Elnaz Aliasl

Program Coordinator

Rural Immigration

Elnaz works as an Architectural Designer and Program Coordinator for Rural Immigration with RDN. Her keen knowledge in Design, Social Issues, and Research helps her to develop design guidelines to enhance mental health in affordable housing. Her focus has been on creating socially sustainable communities by understanding user groups' expectations and needs. Elnaz holds a Master of Design from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tabriz. She also has a certificate in Innovation in the Social Sector. During her time at the university, she volunteered as VP with Health and Wellness Movement Student Group, and as a Judge in the Festival of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities(FUCRA).

Marichu Antonio

Executive Director

ActionDignity

Marichu Antonio is a pioneering leader, innovator and risk taker with over 47 years of experience working passionately in community development. She is a strong advocate of social justice, human rights and equity for all citizens. Marichu is Executive Director of ActionDignity and has been in this role for nearly eleven years. Marichu is a proud recipient of the 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and Avenue Magazine’s A-List of Volunteers in 2009 in recognition of her contributions towards strengthening communities.

Lara Bergen

ECE / ESL Instructor and LINC Program Coordinator

Great Plains College

Lara enjoys helping language learners achieve their goals as they gain the knowledge and skills necessary to find employment and integrate successfully into their community.

John Biles

Director of Settlement and Integration

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

John Biles is currently the Director of Settlement and Integration for the Prairies and Northern Territories Region (PNT) with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Throughout his career, John has held various positions with the Metropolis Project (an international policy-research network focused on immigration, integration and diversity), as a Special Advisor to the Director General of the policy branch responsible for settlement, and more recently as the Assistant Director for the PNT region. While his interests in settlement, integration and inclusion are fairly eclectic and he has published widely in these broad areas, his interest in how (re)settlement works in smaller centers has cut across all of his professional experience and he remains seized with these issues today.

Don Boddy

Small Centre Support Manager

Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO)

Chris Buchner

Centre for Sexuality

Chris Buchner joined the Centre for Sexuality in 2018 as a Training Centre Facilitator delivering diversity, inclusion and trauma and violence informed care trainings to newcomer organizations in Alberta. Since 2003 Chris has been working with children and youth in direct service, supervisory and management roles. Throughout his career Chris also has been facilitating trainings and workshops on a variety of topics including meaningful youth engagement and anti-oppression.

Allana Carlyle

Manager, Language Access

Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

Allana holds a Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées (D.E.S.S.), Traduction anglais-français, (specialized graduate diploma in English-French translation) from the Université de Montréal, and a Bachelor of Arts with a double-major in Études françaises & Developmental Studies from the University of Winnipeg. She is currently the Manager of Language Access with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and has held various roles within this provincial program since 2007, including as a trained English-French Interpreter. In this current role, Allana is responsible for the development, implementation and leadership of the provincial trained interpreter service, including policy development, best practices guidelines and inter-sectoral service provider communication and education. Allana participates as an international expert on the International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Committee 37/SC 5 “Translation, Interpreting and Related Technology”. She is the Chair of the Provincial Language Access Advisory Committee and CoChair of the Manitoba Government’s Interdepartmental Working Group for Interpreter Services. In addition, Allana is a member of the WRHA Accessibility Planning Committee, the WRHA Indigenous Cultural Safety Curriculum Advisory Council and Immigration Partnership Winnipeg Council as well as other committees which work towards supporting the delivery of safe, equitable, accessible public services for all language constituencies in Manitoba.

Lisa Degenstein

Rural Team Lead

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society

Lisa Degenstein has been a Settlement Worker and most recently, Rural Team Lead with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society since 2011. She currently works on the rural projects FCIS, RVIS and WCIS and her team provides individual/family support services and integration activities for immigrants and refugees in the MDs of Foothills, Rockyview, Willowcreekvand Wheatland. Lisa brings a background in law enforcement and school emergency preparedness as well as a passion for helping newcomers and their communities.

Tyra Erskine

ActionDignity

Tyra Erskine is the Anti-Racism and Equity Strategy Lead at ActionDignity. She is an experienced anti-racism facilitator that has hosted sessions at the University of Calgary, SAIT, the Alberta Association of Midwives, and more. She is also on the Board of the CommunityWise Resource Centre.

Joy Escalera

Manager, Settlement Services

Westman Immigrant Services

Naomi Frey

Program Manager

Rural Small Centres

Melissa Hibbs

Catholic Social Services

Melissa Hibbs was born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta and has spent most of her life in the area. Melissa is a Social Work Diploma graduate and has been serving the community of Red Deer for over 13 years. She has had the opportunity to work with a variety of populations including addictions, children and families, persons with disabilities, criminal justice and employment training. She has a passion to serve others who are in need of support and recognition of their personal value and strengths. Currently, Melissa is the Program Coordinator for the Supports for Employment program with Catholic Social Services - Immigration and Settlement. Outside of work, Melissa is a mother of one and enjoys spending her time with family.

Renata Honorio

Settlement Worker

Regional Connections

Renata Honorio is the mother of 4 beautiful children and has been a Permanent Resident of Canada since February of 2017, when her family arrived from Brazil, directly to Morden, Manitoba, to start a brand new life. She speaks Portuguese as her mother tongue, English as a Second Language and Spanish as a third. She has post-secondary education in Letters, which enabled her to be a language teacher and contemplate Linguistics and Literature in Portuguese and Spanish. Her professional background lies everywhere there is human interaction and communication involved: from hospitality to teaching, from Human Resources to Social Services. She has been working with Regional Connections since April of 2017, shortly after immigrating to Canada. Originally and most recently working as a Settlement Worker, she has also had the opportunity to work as an Employment facilitator and briefly as a Settlement Worker in Schools, which broadened her perspective about the settlement process as a complex and layered one.

Mohammed Idriss

Services Manager

Brooks and County Immigration Services

Mohammed Idriss is the Services Manager at Brooks and County Immigration Services, a project of CCIS. As an AAISA certified Mentor Mohammed brings with him 15 years of experience in the Settlement Sector right from the front line services to the senior management of programs and organizations. From a young age, Mohammed was inspired by his father who was a prominent community leader and who thought him the virtue of community service. Mohammed now has significant experience serving in senior leadership roles on community, government, and association boards locally, provincially and nationally. Mohammed’s community involvement and leadership has been recognized repeatedly. He is an alumnus of the Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference, a finalist on the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award and was awarded the Parliament of Canada 150 medal for community service.

Nicole Jowett

Provincial Coordinator

MANSO

Nicole Jowett is the Provincial Coordinator at the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO). Her work focuses on provincial level areas, including health and interpretation, and on coordinating services for newcomers with temporary status, such as refugee claimants and migrant workers. With multifaceted experience in the settlement sector, including frontline work, research and evaluation projects, and advocacy, as well as a background in creative project management, Nicole is passionate about fostering welcoming communities and positive spaces for newcomers across Manitoba.

Leesha Kanbour

Engagement Coordinator

Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA)

Rhoda Keck

Language Program Director

Regional Connections

Anneke Lauwers

Catholic Social Services

Anneke Lauwers is originally from Belgium and moved to Canada in 2008. Soon after moving to Red Deer she started working for Catholic Social Services and has been with them ever since. She fulfilled different roles within the Red Deer Immigration & Settlement team and is currently the Red Deer program supervisor. She has a very deep love for her husband and 2 golden retrievers and is very passionate about her work with Catholic Social Services. Anneke has provided orientation and information sessions for community members and organizations both in person and online and is overseeing the different programs that the Red Deer team is offering. It is her goal to keep promoting, developing and delivering settlement supports to newcomers.

Ahmad Majid

Kari McCluskey

Aurora Family Therapy Centre

Kari McCluskey is a facilitator in the Vicarious Trauma and Resilience Initiative at Aurora Family Therapy Centre where she provides workshops and support for settlement service providers who are committed to creating positive transition and integration experiences for Canadian newcomers. In addition, she is a coordinator and instructor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg and a graduate student in Peace and Conflict studies at the University of Manitoba. A long-time advocate of empowering youth through education, service learning, and community integration, Kari spent several years in public education facilitating alternative learning programs for youth at-risk.

Ricardo Morales

Director of Community Development and Integration Services & Southern Alberta Rural Initiatives

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society

Ricardo Morales is the Director of Community Development and Integration Services & Southern Alberta Rural Initiatives, a Division of Calgary Catholic Immigration Society. During his 34 years of experience in Education at the K-University, he served as a: Teacher, University Associate, Intercultural Consultant and a School Principal . Ricardo is currently providing leadership for CCIS in the area of Cultural Diversity and Community development . Ricardo's passion is in Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Intercultural Communication in the workplace, Building Culturally Inclusive Communities, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Culturally Inclusive School communities. In addition, Ric provides, diversity consultation in areas of Cultural competence for business organizations, education specialist sectors, teachers’ professional development and to the general public. His personal mission is to assist others to engage successfully and effectively with people of other cultures and in building culturally inclusive communities.

Angela Mowbray

Language Program Manager

Westman Immigrant Services

Keleah Ostrander

Director of Learner Services and Adult Basic Education

Great Plains College

With a background in international studies and rural economic development, Keleah has a passion for innovative program development that supports newcomer students.

Doug Piquette

Executive Director

Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council

Doug Piquette is the founding Executive Director of ERIEC. For over 12 years he has worked to establish, manage, and advance the strategic priorities and direction of this employer-led, non-profit, Edmonton-based organization dedicated to supporting career transition for immigrants. ERIEC offers career mentorship and career networking programming. Doug is a founding board member and current ambassador of the Edmonton Business Diversity Network (EBDN) and the current Chair of the WorkForce Development Committee with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. Doug comes from a background of rural community economic development.

Corinne Prince

Director General, Settlement and Integration Policy, Settlement and Integration Policy (SIP) Immigration

Refugees and Citizenship Canada / Government of Canada

Bruce Randall

Executive Director

Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council

Bruce Randall is the co-founding Executive Director of CRIEC. Since 2010, CRIEC has supported career transitions for immigrants through career mentoring (including one-on-one, connector programs, e-mentoring for pre-arrival and mentoring circles) as well as career networking and profession-targeted mentoring programs for lawyers, amongst others. Bruce comes from a law practice in Ontario, called to the bar in Ontario and Quebec as well as serving as General Counsel in Calgary with The Forzani Group (Sport Chek, Sports Experts, etc.) He is a governance committee member for AAISA. He also is a co-founder and director of Influence Mentoring for post-secondary Indigenous students and Chair of the Board for Miskanawah Community Services Association, a community-based organization guided by indigenous teachings to provide services to families in Calgary. He is also serving on the steering committee of BlackNorth Initiative, Alberta Chapter. He is a sessional instructor at multiple Alberta post-secondary institutions.

Steve Reynolds

Executive Director

Regional Connections Immigrant Services

Steve has been working in the sector since 2007, beginning as a LINC and English at Work instructor for Regional Connections before moving into the role of Workplace and Employment Services Coordinator in 2012, Language Program Director in 2017, and Executive Director in 2018. Steve is a trained Diversity and Intercultural Facilitator who has delivered presentations and workshops to a variety of audiences at conferences, in workplaces, for community groups, and in schools. He has also presented on EAL and settlement at various conferences hosted by IRCC, MANSO, TEAM, and HCC. His original passion for teaching and learning (MA Educational Studies, Providence Seminary) has evolved through his experiences of living and working in Osaka, Japan for two years, working with newcomers to Canada for the past 10+ years, and settling in small-town Manitoba himself, into a vision for building healthy communities together through settlement, integration, and successful community partnerships. Steve’s three young kids have also drawn him into various community roles including sports committees and coaching 5-7-year-olds in baseball and soccer.

Jayde Roche

Program Manager

Rural Immigration

Jayde Roche is the Program Manager for Rural Immigration with RDN and uses her experience in community-based research to manage projects focused on supporting newcomers in rural areas. Jayde has co-facilitated intercultural competency and antidiscrimination training. Most recently she worked on delivering a number of anti-racism webinars to viewers from across Canada. She first joined the RDN as the Project Manager for Network Development and successfully launched the CARRHH National Network prior to starting the Rural Immigration Initiative. Jayde holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta with a double major in Anthropology and Latin American Studies.

Chris Sicott

Chris Sicotte is a proud Cree/Métis andmember of the Nisichawayasihk CreeNation (formerly known as Nelson House First Nation) with family connections to the communities of CumberlandHouse, the Red River Métis Settlement, and Muenster. Chris is currently employed with Aon Reed Stenhouse as the Indigenous Liaison for Saskatchewan, a position he has held since December 2018. Prior to this role Chris worked for 26 years in the f inancial services (banking) industry. Over the course of his career he has worked in locations across Canada; includingWinnipeg, Brandon, Norway House CreeNation, Cree Nation of Chisasibi (James Bay Cree of northernQuebec) and Saskatoon. Since 2002 he has been focused on working directly w ith First Nations governments, Tribal Councils, Business Development arms, Métis governments and Entrepreneurs in providing f inancial services and advice. Chris has and continues to serve on numerous Boards and committees. He is the current Chair of the Kahkewistahaw Economic Management Corporation, Past Chair of the Greater SaskatoonChamber of Commerce, as well as a Director of both the ProvincialMétis Housing Corporation and Prairie Harm Reduction Inc. (formerly known as AIDS Saskatoon).He is also the former Chair of the City of Saskatoon’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Committee, and former Chair of the Kitotiminawak Parent/Community Council at Oskayak High School, and previously served as a Director of the Saskatchewan First Nations Family and Community Institute and READ Saskatoon. He is also the former Board Chair of AFOA Canada and former BoardPresident of AFOA Saskatchewan. Chris is also a speaker and presenter on Indigenous Economic Development, Indigenous Finance, and Urban Reserve development.He also remains active as a community builder between the Indigenous and newcomer Canadian communities and the inter-faith community of Saskatoon. Chris currently resides in Saskatoon with his wife DarleneOkemaysim-Sicotte and is a stepfather to 4 adult children. He is also the proud grandfather of 3 grandsons:Albert (“AJ”), Dayshawn, and Joseph, with another grandson due in December 2020. He also holds black belts in 2 martial arts (Traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and the Filipino martial art of Kali) and is an advanced brown belt in the Filipino art of Sikaran.

Jennifer Skazyk

Essential Skills Facilitator for Newcomer students

Great Plains College

She specializes in job coaching and employment counselling and has a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She uses a strengths-based approach when working with students and is committed to helping students and clients improve their employability and reach their full potential.

Deborah Slonowsky

Regional Program Manager

Regional Connections Immigrant Services

Deborah has been working in the Manitoba settlement sector since 2013 but her interest in immigration and newcomer services developed when she worked as a language instructor in Taiwan and later volunteered as a tutor with OCISO (Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization.) Deborah was the first employee in Dauphin’s settlement office when it first opened as Parkland Regional Settlement Services in 2013. In 2020, after the Dauphin office joined Regional Connections, she moved into the role of Regional Program Manager. Because of her curiosity in the factors influencing inclusivity and belonging, Deborah completed an MA in Global Studies, University of Ottawa, with a focus on human migration. After living in various towns and cities across Canada, Deborah is happy to have returned to her roots in rural Manitoba. She is motivated by the talented and determined people from around the world who are settling in small communities and changing the face of rural Canada.

Sheri Tarrington

Environmental Educator

CPAWS Southern Alberta

Quite simply, Sheri believes that all humans are better humans when they are encouraged to learn, explore and play outdoors. For more than 15 years, Sheri has dreamed, delivered and inspired a vast spectrum of environmental education programming on behalf of national parks, provincial municipalities, county school boards and her very own ecoliteracy outreach venture, In Their Nature. Possessing an honour’s degree in Canadian Studies from the University of Guelph, she is an accredited Professional Interpretive and Hiking Guide renowned for her infectious enthusiasm and wide-eyed love of nature. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s voice for wilderness. Its 13 chapters nationwide are working to protect Canada’s public lands and waters. The mission of the Southern Alberta Chapter is to safeguard, connect, and expand parks and wilderness through education, engagement, and collaboration with Albertans. CPAWS Southern Alberta has been delivering environmental education and outdoor interpretive programs for over 20 years. CPAWS programs are hands-on, fun, inclusive, locally focused, science-based, and focus on empowering participants to take environmental action to improve their lives and communities.

Miriam Turyamwijuka

Settlement Coordinator

Portage Learning and Literacy Centre

Miriam Turyamwijuka has been the Settlement Coordinator at the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre for about four years. She has previously been an ESL instructor both in Canada and overseas. She's a mother of four boys and has been homeschooling since the start of the pandemic. She is currently enrolled in the National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4) program through St. Paul University.

Janvi Tuteja

SAISIA Rural Coordinator

Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement Integration Agencies (SAISIA)

Janvi Tuteja is an experienced counsellor, coordinator and collaborative professional. Driven by passion and professionalism, Janvi is a highly creative and innovative individual who takes pride in providing exceptional services. Born and raised in India, she always had a passion for social reforms. She has acquired a talent of building cohesive teams through excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Janvi earned her Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan, with minor in Criminology, a diploma in Human Resources and various Mental Health professional certificates. She is deep and devoted to various community activities, and is always on the go! She encourages everyone to be an active member in their community and volunteer as much as possible. She actively works with youth and adults at risk, newcomer population, Indigenous Peoples, businesses and organizations. Janvi believes that kindness can go a long way. It costs nothing, but means everything!

Ranju Upadhyaya

Volunteer and Events Coordinator

Portage Learning and Literacy Centre

Ranju Upadhyaya serves the newcomers in Portage la Prairie through her role as the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre's Volunteer and Events Coordinator. She has been active in the settlement sector for the past decade through her involvement with Nepali Cultural Society of Manitoba. She is the organization's current president. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Sociology and Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Psychology from the University of Manitoba. She is currently completing a degree in Bachelor of Social Work (Concentrated) at the University of Manitoba.

Kevin Van Lagen

Principal

Altario and Consort Schools

Kevin Van Lagen is the principal of Altario and Consort Schools in East Central Alberta. Kevin writes and speaks about the role that rural education can play in revitalizing rural communities. Kevin has been instrumental in creating an agriculture academy in Altario and a baseball academy in Consort. In particular, the work done in Altario has rejuvenated the community and has attracted many new immigrants. Kevin has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership. Together with his wife and five sons, he resides on an acreage near Altario, Alberta.

Don Walmsley

Executive Director

Neepawa and Area Immigrant Settlement Services

Cheryl Whitelaw

Principal

Kind Power Consulting and Coaching

Cheryl Whitelaw is principal of Kind Power Coaching and Consulting Services since 2012, providing somatic coaching to individuals and inclusion development consulting services to organizations in private, non-profit and public sector. She is project manager of the Alberta Mentorship Program and has worked with ERIEC on innovative projects since 2018. She comes from a background that includes being a Credentialed Evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society, an Integral Master Coach ™ with Integral Coaching Canada since 2011, and a Being in Movement ™ practitioner for conflict resolution and peacemaking. She is currently enrolled in the Feldenkrais Training Academy to become a Feldenkrais Practitioner. In her last career position, she led over 25 projects to support workplace communication across differences as Applied Research Manager at the NorQuest Center for Intercultural Education (now the Colbourne Institute for Inclusive Leadership).