WHO WE ARE

Our Purpose

West Coast REACH! Association is a dynamic, registered non-profit organization on lower Vancouver Island, celebrating diversity (of ages, cultures and abilities) through the power of the performing arts. We are continually excited to see lives transformed and communities strengthened as a result of our programs and shows that are truly inclusive, empowering and inspiring. Each of us has something special to share with, and to learn from others regardless of background or ability. REACH! enables this to happen in amazing ways!

Our Story

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Our Founders/Managers

Anne-Marie Brimacombe. LRAM, ARCM (Musical and Artistic Director)
Originally from the Caribbean, Anne-Marie is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, England (singing and music teaching), and the renowned De Leon School of Drama (acting).

She has been celebrated on the Canadian west coast, in Toronto and in the Caribbean as an outstanding singer, choral director and show producer. Her students and performing groups have won numerous awards locally and provincially, and have performed with recording artists including Raffi, Ashley MacIsaac, the Nylons, the Chieftains and Anne Mortifee. Many of her students have gone on to successful careers in performing and teaching music.

Mrs. Brimacombe was recipient of the CFAX Arts Leader of the Year Award and the Saanich Peninsula Hearts of the Community Award. She has also been Guest Presenter at the National Association of Canadian Choral Conductors.

Peter Brimacombe (Administrator)
Peter has worked for more than 30 years in fund development and administration in the non-profit sector in Victoria, the Yukon, Toronto and the Caribbean. Locally this included positions at St. Margaret's School, Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Victoria, the Canadian Red Cross, and United Way of Greater Victoria.

A skilled writer, musician and composer, he has provided scripts and musical arrangements for many successful stage shows. He currently oversees or handles the administrative and promotional work for REACH.

Voluntary Board of Directors

Belle Garduno (Chair)
Belle is a recently retired IT management professional with over
50 years business experience in Canada as well as internationally.
Through her work, volunteerism and personal travels she has gained an appreciation and love for the diversity of cultures and peoples that make our planet a home.

Belle brings significant long term and strategic planning expertise to the Board along with advanced management skills.

Laura Lee (Recording Secretary, & Choreographer for REACH)
Laura's career spans over thirty years in the performing arts as a dancer, choreographer, writer, director and educator. In addition to her work in Musical Theatre, Las Vegas productions and television, she is Co-founder and Artistic Director of both Diversity Dance & Theatre, and of the Eaglearts Academy.

She is best known for her work with youth, creating educational arts programs which combine dance, music and drama to inspire personal growth and positive social change.

Susan Mercer (Treasurer)
Susan has lived in Sidney, BC since 1978. She practiced as a Notary Public for many years in Sidney, and during her career, she served as director and then chair of the board of directors of the Society of Notaries Public of BC. She has also served on the boards of The Notary Foundation, the BC Law Institute, Sidney Rotary Club and Beacon Community Services. Since retirement, Susan is currently happy to volunteer with and serve on the board of the Sidney Museum and Artifacts Society and the Sidney Sister Cities Association. She is also an active participant in the REACH! Programs.

Susan and her husband Dan enjoy retirement by taking long walks, gardening, spending time with family and friends and travelling as much as they possibly can.

Alexandra Donovan
Alexandra trained in Germany in child and youth care (with an emphasis on teaching) before moving to Canada in 1992. She has enjoyed working with individuals and groups in the special needs field for more than 30 years including in group homes, schools and in providing home support for families with special needs children. Currently much of her work is in therapeutic teaching through Little Steps Therapy Services in Victoria, where she is Interventionist Supervisor and Practicum Coordinator.

Alexandra enjoys outdoor and other family activities, as well as volunteering with her church community. She and her daughter Vivian are also active and supportive members of our REACH! Performing Company.

Alvin Law
Alvin believes the Arts literally altered his life path. Born without arms, he’s been a tap dancer and singer, plus he plays trombone, drums and piano.

He’s also a broadcaster, actor, best selling author and his first career was a disc jockey playing classic rock in the early 80’s. But since 1981, he’s been travelling the world as a celebrated motivational speaker.

Alvin is a member of the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame and in 2018 he was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. He currently lives in Calgary with his wife and business partner, Darlene.

Christina Bauzon
Christina has worked in fund development for the last ten years with the Canadian Cancer Society in Vancouver, United Way of Greater Victoria and with Camosun College. She began volunteering for REACH! three years ago, helping with social media and photography, and has been a performer with our REACH! Performing Company.

Christina enjoys music, including playing the piano. She also likes to stay active, training for half marathons and going on walks with her husband Phill, daughter Frances and their sheltie, Kenzie.

Judith Armstrong
Judith has had a passion for working in support of people with physical and developmental challenges since high school, through a Kiwanis sponsored school club and summers at the Lions Easter Seal Camp.
In 1971 she and some friends started Operation Trackshoes, an annual provincial sports festival for residents in BC with developmental disabilities and she serves as the current President. She also helped establish the Victoria Society for Recreation of Handicapped Persons in the 1970s and served as its Executive Director until 1989.

Judith worked for many years for services in support of people with acquired brain injuries. She was the Regional Program Coordinator for Island Health’s Brain Injury Program, which she retired from in 2017.

Involved on many different community boards and committees over the years, Judith is currently on the board of the Canadian Foundation for the Children of Haiti.

Ken Allison
Ken was born in England, and has lived in Canada since his early twenties. He has a master’s degree in counselling and practises family law, both as a lawyer and a mediator.

Since the early 1980s, Ken has lived in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, and he now spends his time between Victoria and Yellowknife. He has been involved with REACH since 2019 and is a regular volunteer at Anawim House in Victoria, providing for the charitable needs of people in physical, spiritual and emotional poverty.

As a member of a community theatre group in Yellowknife, Ken has appeared in many musical productions. As well as his love for music and performing, Ken enjoys painting, mainly landscapes in acrylics and water colours.

Michelle Rios
Michelle Rios is an award-winning performing artist, university instructor, writer, director, and performing arts facilitator with over thirty years of extensive performing experience including roles on and off Broadway and in television and film.

In New York, she worked with ENACT, Inc., integrating theatre as a means of conflict resolution, drop-out prevention, and advocacy for inner city students. In Edmonton, with the iHuman Youth Society, she helped support marginalized youth by fostering positive personal development, well-being, and social change through holistic artistic practices.

Michelle earned her MFA in Theatre Practice from the University of Alberta, concentrating in Theatre for Social Change. She continues to practice applied theatre techniques as a means of activism, education, and community engagement and is currently the Engagement Officer at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria.

Sara Partridge
Since the age of eight Sara has expressed her passion for music and theatre in her involvement in numerous productions both on and off stage. She has enjoyed playing leading roles in community theatre productions and continues to perform in Victoria and the Gulf Islands as a singer and actor.

Sara has been teaching students of all ages from beginners to professional singers and actors for the past 43 years. For the last 16 years she has been on the voice faculty at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria.

Sara holds a Bachelor of Music (with distinction) from the University of Victoria, AVCM diplomas in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy, and she is a Certified Life Coach.

Suzanne Starkiewicz
A graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts, Suzanne is
a confident and accomplished performer. She has been an outstanding soloist and mentor with the REACH! Performing Company since it started in 2017 and is much loved by all of its members.

Suzanne also has a science degree from UVic and has been working with the Victoria Brain Injury Society, supporting survivors of brain injury and their families. She also has her sights set on a career as a doctor and is currently studying medicine at UBC.