Jasmine Jagpal Balson, President

I am very excited to accept the position of President of BCTRA!
In the past few years, I have been fortunate to first be part of the Steering Committee, and then take on the role of Director of Education. I learned a lot from those experiences, and now feel ready to take on this new challenge. I look forward to working with this newly elected group of enthusiastic Directors.

I graduated with a B.A. in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Waterloo in 2003. I have just received my designation as a CTRS, and I currently work at the South Mental Health Team in Vancouver. I am passionate about helping people discover their strengths, and feel privileged that my job as a Recreation Therapist allows me to see this transformation regularly. My leisure lifestyle includes hiking, camping, cycling, travel, cooking, reading and yoga.

As President, I will focus on ensuring the board is inclusive and responsive towards member’s needs and priorities in this time of growth and advancement in our field. I acknowledge that the strength of BCTRA is in our members. Therefore, I will work to increase participation amongst the membership to help achieve the overall goals of this association. We need our members to help us develop and promote adherence to professional standards, promote Therapeutic Recreation, and provide ongoing research and education opportunities. I encourage you to join a committee or task group; share your passion, bring your energy, inspire new ideas, and commit to moving our profession forward.