Diversity

The ACWS Board of Directors recognizes that diversity is essential to the health of a board, an organization and community. We value diverse ways of knowing, being and experiencing, and we commit to holding space for diverse identities in both our board composition and decision-making process. An identity survey completed in 2022 was an important first step in understanding who we are as a Board and where we need to grow. ACWS is committed to moving away from colonial and patriarchal structures. We recognize that individuals hold overlapping social identities—and we value and seek meaningful representation recognizing that no one individual should ever bear the responsibility of representing any one group of people. Members of the ACWS board bring multiple perspectives and substantive knowledge of the domestic violence sector to their roles. We will continue to hold ourselves accountable and regularly evaluate how we can better diversify our leadership and engagement with diverse communities.

Board Members, 2024-2025

President

Sandy Vander Ziel

The former Chair of The Sonshine Centre in Calgary, Sandy is also an award-winning family lawyer. She has extensive volunteer experience both with community organizations and within the legal community. Witnessing the lasting impact of domestic violence upon children, she is a passionate advocate for building greater public awareness and education. Sandy is the current Board President for ACWS.

Vice President

Jessica Chapman

Jessica is a family lawyer practicing at the Legal Aid Alberta – Family Law Office in Edmonton. She focuses on representing women impacted by domestic violence. She also practices in the area of child welfare defense. She is a member of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, and volunteers with the Canadian Bar Association – Alberta Branch.

Treasurer and Public Director

Keaton Harris

Keaton is an Accountant with AIMCo and has previous experience as an auditor with the Auditor General of Alberta. He has audited various entities such as post-secondary institutions, agencies, and government programs. He volunteers for a few organizations throughout the year including the Tax Clinic for CPA Alberta and as a general volunteer for SCARS. As a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, he hopes to help facilitate discussions through a queer lens.

Secretary

Beba Svigir

Before her retirement in 2022, Beba served as the CEO of the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA) for 17 years. Together with her team, she exponentially increased the scope, relevance and capacity of CIWA to the level of the biggest settlement agency with gender specific focus in Canada. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, along with skills and experiences in facilitation, international development education, fundraising, diversity education, leadership and not-for -profit management, and governance.

Beba has contributed her skills and knowledge through multiple collaborative initiatives and partnerships that created a positive change and community impact locally, provincially and nationally. Some of the notable engagements include: Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA), Partnership for Prosperity (P2P), National Settlement and Integration Council (NSIC), Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance (CISSA-ACSEI), Dignity Forum and Third ACTion Film Festival.

Directors

Jill Young

Jill Young is the CEO of YWCA Lethbridge & District and has led critical initiatives in support of women, youth, and families, including emergency shelters, youth housing, and violence prevention programs. Prior to her work in the social services sector, Jill held key roles in the sports, entertainment, and hospitality industries where she developed expertise in corporate leadership, event management, and community outreach.

Her combined experience in both corporate and non-profit sectors equips Jill with a unique, well-rounded approach to leadership and advocacy. Her passion for creating safer, more inclusive communities aligns perfectly with ACWS’s mission, where she now brings her expertise and vision to the provincial level, working to strengthen the network of women’s shelters and support services across Alberta.

Becky Wells

Becky Wells is the Executive Director of the Wellspring Family Resource & Crisis Centre, a position she has held since 2013. In this role, she is responsible for the daily operations, budgets, and staffing requirements to run an emergency women’s shelter for people fleeing domestic violence. She also manages the social enterprise a thrift store of the shelter, Wellspring’s Twice is Nice Prior to her position at Wellspring, Becky worked for the Northwest Central FASD Network (2012), where she worked with individuals diagnosed with FASD or in the process of the assessment of FASD, on client-based programming. Becky holds a diploma in Social Work from Red Deer College (2010).

Leslie Allen

Leslie Allen is a 35-year veteran in the not for profit sector. Hailing originally from Manitoba, Leslie has worked in the domestic violence, immigration, and disability sectors, developing teams, building capacity in various organizations and providing strong leadership to teams and Boards.

She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Manitoba and completed her MBA in Community Economic Development from Cape Breton University.

Currently, Leslie is the Executive Director at WIN House and a Mentor at Edmonton Council of Voluntary Organizations.

Christine Moore

Christine is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in finance and administration, demonstrating expertise in accounting, cash flow management, strategic planning, budgeting, and financial analysis. Throughout her career, she has excelled as a visionary and strategic leader, successfully developing and implementing strategic plans, fostering continuous improvement, and collaborating effectively with senior executives and stakeholders.

Beyond her professional achievements, Christine has a deep commitment to nonprofit work and a passion for making a positive impact in the community. Currently, she serves as the Board Chair of the Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation, actively advocating to end domestic violence and drive policy change. Additionally, she holds the position of Board President with Caregivers Alberta, where she focuses on supporting and empowering caregivers. Furthermore, Christine contributes as the Treasurer of the Edmonton John Howard Society, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing crime and providing assistance to individuals in the justice system.

Jerri Taylor

Jerri is a current Board Chair for the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter (CAWES) in Red Deer, a Fellow in the American College of Health Executive (FACHE), a Certified Member of the Canadian College of Health Leaders, and a member of the Project Management Institute. She has been Chair of the Capital Committee for CAWES during the build of their new 50-bed Emergency Shelter inclusive of 40 additional secure transitional and low-income housing for women and children. She has extensive experience in financial and project management, strategic and capital planning, and partnership contract development and management. She has over 36 years of experience in management including 6 years in small business accounting and tax preparation, and 39 years of executive management in healthcare. Building strong teams and relationships are her most rewarding accomplishments.

Public Directors

Janice Willier

Janice is from Sucker Creek First Nation in Treaty 8 territory and currently resides in Edmonton with her partner and two sons. Janice works for Indigenous Services Canada as a Program Liaison Officer, but was previously part of the Mental Wellness Unit where responsibilities included overseeing the Indian Residential School Support Program, the Elder’s Advisory Committee and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls’ Pre-inquiry process. She has always been a strong advocate for Indigenous people, particularly in the health field, and brings her expertise and knowledge to her role on the board.

Wilda Listener

Tanisi/Oki, Wilda Listener is a citizen of the Ermineskin Cree Nation. She is a mother of three and a caregiver. She has been the Dean of the School of Indigenous Social Work at the Maskwacis Cultural College for eleven years. Previous work experience includes the Ermineskin Women’s Shelter Society as a family counselor and causal on-call Crisis Intervention worker. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alberta (Augustana previously), a Bachelor of Social Work and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Calgary. My research interest are family violence, Women’s Shelter Workers, and decolonization of practice. Her belief is the role of a professional has great responsibility and influence; therefore, changes can happen by seeking knowledge and leading by heart. Her interest is to explore ways to add to the board with a different voice and to learn from the other council members.

Jennifer Kwan

Jennifer Kwan is an independent consultant specializing in project management, governance, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement. Professionally, she works extensively with Boards and organizations in the health, education, and non-profit sectors. Jennifer also volunteers on the Boards of the Citadel Theatre, and Kids Up Front Edmonton and is looking forward to her first year on the ACWS Board this year.

Board of Directors

A volunteer Board of Directors determines the strategic direction of ACWS.