Our Team

Meet the Plan Institute team. Click on our images to learn more or to connect!

Stephanie Debisschop

Executive Director (on maternity leave until Spring 2024)
Stephanie Debisschop
Executive Director (on maternity leave until Spring 2024)

Stephanie joined Plan Institute in 2012 to coordinate the education and awareness program of the Registered Disabilities Savings Plan, a savings vehicle developed and campaigned for by PLAN to assist Canadians with disabilities on their long-term financial stability. She has since moved into the role of Executive Director of Plan Institute. Stephanie has a Bachelors degree in Political Science and a Masters degree in Human Security and Peace-building, and has spent 10 years working with nonprofit organizations on disability issues, as well as working internationally on community integration initiatives. Stephanie has a strong belief in the right to full and equal citizenship for all those within the community, and is thrilled to be a part of the Plan Institute team.

Franceska Grantzidis

Franceska Grantzidis

Interim Executive Director
Franceska Grantzidis
Interim Executive Director

Franceska first discovered PLAN and Plan Institute in 2010 while researching what the future held for her Autistic son. Since then, she has held various leadership roles within the disability community. She is passionate about supporting families to build their capacity, strengthen their disability voice and grow their networks of support. She has a special interest in guiding families through the difficult process of transitioning their child out of high school and into their next phase of life. She is privileged to have been an integral part of key initiatives such as the BC Summer Institute for Inclusive Learning (held bi-annually at UBC) and the Transition Timeline online tool. She is thrilled to have come full circle and return to Plan Institute as the Interim Executive Director.

Franceska has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Concordia in Montreal where she studied mathematics and business. Outside of work, Franceska enjoys early morning runs, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Jessika Grant

Director of Finance
Jessika Grant
Director of Finance

Jessika joined PLAN and Plan Institute in 2010 and is currently Plan Institute’s Director of Finance. Jessika deeply believes in inclusive and supportive communities that allow everyone to be themselves and contribute their gifts.

Jessika oversees Plan Institute’s finances, manages organizational budgeting and provides financial reports to our auditors, Board of Directors, membership, funders, and government bodies.

Yaya Wang

Accountant
Yaya Wang
Accountant

Yaya started out as Plan Institute’s Accounting Administrator in 2012, and has since become the main Accountant. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Diploma from BCIT in Accounting. She loves working with people, travelling and is teaching herself how to bake.

Liss Cairns

Program Manager
Liss Cairns
Program Manager

Liss is a neurodivergent nonbinary person who has had lifelong mental health related disabilities and is currently their wife’s caregiver. They graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology from SFU and were provided with their first professional disability-centered experience through the university’s cooperative education program in 2017. Through the various personal and professional experiences with disability Liss has had, their passion for impacting meaningful change and supporting an intersectional and holistic approach to disability management and services has only grown stronger.

Liss is currently one of the Program Managers at Plan Institute (PI). Their work includes managing PI’s free national Disability Planning Helpline Service; managing the Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning workshops; supporting the Access RDSP program in collaboration with Disability Alliance BC (DABC) and BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS); and assisting with the Disability Without Poverty movement wherever possible. Liss is also on the Board of Directors for DABC and continues to be a health mentor for the UBC Interprofessional Health Mentors Program, which they first joined in the fall of 2022.

Team member Rachael

Rachael Plant

Program Manager
Rachael Plant
Program Manager

Rachael joined Plan Institute in September 2021. Previously, she worked for a small non-profit in the UK developing communication tools for people with disabilities and also held a grant writing role at a feminist multi-service charity based in Toronto. With a background in publishing, she strongly believes that accessible information can empower individuals to live in safety and security.

Keith Richards

Keith Richards

Program Coordinator
Keith Richards
Program Coordinator

Keith is a former financial advisory professional who focused his practice on providing educational opportunities around the RDSP and financial planning for people with disabilities, and their families. His motivation and passion for this field stem from family circumstances, and he is an enthusiastic advocate for life-long financial (and all other forms of) education.

Khair Hamzah

Program Coordinator (on leave)
Khair Hamzah
Program Coordinator (on leave)

Khair joined Plan Institute in January 2022 with a desire to make positive impacts with his community footprint. Khair has a Bachelors degree in Engineering and after years working in project management on large-scale industrial mega-projects, he decided to transition to more value-driven work in the non-profit sector. Khair strongly believes in the merits of financial literacy and future planning and is excited to bring his experience and passion to his role as Plan Institute’s Program Coordinator.

Alissa Segal

Communications Manager
Alissa Segal
Communications Manager

Alissa proudly joined Plan Institute in 2023. She has a creative work background but decided to pivot her career and received a Master of Business Administration in 2022 from the Schulich School of Business at York University. Having previously worked and volunteered at non-profits, Alissa is dedicated to using her career to empower and lift others.

Megan Balog

Megan Balog

Administrator
Megan Balog
Administrator

Megan joined Plan Institute in March 2022 with a desire to build inclusive and sustainable communities. She graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Environment in Global Environmental Systems and Sociology, as well as a certificate in Social Justice. Throughout her degree, Megan held a variety of student positions in community-building, outreach, and administration that allowed her to discover her love of working in advocacy. Megan has many personal connections to disability and identifies as neurodivergent. She is passionate about lowering barriers, and about sustainability and equity in community life. In her spare time, she can be found wandering local parks and beaches, trying out new crafting mediums, and making music with her choir.