Meet our Board of Directors

Erum Afsar is a Civil Engineering graduate from Queen’s University and a seasoned professional engineer who has significantly contributed to infrastructure and community development in Alberta and Saskatchewan. She has predominantly held senior leadership positions and completed two terms as a municipal councillor for the Kananaskis Improvement District (KID). Erum also holds the ICD.D designation, affirming her expertise in board leadership. Community involvement is a cornerstone of Erum’s ethos. She actively participates on various boards and committees, including REACH Edmonton, which focuses on community well-being, and YWCA Canada.

Her dedication to community service in Alberta earned her the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. Additionally, she has received accolades such as Top 40 Under 40, The Next 10, and A Woman Who Inspires and was a finalist for MaxGala Woman of the Year. From Queen’s University, she received the Engineering Excellence: 125th Award for Engineering Alumni. Erum is an alumna of the 2022 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference and has recently completed the Institute of Corporate Directors Program. Erum is a mother to two daughters, with whom she cherishes spending time camping, hiking, horse riding and enjoying the mountains.

Clarice Anderson is a proud member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. She holds a Master’s degree in Land Based Education and has worked in the field of education for 21 years in various capacities. Clarice is passionate and committed to building capacity in Indigenous education. As a child of a residential school survivor, she understood at an early age the importance education played in her life and those around her. This understanding became a driving force in her pursuit of higher education and fulfilling care. Clarice is also a former member of the YWCA Edmonton Board of Directors.

Denise Christopherson is a retired non-profit leader and a steadfast advocate for social justice, gender equity, and inclusion. With over twelve years of transformative leadership as CEO of YWCA Hamilton, Denise played a pivotal role in advancing equality for women and girls. Her strategic vision and collaborative approach ensured that critical issues facing women and gender-diverse individuals remained at the forefront of community, provincial and national agendas. During her tenure at YWCA Hamilton, Denise fostered impactful partnerships across the non-profit, corporate, and government sectors, driving meaningful change and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.

Denise’s commitment to governance excellence is exemplified by her certification as a Corporate Director, reflecting her passion for establishing strong and sustainable non-profit organizations.

Leah Wilson is a strategic researcher and emerging leader with multi-sectoral experience advancing gender equity. Previously, Leah worked at the Ontario Legislature and has led campaigns at the provincial and federal levels advocating for systems change – including during her time as Manager of Advocacy with YWCA Toronto. Currently, Leah serves as a Senior Audit Researcher with the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario.  

Leah’s expertise in gender equity has been impactful on audits including the provincial $10 a day Child Care audit and as a lead on the Office’s Inclusion Council. Leah holds a Master of Arts in Law & Legal Studies from Carleton University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Winnipeg. 

Leanna Falkiner is an ICD.D and GCB.D accredited corporate director with deep experience scaling organizations across the financial services and technology sectors. A seasoned marketing and communications executive and entrepreneurial business builder, she has spent more than 20 years helping companies accelerate growth, modernize customer experience, and compete effectively in the digital and AI-enabled economy.  

She built and successfully exited evoQ International, a global strategy consulting firm. She is now the Founder and CEO of Fractional Returns, which delivers strategic marketing and communications programs to companies undergoing digital and AI transformations.   

Leanna has served on the boards of Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union and the North York General Hospital Foundation, and currently serves on the Institute of Corporate Directors, Ontario Chapter board. She is recognized for her strategic clarity, customer-centric perspective, and ability to bridge innovation, communications, risk, and governance in rapidly evolving environments. 

Melanie McCreath is a generative executive leader and board director, with 20 years of experience across diverse sectors, and deep experience in governance, strategy, investor relations, sustainability, and corporate communications.

Melanie is the Chief Executive Officer of MEDOCare Inc., a proud Affiliate of the Manitoba Métis Federation, and a Managing Partner and Limited Partner for Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Manitoba. She was previously Chair of the Philanthropy & Donor Relations Committee and a Board member of the Y Winnipeg; and a Director of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.

Melanie holds the ICD.D designation (Institute of Corporate Directors), MBA (Ivey), Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Honours), Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting credential (IFRS Foundation), CPIR (Certified Professional in Investor Relations) credential, and a Certificate in Editing. 

Renata Huyghebaert grew up in Belgium and Saskatchewan and is a Strategic Advisor and non-profit professional dedicated to community building. She has honed her experience in the health, finance, and non-profit sectors and has a philanthropy, strategic planning, communications, and marketing background. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Renata is currently based in Ottawa and is a Senior Advisor, EDI for the Canadian Medical Protective Association where she works in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

She supports her community by volunteering with local organizations and boards and is passionate about improving the lives and opportunities for women and underrepresented communities. Renata started volunteering with the YWCA after she was nominated for the Women of Distinction awards in 2017. She served for two years on the Board of Directors at YWCA Saskatoon, and on various YWCA committees, and most recently, the Young Women’s Leadership Engagement Committee for YWCA Canada. In 2021 she was nominated to the YWCA Canada Board of Directors and continues to be passionate to support gender equity in Canada.

Dahlia Jiwan is a second generation immigrant entrepreneure. As a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) specialist she dedicates her life to designing inclusive spaces. She co-founded Élance, an organisation providing businesses online training in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to create inclusive spaces.

Dahlia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a specialization in Feminist Studies from the University of Québec in Montréal, a certificate in Industrial Relations from the University of Montréal and a specialization in Ethics in the Age of Artificial Intelligence from LearnQuest. Furthermore, she is trained for various crisis intervention

Driven by the desire to learn, understand and contribute, Dahlia has five years of hands-on-deck experience as an outreach worker. Her field experience ranges from gender-based violence intervention to harm reduction in party scenes. 

Fae Johnstone (she/they), MSW, is a writer, activist and consultant based in traditional Mi’kmaw territory, (colloquially known as Nova Scotia) home to the diverse cultures of the Mi’kmaw, Innu and Inuit peoples. Fae is an experienced community organizer, 2SLGBTQ+ and trans inclusion educator, and non-profit consultant. As a Principal Consultant with Wisdom2Action, she directs 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and health initiatives, provides non-profit organizations with organizational development and project support, and leads Wisdom2Action’s 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy efforts.

Fae has worked in sectors including in child and youth mental health, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, sexual and reproductive health and rights, meaningful community engagement and most recently within the social impact sector. She has worked nationally advocating for trans rights, increased funding for 2SLGBTQ+ community organizations and addressing gender-based violence, and was the 2019 recipient of LGBT YouthLine’s Trans Activism award. Fae is also a leading 2SLGBTQ+ educator who has trained thousands of service providers and employees from diverse sectors on 2SLGBTQ+ and trans inclusive care.

Fae is a regular contributor with Xtra Magazine and has previously published in the Ottawa Citizen and Toronto Star. Fae has a Bachelor and Master of Social Work from Carleton University. Fae has previously served on the board of directors of LGBT YouthLine and the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Outside of her professional and activist work, Fae volunteers with the Ferret Rescue Society of Ottawa. Fae currently sits on the Boards of the YWCA and Canadian Blood Services.

Chantelle Krish is a seasoned executive with two decades of progressive leadership experience in the social-profit and public sector. Currently serving as CEO of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, she oversees mentorship programs for girls, young women, and gender-diverse youth, aiming to empower the next generation of leaders and drive positive social change. With expertise in governance, fiscal management, strategic communications, fundraising, and government relations, Chantelle has a proven track record of elevating organizational profiles and revenues while fostering cohesive, values-driven Boards and teams.

Having a history with the YWCA Movement, Chantelle led advocacy and communications at YWCA Metro Vancouver, where she spearheaded initiatives that resulted in successful policy changes to remove barriers for women leaving intimate partner relationships and helped to strengthen British Columbia’s efforts toward high quality, universal child care. She launched a Youth Advisory Council to ensure the voices of young people were at the table when designing programs for them. Chantelle was an active member of the YWCA Canada Advocacy Advisory Committee to support the National Office on federal advocacy efforts to advance gender equity across Canada in numerous ways. Chantelle’s unwavering commitment to driving equity for women has been the guiding force throughout her career, shaping her approach to leadership and advocacy.

Lubna Ladak, CPA, CA, MBA, is an accomplished senior finance executive with over 30 years of experience in the energy industry. Lubna employs a pragmatic leadership style to successfully manage complex, multi-stakeholder environments, including governments, regulators, and unions. She has helped guide Ontario Power Generation, one of the largest electricity companies in Canada, through major transformations, including becoming a leader in clean electricity as Canada moves towards a carbon-free future. Lubna was often the only woman or racialized person at the table when key business decisions were being made. Consequently, she became an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and established mentorship programs. Lubna supports the broader community through Board roles and volunteer positions where she can better the lives of women, indigenous communities, and children.

Deborah MacPherson is a seasoned executive, board director, and CPA based in Calgary, Alberta. With a robust background in finance and tax, Deborah has demonstrated leadership across various executive roles, most notably as a Senior Partner at KPMG Canada, where she led the Tax Business Unit for Regions West and the Family Office practice. Deborah holds extensive governance expertise, demonstrated through her active roles on several boards, including Telefilm Canada, TransCanada Trail, ApartmentLove Inc., Alberta 2030 Commonwealth Games Corp, and Past Chair of Special Olympics Alberta.

Deborah is proud to utilize her strategic acumen and passion for governance and community involvement to serve the YWCA movement. She is currently Chair of the Governance and HR Committee.

Marilyn Loewen Mauritz is an experienced board director and senior executive with a track record of driving strategic growth, leading transformation initiatives and strengthening governance in multi-stakeholder environments. Marilyn currently is the Principal of Altapeak Law Corporation.

She previously was Chief Organizational Development Officer at Atlas Corp., interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Transformation & Legal Officer at Central 1, and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Interfor Corporation. In addition to YWCA Canada, Marilyn serves as a director of Powerex Corp. and InnovateBC. Previously, she served on the Board of Governors of BCIT. She obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Calgary and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from McMaster University. Marilyn is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors, ICD.D.

Dr. Candice Waddell-Henowitch was born and raised on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Dakota Oyate, and the homeland of the Metis Nation. She is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatric Nursing at Brandon University. Dr. Waddell-Henowitch is committed to work that improves the lives of women and those marginalized by gender. This resonates in her work with the YWCA Canada and her previous work with YWCA Westman. Dr. Waddell-Henowitch focuses her research on community-centered approaches that seeks to understand the experience of individuals marginalized by gender who have experienced sexual violence and other forms of interpersonal violence. Through a clear commitment to survivor/victim centered, trauma-informed, and culturally grounded work her research generates new knowledge while also influencing and changing the narratives that have perpetuated this violence for so long.