Mentors

Andréa Speranza is a career Fire Fighter and the Founder /Executive Director of Camp Courage. Her remarkable life experience has culminated in a rare skill-set that allow her to combine the heart of a visionary, the strength of a world class athlete and the dedication of an entrepreneur. 

She possesses a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Laurentian University and has completed Sault College’s Enforcement Service Program. She is a small business owner and has worked in research, marketing and public relations for various corporations.

A former Recreation Director for the Canadian Military, she has worked as coach in various sports including swimming and soccer, among other leadership positions in the fitness industry.  Andréa is an athlete in her own right competing in many sports but excelling at the toughest 2 minutes in sport…the Fire fighter Combat Challenge in single, tandem and team relay competition and placing 4^th in the World in two of the three categories in 2007.

In her role with the Halifax Regional Fire Service Andréa, has continually developed her professional skills. She has been a Rescue Technician, Pump Operator, Diver, first aid/ CPR Instructor and has participated in recruitment, outreach and bunker gear committees.  Currently, she is a Hazardous Materials Technician, a Level 1 Fire Fighter Instructor and participates in outreach and recruiting committees.

Andréa is a vigilant volunteer and has been involved in community organizations such as Nova Scotia Fire fighter’s Burn Treatment Society, the Heart and Stoke Foundation, The Salvation Army, Metro Food Bank, Adopt a Family Program and the Lakeside Fire Department where her career began as a volunteer Fire Fighter. 

In recent years her many contributions to the Fire Service and the community have been recognised by awards from the Nova Scotia Labour and Workforce Development Office and the Halifax Regional Fire Marshal.  She has received the Director’s Award and the CAO’s Award for Diversity.

When she is not occupied with work or volunteering, Andréa is an accomplished motivational speaker, describing the steps to success and overcoming barriers, she has been invited by Emergency Services, schools and community groups nationally and internationally to share her vision, strength and the dedication to help motivate others to take action, as well as, to raise funds for Camp Courage.

In 2009, I became the First African Nova Scotian Career Member of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Services. I believe that being a Firefighter is the best career in the world and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of others, who is willing to go above and beyond for people in need and be a part of a team who you will now and forever consider FAMILY. I am a mother of a 13 year old daughter and I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s University. I have been a Career Member for the last 3 years and am a member of the Halifax 2 Vehicle Extrication team.

Quote I believe sums up who I am:

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has over come. – Booker T. Washington”

Jodi Brown brings years of experience to the Camp from being a member of the Naval reserves and living abroad.  Basing herself from Lower Sackville but indulging her love of travel at every opportunity, Jodi has worked with Emergency Health Service for four years as a Communications Officer and Primary Care Paramedic.  Jodi is on the board of directors for the camp. She is one of the main paramedic coordinators.

Veronica Faulkner grew up learning all about fire services. Her father, John, was one of the founding members of what is now Station 16 in Eastern Passage. She very quickly learned that telephone access was limited only to what was necessary and then to keep her calls very short, because you never knew when there would be an incoming fire call. She and her siblings learned how to quickly make those most important calls to volunteer members. After many years working in land development in various cities across Canada and the United States she returned to her home community and working for HRM and more recently for Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency. Veronica is currently the Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief Director of Operational Support. She is passionate about her job and in particular the health and wellness of the members. She has spent a lifetime volunteering and has been with Camp Courage since 2008. You will find her in the classroom, on the training grounds and most likely with her camera in hand. Smile when you see her because you will more than likely find your photo displayed in one of the Camp Courage scrapbooks.

Nadya-Lyse Paré has been with Camp Courage from it’s inception. She is a single parent of 2 teens who in 1994, became one of the first female career firefighters in HRM she is now the first and only woman to achieve the rank of career Operational Captain. She was the first female volunteer fire fighter in Cold Lake Alberta and in Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia. Opening doors for others is what she has always done. She now runs her own business called Perspective consulting as one of the only Certified Diversity Professionals in the province. She and her business partner educate throughout Canada, the value of diversity in the workplace. She is a public speaker, a writer and an advocate.

Sherry Dean has been a career firefighter for 4 years and was previously a volunteer firefighter in Blockhouse.  She is a rope rescue technician, hazardous materials technician, a level 1 firefighter instructor and a Combat Challenge Champion.  In her spare time she directs and acts in plays.

Cst.Tammy Lobb has been a member of the RCMP since May 2007. She is currently the School Liaison Officer in Tantallon. There are 20 schools in the Tantallon Area, in which Cst. LOBB is responsible for. She delivers presentations on a variety of topics such as anti-bulling, drug awareness (DARE), relationship safety, youth violence, internet safety,etc. When she is not facilitating, Cst. LOBB works with individual schools on a case-by-case basis as concerns/issues arise.  Her hobbies include camping, hiking, and canoeing. She began volunteering for Camp Courage in the summer of 2009 and she is looking forward to many more years to come. “I grew up in a small town in Ontario and I wish I would have had the opportunity to attend a camp such as Camp Courage when I was a teenager”. She is one of the main police coordinators.

Andrew Church has been a member of HRM Fire Station 59 for over ten years and has been posted as Captain for most of that time. Andrew holds a Red Seal Certificate as a Certified Chef and worked in the food Service industry for nearly 20 years. Through continuing education and fire Service training, Andrew was able to make a career change into the Occupational Health and Safety field in 2003. He has earned the Canadian Registered Safety Professional designation and is currently teaching Occupational Health and Safety at the Nova Scotia Community College. Andrew has been married for more than 20 years to his lovely wife Rose and resides in Hubley where they are raising three children. His interests include music, physical fitness and the environment.

Rose Luedee has been a member of HRM Fire Station 59 for 5.5 years. She has been recently promoted to Lieutenant, making her the first female officer in the station’s history. Rose is a Red Seal Chef, an independent business owner of an after school childcare and Mary Kay Cosmetics business. Rose continues her fire service development by working at the Nova Scotia Fire School and training in Fire Investigation Skills. Rose resides in Hubley where she is raising three children with Andrew, her husband of 21 years. Her interests include photography, physical fitness and reading.

Shawna Stanhope joined us sacrificing what little time she had for what she believes in. She is a single mother of 4, she is a self employed  business woman and a volunteer fire fighter. She runs a travel service and specialises in adventure tours. She is an adventure tour guide, kayaking, hiking and cycling. She is working towards her goal of expanding her adventure tours on the world scale. Camp courage is lucky to have her make time in her busy schedule to mentor our young sisters and guide them on their adventure called life.

Pierre-Paul Cadieux was born in Montreal, Qc. He moved to Nova Scotia in 2002 after joining the Canadian Armed Forces to work as a Naval Combat Information operator. He deployed overseas on 5 different missions while still serving his community as a volunteer firefighter and a Sea Cadet’s instructor. It is his first year as volunteering with Camps courage and looking forward to working with the youth of camp courage to teach about making a difference in the community while working in a rewarding career in fire rescue. Furthemore, that any carreer path is open with some hard work and motivation.

Pierre-Paul has been a volunteer firefighter for over 10 years, currently serving as a Lieutenant with Station 21 & 22 – Lake Echo / North Preston.

Lieut. Robert Andrews is presently serving as a volunteer firefighter at station 8 Bedford for nearly 24 years where he looks after the training requirements for the volunteer members, has also served as a volunteer Fire prevention officer.

Was awarded Muscular Dystrophy of Canada , Atlantic Canada Firefighter of the year in 2013.

Works at HRSB for 17 years.

Karen Comeau was born & raised in the small French community of Meteghan, which is located along the South Western shore of NS in between Yarmouth & Digby.  She works as an Advanced Care Paramedic in Milford, NS.  Karen has been employed by Emergency Medical Care as a paramedic since 2001 and has worked in many different places, Annapolis, Yarmouth, Meteghan, Bridgetown and currently in Milford.  She loves being a paramedic as it is a very rewarding career to help people in need as well as to meet all sorts of lovely new people in your every day travels.  Karen enjoys volunteering for many for many different activities going on in the community and she always up for new and exciting adventures.  Karen especially enjoys spending time with the girls for the paramedic days at Camp Courage…what a great camp and experience!

Holly Thomas is a Halifax Regional Police Officer. She grew up in New Brunswick and attended Mount Allison University & UNB. She also attended Holland College in PEI. She graduated police academy with 36 people, 7 of which were female in 2001. She currently works in Halifax as a community response officer. She teaches bias free policing and certainly practices what she preaches. She is a mother of a young daughter and practices yoga as a hobby. She is one of the main police program coordinators.