Our Staff

Aden Hirtle

Aden has been with Volunteer Calgary for the past 5 years helping to promote the programs and services of the organization through the Volunteer Calgary website while maintaining and trouble shooting all things 'technical' within the office.

Aden has a degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University and is currently working on a Web Graphics certificate from the University of Calgary.

Aden has had a lifetime of volunteering, most recently with organizations such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Calgary Zoo, Olympic Oval and serves in his religious community too. His other hobbies include tennis, rollerblading, travel, and digital photography.

Amy Baquir

Amy Baquir is an experienced communications professional with over 9 years of experience in her field. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines. Amy has worked as a copywriter and account manager in advertising firms in the Philippines and Malaysia and has written for print and web publications, before bringing her communications experience over to Canada, which she has called "home" for over 4 years now.

Her passion for writing and volunteering makes this the perfect role for Amy. She has volunteered as a Reading Buddy with the Calgary Public Library, as a "Big" with Big Brothers Big Sisters, an image consultant with Making Changes Association, and, currently in the communications committee for the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society. In her spare time, Amy likes to try out different cuisines, practice martial arts, run, cycle, and plan future travels.

Buffy St. Amand

Prior to joining Volunteer Calgary, Buffy worked extensively in International Education, her international experience ranges from volunteering with Canada World Youth in Piaui, Brazil to teaching French at The International School of Tanganyika in Tanzania to being Director of Marketing for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

Buffy's academic background includes a Bachelor Degree in Social Sciences with a double major in Sociology and Intercultural Management and a Certified International Trade designation. She also serves on the boards of the Hong Kong Canada Business Association and the Make It Good initiative at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, a reading tutor with Calgary Reads and is Director at Large for TEDxCalgary.

Cheri Bogh

Cheri Bogh brings 8 years of non-profit experience to her role with Volunteer Calgary where she is responsible for working directly with our non-profit organizations to strengthen their volunteer engagement.

Cheri is passionate about three things: justice, creating opportunities for diverse populations to be more actively involved in their communities and her Black Lab/Mastiff Jacob! If you can't find Cheri at work you'll find her at the nearest off leash park!

Harvey Enns

Helen Shaver

Helen Shaver joined Volunteer Calgary on a transition program from the corporate sector and brings with her over 30 years of office experience where she is now responsible for the event coordination at Volunteer Calgary.

Her volunteer experience includes: Heart and Stroke Foundation, Wood's Homes, Inn From the Cold Society and Project Kare.

Jamie Niessen

A passionate community volunteer, Jamie currently serves as Board Chair for the Calgary Public Library; as a member of the Board of Directors for the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations; as an appointed representative on the Alberta Minister of Culture and Community Spirit's Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Citizens' Advisory Committee and on the Advisory Committee for the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University. Prior to joining Volunteer Calgary, Jamie worked as the Manager of Community Investment for TransCanada Corporation, a North American energy infrastructure company. He has also worked as marketing director for a Calgary law firm, TV and interactive media producer at The Banff Centre and as public relations manager for a computer hardware manufacturer in Montreal. He holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University, is an alumnus of Leadership Calgary and was selected among the "Top 40 Under 40" by Calgary Inc. magazine in 2003.

Janet Burstall

Janet has been with Volunteer Calgary for 7 years. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, she began volunteering with her family at the age of three. Other volunteer opportunities range from executive board member to volunteer pianist and she is currently on the Community Advisory Panel of the Junior League. An admitted keener, she has filled roles in various areas at Volunteer Calgary including Leadership Calgary, Membership, Volunteer Services, BoardMatch and Training. Her previous experience includes one year of volunteering in Los Angeles as a teacher, and working as a personal care attendant in senior's homes. She loves travel, music, reading, and learning to cook complicated things that require a lot of stirring.

Janet Kerrigan

Janet Kerrigan is a University of Calgary grad with a degree in Sociology and has been busy working and volunteering in Volunteer Management within the non-profit sector since graduating.

In her current role at Volunteer Calgary, Janet works with corporate groups and non-profit organizations connecting the dots and coordinating opportunities to bring these two groups together with volunteer projects, partnerships and initiatives that build a stronger Calgary.

Janet is an active and busy volunteer her keen interest in corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Calgary fires her passion for her role as a Volunteer Coordinator for the Calgary Compact. In addition, Janet currently volunteers as a Youth Volunteer Program Advisor with Immigrant Services Calgary, and has recently been working on a 'bookraising' and fundraising initiative with a Spanish school in Calgary to benefit an impoverished area in Peru. In her free time Janet enjoys riding horses, running by the river and eating chocolate lava cake. Check Janet out on Twitter: @janetkerrigan

Kali Readwin Skauge

Kali brings her years of administration, marketing and customer service from the corporate sector into her non-profit career with Volunteer Calgary.

As one of the first graduates from Mount Royal University's International Community Development program, Kali has a strong interest in community building and intercultural relations. She draws perspective from her volunteer experiences, including a Director of Communications board member role at United Nations Association and a mentor role through Immigrant Services Calgary's Integrated Women's Mentorship Program. Kali continues to volunteer her time for many other small projects for Calgary charities. She is also enthusiastically involved in Calgary's small business and social media communities, where she enjoys promoting what Calgary has to offer. When she's not online, you might find her dancing salsa, shooting pool or practicing yoga.

Karen Franco

Karen has spent over 15 years engaged in communications, marketing, and public relations in and around the Calgary area. She has worked in the both the private and non-profit sectors as well as spending over a decade working in the media industry.

In her current role as Communications Director for Volunteer Calgary, she is responsible for all internal and external communications including several electronic and print newsletters and spearheaded the development and use of Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and LinkedIn to further advance the organization's mission, vision and goals.

Karen has also used her communications skills and previous media experience in a volunteer capacity. Most recently, in her role with the Calgary Stampede Parade Committee, she is responsible for the development and writing of the annual televisions scripts, parade line-up and promotional material for the Parade for several years.

Marlene Mulligan

Marlene has been working in the field of business communications for 10 years both in Canada and abroad. Since her move to Calgary 5 years ago, she has been focusing on corporate community investment and employee volunteer and giving programs at Chevron Canada Resources. A native of Prince Edward Island, Marlene has a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce with a Minor in Economics from the University of Prince Edward Island and Public Relations Certificate from Mount Royal University. Marlene is also a graduate of Volunteer Calgary's Leadership Calgary program, class of 2009, and remains an active volunteer with the program. She also applied her community investment and fundraising skills to her volunteer roles with several non-profits, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society.

Prior to her work in Calgary, Marlene was a small business owner with a focus in marketing and a college instructor of business communications.

Ralamy Kneeshaw

Ralamy is new to Volunteer Calgary and the brand new Community and Service Learning program. Her first degree was in Drama and she worked in theatre and traveled before settling back in Calgary to pursue a Masters in Cultural Anthropology. Her fieldwork at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre took her into the exotic world of medical relationships and people's experience of illness. Ralamy combined her unique background and worked as a consultant conducting qualitative research and evaluations, developing resources, and facilitating workshops in health promotion, non-profit and educational settings before deciding to stay at home with her children. Ralamy is also an alumnus of Volunteer Calgary's Leadership Calgary program (2006).

In recent years Ralamy has combined being at home with her family with extensive volunteer work with schools. She volunteers extensively with Westmount Charter School and Parkland Summerfest. She is a champion of experiential learning and youth engagement and is very excited to be diving into Community and Service Learning with Volunteer Calgary.

Sandra Penney

In her role as Executive Assistant, Sandra plays a key role within our organization and is responsible for keeping Volunteer Calgary's Executive and the Volunteer Calgary Board on track and on schedule! With over 20 years of 'hands on experience' in a variety of administrative roles in the non-profit sector, who better than Sandra to make sure the entire team is dotting their I's and crossing their T's! When Sandra isn't busy at Volunteer Calgary she enjoys taking on the even more rewarding role of 'favourite' Grandma to her 4 young grandchildren; Bronwen, Carter, Joshua and Jillian.

Sue Luciuk

Sue Luciuk is a Chartered Accountant who has spent over 25 years engaged in the management of finance, human resources and office administration in Calgary. The majority of this experience was gained in the Professional Services and High Tech industries with the last few years being spent in Non-profit.

In her current role, Sue is responsible for the timely and accurate preparation of the organization's financial results including budgeting, internal controls and reporting to the Finance & Audit committee and the board.

She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and has used her financial skills in a volunteer capacity on various Parent Councils in the school system, a number of ski clubs and currently as the Treasurer for her community association. After recently becoming an empty-nester she has added "baby cuddler" at Children's Cottage Society to her volunteering resume.

Tracey Merrin

Tracy Merrin is the Finance has been with Volunteer Calgary since she first arrived in Calgary in 2003, first as a volunteer and then as an employee. She has previously worked with the Leadership Calgary and BoardMatch programs. Her volunteer history includes the Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Feed the Hungry, Calgary Block Watch and the Calgary Foodbank.She is a member of the Canadian Payroll Association and the Association of Directors of Volunteer Resources.