Get to know us
Community Action Initiative represents a varied cross-section of interest and experience in mental health/illness and substance use.
Our collective expertise stems from lived experience, research, advocacy, volunteer and work practice. Our members represent community social services, Aboriginal, First Nations and Métis nations and organizations, government, and labour.
Click on any staff member below to learn more about them and access their contact details.
Staff
Julia Kaisla – She/Her
Executive Director
Patrick McDougall He/Him
Director of Engagement
Mira Abou Farrage – She/Her
Program Manager - Grants & Community Funding
Zavi Swain – He/Him
Project Manager, Strategic Grants
Noah Chalifoux – He/Him
Project Manager - Community Development/Local Leadership United
Peter Hoong – He/Him
Project Manager - Community Action Teams
Samantha Young – She/Her
Project Manager - Support Recovery
Adrienne Yeung – They/Them
Community Grants Manager - Community Counselling
Anna Harcourt – She/Her
Manager, Grants & Community Initiatives
Dakota Fayant-McLeod – She/Her
Communications Coordinator
Board of Directors
Vanessa Wideski
Board Member
Ahmad Soleiman Panah
Board Member
Kamaldeep Parmar
Board Member
Joanna Gislason
Board Member
Ka Tong
Board Member
Noallan Naicker
Board Member
Sandra Martin Harris
Board Member

Job Opportunities
Interested in joining our team? Check out our careers page to see what roles we are currently hiring for.