Staff

As a true Mexican, Andy will frown upon anyone who mentions taco salad. Currently, one of his favorite pastimes is ranking Edmonton’s best tacos. While Edmonton is his current home base, you’ll often find him exploring nature, scaling rocks, or jamming out to some tunes.

With a background in Creative Direction, Educational Design, and a degree in Gender and Social Justice from the University of Alberta, Andy is all about making positive changes happen. His passion for social justice drives him to break down complex ideas into accessible bits, getting more young folks involved in their community. If you need to find new ways to address social issues using creativity and storytelling, go to Andy.

Andy is part of the 2SLGBT+ community and lives with his lovely partner, their adorable dog Latte, and the rambunctious kitten Mac (a.k.a. Mac & Cheese).

                           

Latte, Assistant Lead of Barks & Recreation              Mac, Daily O-purrr-ations Management

As the Network and Engagement Coordinator at Volunteer Alberta, Alison manages VA’s members, Leads our AVCN and look at other ways to connect with the sector. Alison received a Bachelor of Art in International Development Studies and has a diploma in Arts and Cultural Management. She also has 8 years of experience as a volunteer coordinator. Growing up, Alison attended many festivals and arts events – she has only missed one Edmonton Folk Festival her whole life. Now, Alison volunteers with Edmonton Folk Music Festival on Greeting Crew and Common Ground Arts on their board – you might have seen her in her ticket dress!

When not at work, you find Alison out enjoying neighborhood walks with her cat, Kat, going to art and cultural events, and eating ice cream. Alison wants to live in a world where everyone is equal and ice cream is a food group!

       Kat, Keyboard Purrtector

Around the office, Graeme can almost always be found early in the morning, drinking coffee and making a to-do list. Graeme is very loyal to the province’s nonprofit arts organizations, including places like Alberta Printmakers, CJSW, and CARFAC Alberta.

When they’re not at work, Graeme tries to keep a very strict regimen of reading fiction, finding new music on Bandcamp, watching Star Trek with their partner, and listening to podcasts in donair shops. They are also a practicing visual artist/writer.

Graeme has worked and volunteered within Alberta’s nonprofit arts sector since 2012. They have worked in the architectural decorative glass field for over four years, and received their Bachelor’s of Fine Art from the Alberta College of Art + Design’s Glass Program in 2015.

           JJ, Paw-ject Manager

Born and raised in northern Alberta, Micheal has spent a lot of time outdoors camping and hiking – and he’s super appreciative of all the volunteers that help maintain all the trails and parks he enjoys! If not out trying to explore, you can usually find him snuggling with his cats at home with a good book or attempting to turn his house into a tropical jungle (if only the plants would stay alive). You may have already connected with Micheal if you’ve ever called or e-mailed in to VA – he’s always happy to answer questions or dig into a topic to help find solutions.

Micheal holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Calgary, an overflowing “to be read” book pile, and maybe a few too many post-it-notes on his desk. More than anything, he is a proud Métis and part of the 2SLGTBQ+ family.

April and Tako, Joint Wellbeing Facili-cat-ors

Erin holds her Certification in Volunteer Administration through the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration. She currently sits on the board of directors for Calgary Young People's Theatre and is an active volunteer in Calgary's community theatre scene. She is passionate about bringing groups of volunteers together to create art and wonder.

Erin could talk for a week straight about volunteer screening and engagement, which works well for the Volunteer Screening Program! She loves collaborating with organizations to engage volunteers in safe and meaningful ways. If she's ever stumped, she is likely bouncing ideas off of her corgi, Basil.

              Basil, Ideas Assistant

Miki Stricker‑Talbot believes in co‑creating futures where people, communities, and whole systems can thrive. Based on Treaty 6 lands in Edmonton, she serves as Executive Director of Volunteer Alberta and as a Network Steward with the Alberta Nonprofit Network. Working alongside a passionate team of changemakers at VA, Miki helps strengthen the conditions for connection, wellbeing, and civic participation through volunteerism and nonprofit sector leadership. Her work is grounded in curiosity, care, and a deep belief that systems can -- and should -- work better for everyone.

Miki’s career spans public service and the nonprofit sector, with experience in the arts, event production, policy development, complex project management, systemic design, and social innovation. She has volunteered with numerous organizations over the years, with favourite roles including late‑night DJ at CJSW, key advisor to Nuit Blanche Edmonton, and supervising school field‑trips.
Along with being a Global Fellow with the League of Intrapreneurs, Miki is also a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader, and an Avenue Magazine Top-40-Under-40 alumna. Miki is a volunteer in her community, and collector of half-read books. Most importantly, she is the mom of two amazing humans who help her (un)learn more about the world every day.

       Leo, Head of Barking Activities

Around the office, Cindy is known for providing occasional treats, sharing her reviews of local restaurants, and (thoroughly) celebrating holidays. She appreciates Alberta’s many fabulous nonprofits, including Volunteer Centres spread across the province. A long-time episodic volunteer, Cindy connects with her community through various festivals, holiday activities, curling events, and many casinos.

Outside of work, Cindy enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, dining out, listening to music, curling, and traveling. She believes in supporting local tourism and likes to travel around Alberta to discover new places and restaurants.

Cindy is proud to have participated in the growth of Volunteer Alberta over the past 20+ years. She first brought her organizational and technical skills to Volunteer Alberta as Communications & Volunteer Week Coordinator in 2005 and since has taken on the roles of Office Manager, Executive Assistant, and Administration Director.

Francine is the wordsmith behind VA’s newsletters, website, and social media. As the Marketing and Communications Specialist, she adds her editorial touch and creative eye to projects, drawing on her Bachelor of Communications Studies degree from MacEwan University and experiences in nonprofit and retail management.

Francine’s passion for volunteering extends to coaching for JDCWest and Alberta Not-for-Profit Association business case competitions, copyediting for Pathways Archaeology and Anthropology Journal (U Sask) and The Bolo Tie Collective (MacEwan University), and contributing to local events like Litfest and Taste of Edmonton.

Outside of VA, Francine reads books, needle felts, and dabbles in poetry writing. Her hidden talents include stone-skipping and pumpkin carving. Despite not having any pets at home, she’ll gladly shower affection on any furry friend she encounters.