Our team and allies are dedicated to enhancing young lives through community engagement and support, making significant strides.

Empowering Youth,
Strengthening Communities.

The Team

Dr. Juan Carlos Chirgwin

General Practitioner at CLSC Parc-Extension

Dr. Juan Carlos Chirgwin is a compassionate and experienced general practitioner at CLSC Parc-Extension. With a life journey marked by immigration and cultural transitions, Dr. Chirgwin emigrated from Chile in 1973 and lived across different nations before settling in Montreal in 1983. This diverse background has given him a unique perspective and deep empathy for individuals facing the challenges of immigration and assimilation. At CLSC Parc-Extension since 2002, he leverages this understanding to support asylum seekers and individuals from various cultural backgrounds, particularly focusing on youth services. Dr. Chirgwin is an integral part of community health initiatives, contributing significantly to the Childhood-Family-Youth program and the ‘Healthy School’ campaign. His dedication to the community is further exemplified by his pioneering work establishing a screening clinic for undocumented asylum seekers, demonstrating his belief in the power of community solidarity to address health and social issues.

Annie Régis

Social worker

It is with curiosity and openness that Annie continues her journey by settling her bundle at CPSC PEYO. An early childhood educator of over ten years, she believes that creating bonds is the cardinal path in all interventions for both the children and the significant people around them. Graduate in social work from UQAM, she found Parc-Extension after completing her final internship at la Maison Bleue in social pernatality. Annie dreams of a society that is just, equitable, empathetic, humanist… By offering a space that permits those in need to express themselves, to be heard and listened to, the community social pediatric inspires her to take concrete action, co-constructed within respect and the consideration of the uniqueness of each and everyone’s reality.

Jo-An Audrey Jette

General Director

Jo-An Audrey Jette has been making substantial contributions to community well-being for over 20 years; she became the General Director of the Organization in 2019. Her exceptional skills in youth interventions and program implementation have been pivotal in the organization’s growth and impact. With a profound understanding of the specific challenges in the Parc-Extension area, Jo-An has initiated and led innovative programs tailored to the needs of local children and families. Her educational background in psychology and management equips her with a unique blend of insight into human behaviour and strategic leadership, enabling her to steer CPSC PEYO successfully. Her dedication is evident in her commitment to enhancing the lives of young people making significant strides in community engagement and support.

Marie Baudinet

Deputy Director, CPSC Component

Marie Baudinet joined the Parc-Extension Youth Organization in 2020 as the Assistant Director of the CPSC component of PEYO. With an impressive educational background from business schools in France and Ireland, focusing on finance and project management, Marie transitioned smoothly into the Quebec community sector. Her passion for community involvement is palpable in her proactive engagement with Parc-Extension’s children and families, especially evident in her active participation in PEYO’s annual events and day camp. Marie’s commitment and innovative approach to community work have greatly enhanced her team’s reach and impact, making her a valuable asset to the organization and its community.

Barinder Kaur

Interpreter at PEYO and CPSC

Barinder Kaur is a dedicated translator at PEYO and CPSC, fluent in languages such as Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. She excels in facilitating communication across languages. Immigrating from India back in 2019, she has developed a perspective around the struggles of immigrants and difficulties faced by newcomers. Holding a degree in Social Science from India, Barinder brings a unique perspective to her community by supporting its people, specifically the newcomers. She’s passionate about helping others and making a positive impact within the community and contributes through her enthusiasm to help and support within its environment.

Laurie Chardron

Coordinator of the recreation and sports department at PEYO and psychomotricity at CPSC

Laurie Chardron joined PEYO in 2022 as a recreation and sports coordinator. With a diploma as a sports educator in France, she coached hockey teams for children aged 6 to 13 for several years. Seeking new challenges, she moved to Quebec, where she oversees the coordination of PEYO’s day camp and hockey program, as well as organizing several seasonal events for neighborhood children and their families. Always eager to expand her skills, Laurie trained in psychomotricity, allowing her to offer her services at the CPSC.

Fernanda Camejo

Coordinator of Art et contes department at PEYO

Fernanda Camejo was born and raised in Uruguay. She completed her education in the field of teaching at the University of humanities and sciences of education in Uruguay which led her to invest a few years into teaching before turning towards art therapy. She has worked with children with a variety of ages while exploring creativity as a way of healing and personal development. She equally enriched her resume by accompanying people in rehabilitation centers specialized with addictions at the mental health department in an hospital in Italy in Montevideo, also in places dedicated to the elderly. Her arrival in Montreal naturally drove her towards PEYO, where its mission aligns perfectly with her own values. As a coordinator of the Arts and Contes department, Fernanda along with her colleagues engage in activities which permits participants to express their artistry while enforcing community relations. Passionate for the arts, theater and therapeutic accompaniment, she creates spaces where each person lives their own histories, explores their creativity and celebrates cultural diversity. Fernanda finds it to be a precious way of supporting integration and discovering tools of resilience for everyone.

Anabelle Segovia Reyes

Drama-therapist. M.A., AATQ.

Annabelle Segovia grew up in Mexico in a culture where fiction and reality dance together, and yes, she became a comedian. She immigrated to Canada, where she participated as a storyteller, comedian, radio host, and in Playback Theatre companies. Thus, she discovered the light of snow and became a drama therapist. Wonderful opportunities to support people with diverse cultures, ages, dreams, and challenges emerged in her journey of personal growth. She has a humanistic approach focused on exploring both the individual and collective universes as allies of well-being. Her path is inspired by theater, the world of possibilities, and the opportunity to tell and create our own stories.

Laurence Gauthier

Art-therapist

Before joining the Art et contes department at PEYO in 2023 as an art-therapist and intervener by the arts, Laurence Gauthier was a volunteer and participant in activities related to the program. Since her arrival in Parc-Extension in 2016, she has shown great devotion towards her community by committing to projects with the objective to better the well-being of the residents of the neighborhood. She has accumulated many years of experience working with a variety of clients from various cultural communities, including more than two years abroad in the United Arab Emirates. During her time in the middle east, she also traveled to places such as western Africa, in Nepal and in India for four months. Those experiences within a variety of cultures has let her develop a more profound comprehension of the challenges encountered with immigration. Her journey in art-therapy also motivated an engagement in using art and creativity to focus on empowerment and healing. By adopting an approach of humanistic therapy focused solely on the person, Laurence is interested in questions surrounding cultural identity, attachment relationships and intergenerational memories.

Manisha Karmaker

Administration

Manisha joined PEYO in 2017 as a summer camp monitor and later transitioned to an administrative role, actively participating in various seasonal activities. Growing up in Parc-Extension, she was raised by her first-generation immigrant parents from Bangladesh, which shaped her understanding of the challenges faced by newcomers. This background fueled her desire to support her community. Her extensive experience working with children from diverse backgrounds, combined with her interactions with people from various walks of life, has deepened her commitment to community service. Manisha is eager to contribute her skills and perspective to the CPSC, furthering her passion for helping others.