RASS’ Board of Directors is recruiting! We are seeking committed individuals to join our volunteer Board of Directors, who are responsible for the governance of the organization. See our recruitment page for information on how to apply.

Debbie Samsom – Board President

Debbie completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at UBC, and was a Registered Psychologist for 32 years, until her retirement in December 2022. In 1993, she co-founded Back in Motion Rehab Inc., a company specializing in healthcare and employment services. Debbie held the position of CEO of Back in Motion for 20 years, and under her leadership, the business grew from five people working in one small office in Richmond to over 300 people across 16 locations in Metro Vancouver.

Throughout her career, Debbie has focused on supporting people to achieve their full potential. Her greatest sense of accomplishment comes from helping others overcome personal challenges so that they can lead happy, healthy lives. Her passion since stepping down from Back in Motion is to assist organizations to build psychologically healthy workplaces, and more broadly, to spread the word on how we can all create lives of fulfilment and wellbeing.

An avid contributor to the community, Debbie has been an active member of the Rotary Club of Richmond Sunrise since 2011. She is also a successful and disciplined multi-race marathoner, and has participated in races globally including Boston, New York, Chicago, Amsterdam and Berlin. 

Sadaf Sediqi – Vice President

Sadaf is an accomplished professional with degrees from the University of British Columbia and Stanford University. A lifelong Richmond resident, she has built a broad network of national and international connections. Deeply committed to community service, Sadaf has contributed 1000+ hours of volunteer service to local organizations such as BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health, and Aspire BC. Her involvement with Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives introduced her to the Richmond Addiction Services Society, where she began her journey in non-profit community work. She went on to play a key role in forming the organization’s Community Advisory Council.

Outside of her professional and volunteer commitments, Sadaf enjoys spending time outdoors, especially walking and hiking.

Ray Wang – Director

Raised in Richmond, BC, Ray is a community-minded entrepreneur. He graduated from SFU Business School and has worked in the digital marketing industry for over ten years. He holds a in degree in marketing and finance.

Dedicated to his community, Ray is keen on taking part in volunteering, fundraising, mentorship and other community initiatives in Richmond. He serves on the boards of local non-profit organizations, including Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives and Gateway Theatre, where he provides his expertise in support of their missions. Ray also delivers seminars and mentors students to provide career and personal guidance.

When he’s not volunteering, Ray works to grow RW Digital, a digital marketing agency he founded to help businesses use web technologies, digital advertising, and data analytics to expand their reach in the ever-growing digital space.

Chris Yan – Director

Born in Hong Kong, Chris grew up in Richmond and considers it his hometown. He graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Criminology. His high school leadership teacher sparked a curiosity for growth, encouraging Chris to reach beyond what he knows and discover his passions and life goals through service work. Inspired by seeing positive change in himself, Chris carries on this commitment for growth with the youth groups he is involved in. Chris brings his understanding of youth and youth issues to RASS and is an advocate for all things youth. Currently, Chris works as a Recreational Leader and hopes to become a Youth Coordinator. You can catch him playing video games on his off-days, or at a local coffee shop pretending to get work done.

Michelle D – Director

Michelle is an HR Specialist and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from UBC and her HR Management Certificate from BCIT. She grew up in Richmond and continues to live, work, and play in Richmond. She is passionate about volunteering especially in the areas of mental health, food security, and community well-being.

Michelle loves travelling all over the world, enjoys sports such as cycling, rock climbing, and badminton, and can often be found cooking or tending to her finicky house plants when home.

Darren Tam – Director

Darren is a Crown Counsel in the Criminal Appeals & Special Prosecutions section at the Ministry of Attorney General, specializing in complex criminal litigation. He also serves as a Director with the B.C. Crown Counsel Association, where he represents the professional interests of over 550 prosecutors across the province.

He brings legal and governance expertise to the board and is committed to advancing RASS’ core mission. He is especially focused on supporting the organization to grow sustainably, expand its reach, and deepen its impact to better serve individuals and families in the community.

Leyla Sullivan – Director

Leyla is a lawyer and has been practising construction and infrastructure litigation since the year 2020. Leyla grew up in Richmond and lived there for over 20 years before moving to Vancouver. Her favorite frozen Frozen Yogurt is Timothy’s in Steveston village. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, travelling, learning new languages (she speaks Russian, French and Spanish) and cooking. Leyla enjoys giving back to the community and has been involved on several boards in the past. She looks forward to working with RASS.