I have a deep history in harm reduction and anti-oppressive practices and am currently studying Human Rights and Global Justice at Trent University. I hold an honours diploma from the University of Lisbon/European Drug Union Agency, focusing on the EU’s Policies on Illicit Drugs and Mental Health.

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I facilitate groups of Peer experts, known as KT6 (Keepin’ The 6 Crews), where we address harm reduction, houselessness, mental health, and system navigation. My work is justice-oriented, Peer-led, and rooted in harm reduction, fostering transformative, collaborative, and inclusive approaches in educational, scientific, and medical spaces.

I’ve worked in low-barrier shelters and as a Direct Care Facilitator in the first provincial out-of-home care program, providing mentorship and support to female and female-identifying youth aged 12-18 who have experienced sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. My passion lies in advocating for change, amplifying the voices of those whose rights are being violated, and empowering those who are disenfranchised or disempowered.

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In 2022, as the Executive Director of SUH, I successfully obtained Health Canada approval for an SCS/UPHNS. My experience on several Boards of Directors has also given me insight into the operations of non-profits and the political landscape of grants and funding. These skills fuel my goal of furthering the work of Frontline Baddies and creating impactful change in the communities we serve.

I am an experienced activist and harm reductionist with lived and living experience in substance use, mental health, and gender creativity. On the frontline since 2011 and a former service user, I credit harm reduction and resilience for my survival. My passion lies in advancing peer equity, addressing systemic issues, and supporting frontline workers' mental health, safety, and well-being.

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I bring personal insights from my experiences with substance use, homelessness, and sex work, combined with matriarchal knowledge in frontline work, grassroots community building, and peer support. As an abolitionist and mixed Indigenous person, I actively decolonize my life and relationships, grounding my work in cultural values and compassion.

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Currently, I work in public health as a Person with Lived and Living Experience (PWLLE), providing harm reduction care, gender-affirming services, and peer support. I advocate for peers while shielding my community from punitive institutional measures. I am deeply committed to fostering equity, critical thinking, and collaboration in all I do and am excited to bring my energy and expertise to this board. 

I am an experienced and dedicated Frontline Baddie, committed to advocating for and supporting vulnerable communities across the Lower Mainland. Much of my career has been in outreach, working in Child and Youth Care with marginalized and hard-to-reach youth, running a Homelessness Prevention Program for vulnerable women at one of BC's largest non-profits, and currently serving the Downtown Eastside as the Director of Operations at Nestara Society for Community Wellness and Vice President of Smiles from Heaven Cookie Foundation.

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My approach to frontline work is rooted in respect and a deep belief in unity and equity. As a Métis woman with origins in Gull Bay, Ontario, I bring cultural understanding and lived experience to my work.

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In my personal time, I love visiting local dog parks with my Bernese Mountain Dogs, indulging in trashy reality TV shows with my cats, and experimenting with cuisines from around the world in my kitchen.

My name is Kathleen (Kat) Potter, and I am an immigrant settler to Canada from the United States, with predominantly Irish heritage. I am applying for the role of Frontline Worker Representative on the Frontline Baddies Board.

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I’ve been a social worker (RSW) in healthcare since 2014, starting at Surrey Memorial Hospital in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care before transitioning to the Downtown Eastside (DTES) in 2022. There, I spent 18 months working in a primary care clinic and on the Addiction Medicine team at St. Paul’s Hospital. I recently completed the Interdisciplinary Clinical Addiction Fellowship through the BC Centre on Substance Use and am now the Team Lead for the new Road to Recovery Transitional Care Unit.

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Throughout my career, I have witnessed the devastating impact of the increasingly toxic drug supply on our community—on those who use substances, their loved ones, and the Frontline Baddies who support them. I am honoured to give back to the community of Frontline Baddies who have been my support through the most challenging and rewarding moments of this beautiful, difficult work we do.