Terry Wilson is the chair of WCSWR Board of Directors. As a retired physiotherapist, Terry brings a unique perspective to board discussions and decisions. Terry joined the board after being approached for the capital campaign back in 2017. She was interested in giving back to the community and learning more about all that WCSWR had to offer to the community. Terry says “with increasing need and the onset of COVID-19, it is so important to me to raise awareness of the many facets of WCSWR, it is so much more than shelter.”

Jane is an independent tax and management consultant with more than 43 years of tax experience serving clients in Canada and in the Caribbean. As a former tax partner with one of the Big 4 firms and a Tax Director in the Caribbean, Jane brings a wealth of both domestic and international experience to the Board. Jane is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Canada (2014) and a Fellow of the Society of Certified Management Accountants (CMA) of Canada (2009). Besides tax, Jane’s background in Canada includes a former role as a Director of Finance for a large regional hospital and is known for her expertise with not for profits and charities.  

Angela Wilson attended university in the Niagara Region, and became a designated accountant. After being employed as an accountant for several years, Angela decided to start her own accounting practice. Over time, Angela shifted her practice to working with more not-for-profit clients, ultimately working exclusively with clients, in the violence against women and children sector. 

 With Angela’s experience, she has is a wonderful fit for the WCSWR board. 

Stuart McAlister is a business lawyer who currently serves as in-house counsel at Sun Life. Although, people are often surprised to learn that he holds a fine arts degree and studied cinematography in Germany.

Stuart says he serves as a director for the WCSWR because he believes women are the most integral part of a healthy community and everyone is entitled to a violence-free home.

Brenda Halloran is a survivor of domestic violence and continues to be a voice in the community advocating for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. Brenda has been a volunteer at Anselma House. She was the Mayor of Waterloo from 2006 – 2014 and has been a long-time supporter of WCSWR. She works with many non-profit agencies and cultural groups to ensure we are creating a community where everyone feels included and knows they belong. Brenda focuses her time to supporting many causes and continues to work within the community she loves. 

Vickie Murray is a pharmacist who has led the Region of Waterloo COVID-19 vaccine roll out through her roles as Director of the Region of Waterloo Vaccine Services and the Integrated Director of Pharmacy for Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener.

Vickie recently served as the Board Chair for Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo, and continues as a Board member. Vickie’s focus with her work at WCSWR is to provide a collaborative, innovative and supportive approach where care and safety can inspire programming excellence. Vickie believes in working towards a community that is free from gender based violence and feels it is important to raise awareness of domestic violence in our community and the supports available at WCSWR for women and children in need.

Sharan is an elementary teacher in the WRDSB. She says she was inspired to volunteer and work with this amazing organization after seeing the work in action in the community. Her hope is to contribute to the work being done in the region to help create a more equitable, inclusive and safe place for all who live here. She believes that we can all do our part to be of service to the community, and is grateful to be able to contribute to that work through WCSWR.  

Sarah is the owner of Sew Rustic Candles & Gifts in New Dundee, Ontario. Sew Rustic is family run and operated, with a little help along the way from her family and kids. She joined the Board because I am a survivor of domestic violence and wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to her.

Prior to being her own boss, she worked within the community and social services sector. She has a background in Personal Support Work as well as Social Service Work. Her passion has always been to help where I can. Sarah says she is grateful for the chance to work even more closely with Women’s Crisis Services.

Debra is an entrepreneur, owning a Strategy Technology Consulting firm, Architectural Design firm and Personal Wellness business. She is a passionate volunteer working with CGI, (Community JusticeInitiatives) within the Woman’s Grand Valley Institute along with other programs offered by CGI. She joined the Board to help advocate for WCSWR to enhance awareness for the critical services the WCSWR brings to the community, providing women and children a safe, healthy and nurturing environment to enable to grow and move past the trauma of domestic violence and live an abundant life with endless possibilities.

Rosina Amoah Agyapong works as the Administrator and Project Coordinator for a not–for–profit organization in the Waterloo Region. She holds a BSc degree in Development Studies and an MES in Sustainability from the University of Waterloo, where she gained in–depth knowledge of development problems affecting people ranging from social, economic, political, environmental, cultural and technological issues. Solving human problems has always been her dream, and acting as an agent for change for the good of humanity has always been her character since childhood. Growing up in a community where she witnessed and experienced what is meant by extreme poverty coupled with gender abuse, domestic violence, inequality, and discrimination, she has a strong advocate against such social vices and believes joining the Board will enable her to give her support back to the community in diverse ways. She has worked extensively with many women and youth in the Waterloo Region to help them become resilient and self–sustainable in society and empower other youths of disadvantaged socio–economic backgrounds. With her extensive experience and passion for working with people of different cultural and socio–economic backgrounds, she looks forward to working hand–in–hand with the Board to deliver the support needed in the organization.