Who We Are
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Active Cranbrook is a small group of dedicated and concerned people with support from partners, community groups, sports clubs and the City of Cranbrook.
Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Active Cranbrook is a small group of dedicated and concerned people with support from partners, community groups, sports clubs and the City of Cranbrook.
Sandi Lavery
Board Member
Sandi has recently retired from teaching in post-secondary education in Kinesiology and Education. She is knowledgeable in Physical Literacy and has worked on many community, provincial and national research projects, enhancing fundamental movement skills in various environments and age groups. Sandi is now passionate about sharing her expertise with those who want to build confidence and physical competence daily. Sandi can often be seen outdoors hiking, biking, skiing and travelling.
John Mandryk
Board Chair
John has been a lifelong physical activity enthusiast and supporter, including a variety of sports and competitions. He began coaching hockey at age 13 and has continued coaching in numerous sports. He worked in disability management for over 40 years, developing successful proactive programs to manage and prevent unnecessary disability. While competitive athletics and work have provided valuable experience demonstrating the benefits of physical activity, the recognition of a serious decline in community health and activity motivates him to assist in developing Physical Literacy. There is a joy in movement and a greater joy in movement together. This builds a better community. He wants you to join him in building a Physically Literate Cranbrook.
Debbie Mandryk
Board Member
Debbie's sports background includes many, but her passion lies in figure skating – coaching as an NCCP Level III provincial coach for 25 years, followed by judging across western Canada at a Senior Level for nearly 20 years. Debbie had a career in Public Health and Recruitment with Interior Health and served four years as a board member with Community Connections, a Peer Coach with Patient Voices Network (Impact BC), and an ESL Tutor – CBAL (Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy). Debbie also has been a Personal Trainer working with older adults for the past 20 years.
Board Member
Jenelle Downie
Jenelle is a registered nurse currently working in the Healthy Heart Program with Interior Health. She is knowledgeable in working with a variety of clients/patients at different stages of their health journey. Jenelle is passionate about meeting people where they are at with their activity levels and physical literacy, working with them to make change and improve their health. Jenelle has a love for the outdoors and can be found hiking, dog walking, biking, cross country skiing, playing hockey and travelling.
Jodie Pickering
Member at Large
Jodie has been an instructor in the Kinesiology program at the College since 2011, teaching a wide variety of courses. She has also taken part in several community-based research projects in the field of physical literacy, along with fellow instructor Sandi Lavery.
Jodie holds a Bachelor of Science degree (Kinesiology) and a Master of Science degree (Exercise Science and Health Promotion). In addition, she is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). Her master’s degree primarily focused on personal training and health promotion.
Jodie's career spans more than 18 years in the field of Kinesiology including working in personal training, instructor training, coaching, injury management, corporate wellness and rehabilitation. Most of the clients she has worked with are dealing with chronic injuries. One of Jodie's other passions is working with children and families to teach physical literacy skills and promote the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
She has been involved in fitness and athletics her whole life and enjoys biking, baseball, horse-back riding, snowshoeing, skiing and working on the family ranch. Jodie expresses that she is grateful to be teaching in this beautiful area of the Kootenays where she grew up.