Board and Staff
Volunteer Alberta Board 2011-2012
Peter Scott, President – Sherwood Park
Angela Keibel, Past President – Drumheller
Idalia Ivon Pereria, Director – Edmonton
Kim Rowe, Vice-President – Cochrane
Donna Carter, Director – Red Deer
Ryan Stasynec, Treasurer – Calgary
Lisa Topilko, Secretary – Vegreville
Janice Van Coughnett, Director – Calgary
Doray Veno, Director – Hanna
Brenda Walton, Director – Crooked Creek
Interested in joining Volunteer Alberta’s Board?
Board elections are held at the Annual General Meeting. The Volunteer Alberta bylaws set out the composition of the Board. Potential Board members must submit an application form and meet the following criteria to be eligible for election to the Board of Directors:
- An individual must be a member of the Association and a designated Representative of
a Volunteer Centre, Corporate or Associate member. - An Affiliate member may seek nomination through a written submission by a Volunteer
Centre, Corporate or an Associate member in good standing.
Volunteer Alberta Staff
Operations and Administration
Karen Lynch, Executive Director
Email: klynch@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 227
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Karen Lynch is a respected community and civic leader, with over 30 years of diverse experience working with business, all levels of government, charitable organizations, politicians and nonprofit groups in Alberta. Karen tackles issues and challenges with a pragmatic and common-sense approach. That’s why she’s developed a reputation for making things happen and getting things done. Karen earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Alberta and is a graduate of Grant MacEwan’s Voluntary Sector Non-Profit Management Program. In early 2004, she was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Public Relations Management from Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C.
Karen’s employment history reflects her diverse skills as a consensus builder, an organizational wizard, a decisive leader when tough decisions have to be honoured. She put herself through University by driving trucks as a Teamster on the Syncrude site in Fort McMurray, and after graduation was asked to be the Executive Assistant to the Speaker in the Alberta Legislature. She has created partnerships to support programming as the Director of Communications with Alberta College, and re-developed a Corporate Ethics Program with the Workers’ Compensation Board. She now brings her passion for community volunteerism to Volunteer Alberta as Executive Director. In 2005, she was appointed to the Edmonton Public Library Board of Trustees. In 2006, she was elected to the Board of Volunteer Canada, joined the Board of Alberta Ballet in 2007 and was elected President of the Alberta Library Trustees Association in 2010.
Karen travels frequently to visit her adult twins at university in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Los Angeles, California.
Cindy Walter, Executive Assistant and Office Manager
Email: cwalter@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 221
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After starting her post-secondary education in Chemistry at the University of Alberta, Cindy Walter completed a Certificate (Dean’s List/Honour Roll) in Secretarial Arts at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Initially hired as the Secretary/Receptionist for the Alberta College Conservatory of Music in 1995, she later moved into the role of Marketing Assistant for Alberta College. When the College was amalgamated into Grant MacEwan College, Cindy joined the External Relations department. From there she transferred to MacEwan’s Registrar’s Office as Publications and Communications Assistant. Cindy Walter brought her organizational and technical skills to Volunteer Alberta as Communications and Volunteer Week Coordinator in 2005 and since has taken on the roles of Office Manager and Executive Assistant. A long-time episodic volunteer, she connects with the community through various games, curling events and casinos.
Brooke Matter, Controller
Email: accounting@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 226
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Brooke Matter came to us originally in a volunteer position working on our strategic directions. Now as our Controller she plays a key role in preparing financial budgets, monitoring and analyzing financial statements, and ensuring integrity and security of the organizations assets. After completing her advanced accounting diploma at NAIT she went on to obtain a Certified Managerial Accounting Designation. She comes to us with over 12 years of experience in various sectors including Oil and Gas, Construction, Provincial Government and nonprofit. Volunteering has always been an important way to give back, and she has been involved with Low Income Tax Programs, Heart and Stroke Foundation, local schools, and libraries.
Tim Henderson, Office/Communications Coordinator
Email: thenderson@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 232
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Tim is a recent graduate of the University of Alberta where he earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology. Since graduation he has spent the past few years working for Edmonton Public Library and the Okanagan Regional Library in Kelowna. Tim has a keen interest in politics which has led to his participation in various elections serving as campaign manager for Samantha Power during her run for U of A Students Union VP External and, more recently, as a campaign volunteer for City Councillor Don Iveson. As Program Administrator, Tim works closely with Resource Centre for Voluntary Organization updating resource material and provides support for a variety of Volunteer Alberta programs.
Program and Project Management
Rosanne Tollenaar, Director of Programs
Email: rtollenaar@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 222
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Rosanne Tollenaar is a prominent and highly regarded Alberta leader, primarily for her extensive achievements in supporting volunteer capacity-building organizations. Rosanne worked for over fifteen years in the nonprofit/ voluntary sector in a variety of progressive capacities, including her role as Director of the Stony Plain Volunteer Centre. Rosanne joined Volunteer Alberta to manage Alberta’s 27 Volunteer Centres, and successfully developed a culture of collaboration and support across the province, ensuring Alberta’s communities have the necessary capacity to support volunteerism within the changing demographics of Alberta’s economy.
Rosanne’s leadership role provides a key voice for volunteerism issues and solutions in Alberta. Ensuring that Alberta’s nonprofit/voluntary sector organizations are sites for progressive programs and services, she creates and supports the needs of the nonprofit/voluntary sector. She envisions, develops, leads and manages programs such as Intersections: Supporting Organizations to Better Engage Immigrant Volunteers, Alberta Volunteer Managers’ Initiative, Rural Community Leadership Program and several major knowledge transfer initiatives throughout the sector. Her previous community capacity building positions and her customer service focus strategically positions the connections between Volunteer Alberta and rural Volunteer Centres across the province. She is widely recognized as an excellent source of knowledge about volunteerism and the application of this value in Alberta’s communities.
Rosanne earned a BSc degree in biological sciences from the University of Alberta and graduated with distinction from Grant MacEwan’s Voluntary Sector Management Program. She recently completed a two year term as a volunteer Instructor with the Board Development Program within Alberta Culture and Community Services, working with boards of directors of nonprofit/voluntary organizations across Alberta. Living in rural Alberta, Rosanne is an executive committee member for the local school foundation and an event and sport-based volunteer for various community initiatives.
Annand Ollivierre, Program Manager (SCiP)
Email: aollivierre@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 231
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After completing his BSc in Human Ecology, Annand spent three years working with the Government of Alberta where he developed skills in program management and gained insights into the policy and bureaucratic process of the public sector. In 2007 he took the opportunity to manage an independent Edmonton restaurant and soon became the chef de cuisine. This opportunity not only developed Annand’s culinary talents but was a comprehensive practical education in the complexities of running a small independent business in a very competitive market. Due to the pressures of a growing family and a desire to return to a sector that relates more directly to his university education Annand recently joined Volunteer Alberta as Program Manager for the Serving Communities Internship Program (SCiP).Volunteering has always been a significant part of Annand’s life. His experiences include summers as a volunteer park counsellor with the City of Edmonton during high school, a student member with Faculty advisory councils, and current positions as President of the Riverdale Housing Co-op and Treasurer of S.A.C.R.E.D. Annand has developed a keen understanding of nonprofit/voluntary sector issues from both the frontlines and Board levels and in combination with his diverse employment background applies these experiences in his current role with Volunteer Alberta.
Toby Rabinovitz, Project Manager (KnowledgeConnector)
Email: trabinovitz@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 235
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Toby Rabinovitz, worked within the Volunteer Leadership Development sector for over 25 years as a consultant, volunteer and government employee. Working in the non-profit and public sectors, Toby honed her skills in a variety of areas, including adult education, organizational development, training, public engagement, facilitation and program evaluation. This work involved managing national and provincial projects, developing strategic business and project planning and establishing monitoring and evaluation frameworks. She has earned a reputation as a dynamic and engaging facilitator and planner with a specialization in partnership development, training, planning and evaluation.
As the National Director for the Skills Program for Management Volunteers, Toby recruited, trained and supported over 500 volunteer trainers across Canada who facilitated training programs for local community-based non-profit organizations. She has designed and taught various courses for such institutions as Mount Royal University (Program Design and Evaluation – Nonprofit Studies Program) and the Alberta Association for Immigrant Serving Agencies (Program Design and Case Management).
Toby holds a Bachelor Degree of Recreation Administration and a Masters of Adult Education, where she focused her studies on competency-based training and curriculum design. Toby is a true believer in ongoing professional development and is a member of the Ginger Groups Collaborative; a community of practice where consultants from across North America work together to explore creative and innovative approaches to building partnerships with organizations and communities. Volunteerism is integral to her professional and private life and she has served on the Board of Directors for various local and provincial nonprofit organizations. Recently Toby joined Volunteer Alberta as the Project Manager for the Rural Community Leadership Program.
Ellie McFarlane, Program Coordinator (SCiP)
Email: emcfarlane@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 223
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After earning her Bachelor of Social Science in Political Science and History from the University of Ottawa, Ellie moved back to Edmonton and began with Volunteer Alberta as a Project Coordinator. In this role, Ellie works on the Serving Communities Internship Program (SCiP) team. Her past volunteer experience includes a term as Vice President of Academic Affairs on the Political, International, and Development Studies Students’ Association, U of O, ReCreating Communities Program at the Edmonton Institution for Women, and Elizabeth Fry Society. Currently, Ellie volunteers for the Edmonton Youth Justice Committee Society.
Ferdinand Langit, Program Coordinator (KnowledgeConnector)
Email: flangit@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 237
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Following his graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Alberta, Ferdinand moved to Ottawa with the ambition to work for the Federal Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. While in Ottawa, Ferdinand became involved with Bruce House, Pink Triangle Services and the AIDS Committee of Ottawa – all nonprofit/voluntary organizations that serve the GLBTTQ community in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. In refocusing his goals from the governmental to the nonprofit/voluntary sector, Ferdinand returned to Edmonton and began with Volunteer Alberta as a Program Coordinator on the KnowledgeConnector Initiative. With past experiences at HIV Edmonton, the Exposure Festival and as a host on CJSR Radio’s Gaywire, Ferdinand continues his volunteering endeavours at the Art Gallery of Alberta, Latitude 53 and as a Member-at-large for the Pride Centre of Edmonton’s Board of Directors.
Sam Kriviak, Project Coordinator
Email: skriviak@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 225
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Sam Kriviak came to Volunteer Alberta after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies at the University of Alberta. She has worked as both a volunteer and an employee with numerous Edmonton-based non-profit organizations including E4C, the Edmonton Community Foundation, REACH Edmonton, Zebra Child Protection Services, and the University of Alberta Women’s Centre. At Volunteer Alberta, Sam manages and assists with many of the programs that VA offers to non-profit/voluntary sector organizations. These programs equip organizations with the knowledge and resources that they need to best serve our communities. Sam currently volunteers as the Producer of Adamant Eve, a local radio show that focuses on women’s issues and airs on the community radio station CJSR.
Steven Kwasny, Information Management Assistant
Email: skwasny@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 233
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Steven Kwasny joined the Volunteer Alberta team shortly after moving to Edmonton from his home town of Red Deer, where he served two years as President of the Students’ Association of Red Deer College. During his time there he was also Director of Policy then Chair of the Alberta Students’ Executive Council (a NFP that represents over 120 000 Alberta Post-Secondary Students). During his time there ASEC and Volunteer Alberta worked to create the Serving Communities Internship Program, on which he now works. Currently he is attending the University of Alberta where he is working to (eventually) complete his degree in political science. Passionate about education and youth engagement, Steven’s volunteer work has been diverse, including the Red Deer Festival of Trees, Speaking Engagements and a literacy project in Belize.
Katherine Perron, Knowledge Transfer Project Coordinator
Email: kperron@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 239
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Katherine first started working for Volunteer Alberta the summer of 2010 as a highly skilled volunteer. Last summer she joined the staff to work on the KnowledgeConnector project and has returned again this year for the summer student position as a Knowledge Transfer Project Coordinator. Katherine is currently studying business at the University of Alberta, and will be beginning her third year this fall. Katherine is an avid rugby player and volunteer coach. She also volunteers her time with the Canadian Blood Services clinic as a donation recruiter.
Knowledge Exchange Coordinators (KnECs)
Luc Bouchard
Email: lbouchard@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 236
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Luc is a lifelong volunteer and has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years. He has worked with a variety of nonprofit/voluntary organizations ranging in size from a staff of three to several hundred. Previous positions Luc has held before coming to Volunteer Alberta have included: Provincial Coordinator of the Alberta Father Involvement Initiative, Program Manager with the Mill Woods Family Resource Centre and Program Manager with Edmonton Brain Injury Relearning Society. In addition to possessing a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Alberta, Luc is also is a certificate Life Skills Coach and has his Pivot Pilots licence. Highlights of Luc’s volunteer roles include: Katimavik, coordinating the Edmonton International Jazz Festival volunteer wrap up party, a trainer with the Board Development Program, regular blood platelet donor, sitting as Vice President of Literacy and Learning Day Society and as a house manager at the Yardbird Suite. As a Knowledge Exchange Coordinator (KnEC) with Volunteer Alberta Luc works with rural communities and builds relationships to support the success of voluntary sector efforts at the community level. Part educational ambassador and part motivational coach, as a KnEC Luc helps evaluate skills, identify gaps, and engage community to discover and realize their potential.
Diane Huston
Email: dhuston@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (403) 357.6794
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Diane grew up in Central Alberta and has made Innisfail her home for the last 17 years. In 2004 she initiated and coordinated the Breakfast for Learning Program at John Wilson Elementary School, a program that continues to feed over 400 school children daily. Prior to moving to Australia for a year, Diane worked at the Innisfail Hospital where she was the Coordinator for Community and Volunteer Resources. Her volunteer work includes volunteering with Innisfail Minor Hockey, Meals on Wheels and the past chairperson for Suicide Information and Education. Diane has a diploma in Community Studies from Red Deer College.
Donna Smith
Email: dsmith@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 718.5379
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Donna has a tremendous passion for volunteering and she pursued this interest at MacEwan University in the Voluntary Sector Management program. Donna has a wealth of knowledge about working with communities from her previous positions with the Town of Stony Plain, Parkland School Division, and Alberta Sports, Recreation, Parks, and Wildlife Foundation. With a multitude of volunteer experience with the Spruce Grove Ringette Association and Innisfail Library, among many others, Donna looks forward to connecting with organizations across the province.
Communications
Andrew Fisher, Government and Media Relations Manager
Email: afisher@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 229
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Andrew Fisher came to the Volunteer Alberta team from the Alberta Legislature, where he worked as a Public Affairs Coordinator. He has a strong passion for politics and networking, which is ideal for his role as Government and Media Relations Manager. A University of Alberta graduate, Andrew held leadership roles with several student groups. He grew up in St. Albert, where he was active in the sports and volunteer communities, something which he continues to this day. His adventurous spirit saw him travel to France where he worked at Vimy Ridge and in the south of France for a year. However, his home is in Alberta and he returned to help make it a better place.
Jenna Marynowski, Marketing and Communications Manager
Email: jmarynowski@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 228
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Jenna Marynowski is a recent graduate of the University of Alberta, where she earned her Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Marketing. Jenna also holds a Co-operative Education designation, which was partially earned during an 8 month work term at Volunteer Alberta in 2010. Jenna has returned to Volunteer Alberta in the role of Communications and Marketing Manager, where she will be keeping the non-profit/voluntary sector informed of Volunteer Alberta’s programs and services. Outside of VA, Jenna’s volunteer work includes managing the music and theatre e-zine Sound and Noise and serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Gateway Student Journalism Society (the board of the University of Alberta’s student newspaper, The Gateway).
Membership
Mike Babichuk, OASSIS Sales and Marketing Leader
Email: mbabichuk@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 238
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Mike Babichuk brings to Volunteer Alberta over 30 years of success in business and community involvement. Mike has proven strong leadership and motivational skills and an ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with all levels of stakeholders of various social, professional and community agencies.
Mike has over 8 years of post secondary education in Sciences, Industrial Engineering, Sales, Management & Marketing from the UofA, NAIT & The Banff School of Management.
Mike`s working career has spanned 30 years and included Financial Planning, Industrial and Chemical Sales, Advertising, and Marketing. Mike has held a number of progressively more senior roles at TELUS culminating in Marketing Director for Consumer Products. After a brief semi-retirement Mike joined Volunteer Alberta as Sales Leader for OASSIS benefits.
Mike chaired the Boards of the Paralympic Sports Association, the Chrysalis Charitable Foundation and Prime Evils Athletic Club. He was also vice chair of The Citadel Theatre School, the St. Albert Public Library Board and a director of the 1987 Alberta Summer Games. Mike just finished serving the community as Director & Treasurer of the Alberta Libraries Trustee Association. After years of leadership positions Mike is now looking for an even more satisfying challenge of working on the front lines of a deserving charitable organization – Volunteer Alberta.
Lisa Michetti, Member Engagement Manager
Email: lmichetti@volunteeralberta.ab.ca
Phone: (780) 482.3300 ext. 224
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Lisa’s new role as Membership Engagement Manager came after coming to Volunteer Alberta in May 2008 as Program Assistant following her graduation from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Her projects with include managing Volunteer Alberta’s growing membership, implementing and managing the Volunteer Police Information Check Program and managing VA’s data and networks. Lisa represented Alberta and Canada as a rhythmic gymnast for over twelve years and currently volunteers with Rhythmic Gymnastics Alberta, Edmonton Humane Society (SPCA) as well as the What Kind of World? Program with the United Nations Association.