With a background in content management and communications, event coordination, and public relations, Holly is excited to support RDN’s communications team. Her passion and experience advocating on behalf of displaced individuals and those experiencing homelessness, as well as for equal rights and animal welfare has equipped her with the skills and insight to shine in her current role. She excels in creating strong community and media relations, content creation and management, and dynamic campaign execution. Based in Ontario, Holly is devoted to empowering and supporting rural communities to address social issues and create effective solutions for success. When not advocating for those in need you can find her reading, horseback riding, golfing, exercising, and travelling.

Emilee joined RDN’s team as a Communications Assistant in 2022 as a co-op student from Mount Royal University in Calgary. Supporting the Marketing and Communications team, Emilee focuses on writing and editing communications materials, including website content, social media posts, news releases, and newsletters. She also assists with other Marketing initiatives such as raising brand awareness across Canada about RDN’s work and resources; in addition to supporting RDN’s other initiatives - including sustainable housing, and reaching home.

Emilee is in her final year of a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing, and minor in International Business from Mount Royal University. From her volunteer and community work is where she realized her passion for doing purposeful, impactful work. Growing up in a small rural town, she was actively involved in her community and understood the importance of rural development, and how meaningful this work truly is. 

In her spare time, Emilee enjoys reading, watching movies, socializing with friends and family, trying out new coffee shops, and taking her 2 dogs on adventures.

Jessica joined RDN as a Human Resources Assistant in 2022, working directly with the Director of Operations, supporting recruitment needs and HR policy development. Jessica grew up in Mexico and earned her Bachelor in Psychology. She moved to Canada in 2011 and lives in Ontario. Jessica is currently completing her Human Resources Management Diploma at McMaster University. In her free time, you can find Jessica ice skating or spending time with family and friends.

Robin joined RDN as a Program Coordinator with Homelessness Initiatives in 2021, working directly with Reaching Home (RH) Funding and supporting projects accessing RH funding. Robin has been working in the non-profit sector since 2009, involved in the early stages of the Housing First Program in Edmonton as part of the initial 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. In that time she has worked in areas including rental assistance subsidies, affordable housing and property management support.

Robin is passionate about connecting people to the information and support they need in order to achieve individual and collaborative success. She volunteers with her local community league and enjoys advocating for positive change through engagement with local organizations and government. She believes strongly in trauma informed, harm reduction, and community lead initiatives to be the key to creating long term positive impact. She lives in Edmonton with her family and enjoys hiking in the mountains, reading, mushroom foraging, and anything to do with Halloween.

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Bryn joined RDN in 2022 as an Executive Assistant for the Housing, Operations, Rural Immigration and Finance Directors. She was born and raised in rural Saskatchewan before moving West to pursue her post-secondary education. Bryn received her Bachelor of Commerce in Supply Chain Management from MacEwan University and her Fashion Business and Creative Arts Diploma from John Casablanca Institute in Vancouver. Her analytical and creative mindset work together perfectly to help keep the senior leaders’ schedules on track and to simplify their hectic work lives. In her free time, you can find her at the golf course or working on her latest fashion creation.

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Sean is a Research and Planning Analyst within the Sustainable Housing Initiative. Sean has a background in environmental studies and urban and regional planning with over 3 years of environmental conservation experience. Having joined our team in 2022, he is currently involved in RDN’s Enabling Housing Choice Project, a three-year research and policy project funded by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation aimed at identifying barriers to housing diversity across Alberta. He is also involved in the “The Price of Inclusion”, a research project funded by Community Housing Transformation Centre, which seeks to integrate affordable housing initiatives into the broader community.

Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from The King’s University  as well as a Masters of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Alberta. His research focused on climate adaptation for built heritage resources in coastal communities. Sean is passionate about how the adaptive reuse of buildings can provide diverse housing opportunities for residents living in rural communities. His personal interests include camping, hockey and playing music.

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Nicole is a Project Manager of Planning and Community Development within the Sustainable Housing Initiative. Nicole has a background in design and project management, with over ten years of project coordination experience. She began with the RDN as a Planning Analyst in late 2021, and has since moved to managing the Enabling Housing Choice Project, a three-year research and policy project funded by the Alberta Real Estate Foundation aimed at identifying barriers to housing diversity across Alberta.

Nicole holds an Interior Design Technology diploma as well as a Bachelor of Technology degree specializing in Project Management and Sustainability. She completed her Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Alberta in 2022.  Her research focused on the intersection of winter city design trends and their impact on social equity. Nicole is passionate about how the built environment affects social equity, and how policy shapes the experiences of folks living in rural and smaller communities. Her personal interests include hosting events and traveling to new places.

Kieran is a Research and Financial Analyst within the Sustainable Housing Initiative. Kieran has a background in economics research and quantitative analysis. He completed a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto in 2022, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Alberta in 2019. Kieran is passionate about housing’s large, intersectional impact. His ambition is to help others overcome barriers to finding affordable and appropriate housing. In his spare time, Kieran enjoys playing video games and spending time with friends and family.

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Trevor is the RDN’s Community Development Manager, and works in consultation with rural communities to identify issues and develop strategies to provide solutions involving housing. He has experience connecting non-profits with communities, and has worked with Indigenous organizations in outreach and research capacities.

Trevor is passionate about building stronger, resilient communities, and believes in working with organizations to help them realize their goals. He has experience in politics, and is an engaged member of the Métis Nation of Alberta. Trevor has completed a degree in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy from MacEwan University.

Jordyn works with Rural Development Network as a Planning and Research Analyst with the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI). Jordyn completed a Bachelor of Community Design, Honours in Urban Design & Planning with a Minor in Sociology and Social Anthropology a Dalhousie University in 2020. Jordyn is passionate about helping community members shape their communities to meet their needs and about addressing the need for affordable housing across Canada.

Jordyn currently resides in Toronto, Ontario but grew up in Rural Nova Scotia and has seen first-hand how difficult it can be to find adequate affordable housing in rural communities. In her free time, you will find Jordyn walking her two dogs and spending time with friends or family.

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Courtney works with RDN’s Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI) team as a Planning Intern to support the Project Manager in the Rural Housing Choice project. This project looks into policy changes in rural Alberta and Courtney assists in researching environmental scans, conducting surveys, and looking for potential partners. 

She is in her last year of her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Planning and minoring in Anthropology and Art & Design at the University of Alberta. In addition, she is working towards a Certificate in Sustainability. Courtney has also completed a co-op with the City of Edmonton, reviewing land use policy to approve development applications. 

Having a long background in the customer service industry, Courtney values connecting with individuals and building sincere relationships. She is passionate about the Winter City design and enjoys walking her two dogs in her free time.

Kabir works with the RDN as the Manager of Capital Funding primarily for the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI). Kabir holds a Master of Arts in Global Development Studies from Queen’s University.

Kabir has experience conducting research on affordable housing and energy efficient buildings policy frameworks positioned within and outside of Canada. He is passionate about addressing Canada’s rural housing shortage. He supports pre-development work for affordable rural housing projects through financial data analysis to determine the feasibility of meeting the needs and demands of a community. He works to expand access to sustainable housing initiatives for rural populations in Canada. His personal interests include cooking, exercising, and exploring new places.

Janise is a Project Manager, Special Projects Implementation, with the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI). She is currently managing the "Map Your Property" project with the goal of increasing affordable housing across Canada. Janise comes to RDN with 25+ years of managing communications & marketing, primarily in the non-profit sector.

Janise is committed to supporting  social "helping" agencies and volunteers with organizations such as the Red Deer Dream Centre (an addictions recovery centre for men), Dress for Success, and SPARC Red Deer. In her free time, you will find Janise power-walking, biking, x-country skiing, reading, and spending time with friends or her adult kids.

Jesse works with the Rural Development Network as a Planning and Research Analyst with the Sustainable Housing Initiative (SHI). Jesse supports pre-development planning and research work in the SHI at the RDN. Jesse completed a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Alberta in 2021, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and English in 2013. Thus far, Jesse’s research specialization has been focused on affordable housing, community demographic shifts, public transit, and social equitability. Previously, Jesse has worked as a housing caseworker for people experiencing homelessness in the Edmonton region and all across Canada in the natural resources/construction industry. His hobbies include reading, socializing, and running.

Joleen brings to RDN a passion for developing new plans and strategies to ensure smooth operations and transitions within her position as a Financial Claims Analyst. Her inspiration for working within communities in the non-profit sector comes from her young son who has behavior challenges, which continues to push Joleen to create awareness of the limitations of certain programs and streams of funding, including the advocacy potential that exists in these areas. Here at RDN, her aim is to continue to make a difference, and to be a part of a lasting impact.

In her spare time, Joleen volunteers with Infinite Woofs, a local animal rescue, is the chair of her son’s school council, and treasurer of the fundraising committee in her community to build a new playground this summer! She also adores anything Disney!

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Diahann is the Project Manager for Homelessness Integrated Solutions. She graduated from Grant MacEwan University with a Bachelor of Applied Human Services Administration and more recently obtained a Master of Leadership from the University of Guelph. Diahann has 30 years’ experience in the Human Services field which has ignited a passion for advocating and supporting those in need. Her previous experiences have given her the knowledge to create safe spaces, use a trauma informed lens and acknowledge that one’s success is an individual’s choice.

Diahann lives on Fishing Lake Metis Settlement with her family. She thrives being with her friends and family and is learning to have free time.

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Susan was hired as an Executive Assistant for RDN in 2022. She has 5 children and loves traveling with her family. When the land border first opened up they headed to Las Vegas and Disneyland. She loves exercising, especially running and love to bake cakes. Susan's passion is helping others and she is excited to work for Rural Development Network in this role.

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Emma is the Project Manager of Community Development and Homelessness Estimations. She graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Community Development and from the University of Alberta with a Master of Arts in Community Engagement. Emma’s research and work experience have focused on poverty reduction and community wellness. She is passionate about supporting rural communities in their efforts to reduce poverty and homelessness and advocate for community health and wellness. Emma is committed to applying an equity lens to her work (and life) and is always looking to meet people where they are at. In her spare time, Emma can be seen enjoying the outdoors with her dog Odie. They enjoy biking, hiking, kayaking, and backpacking together all year long!

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Kash Helstrom works with RDN’s Homelessness Initiative team as a Project Assistant. Kash has a formal fine arts/art history background but expanded into museum studies, program management, and strategic operations. In addition, she has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over five years in various capacities. She is excited to apply her passion for mental health, supporting rural communities, and providing assistance to those in need to the initiative.

Kash is active within the arts community in her spare time, exploring Alberta’s beautiful backyard and pursuing further professional development.

Elnaz works as a Program Manager for our Rural Immigration team with RDN. Her keen knowledge in Design, Social Issues, and Research helps her to develop design guidelines to enhance mental health in affordable housing. Her focus has been on creating socially sustainable communities by understanding user groups' expectations and needs.

Elnaz holds a Master of Design from the University of Alberta, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tabriz. She also has a certificate in Innovation in the Social Sector. During her time at the university, she volunteered as VP with Health and Wellness Movement Student Group, and as a Judge in the Festival of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities(FUCRA).

During her spare time, Elnaz enjoys photography, watching movies, and trying new recipes.

Elaine works as a Project Manager & Evaluations Coordinator for RDN’s Rural Immigration initiative. Her previous experience in microfinance, microentrepreneurship, and improving financial literacy for the Philippines’ rural and urban poor is an invaluable addition to the Rural Immigration team.

Elaine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Development Studies from the Ateneo de Manila University. She received the best undergraduate thesis award for her study on the impacts of micro lending to clients of a microfinance institution in Quezon City: Metro Manila’s largest city (2.1 million in 2000).

In her spare time, Elaine enjoys spending time with her family, watching shows on Netflix, and looking for new recipes to cook or bake.

Soheila is our Project Manager for the Rural Immigration team. As an experienced settlement worker, Soheila has helped families from around the world integrate into their new community and workplaces, while promoting diversity and inclusion across Northern Ontario. She is a Certified Intercultural Competency Trainer and holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa, with a minor in Social Sciences of Health.

Hayley is the Project Manager for the Shelter Pulse project. They hold a Master of Arts in Gender, Violence and Conflict from the University of Sussex and completed their undergrad in International Development and Conflict Resolution at the University of Winnipeg. Hayley has experience working with a variety of stakeholders in multicultural settings both in Canada and across this beautiful and vast world. They are passionate about creating evidence-based and trauma-informed policies, practices and programs for addressing gender-based violence.

Hayley is a dog mom, coffee lover and enjoys getting lost in a good book. You can often find them spending time with their dogs, at the park with their nephews and staying up way too late playing board games with friends. In the winter you will find them at the curling rink or arena playing ringette. In the summer they enjoy spending time at their family cabin and going outdoors as much as possible.

Erin is RDN’s Evaluation & Project Assistant for the ABCD Initiative. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) with a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Lethbridge. Her great passion is supporting and working with those who live with dementia and their caregivers, previously working in long term care and day program settings. She is excited to continue in this work in a new setting.  

Erin grew up on a small farm just southeast of Edmonton and continues to farm with her husband. She enjoys spending time with family and friends. Erin is also known to hit the roller derby track and a few players in her spare time.

Breanne joined the RDN’s Health and Wellness Initiative in 2022, working as the Project Assistant for the National Coordinated Access project. Breanne is based in Ontario and she holds a BA in Psychology (McMaster University), a Bachelor of Social Work (McMaster University), and a Master of Social Work (Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly Ryerson University). Breanne has experience in the non-profit sector in various roles, and has a passion for research and community development. She is committed to working towards systemic change and applying an equity lens to her work. In her spare time, Breanne enjoys reading, exploring local hiking trails, and spending time with family and friends.

Mary is the project manager of the Awareness Builds Connection in Dementia Friendly Communities (ABCD) project and the Olds Alberta Age-Friendly You Know Me campaign. She graduated from MacEwan University’s Social Work program and is currently working toward her Bachelor of Professional Arts (Human Services) at Athabasca University. Mary is passionate about supporting rural communities in becoming dementia-inclusive and age-friendly.  

Mary has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over ten years and is experienced in program development, community engagement, dementia inclusivity, gender-based violence issues, crisis intervention, and 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy. Guided by a strength-based, anti-oppressive perspective, she strives to analyze societal issues through the lens of how social identities and systems intersect. Mary volunteers with a local diversity committee and with a national organization focused on supporting those who have experienced domestic and economic abuse. Her spare time is mostly focused on spending time with her spouse, three dogs, and ten fish.

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Emily is the Coordinator for the National Coordinated Access project within the Health and Wellness Initiative. Born in Alberta and based in Ontario, she holds an MA in Gender Studies (Queen’s University), Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (University of Alberta), and a Certificate in Scottish Criminal Law and Procedure (City of Glasgow College). She’s committed to exploring symptoms of systemic inequities, including homelessness, as public health issues and reducing barriers to accessing social services. In her spare time, Emily enjoys hanging out with her partner and rambunctious cat, reading mystery novels, and visiting family across Canada and Scotland.

Champion male traditional dancer hailing from the east coast, Emele is a member of the Mi'kMaq peoples of Chapel Island Potlotek. He comes from the Moose clan of Marshall’s that gave him his love of the Mowi’omi or pow-wow that shaped his culture and world views. Emele has been an Indigenous ambassador since the age 7- knowing his mission at the age of 5 - making him the ultimate fit for his role as Indigenous Liaison where he will be informing RDN on the history and narrative of Indigenous peoples, and relating this to our work.

With his degree in Child & Youth Care from Grant Macewan University, Emele developed his strength based developmental approach to people. The theoretical developmental knowledge gained, informed a more in depth understanding of barriers inhibiting Indiginous peoples through intergenerational trauma. Emele aspires to connect the stories of Indigenous peoples to the actions we take, and hopes to create healing within communities, and to share this narrative.

Emele enjoys narrative based role playing games such as D&D for their therapeutic benefits, and cooking for friends & family with his 10+ years experience as a professional cook. His favorite meals to cook include: pasta, homemade ravioli and focaccia bread with jalapeno.

Emika works as an Evaluation and Project Assistant for the Awareness Builds Connection In Dementia Friendly Communities project with RDN. She is excited to be a part of this project in addressing the stigma and raising awareness of dementia in rural communities. Emika recently moved to Edmonton from Vancouver, and she is currently completing her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University, where she became passionate about addressing health inequities, taking a holistic approach to health, and exploring health policies and their impacts. In her spare time, Emika enjoys hiking, camping, going to the gym, and skiing/snowboarding.

Justin works as a Project Assistant for the Health and Wellness portfolio at RDN. He’s involved in many projects for various initiatives performing tasks like report writing and proof-reading, policy development, data analysis and visualization, and much more! Justin has lived most of his life in rural Alberta but currently lives in Edmonton. He also lived in Germany for 2 years. Justin earned a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Alberta, in addition to a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies from the Peter Lougheed Leadership College. During COVID, he attended a Junior Data Analyst Program from NPower Canada where he learned how to utilize Python, SQL, and other tools to perform data analysis and work as a Data Analyst. He earned an IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate and a Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certificate. Justin also has a background in community organizing, equity advocacy, and event organization. In his spare time, Justin enjoys volunteering, playing video games, spending quality time with his rabbit, and watching horror movies.

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Sarah is the Project Coordinator for the Shelter Pulse Project. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from MacEwan University. She has a passion for environmental conservation and all things social and environmentally sustainable. Sarah has been with RDN since 2020, transitioning from administrative, part-time roles to a full time member of the team after completing her degree.

Sarah is an animal lover and bird fanatic who can tell you everything you need to know about Canadian bird species! In her spare time she loves to cross-stitch, play video games, and spend time in the river valley with her dog.

Taylor works with the Rural Development Network as a Project Manager for the Indigenous Data Collection. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Concordia University of Edmonton. She is a Indigenous-Cree woman from Treaty 6 territory. Taylor is very passionate about working with Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous communities, and youth.

In her spare time, Taylor enjoys spending time with her family, and taking spontaneous road trips to explore new places. During her time with RDN, she hopes to decolonize and transform Indigenous Homelessness.

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Wendy joined the RDN’s Health and Wellness Initiative in 2022 working as the Project Assistant of the Awareness Builds Connection in Dementia Friendly Communities (ABCD) Initiative. Wendy is based in Ontario and holds a Diploma in Laboratory Technology from Toronto and is working towards graduating as a Social Service Worker from Mohawk College in Hamilton.  She has over 8 years of experience in the non-profit sector working as a Coordinator and Case Manager providing advocacy for access to services needed in the community for clients. Wendy is very passionate about supporting and working closely with those who live with dementia and their caregivers. In her spare time, Wendy enjoys camping, volunteering at the local animal shelter, and researching global health policies.

Conner is the Program Manager of the Agri-Food Initiative with RDN. She began her studies in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Alberta and switched lanes to Agricultural Business Management after realizing that food starts from the ground up. She is passionate about empowering food producers and entrepreneurs to strengthen the Agri-Food Sector in Canada.

Conner is originally from Edmonton, Alberta and is currently living in Revelstoke, BC. She is passionate about community involvement and volunteers for the Revelstoke Local Food Initiative, the community gardens, and a number of arts and culture events. In her spare time, Conner enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and gardening in her mountain town.

Shelly Borg is currently working as the Rural Revitalization Coordinator for RDN and the Township of Hornepayne. She is excited to be a part of this project in addressing building new community infrastructure, revitalize existing assets, create jobs and strengthen local economies. Growing up in a small remote rural community one thing that she passionate about is generating insights on how communities can improve. This is why she enjoys working in revitalization, it allows her to blend personal interests and passions with her career. “I’m spending my time working on helping people with something that’s important, and that motivates me to do great work.” In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, she also enjoys a good Netflix binge but can also be found exploring the great outdoors.

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Kateryna works with the Rural Development Network as an Event Coordinator with the Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (WIL).

Kateryna grew up in Ukraine where she earned her Bachelor's in Event Management. She moved to Canada in 2021 to get a Post Graduate Certificate in Project Management at St. Lawrence College. From her volunteer work at various events and membership at Ukrainian non-for-profit organizations for active youth, she realized her passion for organizing various events. In her free time, you can find Kateryna doing yoga, reading, watching TV shows or spending time with her friends.

Daniela is the Project Manager of the Work-Integrated Learning Initiative with RDN. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts (Distinction) in Anthropology and is passionate about human history and culture. Daniela is a champion of volunteerism and how it enhances community. She’s excited to lead this new project, raise awareness of the benefits for work integrated learning, and connect post-secondary students to opportunities across Canada.  

Daniela volunteers as an online anthropology tutor and historical document transcriber.  Her volunteer and professional interests allow her to continue a love of life-long learning and community engagement. In her personal life, Daniela enjoys sorting people into their Hogwarts houses, writing short stories, and experimenting with recipes.

Working as an intern with RDN through the Mitacs Accelerate program, Julia assists on a collaborative project between RDN and the University of Alberta, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a Certificate in International Learning and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Studies.

Although her main focus is research into rural broadband connectivity, she looks forward to opportunities to learn more about other RDN initiatives and projects and to work cooperatively with other project teams. In her free time she enjoys drawing, cooking and baking, and trying to grow houseplants from kitchen scraps.

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