meet the board
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Horst Backé, President
Since 2011 Horst has been involved with LGBTQ people fleeing intense persecution in their home countries, supporting them abroad as well as helping them resettle in Canada as permanent residents. Horst moved to Nanaimo in 2016 and immediately got involved in the establishment of ROAR. Before his retirement Horst was a senior health care manager in Manitoba. During the 80s Horst was a committed AIDS activist and one of the founders of Winnipeg's Village Clinic. He was also a founding member of Reaching Out Winnipeg, an organization with a similar name and objective: bringing at-risk LGBTQ refugees to Canada. Horst has a wealth of professional experience. As well as being active in all aspects of ROAR's activities, Horst is also the coordinator of the LOVE Community Response Network, working with local stakeholders to end abuse, neglect and self-neglect of sexual and gender minority adults on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
(Photo by Rick Collins)
James Chamberlain, Vice President
James grew up near Abbotsford. As a teacher he devoted more than three decades to making British Columbia schools a safe, welcoming place for LGBTQ+ students and teachers. One of his many leadership roles was in Gay and Lesbian Educators (GALE-BC), which later became the Pride Education Network. He also worked with the BC Teachers Federation and helped many school boards to develop LGBTQ+ policies to protect and support students. He ended his career as an out elementary school Principal with the Vancouver School Board. For his extraordinary advocacy work James recently received an honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from the University of the Fraser Valley. A longtime Vancouverite, he now lives in Nanaimo. In 2022 James founded Island Queers and Allies Who Care, an organization dedicated to raising funds to help local groups or projects that benefit the queer (2SLGBTQIA+) communities on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. He joined the ROAR board in July 2022. James says, "ROAR's work is critically important. It is an opportunity for us to critically examine our immense global privilege, pay kindness forward, and concretely assist LGBTQ+ people to have safe, accepting futures here in Nanaimo."
Maria Gomes, Secretary
Maria was born in Portugal but settled in Vancouver with her family as a 5-year-old. Growing up in the immigrant communities of Vancouver's east end, she brings a strong affiliation with and familiarity with the immigrant experience. For most of her career Maria worked at VIU (Malaspina College when she started). For the last 10 years at VIU Maria served as the institution's Human Rights Advisor, providing education and complaint resolution related to discrimination. In that role she was involved with establishing VIU's Positive Space campaign, a project to create a more welcoming and safe environment for 2SLGBTQ+ students and staff. She currently works part time as a consultant, developing online curricula related to preventing Indigenous-specific racism. As a guest on Snuneymuxw land she gives back in any way she can. Maria currently lives in Nanaimo with her partner and is a member of a ROAR sponsorship group.
Brock Dykeman, Treasurer
Brock grew up on a farm in the North Okanagan/Shuswap area. He attended university at UBC and U Saskatchewan obtaining degrees in Economics and Accounting. He became a Chartered Accountant and then began teaching accounting in College and University programs. He later moved into University Administration with management positions at Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops), Vancouver Island University and then University Canada West (Vancouver). He has considerable experience working with international students and partners from around the world. Brock was involved with various LGBTQ groups at these universities and was a Board member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Kamloops for five years. Brock saw how queer international students were able to blossom once they were in Canada. For LGBTQ refugees whose very lives are at threat, the experience of resettlement in Canada opens up the possibility of living a life without constantly hiding. ROAR is providing a lifesaving service to refugees who in turn bring new energy and new contributions to the Canadian cultural fabric. Brock is retired and living in Parksville.
Gary Bosomworth, Director
Gary is a farm boy from Alberta. He was born to an English mom from London, and a Canadian dad with roots from New Zealand, Scotland and Germany. His parents gave him the genes to explore the world. Besides family trips, his first 'big' excursion was a school trip to the then Soviet Union. From that point on he was hooked. Next was a government exchange program to Indonesia with Canada World Youth before returning to Canada to attend the University of Alberta. Upon graduation Gary moved back to Asia to work in education and publishing for 14 years in Taiwan and Singapore, with projects taking him to New Zealand, Korea, China, Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, France, England, Germany and the United States. Eventually, Gary moved back to Canada to set up the North American office in Vancouver for his Taiwan based employer. In 2016, he moved to Nanaimo with his partner. His work and travel abroad has left an indelible mark on his life, and he continues to contribute where he can, whether it be tutoring at a local elementary school or with ROAR. Gary remains active with his sponsorship group work.
Jordan Bowie, Director
Jordan was born and raised in Victoria. During his formative elementary school years he lived in the Middle East with his family. During this four-year period he attended a school with students from over 50 countries and thus gained an international perspective through his daily lived experiences.
Upon returning to Canada, Jordan became involved with the local air cadet squadron which focused on self-improvement through music, outdoor survival training, aviation, discipline, teamwork, and community service. He went on to study engineering, spending the next 20 years forging a career as a building science technologist, project manager, and mentor. With his experience as a founding member of a community garden in Calgary, Jordan more recently helped establish a neighbourhood association in Nanaimo. He has liaised with the City on public engagement programs and supports change through grassroots initiatives.
Jordan believes in forming strong community ties to build resiliency to climate change and is passionate about making the world a better place through leading by example. He believes that by participating with ROAR, he can, through the love and dedication of its members, work to help resettled LGBTQ people rebuild their lives their new home.
Sally Bullas, Director
Sally is a retired United Church minister and lives on Gabriola Island with her partner, John, also a retired United Church minister. Their shared passion for outreach and social justice frames their activities in retirement, along with all that Island living has to offer, such as kayaking, boating, swimming, and hiking. With family stretched across Canada and eleven grandchildren between them, summers are chock full of visitors. Rounding things out, Sally volunteers with several organizations on Gabriola and serves the church as a supply minister. She enjoys reading, photography, quilting, and dabbling in watercolours. Sally was the minister at Brechin United Church as it transitioned to become an Affirming Ministry, launched Reaching Out as a space to connect and provide outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, and participated in developing a community-wide approach to sponsoring refugees.
Elizabeth Herman, Director
Elizabeth is a clinical herbalist, medical administrator, singer, and mother of three. She grew up in Montreal’s diverse and multilingual environment, which fed her fascination for languages and cultures. After completing a Bachelor’s of East Asian Studies at McGill, she lived, studied and worked in Japan for two years where she met her husband. Upon her return to North America, she completed two Master’s degrees in History and East Asian Studies at Stanford University. Elizabeth moved to Nanaimo in 2007 with her husband and twins. Her third child was born in Nanaimo in 2008. During this time, she completed a four year program in Clinical Herbalism from Dominion Herbal College and worked as a herbalist and instructor for the College for many years. A music lover, Elizabeth completed her ARCT in Vocal Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2020 and sings and performs regularly in the mid-Island area as well as with two choirs. Elizabeth became involved with refugee sponsorship in 2016 and has since officially sponsored two families and supported numerous others. She is passionate about bringing refugees from diverse backgrounds to Canada and to safety. Elizabeth is excited to be working with a sponsorship group to support an LGBTQ refugee.
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Canary (Paul) Kanyamu, Director
Canary is a Humanitarian Volunteer and grew up in Uganda, where he worked for the Uganda Red Cross Society (Masindi Branch) as a Secretary General from 2014 to 2016. While in the Red Cross he spearheaded blood donation drives, got involved in disaster rescue missions, and provided information to young people about the Red Cross and its seven principles of Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Universality, and Unity.
Having started human rights work in Uganda under the MARPS Network as a peer leader, in 2017 Canary served as Secretary of Children of the Sun (COSF) Uganda, an LGBTQ-led organization, reaching out to queer youth, informing them about HIV prevention and referring them to to appropriate health care services.
Canary fled Uganda to Kenya because of persecution. He has been a vocal fighter for LGBTQ refugee rights in East Africa. While a refugee in Kenya he experienced severe homophobic violence which nearly cost him his life. Resettled in Nanaimo in 2023, Canary has continued his advocacy for LGBTQ refugees, giving media interviews and working with ROAR as a board and sponsorship group member.
Canary is employed as a Nursing Assistant/Health Care Aide in Nanaimo. He is passionate about his work with seniors and advocating for refugee rights.
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