Staff & Board

Meet our team! We’re passionate about supporting the nonprofit sector, the individuals, and the organizations in it. Our small but mighty staff has a solid depth and breadth of experience in the nonprofit sector and beyond. Get to know a little about us here – better yet, send us an email or give us a call. We look forward to meeting you!


staff members

Photo by Kelly Hofer

Karen Ball

president & CEO

Karen is a nationally recognized community leader with over 25 years developing the community and cultural landscape in Canada. She has held leadership roles with Calgary Arts Development, AU Arts, The Banff Centre and the Canada Council for the Arts. Prior to joining CCVO, Karen led a consulting practice focused on building strong engaged communities for clients such as the University of Calgary, City of Calgary, Government of Alberta and the Calgary Stampede. Karen has been named one of the most compelling Calgarians by the Calgary Herald and is a recipient of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal.   

kball@calgarycvo.org  |  403-910-5881

 

Photo by Kelly Hofer

Alexa Briggs

DIRECTOR, Policy & Research

Alexa has a strong professional background as a researcher and writer, combined with extensive experience working for nonprofit organizations in managerial and leadership experience positions. Her work in policy analysis and research was enhanced at Vibrant Communities Calgary, where she served as Associate Director of Strategy and Research.

Alexa holds a B.A. in Sociology with High Honours and an Interdisciplinary M.A, both from the University of Saskatchewan. Her professional experience includes numerous publications and conference presentations as well as service on nonprofit Boards.

abriggs@calgarycvo.org  |  403-910-5871

 

Carol Chu

Community and Communications Assistant

Carol has worked, volunteered, and served on the board of numerous nonprofits for the past 16 years. She loves to see the passion organizations have for making the world better and the valuable work that organizations do. She has a wide variety of interests and is always curious and eager to learn more about the causes and initiatives that organizations are championing. She is excited to be able to connect with more organizations and support the nonprofit sector at CCVO. In her spare time, Carol enjoys hiking, biking, and climbing.

cchu@calgarycvo.org  |  403-910-5876

 
Picture of Megan Dornstauder

Photo by Shaleen Ladha

Megan Dornstauder

manager, Administration

Megan is an exuberant grandma, as well as a dynamic administrative professional, in that order. Megan brings years of experience from her career in education and municipal government, including community services, FCSS, and emergency management. With enthusiastic purpose for working with youth and families as a volunteer, Megan has brought her passion to the nonprofit world for over thirty years.

mdornstauder@calgarycvo.org  |  403-261-6655

 
 

Dave Ford

Manager, Programs and operations

Dave is a nonprofit management professional with a decade of experience leading a small nonprofit association. He specializes in strategic planning, social enterprise and people management, with experience in marketing and communication. He strives to find efficiencies in all aspects of an organization, looking for ways to maximize the effects and benefits of programs and other initiatives. Outside of the office, Dave is an avid sports fan (both watching and playing) and loves to spend time with his young (and growing) family. 

dford@calgarycvo.org | 403-910-5873 

 

Photo by Melanie Gauer

Celia Lee

Research Manager

Celia specializes in research, knowledge translation and project design & management for the non-profit and government sectors, with a focus on healthy built environments, health equity, poverty, and sustainability. Past projects include spearheading Stepping Towards a Greener Tomorrow, which empowered kids to design and prototype safe routes to school; co-ordinating a made-in-Alberta approach to neighbourhood “co-design” as Alberta Director for Active Neighbourhoods Canada (ANC); developing strategy and tools to inform policy as ANC’s National Policy Co-ordinator; and co-writing analyses of the cost of poverty in Alberta, Ontario and Toronto.

clee@calgarycvo.org

 

Taylor Rhodes

community assistant

Taylor is an experienced Events & Projects professional, with an extensive background in Sport and Recreation planning and logistics. After starting her career as a Recreation Therapist, Taylor moved into Events & Projects planning and spent the last four years working on multiple challenging and fascinating nonprofit events. She is particularly passionate about the importance of having many forms of social support available to everyone in the community. Taylor keeps busy outside of work by doing stand-up paddle boarding, playing hockey, and going for long dog-park walks.

trhodes@calgarycvo.org | 403-910-5874


board of directors

Photo by Kelly Hofer

Greg Juliano

board CHAIR

Greg is the Chief Human Resource Officer for the City of Calgary. He is a practicing lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience, called to the bar in both Alberta and Manitoba. Greg has spent most of his career leading the legal and human resource functions at large post-secondary institutions. He has used these forums to advocate for the fair treatment of employees, equity, diversity and human rights. Throughout his career, Greg has been heavily involved in supporting the work of charitable organizations. He has volunteered extensively with groups dedicated to environmental, habitat preservation, wildlife and animal related causes. He has also provided pro-bono legal advice in support the healthcare, disability, childcare and educational sectors. Greg, along with his wife and three children, are relatively new to the Calgary community, having moved from Manitoba in early 2019. They are enjoying the strong sense of community in the city, and taking advantage of opportunities for an outdoor lifestyle.

 

Bjorn Johansson

Board Vice Chair

Bjorn Johansson, MSW, RSW, was named Chief Executive Officer of Wood’s Homes, a children’s mental health centre based in Calgary, on May 1, 2020. He first joined the organization in 1992 as a Youth and Family Counsellor and since then held increasingly progressive leadership positions, including Program Manager, Associate Director, and Director of Programs and Research. Bjorn is a Registered Social Worker and holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Calgary. He is considered a leader in the field of children’s mental health and is widely recognized as someone who believes every child, youth and family deserve an advocate.

He is an Instructor with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work, and an Ethics Investigator with the Alberta College of Social Workers. Bjorn contributes his time and expertise to several industry and community organizations, and currently serves as a Board member with ALIGN Association of Community Services and the Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board (CFREB) at the University of Calgary.

 

Jerilynn Daniels

board secretary

Jerilynn is the Regional Director, Community Marketing and Citizenship for RBC, Alberta and Territories, a position she has held since 2011. In 2006 after more than 12 years in not-for-profit working in roles ranging from front line support to Director of Fund Development and Communications, Jerilynn made the move back to the corporate world. She now works at her dream job, fulfilling her love of community with the desire to work in a corporate environment. Jerilynn is responsible for Community Investments, Sponsorships and Marketing for RBC in Alberta and Territories. A passionate community supporter, in addition to the Board of CCVO, Jerilynn is a member of the advisory council for the Haskayne School of Business and a new volunteer with Dreams Take Flight.

A graduate of the University of Calgary, Jerilynn has been fortunate to have worked her entire career in Calgary. In 2010, Jerilynn was the recipient of the Hazel Gillespie Community Investment Leadership Award, the first Community Investment professional to receive the award after Hazel herself. In 2012 she received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in community locally and internationally. She resides in Cochrane with her husband and two teenage children and loves to cook and travel.

 
 
Picture of Ryan Barrett

Photo by Kelly Hofer

Ryan Barrett

board Treasurer

Ryan graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1998. Ryan articled with PriceWaterhouse Coopers and obtained his CA designation. Ryan then went on to work at a public real estate investment trust in the hotel and resort industry, managing the tax department. Subsequently Ryan went to work for an entrepreneur, focusing on the real estate industry, where he earned his Chartered Business Valuator designation (“CBV”) and completing the CICA Corporate Finance program. Ryan’s work consisted of valuation, taxation, financing and accounting. From working with the entrepreneur Ryan realized that owners of private businesses did not have the resources or financial means to have all their needs met by one Professional. Ryan joined a mid-size accounting firm in 2009 specializing in US taxation, with a focus on providing full service accounting and advisory services to business owners. Ryan has also completed the CICA In-depth Tax Course and has obtained his Certified Public Accounting designation.

 
Headshot of Lisa Amonson

Lisa Amonson

board DIRECTOR

Lisa has over 30 years of experience in a variety of accounting roles in the oil and gas industry, with increasing responsibility and leadership positions. Lisa enjoys bringing a collaborative and innovative energy to both her professional role and as a volunteer with two local charities. Lisa is passionate about supporting charities and contributes time and money to both local and international not-for-profit organizations. Lisa is an advocate of lifelong learning and has recently completed a Master of Arts in Leadership degree from Royal Roads University and is currently enrolled in a professional coach certification program.   

 

Margaret Durojaiye

Board Director

Margaret is a Manager Consultant at Deloitte’s Human Capital Practice, where she works with organizations to transform their HR function and services, develop Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Frameworks, and implement HR Technology, thereby enhancing the employee experience. Prior to working in Consulting, she worked as a HR professional for over 13 years, building her expertise working in Africa, Europe, and Canada, and has also worked as an Instructor for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), School of Business. She holds a Master’s in Human Resources Management from the University of Hertfordshire, and a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from the University of Lagos. 

Her professional and personal journey has also allowed her to pursue volunteering opportunities with SAIT’s School of Business Mentoring Program, the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, and other community outreach programs focused on coaching and mentoring young adults, professionals, and newly immigrated women. Margaret is looking forward to the opportunity to continue to be involved in supporting the work of charitable organizations. 

 
Picture of Christy Morgan

Photo by Shaleen Ladha

Christy Morgan

board DIRECTOR

Christy is a proud First Nations woman from the Bonaparte Band, which is a part of the Shuswap Nation, in British Columbia. She holds a Degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary and is the current Director for Indigenous Initiatives with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary. She was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine in 2011 and was awarded the Dr. Douglas Cardinal award for Community Leadership in 2015 by the University of Calgary Student Association and Native Centre. Christy sits on a variety of committees and boards in Calgary and enjoys networking with others.

 

Esmahan Razavi

Board Director

Esmahan is a Principal at Champion Communications & PR. She is passionate about volunteering for good causes and serves on a number of local and national boards. She also co-founded two non-profits, Ask Her YYC and Ahlain. For her work on gender equity in politics, Esmahan has won several awards and distinctions. 

 

JS Ryu

board DIRECTOR

JS Ryu is CEO of Spirit North, Canada’s largest sport for development organization founded by celebrated Olympian Beckie Scott. Most recently, he was the founding President and CEO of the National accessArts Centre (NaAC), Canada’s largest disability arts organization. Previous roles include:  Director, External and Community Relations at the Banff Centre; Director, Public Affairs for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind; Senior Consultant with the Alberta Medical Association; and Principal Speechwriter to His Excellency Kaoru Ishikawa, Ambassador of Japan. JS has served on a number of boards, including the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation, the Banff Heritage Corporation, the Health Coalition of Alberta, and Creative Calgary. He was named Top 40 Under 40 in 2019 by Avenue Calgary, and in 2017, he was appointed one of five Young Cultural Innovators from Canada by the Salzburg Global Seminar.