OUR TEAM
Our Board
Karen Lynch, Chair
Karen is a respected community and civic leader. Karen’s forte is creating and nurturing networks of people. Graduating with a degree in Economics, she served in senior positions in communications before following her passion for community volunteerism and political engagement. In 2012, Karen received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her dedication to non-profit sector leadership.
Barrett Westerlund, Vice Chair
Barrett is the co-parent of a child with a developmental disability who accessed our program support early in his life. Now 16 years old and in grade 11, he’s positively thriving at home, at school, and elsewhere in the community. Board leadership provides an opportunity to both celebrate Jake’s belonging and support other families similarly realize their “best selves” unique to their life journey, for none are alone on this walk taken together.
Debbie Couch, Treasurer
Debbie Couch is foremost a people person. Debbie has applied her professional accounting designation across numerous industries to arrive in an HR Director of Pension and Benefits role where she created an innovative pension plan that garnered corporate accolades, and national interest. She has volunteered her expertise for nearly 24 years with corporate, not-profit and humanitarian boards.
Sandy Thompson-Hodgetts, Secretary
Sandy is an associate professor, an occupational therapist, and director of the Supporting Kids Inclusion and Participation Lab in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. She has a long-term interest in the wellbeing and inclusion of children who experience disability and their families, including participation in their communities. Sandy has heard accolades of GRIT and is delighted to be engaged with the board.
Jane Reid, Director
Jane is a Senior Organizational Change Management and Communications professional with 25+ years of experience. She has worked with both public and private sector organizations at the executive, director, and manager level, developing and implementing change management and communications strategies.
Andy Akle, Director
Andy is and has always had the entrepreneurial spirit. Andy’s current role is a Certified Financial Planner with IG Wealth Management. Andy is married with three children, one of whom was a part of our program. Giving back to the community is a guiding principle that Andy leans on.
Shelby Engelking, Director
Shelby is a HR Coordinator at Sherritt International. She was introduced to us in 2021 through the Leadership Certificate Program at the Alberta School of Business. During her time on the board, Shelby was a Student Director and served as a member of the Executive Director Evaluations Committee. Shelby has always had a passion for diversity and inclusion, and she is delighted to be serving on the board.
Kaiser Bhat, Director
Kaiser is a dedicated advocate for inclusive workplaces and a committed educator, bringing over a decade of experience in education and support for diverse learners. Currently in his role as an Operations Manager and Job Coach at Technology North, he works closely with individuals on the autism spectrum, overseeing digital services teams and providing tailored support to enhance productivity and integration within professional roles. With a Master's in TESOL and a Cambridge CELTA certification, his background in language teaching spans several countries and diverse student populations, which has equipped him with a nuanced understanding of effective communication and inclusive learning environments.
Freddie Martinez, Director
Freddie is the Director of Information Systems and CI&TO with Morgan Construction and Environmental. Freddie is a visionary and success-driven Senior Executive offering 20+ years of experience in transformational leadership, enterprise architecture, business transformation, and business continuity. Freddie is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Woman Building Futures and has served on multiple boards such as the National CIO Association, CIO Association Edmonton Chapter, Canadian Cloud Council, Senior Assisted Transportation Servers (SATS), and LIFT Drive Happiness.
Zohair Badami, Graduate Student Intern
Zohair is a public health professional with a background in dentistry and a strong commitment to promoting health equity. He is currently pursuing his Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of Alberta, where he focuses on developing health promotion strategies, epidemiology, and biostatistics that address both individual and community well-being. His current work includes projects on early childhood caries prevention and aging in place for seniors. Zohair has also worked with Population Services International (PSI), where he contributed to health promotion and outreach initiatives.
Sheila Harrison, Director
Sheila Harrison is an accomplished executive leader with over 20 years of diverse experience spanning government, non-profit, and industry sectors. She is well known for her strategic and creative vision and effective leadership. Sheila has driven transformative initiatives that foster organizational growth and high-performing teams. Her expertise encompasses strategic planning, policy development, project management, governance and community development.
Ed Wong, Director
Ed and his two teenage daughters are proudly Edmonton born and raised. A passion of Ed’s is his love of sport and the life values it instills. Ed is a firm believer that the mentorship of competitive youth athletics helps prepare our next generation's foundations and builds stronger communities. Ed dedicates his time serving various charitable and professional organizations in voluntary capacities. Ed has accumulated over 30 years of experience mostly in the financial sector, distinguished by a broad and diverse range of director and leadership roles as a strategic change enabler and builder of both businesses and teams. His career has spanned expertise in hospitality, finance, retail distribution, corporate projects, and wealth management. Ed maintains several investment management designations and has a University of Alberta Economics degree.
Dr. Joni Turville, Director
An award-winning teacher and scholar, Joni now dedicates her expertise to consulting, coaching, university instructing, and guiding forest bathing experiences. Her passion has always been helping others learn, grow, and thrive. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating inclusive spaces and fostering success for all. With decades of experience on both non-profit and for-profit boards—as a staff member collaborating with boards of governors and as a board member herself—Joni is excited to support our program.
Our Leadership
Amber Mack, CEO
Amber is a Speech-Language Pathologist by training and has spent the last 10 years in progressive leadership positions in the health and human services sectors. Working across rural, urban, and community settings, Amber is tireless in supporting systems to work together to improve family experiences and child outcomes. With a deep commitment to building equitable environments for children with disabilities, Amber is heartened to return to Kids Included in this leadership role to continue the necessary work of building inclusive communities.
Candice Quinlan, Director of Programs
With over 20 years of experience supporting children with disabilities and their families, Candice Quinlan leads our operations with a strong belief in family-centered, inclusive programming. As a long time advocate for meaningful inclusion, Candice is passionate about guiding teams to build on the strengths of families and educators so all children can thrive in natural settings. She believes that inclusion is not one-size-fits-all—and that every child has the right to reach their fullest potential through play, everyday routines, and supportive relationships. Candice is committed to upholding our mission and values through collaborative leadership and continuous learning.
Christina Cameron, HR Manager
Christina Cameron, B.A, CPHR Member, is a Human Resources Professional with over 20 years of experience in leading HR initiatives and driving organizational success. As the HR Manager with Kids Included, Christina is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that is equitable and celebrates each person’s strengths and abilities. She is passionate about continuous improvement and making our organization an employer of choice, recognizing that our greatest asset is our people. Through collaborative conversations, respect, celebrating diversity and inclusivity, people and ideas will evolve and grow.
Janice Comrie, Manager, ICC
Janice Comrie, B.Ed., M.Ed., has more than 30 years of experience as an early childhood educator, collaborator, leader and advocate in Alberta. Her passion for quality, inclusive and play-based environments began early in her work as a Kindergarten teacher. Her journey of learning continued in her educational and professional pursuits, including roles as a consultant and district administrator and in her current position as the Inclusive Child Care Manager at Kids Included. Janice’s mantra is: educate and advocate.
Jackie Cromie, Finance Manager
Jackie Cromie has worked in non-profits for over 30 years in a variety of finance roles, and became our Finance Manager in 2017. She is passionate about equity and inclusion for all, contributing to our mission by ensuring we stay financially responsible, stable, and sustainable. Seeing how Kids Included changes the lives of children, families, and communities keeps Jackie excited about her work.
Marilyn Armstrong, Manager, ASaP
Marilyn Armstrong, BHSA, ECD Diploma, has worked with young children and their families in a variety of settings for over 30 years. Marilyn believes strongly in children’s right to participate and play in high-quality, inclusive early learning environments that are responsive to families’ unique needs. Marilyn manages our new project, Connecting Canada, which supports leadership for early childhood learning and care and cultivating inclusive practices in early
learning settings across Canada. As a leader for the Connecting Canada project, Marilyn inspires her teams to drive results and deliver impactful resources and programming for children and their families.
Twyla Bruce, Manager, ECS & FSCD
Twyla Bruce, B.Ed., has worked for Kids Included for over 30 years. Having held various positions throughout her time within the organization, she is committed to our core values which are evident in the work she does. She has a strong sense of community, enjoys new learning, is passionate about inclusive living and believes that families are the key to working together in a team. As our Early Childhood Services Manager, her passion is evident in her work and how she inspires her teams. Twyla is a firm believer that all children are capable learners. Working together as a team to support the families and children she works with is something she is dedicated and committed to cultivating.
Stephanie Jones, Office Manager
Stephanie Jones is a laser-focused, innovative, and collaborative office manager who brings more than 25 years of experience to her role. She holds credentials in web application development, CSS/HTML, and early childhood development. As a talented problem solver and trusted “go to” person, with a penchant for quality and detail, Stephanie goes the extra mile in keeping our office and technology systems running smoothly so we can meet our objectives.
Emily Keating, Communications Manager
Emily Keating started her communications career at YESS, where she worked to raise awareness and support for youth affected by homelessness, intergenerational trauma and other significant challenges including various forms of disability. She has spent the last five years as an award-winning strategist and writer for a local communications agency that specializes in public sector and government-related work. In her spare time, she advocates for equity and inclusion by delivering introductory workshops on autism and neurodiversity to postsecondary students, community groups, and employers.