Senior Team
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Chief Executive Officer
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Chief Operating Officer
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Director of Finance
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Director of Operations People and Culture
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Director of Programs and Services
Ebony Rempel
Chief Executive Officer
Ebony Rempel has been working in the field of gender equality for that last ten years. Ebony has a bachelor’s degree in Health Science, a Master of Science degree specializing in Health Promotion, and currently a PhD candidate at Western University. Her doctorate work is focused on understanding the support, information, and service needs of women who access second-stage shelters. She was recently an informant on a national second-stage shelter research study and has presented at over 30 conferences across the globe, including most recently the Global Network of Women’s Shelters Conference in November 2019 in Taiwan.
Ebony was the past Executive Director of Odyssey House: a 42-bed emergency shelter, 14 apartment unit second stage shelter, a licensed day-care, a public education and communications team, and a traveling outreach/community support team growing the operating budget to 3.6 million dollars. In her time with Odyssey House, she supporting the Board of Directors in their shift to a governance model, doubled monetary donations, developed an interagency collective impact framework for addressing the systems which perpetuate family violence (including a integrated Domestic Violence Court Support Team), maintained organizational sustainability, and created a culture of inclusivity and trauma-informed practice. She is working with the Canadian partnership for Women and Children’s Heath (CanWaCH) on the Equal Futures Network which is bringing together key players across Canada working in the field of gender equality.
Ebony was the past co-chair of IMPACT, a provincial organization with a primary prevention focus on eradicating domestic and sexual violence. Ebony is eager to work with those already doing incredible work at the YWCA Banff and community of the Bow Valley. Ebony is passionate about creating inclusive communities and believes in working from a trauma-informed, harm-reduction approach with clients, community, and employees.
Ebony lives in Banff with her partner Jamie, who love to explore different parts of the globe together which supports her love of international cuisine and cooking.
Stephen Crotty
Chief Operating Officer
Stephen joined the team in July 2009 and brings 30 years of Banff hospitality-based experience to the organization. He is leading a competent, dedicated group of managers and staff in the hotel, food services, housekeeping, maintenance, and the building and grounds departments. Stephen’s extensive background, while diverse, has a common thread in focusing on Guest Service in all aspects of operations. He has a strong connectivity to the Bow Valley through his family, career, recreational pursuits and volunteerism.
Tim Binks
Director of Finance
Originally from New Zealand, Tim has an interesting professional background that includes holding a number of accounting and business management roles in a large, international accounting firm, to Chief Financial Officer/Director for FREERIDENZ, a smaller tourism business. Most recently he spent the winter ski patrolling at Sunshine Village. Tim has volunteered in Kashmir, India, he holds an advanced first aid certificate and speaks intermediate Japanese. He is also a Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and a Prince2 Project Management designation.
Rae-Ann Roberts
Director of Operations People and Culture
Rae joined the YWCA Banff team in March 2014, bringing with her a background in advocacy work and a degree in women’s studies. Rae is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the YWCA Social Enterprise, the Affordable Housing Programs and the overall facility. Rae is passionate about supporting Bow Valley people and continuously works to improve access to housing solutions and supportive programming. In her spare time, she enjoys curling and walking her dog Monty.
Reave MacLeod
Director of Programs and Services
Reave joined the YWCA team in January 2016 as the manager of the Harmony Project and has recently taken on a new role as the Director of Programs and Services. Reave moved to the Bow Valley with her family in the summer of 2015 and has been enjoying it ever since! She brings an extensive background in human services including experience in the domestic violence and settlement sectors as well as experience in non-profit management. Prior to relocating to the Bow Valley, Reave completed her Master’s in Social Work with a specialization in leadership and enjoyed teaching social work courses at her local college.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Vice President – Governance
Vice President – Operations
Treasurer
Secretary
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Salina McNamara
President
A deep-rooted love of the mountains drew Salina to the Bow Valley from Australia where her heart has called the Bow Valley home since 2015.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce, her corporate experience began in the field of audit and business services evolving into an extensive history in partnerships, marketing and events. Salina currently manages Public Relations at CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures, headquartered in Banff. Whether hiking, biking, snowboarding or camping, she is happiest finding adventures outside, amongst the mountain landscape of the Canadian Rockies.
With a passion for social and environmental welfare, she believes in supporting positive change through action. She is grateful to be able to continue to contribute through her position at YWCA Banff and to help drive the initiatives that support and empower women, girls and our community.
Ella Schatzmann
Vice President – Governance
Ella has proudly called Canmore home for the past 15 years. As a Social Worker for over 20 years, Ella has been a strong advocate for the rights and well being of women and children. She represents Alberta Health Services, as a founding partner agency on the YWCA Banff initiative the Harmony Project, brought together to create a coordinated response and help reduce sexualized violence in the Bow Valley. She is the Program Facilitator with Addiction & Mental Health and is honoured to work in the community to improve the well being of Bow Valley citizens.
When not working, Ella can be found volunteering with her husband for sports organizations, cheering on her son in hockey rinks around Alberta, supporting her daughter’s dance aspirations and walking her Bernadoodle on our glorious mountain trails.
Kate Boyd
Vice President – Operations
Kate Boyd moved to the Valley in 2015, to take a role with Canada’s national para-nordic ski team with Nordiq Canada. Currently, the team’s High-Performance Manager and NextGen coach, Kate supports the team and the team behind the team to perform on the international stage, including the Paralympic Games. At the 2018, Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Kate was Canada’s only female coach.
Prior to moving to the Valley, Kate had a career with the YMCA-YWCA’s in Ontario, managing camping and outdoor education programs, including an all-girls summer residential camp. An active volunteer in her communities, Kate was also a board member for the Peterborough YWCA.
When not travelling with the para-nordic team, Kate can be found mountain biking, trail running, nordic skiing or out on adventures with her pup. When she is able to acquire a boat, she is happiest in a canoe on a lake.
Karen Shelton
Treasurer
Karen was born and raised in Alberta and has enjoyed countless hours in the mountains and the Bow Valley. She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary, and is a professional accountant, with over 36 years of industry experience and 9 years of Board experience for a nonprofit organization. She has technical expertise in financial and managerial accounting, budgeting, strategic planning, project management and organizational change management. Karen is a strong advocate for women’s diversity, inclusion, and equality. She has served as a coach and mentor and has championed various employee led programs, including the formation of a Women’s Leadership Network and various charitable fundraising programs.
Karen retired from AltaGas in June 2020 and is married with two incredible daughters. She is an avid traveler and a modest golfer. In the summer, she can be found enjoying the mountains, golfing, or cuddling with her first grandson.
Karen is grateful to be able to be give back to the community and support and empower the women and girls in the Bow Valley.
Danielle Roussy
Secretary
After attending the University of Waterloo for Psychology, Dani moved to the Bow Valley for a “summer”, like many do. Now, 11 years later and she is still in awe of the beauty of Banff.
Dani loves to explore, hike, bike, and do yoga as well as spending time outdoors with her partner and 2 year old boy. She’s been a volunteer for multiple organizations throughout the bow valley including Banff LIFE, Banff Yoga Festival, Banff Marathon, and Mel’s Road Race. Some programs she’s volunteered for include the Bow valley mentor program (2014-2018) and Roots of Empathy(2018-2019).
Travelling is a huge passion. Dani has backpacked throughout Central America, Europe, China, Malaysia, and Australia to name a few places.
She currently works for the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital as a nursing aid in the long term care unit. She has been on this unit for over six years and has a love and dedication to provide care and compassion to our most vulnerable population.
Dani has a huge passion for the safety and empowerment of women and girls and is so excited to be on the YWCA Board of Directors.
Dominique Lagloire-Galipeau
Director
Originally from Montreal, Dominique first fell in love with the mountains in 2006. She has tried to move on many times, to many other great places, but can never seem to stay away for long. With a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management and the CMA certification in her back pocket, she has worked in hotel’s accounting departments from Lake Louise to Bangkok, from Osaka to Boston. However, since you can’t ski Fenway Park, it was time to return to the Rockies… for the 6th time. In 2015, Dominique took on the accounting and finance of The Grizzly Paw Pub & Brewing Company Ltd. in Canmore. She is particularly interested in bringing numbers, sustainability and a few laughs to every discussion.
Inspired by great women and looking to give back, Dominique joined the board of the YWCA early 2018. When she is not in the office, you can find her on the ski slopes, on a trail, cheerleading the Grizzly Paw running team or catching up with a friend while shopping for awesome shoes.
Yvonne Machuk
Director
Yvonne has lived in Banff since 1976. She has been actively volunteering for many years, having served on most community boards in Banff including the Mineral Springs Hospital Board, the Whyte Museum Board and the board of the Banff Canmore Community Foundation. Yvonne holds a BA from the University of Winnipeg, a BEd from the University of Manitoba and an MEd from the University of Calgary. After a career in public education spanning nearly four decades, she returned to university and earned a doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Calgary. Her doctoral work focused on the challenges faced by internationally educated teachers as they transition to the Alberta context. Yvonne has wide-ranging leadership experience both professionally and in the volunteer sector and has facilitated strategic planning sessions and professional learning workshops locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. Her commitment to empowering women and girls was established through her more than 30 year membership in Soroptimist International, a women’s service organization that works to better the lives of women and girls where she served in several leadership capacities for the organization. Yvonne and her husband have found retirement an excellent opportunity to revisit favourite spots and explore new destinations.
Heather Sturm
Director
Originally from Toronto, Heather and her family travelled to the Rockies annually for ski trips. In her last year of university, she toured the Alberta and BC mountains with her father. While staying at a hostel in Rossland she met a man in his 90’s who had been skiing 100+ days a year since he was 20. It was then that she decided to move west. After completing her Bachelor in Biological Engineering from the University of Guelph she moved to Calgary, where she could be close to the mountains, pursue her passion for skiing and her engineering career.
Melanie Kwong
Director
An opportunity with Parks Canada as superintendent for Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay national parks brought Melanie and her family to the Rockies in 2013. In that role, she quickly came to appreciate the spirit of collaboration in the Bow Valley, especially in challenging times like the historic flood event that year.
A keen interest in social enterprise and a desire to contribute to building a safe and inclusive community that empowers all women led Melanie to join the YWCA board.
Melanie currently works for the Department of Canadian Heritage. A second-generation Canadian, Melanie was born in Montreal and is thankful to call home this special place on Treaty 7 Territory of Southern Alberta, shared by the Stoney Nakoda Nations of Wesley, Chiniki and Bearspaw; the Blackfoot Confederacy of the Pikani and Siksika; and the Tsuu T’ina of the Dene People and with the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.
Jessica Wheatley
Director
Jessica is a Professional Engineer living and working in the Bow Valley, taking particular pride in working on the projects that make a difference in the lives of people within her community. Away from work, you’ll find her enjoying the mountains mountain biking, hiking, camping, on a paddle board or advocating for active transportation within our communities. Looking to further support the many local initiatives the YWCA is spearheading, Jessica is thrilled to have joined the board in 2021.
Sam Welsh
Director
Sam, she/her, is an intersectional feminist, mother, and creative. Passionate about womxn’s wellness, advocacy, and community engagement, Sam works in mental health. As a counsellor, she supports womxn across the lifespan from perinatal wellness to general stress and anxiety, helping them to thrive. With an open heart and in the spirit of reciprocity, Sam gratefully acknowledges the privilege of living, working, playing, and raising a family on Treaty 7 Territory.
When she’s not working, you can find Sam dancing and teaching at Canmore Dance Corps, volunteering for AHS, or enjoying the beauty of the Bow Valley with her busy toddler, husband, and two dogs.
Jenny Spurr
Director
An opportunity at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity brought Jenny and her family to the Bow Valley in 2014.
As a communications strategist and public relations professional, Jenny has a keen interest in storytelling, and the intersection of community and communications. She has over 12 years of experience managing communications campaigns, coordinating media events, and building community partnerships.
Jenny is a strong advocate for equity-seeking groups. Her desire to empower and support women and girls led Jenny to join the YWCA Board in 2022.
When not working, Jenny can be found hiking and mountain biking with her husband and son.
Shaping a safe and inclusive Bow Valley that empowers women and their community for a better future.
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