Meet Our Team

Our team brings together agricultural experts, researchers, educators, mental health providers, and community partners.

Rebecca Purc-Stephenson, PhD

Founder & Lead Researcher

Dr. Rebecca is an Applied Social Psychologist and professor at the University of Alberta's Augustana Campus. She has studied occupational stress, resilience, and healthcare access for those with chronic health conditions for nearly 20 years. Growing up, her family had horses and raised sheep, and she worked as a laborer at a large turkey operation.

She is also a survivor of a childhood farm accident. Drawing upon her professional and personal background, Dr. Rebecca studies ways to support farmer mental health and build resilient rural communities. She was a co-founder of AgKnow, the Alberta Farm Mental Health Network.

Deanna Hood, BA

Research Associate

Deanna is a research assistant with experience on several farmer mental health projects with Dr. Rebecca. Growing up in a farm family, she developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and rewards of the farming lifestyle. She values the resilience and strength of rural communities and is passionate about the work being done through these research projects.

She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus, and is currently pursuing her Master of Counselling Psychology.

Matt Groeneveld, CCC, MTS, MACP

Counselling Therapist & Farmer

Matt is a third-generation farmer in southern Alberta turned counselling therapist.

Interest in farm mental health grew from the love of the land, the family farm, and farm life while also witnessing and experiencing the daily and ever-increasing challenges faced by farmers and farm families across commodity groups.

He is the Clinical Director and therapist at Greenfield Counselling, an accessible, online (or phone) therapy program to meet people where they are across Alberta.

Glen Hutton, BSc, BEd, MEd.

VCHWF Trustee & Educator

Glen is a retired teacher with 30+ years of teaching. Glen and his wife Vicki have lived in Vulcan for 50 years. Glen’s life philosophy is that personal fulfillment and a good life are tied to contributing to the well-being of others and society.

Glen is a trustee on the Vulcan County Health and Wellness Foundation and has spearheaded a working group: the Vulcan County Mental Wellness Coalition.

Although his background is not in agriculture, he recognizes the mental health crisis among Canadian farmers and farm family members. One skill he brings to the table is his ability to mobilize rural communities to support mental health. 

Carole Preston

Art Therapist and Psychotherapist 

Carole is a Professional Canadian Art Therapist and Registered Psychotherapist with Currents Art Psychotherapy Studio in Camrose, Alberta. She also supports her family farm, Heiberg Farms, in Beaver County.  She is passionate about weaving the arts into the therapy space and as a tool for creating vibrant communities.  In the studio, Carole helps clients navigate challenging feelings, thoughts and behaviours. She uses art therapy to create opportunities to bring people together and  to address community concerns. 

Within her practice, she integrates expressive modalities creating a warm, welcoming and safe therapeutic environment for all ages.  

Chella Ross

Farmer and Rancher

Chella was raised on a sheep and grain farm in southern Alberta. She and her husband have been engaged in farming and ranching operations in Camrose for the past 14 years.

They are parents to three teenage daughters, and Chella often ponders whether the girls help to raise the cattle or the cattle help to raise the girls. With a background in recreation therapy, Chella is passionate about community and connections. She serves as the president of the STCA School Council and is a leader of the Camrose 4-H Beef Club.

As a proud farmer and Albertan, Chella is deeply appreciative of the significant contributions farmers make to the local community and rural Alberta.

Meet Our Research Assistants

For the past few years, we've had the privilege of mentoring talented undergraduate research assistants, all of whom come from farm families or have a connection to agriculture. These students work alongside Dr. Rebecca on applied research projects, gaining valuable skills and insights into farmer mental health.
 
Their work not only enhances their academic and professional development but also contributes directly to supporting the well-being of farming communities in Alberta. Through this hands-on experience, they help bridge the gap between research and real-world impact, ensuring that our work remains grounded in the realities of farm life and is something they are passionate about.

  • Chase Leslie

    Research Assistant

    Chase is a third-year Psychology and Mental Health student at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus. Growing up on a farm east of Camrose fostered a strong understanding of rural life and its unique mental health challenges. He is passionate about anxiety and depression and is interested in supporting rural and agricultural communities.

    Chase is pursuing a master’s degree in counseling with the goal of becoming a therapist.

  • Cadence Kruk

    Research Assistant

    Cadence is a fifth-year Psychology student at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus. She grew up in a small town in Northwestern Alberta where family and friends were involved in the agricultural sector. She is passionate about mental health, especially in older adults and seniors. Alongside her studies, she is an avid volunteer and enjoys working with vulnerable populations. After graduation she plans on pursuing a career in social work or working with non-profit organizations that advocate for seniors and older adults. 

     Cadence has an interest in the transition of agricultural practices throughout the generations. A special interest of hers pertains to the integration of agricultural education into the Alberta classrooms.

  • Kiley Sutter

    Research Assistant

    Kiley is a third-year Psychology major with a minor in Business Management at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus. She grew up on two family farms, one primarily focused on crop production and the other on beef cattle, including cow/calf and feedlot operations. She has always loved living in rural areas, and especially loves the wide-open spaces and working with animals.

    Alongside her studies, she runs her own motivational speaking business, has her own self-trained service dog, and enjoys heading back to the family farm to help out whenever she gets the chance. She hopes to pursue a career in research or academia, with a focus on mental health, specifically focusing on mental health topics and hopefully connecting that with her rural background.

  • Sarah Swedberg

    Research Assistant

    I’m Sarah, a fourth year Psychology and Mental Health student at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus. I grew up on a cattle farm in Alberta, so I hope to use my degree in psychology to help support the mental health of kids and youth who grow up in agricultural and rural communities. I hope to make a difference in and around the communities I grew up in.

    My work this summer on farming youth mental health has been a stepping stone in understanding more the direction I want to go to help as many kids as I can. 

  • Tayah Fiveland

    Research Assistant

    Tayah is a research assistant and holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus. She grew up on a farm in central Alberta and loves the feeling of living in small, close-knit communities. While she values her rural upbringing, she sees the pervasive mental health stigma in farming communities and the toll the profession can take on individuals.

    With her background of living on a farm in a rural, farming community, she works with the AgWellAB team to raise awareness and support about farm culture and mental health. She is currently pursuing her Master of Counselling Psychology.

  • Jenessa Doctor

    Research Assistant

    Jenessa is from a rural community in east central Alberta. She assisted in several farmer mental health projects including a large study on farmer suicide, and the mental health impact of depopulation on farmers.

    She is currently completing her Masters in Counselling Psychology. 

  • Sarah Dedrick

    Research Assistant

    Sarah graduated from Augustana with a major in kinesiology and psychology. Living in a small city surrounded by rural communities helped her develop a passion to support local farming communities. She assisted with the province-wide farmer mental health and coping survey. 

    She continued this research when she moved to Austria to play professional volleyball.  Back in Canada, she is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health. 

  • Ella Kim Marriott

    Research Assistant

    Ella completed her MSc in Rural Sociology in the Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology (REES) department at the University of Alberta. She was interested in this project because of her experience with qualitative research and interest in just and sustainable food systems.

    Ella assisted with a project examining how new farmers navigate the agricultural industry.  She currently works for the federal government in policy.

  • Casey Hartman

    Research Assistant

    Casey is from southern Alberta and comes from many generations of farmers who taught her the value of the agricultural industry. She assisted with the succession planning project.

    She graduated with a BA in Psychology from Augustana and is pursuing a graduate degree. 

  • Cale Scotton

    Research Assistant

    Cale graduated from Augustana with a BA in psychology and plans to pursue a career in counselling. With limited background in agriculture, he is especially interested in addictions, coping with stress, and mental health interventions for rural Albertans.

    He assisted with the succession planning project and farm culture project. 

  • Adachukwu Chimaobi

    Research Assistant

    Ada was an international student who graduated with a BSc in Psychology. She grew up in Lagos Nigeria, where all households practice subsistence farming and they were surrounded by farming and was a farmer herself for a little while. 

    She assisted with the delivering mental health services in rural areas project. She is currently pursuing graduate studies. 

  • Taylor Buryn

    Research Assistant

    Taylor graduated from Augustana with a BA in Psychology. She grew up on a farm in Thorhild County, northeast of Edmonton. She knows how mental health can be affected in agricultural and rural lifestyles.

    She assisted with the succession planning study. She is interested in becoming a counsellor for youth or athletes from rural communities. 

  • Jude Keehn

    Research Assistant

    Jude graduated from Augustana with a BA in psychology. He was born and raised in Edmonton, but had family who grew up on farms outside of Two Hills, Alberta. Jude assisted in some of Dr. Rebecca's earlier projects including farmer suicide and risk factors, and the mental health impact of depopulation on farmers and veterinarians.

    He plans to pursue a Masters or PhD in clinical or counselling psychology.

  • Nicole Roy

    Research Assistant

    Nicole graduated with a BA in Psychology from Augustana. She is from Wetaskiwin, and comes from a multi-generational family of hog farmers. She knows the mental health issues farmers face and the struggles of retired farmers. She assisted with the delivering mental health services in rural areas project.

    She is currently pursuing graduate studies at the University of Alberta. 

  • Stefanie Phillips

    Research Assistant

    Stefanie completed her BA in Law, Crime and Justice Studies at Augustana. She was raised in the small rural community of Warburg, Alberta and much of her family still resides on family farms in that area.

    She assisted with the succession planning project. She is currently pursuing graduate studies. 

WHERE WE're LOCATED

Our Campus

We are a part of the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities (ACSRC) at the University of Alberta's Augustana Campus. Located in Camrose, Alberta, our campus has deep rural roots and strong community networks across the province.

ABOUT AUGUSTANA
ABOUT AUGUSTANA