Debbie Riopel has been teaching children for over 20 years in St. Albert and Morinville, Alberta, Canada. She has worked passionately to teach, promote and inspire kindness locally and internationally since 1995. She has decided to spend a year promoting an organization of which she is a founder: the World Kindness Movement.

Debbie Riopel and Mark Broscheit preparing for their journey.

In touring the many countries represented in the WKM, Debbie brings her teaching experience and also her love of connecting people and exploring the common ground upon which we all connect. Debbie wants to share experiences in each county, gathering kindness stories and film footage, meant for a documentary called The Face of Kindness. She is very excited to have this opportunity to act on a dream, and highlight what is positive and good in the world.

Mark Broscheit

Mark Broscheit has made his home in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. After spending 21 years in the Canadian Air Force, Mark changed careers and became a massage therapist. Through his work on the physical body, Mark gradually developed a greater awareness of the whole person, and expanded his studies to include many forms of bodywork, which are more holistic in their effect. This pursuit also led Mark to study Oriental philosophy and techniques, in particular Reiki and Qi Gong. Mark has practiced massage therapy since 1994 and also teaches both Qi Gong and Massage Therapy. The idea of a kinder world, through recognizing and being aware of simple positive acts, fits in well with Mark's dedication to whole-person healing. When he met Debbie and learned of the kindness movement and the vision for this trip, he committed to the project, bringing his technical and computer skills, and an enthusiasm for capturing the "faces of kindness" on camera.