As a board of directors, we are a group of dedicated, community-minded individuals working to make a difference.
Karen Sliwkanich (Board Chair)
I am a 38 year resident of Fort Saskatchewan who is a retired educator, mother of 4 adult children and grandmother of 4 adorable grandchildren. I have 34 years experience as a volunteer, primarily in social service agencies. On the Families First Board, I work hard to maintain the positive reputation Families First has in the community. Our Board makes decisions that serve our families well and support our work with other organizations to achieve our goals of positive outcomes for all children and their families. As a Board, we support our strong, knowledgeable and dedicated staff team who work together to best serve our families.
Shirley Cockburn (Vice-Chair)
Doug Rees (Director)
I’m a professional engineer with 30 years of experience (28 with Dow Chemical). I’m a husband (Rae and I celebrated 25 years in August), and I’m a father to two boys, now grown up.
A community is lot like a flower garden, it takes a little love and care to make to grow and blossom. Families First Society does just that for this community. It helps it grow and blossom into a vibrant and safe place for all to live. I sit on the board to leverage what skills I have to ensure Families First can continue with this mission. As I’ve said before, “those with the ability to help, have a responsibility to do so.
Joanne Dewart (Director)
I am a long time resident of Fort Saskatchewan, and I love my community. The programs and opportunities that Families First brings to Fort Saskatchewan and area are truly beneficial to “our village”. I am proud to be a board member and support the great team at Families First.
Jackie Switzer (Director)
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Nicole Miller (Director)
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Meet the Leadership Team
Darryl Burry (Executive Director)
Having served in social services since 1998, Darryl brings wealth of experience to Families First.
He joins our team having started his career working with youth living on the streets of downtown Toronto; has worked in post-secondary education; and has served as the ED in social services in various locations in BC. For the past three years, he has served as a leadership coach and supervisor to executive leadership in social services.
Darryl has a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership with a focus on change & performance management, team development, and leadership coaching.
Originally from Newfoundland, Darryl has lived all across Canada, but has served out west (Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta) for the majority of his adult life.
Kim (Program Manager)
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Sheila (FRN Supervisor)
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Jodi (Family Violence Prevention Program Coordinator)
Like many folks in Alberta, Jodi is an east coast transplant. She is originally from Nova Scotia but has been proud to call Alberta home for 20 years.
For the last 12 years, Jodi has worked as the Coordinator of the Family Violence Prevention Program. In her role, Jodi provides long term individual and group supports to assist families with removing the barriers that have been keeping them from transitioning into a life free from abuse. This support includes but is not limited to Risk Assessment/Risk Management, Court Support, Education, Outreach, Advocacy and Referrals. As a former police officer with the RCMP, Jodi has spent the past 20 + years working collaboratively with community partners to address the complex issue of Family Violence.
Alma (Business / Finance)
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