Bachelor of Science at Laurentian University and a Master of Science at Queen’s University, Alison began working in the Biology Department at Nipissing University (NU) in 2005. She then completed a Bachelor of Education at NU and after teaching for a short period she transitioned into Indigenous Education and began supporting students in her role as Student Success and Development Coordinator in 2015 in the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) at NU. More recently she worked in OII in the role of Indigenous Mentorship Coordinator. Eight years of work in OII brought a great deal of experience in supporting students with their wellness through an Indigenous lens. Alison is partial to Mino-bimaadiziwin “to live the good life” following the teachings of the medicine wheel and continues to build relationships with students, staff, and community members to support students with their educational journey.
Bryanna Kelly - Peer Support & Outreach Lead
Bryanna, pronouns she/her, is a firm believer that no matter the challenge or barrier, anyone can reach their full potential if support and meaningful connections are accessible and available. Bryanna is passionate about fostering opportunities for both personal and community growth as well as helping others explore their full potential. Peer Support and building connections through shared interests and lived experience is a powerful and meaningful way to connect with others. Bryanna enjoys guiding and assisting others along their recovery journey, unique to them, encouraging growth, holding hope and working from a strengths-based approach. Bryanna graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work from Carleton University and is a Level 2 Certified Peer Supporter with PeerWorks, formerly known as Ontario Peer Development Initiative (OPDI).
Bryanna enjoys travelling, learning about others through conversation, spending time with friends and family, and listening to a variety of music. Once a student herself, Bryanna recognizes the ongoing stresses and struggles that are ever-present and changing in society that affect many students. Bryanna feels grateful to be able to offer support in an environment that is welcoming and encouraging and that provides Nipissing students with the opportunity to get connected with their fellow peers as well as other supports and resources. Bryanna takes great pride in being fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work alongside such passionate and caring Student Peer Supporters year after year and is excited about the future of Peer Support at Nipissing and what that looks like for students and their unique wellness journey.
Bryanna is bilingual and speaks both English and French languages.