The MySafe Board

Russ Maynard

Russell has worked at the fore-front of issues related to poverty, homelessness, mental health and addictions for the last 20 years in Vancouver, Canada. His background includes being the PHS Director for Vancouver’s InSite supervised injection facility – from 2008 to 2016 InSite was the only public supervised injection facility in North America and the world’s busiest injection facility. Currently, Russ works closely at the interface between government (funding priorities) and community developing both Housing and Public Health projects. His focus is on Community-based strengths and solutions.

Traci Letts

I am a passionate advocate and dedicated activist honoured to be serving as the Vice-Chair of Moms Stop The Harm. With a deep-rooted belief in the power of grassroots movements, I have dedicated my time to fighting against various forms of drug related harm and stigma, by providing community based education with the hope of creating positive social change. My passion lies in raising awareness about the harmful influences of colonialism, classism, racism and prohibitionist drug policy that negatively impact the society we live in.

Drawing from my personal experiences as a mother, sister and former partner of illicit drug users, I bring a compassionate and understanding perspective to this work. Angered by the profound lack of care on the part of the government to remove punitive prohibitionist policies that infringe on the charter rights of individuals and replace them with low barrier equitable evidence- based policies and programs, has only reinforced my commitment to the mission of MSTH. 

Leslie McBain

Leslie McBain lost her only child, Jordan Miller, to a drug overdose in 2014. He was just 25 years old. Jordan became addicted to the pain medication Oxcycodone when it was prescribed by his family doctor after a back injury on a job site. Jordan was just starting his life, had his own business, had friends and community. His death shook their family and friends to the core.

Soon after Jordan’s death Leslie became an advocate for more compassionate, evidenced based drug policies. She co-founded Moms Stop the Harm (MSTH) in 2016.

Leslie is the Family Engagement lead for the British Columbia Center on Substance Use (BCCSU). Leslie sits on several B.C. provincial and federal committees dedicated to changing drug policies.  She attended, as a member of the Canadian Delegation, the United Nations annual Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2018 in March. Leslie sees ending the failed war on drugs as the overarching solution to the overdose epidemic.

Jordan Millier, age 25, died from and accidental overdose on February 4, 2014.