About YWCA
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory and the Metis Homeland of Region 4. The footsteps of diverse Indigenous peoples have marked this territory from time immemorial — First Nations, Metis, Inuit and now settlers from around the world.
We are all treaty members, with recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples and the traditional territories on which we live, work and play. We call upon our collective honoured traditions and spirits to share responsibility for stewardship of this beautiful land and our community.
Women’s social service organization
Our Mission
Our Vision
Reports & Financials
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| 2020 YWCA Annual Report (PDF) or View FlipBook Version | 15.7 MB |
| 2020 Financial Statements | 1.3 MB |
| 2019 YWCA Annual Report | 3.2 MB |
| 2019 Financial Statements | 224 KB |
| 2018 YWCA Annual Report | 3.2 MB |
| 2018 Financial Statements | 224 KB |
| 2017 YWCA Annual Report | 12 MB |
| 2017 Financial Statements | 224 KB |
| 2016 YWCA Annual Report | 6 MB |
| 2016 Financial Statements | 280 KB |
| 2015 YWCA Annual Report | 18 MB |
| 2015 Financial Satements | 1 MB |
History
Our first program, Cushing House, rented rooms to single women, newly arrived by train to Edmonton, for $60 per month. From those humble beginnings, YWCA Edmonton has become a cornerstone of our community, responding to the evolving social services needs of Edmonton.
At the heart from the start
YWCA Edmonton contributed support, experience and expertise to the development of many of the most important social services programs for women and children in Edmonton. Some of the Edmonton programs which began under the banner of or in partnership with YWCA Edmonton are:
- United Way, Capital Region (formerly the Edmonton Community Chest)
- Edmonton’s First Daycare
- Edmonton Association of Continuing Education and Recreation (EACER)
- Foster Parents Association of Edmonton
- The Business and Professional Women’s Club
- Big Sisters
- Women in Need (WIN) House
- Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton (formerly Rape Crisis Centre)
As we move into our next 100 years of serving Edmonton, we remain committed to empowering women and families and bringing new and effective social innovations to our community.
Chief Executive Officer
Katherine O'Neill
Katherine O’Neill joined the YWCA Edmonton as Chief Executive Officer in March 2020. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of girls and women and inspiring people to hear the important call of community service.
Katherine has worked in leadership positions in communications and politics throughout her career. A writer by trade, she spent most of her journalism career working as a national correspondent with the Globe and Mail, dispatching stories from across Canada and even the dusty battlefields of Afghanistan in 2008.
After leaving journalism, Katherine led several organizations, including the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and Alberta Together, a non-partisan, not-for-profit that conducted political research and worked to attract more young Albertans to enter politics. She also ran a communications company that specialized in crisis communications and media relations.
Katherine has volunteered on and led several not-for-profit boards, including some with a focus on early childhood education, literacy and disability services.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Journalism from Carleton University.
Katherine can be reached at (780) 952-2869 or k.oneill@ywcaedm.org.
Board of Directors
President: Kimberley Pejs
Vice President: Kathleen Elhatton-Lake
Kathleen Elhatton-Lake is an associate with Shores Jardine LLP. Previously, she clerked at the Alberta Court of Appeal and articled at a large national firm in downtown Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta and a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto. While in law school, Kathleen was actively involved in mooting and debating. She attended the World University Debate Championships on behalf of both the University of Alberta and the University of Toronto. Kathleen is honoured to be part of an outstanding group of women on the YWCA Board. She is passionate about advocating for women and girls and looks forward to contributing to the community.
Vice President: May Han
May Han is the Controller at Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund (ATRF). She has responsibility for finance, treasury, reporting, regulatory and compliance, strategy, risk management, and internal controls. Previously, she held Director of Finance roles with a provincial pension plans administrator, and invested time in public accounting practice. She holds a Bachelor of Management, Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation, and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation.
May serves as the Vice Chair for the Board of e4c, a non-profit organization focusing on food security, shelter & housing, community & collaborations, and education & skill development. May also serves as Board Director for the Alberta Lung Association (Alberta & NWT), a non-profit organization supporting lung research, prevention programs, and advocating for policies & practices.
May is passionate about YWCA’s vision and mission. YWCA continues to make important contributions in advocating and advancing the needs and interests of the women and families they serve, and with meaningful impacts in the community. She looks forward to the opportunity to serve and represent YWCA.
Treasurer: Irina Hilliard
Irina Hilliard is currently the Director of Financial Analysis at ATB Financial and has spent more than 17 years in diverse finance leadership roles in public practice, banking, and utility industries.
She was an instructor at Grant MacEwan University for nine years where she taught various accounting, tax, finance, and management courses on part-time basis. Irina obtained her Bachelor of Administration degree through Athabasca University and later went on to achieve her Chartered Accounting designation. Irina is currently Board Treasurer for Jasper Place Child and Family Resource Society and has contributed significantly to the overall success of the organization for the past three years.
Irina is excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of women on the Board of an organization that provides such valuable services to the community.
Secretary: Erum Afsar
Erum is a builder, creator and tree-shaker. She currently resides in Amiskwaciy Waskahikancurrently known as Edmonton on Treaty 6.
She obtained a degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University. Currently, Erum is Director of Enforcement with the Association of Professional Engineers and GeoScientists of Alberta (APEGA), Western Canada’s largest regulator. In this role, she is responsible for the Discipline and Compliance portfolios under the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act of Alberta that regulates approximately 77,000 professional members and companies. As well, she is Municipal Councillor with the Kananaskis Improvement District (KID), Alberta’s playground and host of the G8 meeting in 2002. On Council, Erum sits on the Budget and Audit Committee as well as represents Council on the Bow Valley Regional Housing Committee.
Giving back and involvement in her community is very important to Erum. She has been on many boards and committees including Anthology (supporting the Edmonton Public Library) and NextGen. Most recently, she was a Board Member with Islamic Family and Social Services Association (IFSSA). IFSSA just achieved Imagine Canada Accreditation and provides services related to food security, social housing, fostering healthy families and youth programs for Edmonton and throughout Alberta.
For her professional and community work she has received recognition as a Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine, The Next 10 by Alberta Venture and A Woman Who Inspires from the Canadian Council of Muslim Women. From her alma mater she received Queen’s University Engineering Excellence: 125th Award for Engineering Alumni. As well, Erum has also been chosen as one of 250 leaders across Canada to participate in the 2020-2021 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference.
She’s a parent to two girls and enjoys spending time with her family travelling, camping and being outdoors.
Her personal motto is “I am here to ‘do good’ and ‘to uplift others’”.
Clarice Anderson
Clarice Anderson is a proud member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. She holds a Masters degree in Land Based Education and has worked in the field of education for 19 years in various capacities. Clarice is passionate and committed to building capacity in Indigenous education. As a child of a residential school survivor, she understood at an early age, the importance education played in her life and those around her. This understanding became a driving force in her pursuit of higher education and a fulfilling career.
Marina Banister
Marina Banister is a communication and government relations professional who is passionate about increasing political engagement. While completing her degree in Political Science, Marina was elected as the President of the University of Alberta Students’ Union where she created a campaign school for women and non-binary students. This work led to her being recognized as one of the youngest recipients of Edmonton Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40. She serves on the board of YWCA Edmonton and YWCA Canada, where she volunteers her advocacy expertise to support women, girls, and families. Marina is currently a government relations consultant and a professional makeup artist, earning her certificate in Makeup Artistry from the Alberta Academy of Aesthetics in 2019. When Marina is not working, she enjoys playing with her two border collies and listening to talk radio.
Francesca Ghossein
Francesca Ghossein is an articling student with Field Law in Edmonton. During her law studies at the University of Ottawa, she interned with the National Association for Women and the Law and the Department of Justice. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, where she also served as the Vice President (Student Life) of the University of Alberta Students’ Union. During that time, she advocated on student issues, including access to mental health supports. She is a Lebanese-Canadian woman and a francophone who enjoys playing music and singing, exercising, and learning new languages. She is passionate about supporting women and girls, and is honoured to contribute to an organization that provides such essential services to our community
Sasha Gladu
Sasha is an Indigenous woman from Alexander First nation (Treaty 6). She is currently pursuing a psychology degree from Athabasca University; her previous education includes an addictions counseling diploma and community addiction training. Sasha has a significant desire to work in the mental health sector and conduct research on trauma and addiction.
In addition to working full time, current educational pursuits and being a mother of 2, Sasha is also developing a project that will raise awareness for homelessness. She is a strong of an advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and hopes to continue to raise awareness for this issue. Sasha has overcome a lot of similar experiences faced by many in the community, and this resilience brings a unique perspective to the work she does. Sasha intends to make a difference through a community development perspective in her role on the YWCA Board, as well as grow professionally. She wants to be able to utilize her voice while giving back to the community.
Dao Haddad
Dao Haddad has been an educator with Edmonton Public Schools for over 17 years. She supports her diverse and complex community each day by utilizing a trauma informed approach. By advocating for high capacity community engagement, she has been successful in securing innovative sponsorships and partnerships for student needs and learning experiences.
Dao is an Artist’s Patron at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts, which supports a collective of artists with developmental disabilities and their continued development in their chosen careers.
Dao is a proud mother to her son and is firmly connected to her family and Vietnamese heritage. In her spare time, she is a fitness coach and community builder, hosting events to support local charities. She is excited to bring her enthusiasm and energy to support the YWCA.
Lisa Holmes
Lisa Holmes is an experienced executive leader and board member with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit sector, communications, and government relations industries. She is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Diplomat Consulting, a full-service public affairs and communications company based in Edmonton.
Prior to her work in the corporate sector, Lisa was elected as a Town Councillor and Mayor of Morinville, Alberta, where she served for 7 years. Lisa is the Past President of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and former Director of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. While at AUMA, Lisa chaired the President’s Task Force on Status of Women and the Women in Municipal Government Committee and is currently an FCM Regional Champion for Women in Politics. She was named a Global Edmonton Woman of Vision, Avenue Magazine Top 40 under 40 and one of Alberta Venture Magazine’s 50 most influential Albertans. She is passionate about connecting women with leadership opportunities and inspiring them to get involved in community decision-making, both in business and politics.
Meghan Klein
Meghan Klein is a social profit sector management professional with a background in strategy, organizational development, human resources, fund development, communications, arts, government relations, and community engagement. As Executive Director for Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, Meghan leads a team of 200 staff who are passionate about supporting newcomers to thrive through settlement, language, employment, family wellness, and community development services and programs.
In her role as Assistant Dean, Advancement for the Faculty of Graduate Studies at University of Alberta, Meghan created a fund development strategy for the faculty as part of the university’s $1.5 billion Capital Campaign. As Associate Executive Director and VP, People and Culture for the Francis Winspear Centre for Music & Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, she oversaw organizational business planning, human resources, communications, and a $3+ million public funding portfolio.
Meghan earned a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree from Queen’s University at Kingston, with a focus in cultural studies. She holds professional designations as a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and is a Certified Coach Practitioner and Leadership Coach. Meghan speaks English, French, German, and beginner Spanish and is certified to teach English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Meghan is Past President and a current serving Director with YWCA Edmonton’s Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the Red Tape Reduction Non-Profit Industry Panel, and volunteers as a Big Sister mentor. Previously, Meghan served on boards for Goodwill Industries of Alberta, Parkland Turning Points Society, and Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton and served on the Community Well-being Committee to develop the End Poverty Edmonton Strategy.
Meghan was recognized as one of Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2017 and was acknowledged in the Alberta Legislature on Human Rights Day 2018 for her volunteerism. Meghan resides in Edmonton with her husband Jorey and daughter Anna.
Sandra Muchekeza
Sandra Muchekeza was born and raised in Kenya before moving to Australia for her Bachelor studies in Psychology. After completing her studies, she joined her family in Toronto, Canada where she started a career in International Development. Over time, Sandra’s professional life evolved to include Project and Process Management. In 2015, Sandra joined the board for Council of Canadians of African and Caribbean Heritage (CCACH) as Vice President and has since developed a keen interest in the area of Diversity and Inclusion.
Sandra is currently the Executive Director at CCACH, an organization which supports activities that enhance the social, economic and educational life of African and Caribbean heritage communities in Edmonton. Her priority at CCACH is to pursue collaborative efforts with other Edmonton community organizations and in doing so, expand its programs, increase its fundraising capacity and community presence.
A strong believer in women’s empowerment, Sandra is passionate about the rights of women in every aspect of their lives. While the issues facing women are many, the right to equal economic opportunities and ending gender-based violence are two areas which Sandra feels particularly strongly about.
In 2018, Sandra and her sister founded a children’s books publishing company called Asili Kids. The company produces and distributes books which have content and characters that children of African heritage can identify with and also introduces children from all over the world to African stories.
Pamela Zrobek
Pamela Zrobek is currently the Treasurer at EPCOR Utilities Inc. Pamela has worked at EPCOR for the past 12 years and was previously the Corporate Controller and the Controller for EPCOR Distribution and Transmission Inc. prior to moving to Corporate. She has been involved in all the financial aspects of EUI and EDTI including the internal and external financial reporting requirements and the oversight of the external audit. She has also been involved in numerous regulatory applications and has been a witness before the AUC for several oral hearings related to the tariff applications.
Pamela earned her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta in 1984 and afterward articled with Deloitte & Touche. She received her Chartered Accountant designation in 1988. After leaving public practice in 1991 Pamela worked at Lilydale Co-operative Limited (poultry processing) and MasterFlo Valve Inc. (flow control valve manufacture) prior to joining EPCOR.
Pamela is a past Chair for EPCOR’s United Way campaign and has volunteered for several charitable organizations. Pamela believes in developing strong teams and strong people leaders. She is excited for the opportunity to be an advocate for women and give back to the community.
Join Our Board of Directors!
By joining our Board of Directors, you will have the opportunity to expand your leadership and community engagement, and to personally contribute to ongoing efforts to create a world of equity, opportunity and choice for all.
In 2022, our 115-year-old organization will be focused on building resilience for women following the gendered impacts to women’s economic participation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including supporting mental health, addressing rates of domestic violence, and advocating for access to affordable childcare.
We encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds including racialized communities, immigrant communities, disability communities, and LGBTQ2S+ communities to apply.
Generally, we are looking for candidates who would bring the following skills, knowledge and experiences to the YWCA Edmonton Board of Directors:
- Non-Profit and Social Sector Management
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
- Finance & Accounting Oversight
- Governance
- Fundraising and donor relations
This year, we are seeking the following candidate profiles:
- Focus on Reconciliation, the TRC Calls to Action and Indigenous Communities
- Traditional and contemporary Indigenous knowledge & experience with Indigenous communities
- Has a comprehensive understanding of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action
- Interest to lead our Reconciliation Committee
- Youth Civic Leader
- Proven ability & initiative coordinating activities & projects
- Solid listening skills & strong communicator eager to contribute insights & perspectives
- Between 18 and 30 years of age
- Governance and Government Relations
- Experience with government relations and communications
- Familiarity with policy development and application, in particular in the non-profit/social enterprise sector
- Interest to lead our Governance Committee
- Expertise in YWCA services (i.e. psychology, disability or outdoor education)
- Experience with either outdoor education, counselling services or disability services
View our Recruitment Package and apply online here. Applications will be accepted until January 15, 2022.
Our staff and Board of Directors are deeply passionate about the work of the YWCA, making the Board an energizing and educational place to serve.
Thank you for your interest in YWCA Edmonton! We look forward to reviewing your application
