Kirsty Peterson is the Executive Director of Pacifica Treatment Centre and brings more than 20 years of experience in social and community services. Her career has included senior leadership across addiction recovery, employment and newcomer services, social enterprise, and organizational development

She also brings extensive nonprofit governance experience and currently serves as Vice-President of ASPECT BC, the provincial association representing employment and career service organizations across British Columbia. Kirsty has also served as Canada’s representative on the World Alliance of YMCAs’ Community of Impact on Youth Employment, contributing to the development of a global framework for youth employment and entrepreneurship programming.

Informed by both professional and lived experience, Kirsty is particularly passionate about shifting substance use funding beyond acute intervention and toward greater investment in prevention, continuing care, employment, and other supports that help people sustain recovery over time. She is also interested in creating more accessible pathways to care for people who do not qualify for publicly funded services but cannot afford private treatment.