Willing Hearts International Society – Canada

· WHISCA Board of Directors elected at the June AGM

KHAYANGA JENIPHER WASIKE
PRESIDENT,
FOUNDER OF LCRC

Khayanga Jenipher Wasike was born and raised in Musembe village, Lugari district, Western Province, Kenya. Khayanga holds a B. Ed. from Nairobi University, Teaching Certificates from Kenyatta University and Kericho Teachers College, a Masters of Social Work (MSW) and a Diploma in counselling from the University of British Columbia.

Ms Wasike has worked in various capacities in the field of education: teacher and administrator, at both elementary and high school, and in many countries: Kenya, China, Japan, and Canada. She has extensive experience in Program development, training, facilitation and outreach; vast knowledge in community health and development.

Ms Wasike currently works as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator / Family group Conference Coordinator for an Aboriginal agency in British Columbia. Negotiating and mediating solutions to disputes within families, between families and government Ministries on the welfare of their children including developing cultural sensitive programs on traditional and contemporary approach to healthy family environments and networks.

She is the founder of the Lugari Community Resource Centre (LCRC) in her native village.

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GAIL MCINTOSH
Vice President

Gail McIntosh has a B.A in Geography from the University of Victoria, a professional teaching certificate (PDP) from Simon Fraser University and a Masters in Education and Technology from Simon Fraser University. Her thesis research focused on the principles of passion in teaching. Her training also included the use of technology in the classroom.

Ms. McIntosh has worked as a geography and International Baccalaureate teacher for over 10 years at West Vancouver Secondary School where she has been the sponsor teacher for the junior Willing Hearts Club for three years. The club has raised well over four thousand dollars for Willing Hearts.

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JENNIFER WESMAN
Secretary, Founding member of LCRC

Jennifer Wesman holds an MA in Professional Communications with Specialization in Intercultural and International Communications from Royal Roads University; and BA from Simon Fraser University.

With over ten years experience in community development, program coordination, and communications, Ms. Wesman is a leader in Literacy, Health, and Education. She has developed innovative programs for inner city youth, immigrants, refugee women, and volunteers.

Ms. Wesman has left footprints in Africa, China, Ukraine, Russia--and dozens of other countries worldwide. In 2009 she was chosen as a Canadian Ambassador for Rotary in Tanzania, and is an honorary member of Vancouver Quadra Rotary.

Ms. Wesman works as a Community Developer and Program Manager at a Neighbourhood House in Vancouver, and teaches academic culture and communication at Simon Fraser University. Ms. Wesman’s volunteer profile includes: tutoring, fundraising, facilitating ecological tours, and coordinating multicultural events. She currently volunteers as a facilitator and Peer Coach at Patient Voices Network (PVN), and was recently involved in organizing International Mother Language Day in Vancouver. Ms. Wesman also does communications work for the Board of Directors at REACH Community Health Centre.

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SHANNON THOMPSON
Treasurer

Shannon Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) from Trent University and Public Relations Associate Certificate and Marketing Communications Associate Certificate from BCIT.

After university Shannon pursued a career in marketing and communications and joined CMA Canada - British Columbia as Marketing Coordinator.

She has since taken on the role of Senior Manager, Marketing. In this role Shannon is oversees CMA BC’s recruitment and marketing initiatives throughout British Columbia. Shannon is extremely committed to volunteering for causes that are important to her. For the last five years Shannon has been an active member of the Volunteer Team at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

She volunteers as a Family Volunteer, spending time with children and their families, in addition to being a member of the Volunteer Leadership Team and a member of the Canuck Place Community Ambassador Team. On an international volunteer level, in 2009, Shannon participated in an international exchange program (Group Study Exchange) with Rotary International. Upon her arrival back to Vancouver Shannon was trained as a Speakers Bureau Volunteer with UNICEF Canada, raising awareness of international development issues and UNICEF’s work with the world’s children. Shannon is now working towards a designation in accounting and business management.

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ROS SALVADOR
Director at Large

Ros Salvador was born and raised in Ottawa and moved to BC in 1997.

Ms. Salvador has been a lawyer for seven years. She has worked at the BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre (“BCPIAC”) since 2006 practicing in the areas of administrative law and social justice, primarily working on cases that challenge systemic practices, most often by government, that perpetuate systemic disadvantaging, including poor bashing, racism, ableism, and the feminization of poverty.

Ms.Salvador is currently representing about thirty tree planters who were racially, physically, and economically abused by their employer. Most of these clients came to Canada as refugees from Africa and have language barriers that made it difficult to enforce their rights. Ms.Salvador has been a member of WHISCA and attended many of the fundraising events for the Lugari project.

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