Founded in 2013, REP Here In Canada is a British Columbia-based not-for-profit organization whose members are dedicated to helping newcomers, immigrants, and those with historical and/or current barriers to equity be equitably represented in multimedia and enjoy full and meaningful social, civic, and economic participation through community programming and events.

Our Mandate

to give newcomers, immigrants, and those with historical and/or current barriers to equity the opportunity to see themselves and their experiences reflected in the media

to develop language skills and cultural and digital literacies in newcomer communities

to grow intercultural awareness by sharing the norms, traditions, and stories of all cultures

to introduce newcomers to their adopted communities and improve social, civic, and labour market participation

to support relationship-building and cultural exchange between newcomer and Indigenous communities

Operations Team

A woman smiles at the camera

Fiona Bramble

CEO
Before founding REP Here In Canada in 2013, Fiona was an ESL instructor for fifteen years. She noticed a gap in the media where newcomer stories should be, and dreamt about creating a space for them. Fiona founded Here Magazine, a multimedia platform by and for newcomers to Canada, and over the years, along with the REP Here Team, developed programming to support newcomers in reaching their goals here in Canada. Fiona is an educator at heart and truly believes that cultural exchange and knowledge sharing strengthen community and help reduce bias and discrimination. Fiona also sits on the Creative BC Magazine Advisory Committee, the Greater Victoria Alliance for Literacy, and the national board of the Peter Gzowski Foundation for Literacy. In 2018, Fiona received an Honorary Citizen Award from the City of Victoria for outstanding leadership and service to the community.
A woman rests her head on her hand and looks at the camera

Kareece Whittle-Brown

Director of Operations &
Project Management
Originally from Jamaica, Kareece moved to Canada to do her master’s degree in communications. With over fifteen years of project management experience for international organizations, she keeps our events, programs, and partnerships running smoothly. Kareece is a storyteller at heart and believes in sharing experiences to achieve oneness across culture, ethnicity and differences. She is motivated by the vision that all people want the same thing which is ultimately acceptance for who they are authentically. In her spare time, she likes being outdoors, but—as a true Jamaican—only when it’s warm and sunny.
A man smiles at the camera

Alberto Cortes

Art Director
Alberto, affectionately known as Beto, is originally from Mexico. Beto leads our art direction, creating eye-catching illustrations for our magazine, programs, and social media. He has been living and working in British Columbia since 2010. He specializes in everything from corporate and brand identity to packaging, collateral, editorial, retail and environmental graphics. His philosophy is simple: provide solutions and create engaging work that makes people think and feel.
A woman smiles at the camera

Tracy Guinchard

Multimedia Director
Our 2021 intern through the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Tracy joined the Here team officially as Multimedia Director in 2022. With a degree in Art History, Tracy later studied new media design and web development to pursue a long-time interest in graphic design. Tracy is passionate about the power of art as a form of connection and brought this perspective to her work with REP Here In Canada.
A man leans against a wall and smiles the camera

John-Evan Snow

Director of Photography
John-Evan leads the photography for our magazine, events, and programs. He is professionally trained in photography and photo-art, having studied in major cultural hubs like Montreal and Toronto. He also runs a Victoria-based photography and print studio, FotoVie.

Board of Directors

Nikki Sieben

Chair

Anita Voorsluys

Secretary

 

D’Arcy Stewart

Director

Kevin Loo

Treasurer

Our sponsors and partners

It takes a village! We could not do the work we do without strong collaborations on an individual or organisational level. We welcome new collaborations with organisations that share our mandate of supporting cultural diversity and inclusion in the community.
BC Black History Awareness Society logo
New Canadians logo
Société francophone Victoria logo
District of Saanich logo
City of Victoria logo
The Belfry Theatre logo
VICCIR logo
Creative BC logo
Wear 2 Start logo
Decoda Literacy logo
VIctoria Foundation logo
Province of British Columbia logo
Connect With Us
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube