Staff & Board
Meet our team! We’re passionate about supporting the nonprofit sector, the individuals, and the organizations in it. Our small but mighty staff has a solid depth and breadth of experience in the nonprofit sector and beyond. Get to know a little about us here – better yet, send us an email or give us a call. We look forward to meeting you!
Photo by Kelly Hofer
Alexa Briggs
Executive Vice President, Policy, Insight & Engagement
Alexa has a strong professional background as a researcher and writer, combined with extensive experience working for nonprofit organizations in managerial and leadership experience positions. Her work in policy analysis and research was enhanced at Vibrant Communities Calgary, where she served as Associate Director of Strategy and Research. Alexa holds a B.A. in Sociology with High Honours and an Interdisciplinary M.A, both from the University of Saskatchewan. Her professional experience includes numerous publications and conference presentations as well as service on nonprofit Boards.
abriggs@thenonprofitchamber.org
Scott Clements
Director, Finance & Organizational Effectiveness
Scott Clements is a strategic and operational leader with experience helping organizations strengthen their systems and achieve their goals. Most recently an Associate with Arete Initiative, he supported strategy and social innovation projects through research, project management, and thoughtful analysis. Previously, as VP of Operations at reBox, he oversaw financial operations, managed accounts and projects, and contributed to the creative process. Scott holds a Bachelor of Business Management from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
sclements@thenonprofitchamber.org
Angie Gélinas
President & CEO
Angie brings a career shaped by big system projects, public service leadership, and community building. Before joining the Chamber, she led major initiatives with the Calgary Stampede and Stampede Foundation and served as Deputy Minister in the Government of Saskatchewan. Across all these roles, her focus has been consistent: creating the conditions for others to thrive.
At the Chamber, Angie is driving a strategy to ensure nonprofits are seen, heard, and strengthened, from workforce resilience and data infrastructure to advocacy that removes barriers and opens doors.
She believes nonprofits aren’t just service providers; they’re indispensable infrastructure for Alberta’s communities.
When she’s not in boardrooms or briefing rooms, you’ll likely find her on the pickleball court or recharging outdoors.
agelinas@thenonprofitchamber.org | 403 589-8981
Photo by Melanie Gauer
Celia enjoys the challenge of turning complex ideas into clear, usable insights. Drawing on research, community experience, and subject-matter expertise, she leads projects from concept to action to inform policy, shape budgets, prototype ideas, or lay the groundwork for capital projects. She works across worlds that don’t always speak the same language, translating evidence and lived experience to support shared, equity-centred solutions. Her work includes spearheading child-centred street design projects, developing a made-in-Alberta approach to codesigning healthier neighbourhoods, and leading research that advances the policy priorities of Alberta’s nonprofits.
clee@thenonprofitchamber.org
Director, Policy & Insight
Celia Lee
Photo by Kristen Holm
Taylor Rhodes
Taylor is an experienced Events & Projects professional, with an extensive background in Sport and Recreation planning and logistics. After starting her career as a Recreation Therapist, Taylor moved into Events & Projects planning and spent the last four years working on multiple challenging and fascinating nonprofit events. She is particularly passionate about the importance of having many forms of social support available to everyone in the community. Taylor keeps busy outside of work by doing stand-up paddle boarding, playing hockey, and going for long dog-park walks.
trhodes@thenonprofitchamber.org | 403-910-5877
Manager, Administration
Sophie Stone
Policy Analyst
Sophie is a recent University of Calgary graduate, with a B.A in Political Science. She most recently worked in communications and media relations in the Mayor's Office in Calgary, building on an academic background grounded in understanding how systems of government intersect with social structures. Her university research was recognized for its analysis on the politics, policies, and practice of social justice. Now, in her role as a Policy Analyst, Sophie brings that same curiosity and passion into advancing the Nonprofit Chamber's sector monitoring and insights.
sstone@thenonprofitchamber.org
Board of Directors
Bjorn Johansson
Bjorn Johansson is the Chief Executive Officer of Wood’s Homes, a nationally recognized and accredited mental health agency based in Calgary, AB. He started with Wood’s Homes in 1992 as a Youth and Family Counsellor, eventually becoming CEO in May 2020.
Bjorn’s progress through increasingly senior leadership positions included Program Manager, Associate Director, and Director of Programs and Research. Considered a leader in the field of mental health, Bjorn is widely recognized as someone who believes every child, young person, and family deserves an advocate. He is also a leader in improving and enhancing staff safety across our child and family serving sector in Alberta.
Proud to be a social worker, Bjorn received two degrees from the University of Calgary, and is an Ethics Investigator with the Alberta College of Social Workers.
Bjorn contributes his time and expertise to several industry and community organizations.
Board Chair
Photo by Kelly Hofer
Greg Juliano
Greg is the Chief Human Resource Officer for the City of Calgary. He is a practicing lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience, called to the bar in both Alberta and Manitoba. Greg has spent most of his career leading the legal and human resource functions at large post-secondary institutions. He has used these forums to advocate for the fair treatment of employees, equity, diversity and human rights. Throughout his career, Greg has been heavily involved in supporting the work of charitable organizations. He has volunteered extensively with groups dedicated to environmental, habitat preservation, wildlife and animal related causes. He has also provided pro-bono legal advice in support the healthcare, disability, childcare and educational sectors. Greg, along with his wife and three children, are relatively new to the Calgary community, having moved from Manitoba in early 2019. They are enjoying the strong sense of community in the city, and taking advantage of opportunities for an outdoor lifestyle.
Past Board Chair
Jerilynn is the Regional Director, Community Marketing and Citizenship for RBC, Alberta and Territories, a position she has held since 2011. In 2006 after more than 12 years in not-for-profit working in roles ranging from front line support to Director of Fund Development and Communications, Jerilynn made the move back to the corporate world. She now works at her dream job, fulfilling her love of community with the desire to work in a corporate environment. Jerilynn is responsible for Community Investments, Sponsorships and Marketing for RBC in Alberta and Territories. A passionate community supporter, in addition to the Board of the Nonprofit Chamber, Jerilynn is a member of the advisory council for the Haskayne School of Business and a new volunteer with Dreams Take Flight.
A graduate of the University of Calgary, Jerilynn has been fortunate to have worked her entire career in Calgary. In 2010, Jerilynn was the recipient of the Hazel Gillespie Community Investment Leadership Award, the first Community Investment professional to receive the award after Hazel herself. In 2012 she received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in community locally and internationally. She resides in Cochrane with her husband and two teenage children and loves to cook and travel.
Jerilynn Daniels
Board Secretary
Lisa Amonson
Board Director
Lisa has over 30 years of experience in a variety of accounting roles in the oil and gas industry, with increasing responsibility and leadership positions. Lisa enjoys bringing a collaborative and innovative energy to both her professional role and as a volunteer with two local charities. Lisa is passionate about supporting charities and contributes time and money to both local and international not-for-profit organizations. Lisa is an advocate of lifelong learning and has recently completed a Master of Arts in Leadership degree from Royal Roads University and is currently enrolled in a professional coach certification program.
Board Director
Christi Cruz
Christi is an internationally recognized respectful disrupter. She recently retired from a job she loved helping TELUS - a global communication technology and integrated healthcare company - address some of the world’s most pressing social issues. Her most recent TELUS adventure included creating a Center of Excellence in Government Subsidies for the wireless technology team where she secured more than $250M in technology grants bringing connectivity to 39 underserved rural and Indigenous communities in Canada and setting the groundwork for the TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund. For the past 25+ years, she successfully developed and executed award-winning programs and led TELUS to become an internationally recognized leader in corporate social responsibility.
Her desire to make systemic change in the social sector is parallel to her passion for learning and sharing her experience with others. Christi presents at conferences and regularly consults to the social sector on program development, community investment, cause marketing and sponsorships. She earned a Master of Education from the University of Western Australia, an Advanced Certificate in Corporate Citizenship from Boston College and she was one of two community investment leaders selected to represent Canada at Boston College’s inaugural Leadership Academy.
Margaret is a Manager Consultant at Deloitte’s Human Capital Practice, where she works with organizations to transform their HR function and services, develop Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Frameworks, and implement HR Technology, thereby enhancing the employee experience. Prior to working in Consulting, she worked as a HR professional for over 13 years, building her expertise working in Africa, Europe, and Canada, and has also worked as an Instructor for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), School of Business. She holds a Master’s in Human Resources Management from the University of Hertfordshire, and a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from the University of Lagos.
Her professional and personal journey has also allowed her to pursue volunteering opportunities with SAIT’s School of Business Mentoring Program, the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, and other community outreach programs focused on coaching and mentoring young adults, professionals, and newly immigrated women. Margaret is looking forward to the opportunity to continue to be involved in supporting the work of charitable organizations.
Board Director
Margaret Durojaiye
James Gottselig
Board Director
James Gottsellg, CA, is the Senior Partner of CompassTAX LLP, a Chartered Professional Accountancy office providing cross-border tax compliance and planning. He is both a Canadian and US CPA with 33 years of experience in accounting and tax and is considered a practical problem solver in the cross-border tax world. Prior to joining CompassTAX in 2008, James worked with a Big 4 accounting firm, an independent accounting firm and was a feature film producer. James has been a long-time volunteer director with nonprofits in Calgary serving on the boards of nonprofits as diverse as Trout Unlimited Canada and One Yellow Rabbit Theatre Association. His experience with national and local nonprofits has given him insight into a wide variety of issues facing nonprofits. Making Calgary his home after convocation from the University of Saskatchewan in 1986, James has strived to support his community through both his professional and personal endeavours.
Christine Mciver
Board Director
As Founder and CEO (ret’d) of the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta, Christine McIver M.S.M., LLD (Hon), CFRE was responsible for the leadership, management and growth of the foundation over an expanse of more than 30 years. She is the past president of Childhood Cancer Canada and served for 12 years as the secretary-general of Childhood Cancer International. Christine continues to serve in an advisory capacity on several boards and committees devoted to childhood cancer and other charitable organizations.
Recognized by the Governments of Canada and Alberta with a Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal and an Alberta Centennial Medal, Christine was also recognized in 2016 with an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Calgary. She is a recipient of a prestigious Canadian Hadassah-WIZO Woman of Achievement Award and was one of 10 Canadians chosen in 2002 to be on the Maclean’s Honour Roll. Christine has received a YWCA/Global TV Woman of Vision Award, a Reader's Digest Canadian Hero of the Year Award and a Today’s Parent For Kids’ Sake Award. In 2020, she was awarded the Spirit of COCA Award from the Children’s Oncology Camp Association International. In the Fall of 2022, she was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal from Premier Jason Kenney. In 2023, she received a Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International and in 2024 was awarded a Melvin Jones Fellow from Lions Clubs International.
Brian Milne practices in the areas of Canadian tax and charities law. He regularly advices public and private businesses, investors and lenders on a wide range of corporate tax matters, including planning related to acquisitions, financing, and cross-border structuring, as well as the resolution of disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency. Brian also devotes a portion of his practice to advising charitable and non-profit organizations and foundations on matters such as governance, charitable giving and the structuring of social enterprises.
Brian presently serves on the boards and committees of several charities and has previously served as president of the Canadian Petroleum Tax Society and chair of the Taxation Section of the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta-South). In addition, Brian spent a number of years as the president of both the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival and Calgary’s oldest artist-run gallery space, The New Gallery, and was formerly the chair of the community radio station CJSW 90.9 FM, where he hosted a weekly radio show for many years.
Board Director
Brian Milne
Esmahan Razavi
Esmahan is a seasoned political and communications professional. She is passionate about volunteering for good causes and serves on a number of local and national boards. She also co-founded two non-profits, Ask Her YYC and Ahlain. For her work on gender equity in politics, Esmahan has won several awards and distinctions.
Board Director
JS Ryu
Board Director
JS Ryu is a nonprofit executive based in Calgary. Since 2017, he has been the founding President and CEO of the National accessArts Centre (NaAC), Canada’s largest disability arts organization. Previous roles include: Director, External and Community Relations at the Banff Centre; Director, Public Affairs for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind; Senior Consultant with the Alberta Medical Association; and Principal Speechwriter to His Excellency Kaoru Ishikawa, Ambassador of Japan. JS has served on a number of boards, including the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation, the Banff Heritage Corporation, the Health Coalition of Alberta, and Creative Calgary. He was named Top 40 Under 40 in 2019 by Avenue Calgary, and in 2017, he was appointed one of five Young Cultural Innovators from Canada by the Salzburg Global Seminar.
Chris George
Board Director
Chris George is the President & CEO of Alberta Ballet, one of Canada’s foremost arts institutions, and has also served as Managing Director of Alberta Ballet School, which he helped transform into an international private boarding school in 2011. He brings more than twenty years of leadership across the performing arts, education, and community development. Earlier in his career, Chris spent six years with the Canadian Red Cross, progressing from contract positions to Manager of Community Programs and Organizational Capacity Building, with work spanning community development, disaster services, and child abuse prevention. At Alberta Ballet, he has led strategies in education, outreach, and financial sustainability while advancing inclusive access to dance across Alberta. He believes the arts can be a proven delivery mechanism for the social determinants of health and is committed to removing geographic, financial, and cultural barriers so people who might otherwise be excluded can access those benefits.
Danisha Bhaloo-Shivji
Board Director
With over 20 years of professional experience in the social impact sector, Danisha has delivered successful outcomes in service delivery, public relations, communications, volunteer recruitment and fund development. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and works at United Way of Calgary and Area as the Manager of Engagement and Affinity Groups. She currently sits as a National Board Member for Imagine Canada and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, and is Vice-President of the Friends of the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.
Some of her past community engagement roles include being the Chair of the Social Wellbeing Advisory Committee for the City of Calgary, Senator of the University of Alberta, Co-Chair for Women United for United Way of Alberta Capital Region, and Board Member for United Way Centraide Canada.
Danisha has been recognized for her contributions to the community by the United Way of Alberta Capital Region's George Letki Outstanding Volunteer Award, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Future of Good as a Young Impact Leader, the Government of Alberta Stars of Alberta Award, the University of Alberta Alumni Award, Edify Edmonton’s Top 40 under 40, Edmontonians' Magazine’s Sizzling 20 under 30, and Correctional Services of Canada.
Danisha’s most important role is Chief Mom Officer and reports to two little ones, her 5 year old fierce daughter and 2 year old feminist son.
Laura Istead
Board Director
Laura Istead (she/her) is the Executive Director of Two Wheel View, a transformative charity based in Calgary. They use bicycles to empower young people as they build life, leadership and employability skills. She has devoted 15 years to expanding the organization's impact. Laura holds an MA in Environmental Education & Communications from Royal Roads University with certificates in PR, Social Media, and Leadership from Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary. Beyond her role at TWV, Laura is the founder of the Social Sector Club (SSC), a movement that aims to bring non-profit professionals together to share ideas, seek support and celebrate each other. The SSC creates spaces for connection, collaboration, professional growth and fun. In a world where non-profit work can often feel isolating and overwhelming, we believe in the power of community to uplift, inspire, and sustain the individuals and teams behind the mission.
Laura is passionate about creativity and storytelling and spends her free time volunteering, writing, gardening, baking and travelling. Laura is proud to have been raised in a family where giving back and supporting others has been a part of the fabric of their lives for several generations.
Shahid Qureshi
Board Director
Shahid Qureshi is a distinguished Business Leader and certified Corporate Director with over 25 years of governance experience across corporate and non-profit boards. He serves on the Boards of publicly listed companies, state-owned enterprises, private businesses, holding groups, technology start-ups, and non-profit organizations. His extensive global board experience includes chairing audit, risk, investment, governance, and technology committees.
A former senior leader with KPMG Canada, Shahid has advised Fortune 500 companies in achieving strategic, technological, financial, and operational excellence. His work spans multiple industries and geographies, guiding organizations through transformation, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Shahid is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Cost and Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). He also holds a Master’s degree in Economics.
Shahid has received numerous awards of recognition for his professional achievements. He is an accomplished author and reviewer for international publications, and frequently cited in global media for his thought leadership in corporate purpose and risk management. His insights continue to influence boardroom practices and shape business strategies worldwide.