Our Team

Alfred Achoba is the Executive Director of Canadian Mental Health Association – Kamloops Branch. Alfred is a compassionate mental health advocate and community leader from Nigeria, with a degree in Psychology from Thompson Rivers University. He has devoted his career to serving others and making a meaningful impact in his community. Alfred has held various positions within CMHA Kamloops, including Manager of Homelessness Services and Shelter Operations, and Acting Operations Leader. As Executive Director since 2019, his leadership has driven significant program and community growth. CMHA Kamloops has expanded its programs and services, reaching over 1300 unique individuals in Kamloops and hundreds more virtually across Canada. Alfred’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace, breaking down stigmas surrounding mental health, and promoting wellness is evident in every aspect of his work. He is also a devoted father of three, a travel enthusiast, and a soccer fan, and shares his expertise by guest lecturing at Thompson Rivers University. Alfred’s remarkable achievements and leadership skills make him a true asset to CMHA Kamloops and the broader community.

Catharine Hope is our Manager of Nutrition and Food Services. Catharine is responsible for all CMHA kitchen facilities and staff in addition to creating and delivering healthy, balanced and nutritious meals.  Catharine is a Red Seal Chef with over 30 years of experience in the food service industry where she focuses on providing nutritious options within the vulnerable sector.  This work includes serving indigenous youth and seniors.  Catharine is dedicated to continuing her education through Food Sciences and Nutrition Support with Langara College.  She is an active member of both the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management and the Pacific Society of Nutrition Management. Catharine believes that good and adequate nutrition is essential to the physical and mental well-being that all should have access to.

Darsey Lindberg is the Community Engagement Coordinator for CMHA Kamloops. Within her role, Darsey coordinates communication, community activities, a variety of social reach which includes social media and photo voice campaigns, and engages with stakeholders within our region.  Darsey joined CMHA Kamloops in 2017 after obtaining her Diploma in Community Service Work and Certificate in Addictions Work. She has worked in an array of positions including shelter support and case management.  Darsey demonstrates a passion for mental health advocacy and is committed to creating opportunities for all to flourish. Her passion has led her to many accomplishments including co-coordinating and ensuring success for Ride Don’t Hide in 2022 – a fundraiser which promotes mental health awareness.   In addition to her positive attitude and tireless energy, Darsey strives to see those around her succeed. Darsey will continue to campaign and defend mental health as a fundamental human right by delineating stigmas associated with mental health issues and disorders.

Gina Dillon joined the organization in 2023 as the Manager of Human Resources. In this role, Gina oversees the daily operations of the HR department, ensuring compliance with employment and labour regulations and streamlining processes. She also advises supervisors and leadership on various employee and labour relations matters and actively participates in recruitment, training, and development initiatives. Gina’s diverse background includes working in both unionized and nonunionized environments and in the private and para-public sectors. She has successfully handled various employee and labour relations matters, such as hiring, leave management and performance management. With over 15 years of comprehensive experience in employee relations, recruitment, performance management, and training, Gina brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team. She has effectively managed numerous diverse teams, showcasing her exceptional problem-solving abilities and creative thinking. Gina has a strong commitment to supporting organizational goals and fostering a safe and respectful work environment for employees. She is dedicated to assisting individuals in reaching their full potential by removing employment barriers and supporting individual performance.

Sheena Christian is the Manager of Wellness Programs at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Kamloops Branch. With an unwavering commitment to enhancing the well-being of her community, Sheena steers the wellness initiatives in Kamloops and serves remotely to the Merritt area. Her work is deeply rooted in the principles of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR), aiming to empower adults with mental health and substance use challenges towards recovery and rehabilitation. Sheena’s 14 years journey is marked by her frontline engagements with service users, collaborative efforts with community supports, and strategic interactions with stakeholders – qualities that have been instrumental in crafting a program environment that nurtures individual growth and safety. Sheena’s passion extends beyond day-to-day operations; she advocates for the proliferation of PSR practices. Her vision is clear – to dismantle barriers to recovery-oriented support and services, thereby ensuring they are within reach for everyone in need. Through her leadership, Sheena aims to inspire change and foster an inclusive, supportive community that inspires holistic well-being of every individual.

Finance

Liane Gottgetreu is the Manager of Finance and Administration and oversees all components of the finance department.  Part of her role includes maintaining and updating financial processes, providing financial information to management and the board of directors, and supervising the finance department staff.  With over 30 years’ experience in accounting and finance, Liane enjoyed spending several years working in the non-profit sector in Vancouver and continued to follow in those footsteps when she moved to Kamloops in 2020. Liane feels very fortunate to be part of this growing team and progressive non-profit organization that believes in the people who benefit from the services provided by CMHA Kamloops.  As the organization expands, so does the finance department. The finance team’s goal is to continue to follow the objective of having a structured and streamlined department that runs smoothly.

Julie Clark joined the CMHA team in the summer of 2022 as the Finance Assistant.  Within her role, Julie supports the Finance Manager with the day-to-day accounting tasks as well as performing duties in Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable.  Prior to her time with CMHA, Julie has had extensive experience in management, administration, and finance in the non-profit sector.  In 2022, she shifted gears and completed her Professional Counselling study at the Vancouver College of Counselling and Training and is currently finishing her practicum.  The last year with CMHA has provided Julie with the foundation of understanding the extreme need for mental health supports in our community.  As this organization continues to expand, Julie is most looking forward to a long career helping those in need with empathy and compassion.

Shelter

Cheryl Mathieson is the Manager of Homelessness Services and Shelter Operations with CMHA, Kamloops.  She oversees the daily operations of Emerald Centre which provides emergency shelter, meals and advocacy to men and women who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness in our community. Cheryl started with CMHA in 2008 as a shelter worker and transitioned to case management before accepting the management role. Her many years of experience have provided her with the knowledge and opportunities to develop and maintain valuable partnerships and community connections.  She believes mental health is the foundation which allows everyone to function within our community and be productive individuals. Her passion for advocacy, creating inclusivity, and relationship building is instrumental in feeling fulfilled and maintaining her own mental health.

Jennifer Smith is the Manager of Life Skills and Housing Transition at Moira House.  Jennifer was instrumental in the creation of this innovative recovery-focused shelter program focused on the development of critical life skills. Her aim is to empower individuals through a person-centered approach to transition them into suitable housing successfully.  Jennifer has worked as a shelter support worker and case manager for CMHA, gaining expertise in these roles. As Temporary Shelter Manager, she incorporated case management into temporary shelters, providing individuals with personalized attention and guidance to overcome barriers and achieve success. She believes in every individual’s inherent value and worth, and her dedication to helping others is evident in her work.  Her innovative approach to shelter delivery has created opportunities for individuals to transform their lives.

Jennifer Healey is the Manager of Shelter Assessment and Triage.  Jennifer currently oversees CMHA’s program at Merit Place. In her time employed with CMHA, Jennifer has worked in a multitude of different programs and positions which includes facilitating SMART recovery therapy with past service users. Prior to stepping into management, Jennifer was hired as CMHA’s first Client Engagement Specialist within our supportive housing and shelter programs. Being the center of all client related activity, Jennifer’s focus was working with residents to maintain their housing while building on life skills. Within her person-centered approach, Jennifer provides individualized support to fit the capacity of each individual; focusing on maximizing their physical, emotional, and social well-being.  Jennifer continues to prioritize building an environment at Merit Place Shelter where individuals can come together, build supportive relationships, and focus on moving forward in their journey.

Saleh Mohammed is the Shelter Access Manager (Temporary Winter Shelters).  Saleh currently works with funders and contractors on site development, environmental design and new project implementations for CMHA, Kamloops.  His focus is creating opportunity and support for individuals to succeed in long term housing.  The goal is to create and develop a site to support clients that have demonstrated progress of working towards being independent and self-sufficient. This site will be abstinence based. Saleh is committed to determining an appropriate site with a focus on recovery.  Saleh has years of experience working within a variety of social service agencies that focus on mental health and the criminal justice system. While at CMHA he has worked in multiple programs through the years and continues to support individuals to access suitable shelter. He has always had the passion to help individuals in need of support which is usually as a result of financial instability, family crises or addictions.

Outreach

Kelvin Akakem is the Manager of Envision and Outreach with CMHA, Kamloops and is responsible for overseeing outreach shelter services along with peer programming.  Kelvin started with the organization in 2014 when he accepted a frontline position at Emerald Centre as a shelter worker.  Within this role, Kelvin increased his knowledge, gained experience, and developed relationships allowing him to support vulnerable clients accessing service.  In 2019, he made the transition to case management where he supported clients with community resource connection and responded to those needing to secure housing and/or rental subsidies.  Kelvin demonstrates a strong commitment to the population he serves as he continues to advocate for those within the community needing safe, accessible and affordable housing.

Brittany Groves is the Outreach and Integration Coordinator within our Community Services Outreach (CSO) programming.  Brittany is responsible for advocating for and connecting clients to services within the community to support the transition to shelter, housing, and/or treatment.  Brittany has been with CMHA, Kamloops for over 2 years working frontline as a shelter support worker and outreach worker, and most recently transferred to our Community Services Outreach program.  Through pursuing a nursing education and working at CMHA, Brittany has found a passion for mental health and advocacy for our most vulnerable community members.  By partnering with Community Services Officers through the City of Kamloops, Brittany is dedicated to serving those within our community through an integrated approach in order to address both immediate and future needs.

Housing

Michelle Gauthier is the Manager of Supportive Housing and oversees the Rosethorn program. Since 2020, Michelle has been supporting Kamloops’ most vulnerable population with safe, supportive housing, social inclusion and a new start towards independence.  Over her career in the social services field, Michelle has solidified meaningful partnerships which have strengthened her knowledge of community resources that share a collective goal. Though these collaborations, Michelle’s focus is to ensure individuals are provided support with life skills, advocacy, healthy lifestyle support, mentoring, and access to programming all in one space.  Michelle asserts that everyone has the right to safe and inclusive housing and pledges to continue to work hand in hand with the community of Kamloops to decrease stigma and provide advocacy for Kamloops’ vulnerable populations.  Michelle believes that with the right support and motivation anyone can create a positive impact in our community.

Reanna Shular joined CMHA, Kamloops as the Manager of Sustainability and Affordable Housing in February 2022. Reanna oversees Genesis Place Supportive Housing which is 28 units that focuses on culture and personal wellness.  Within her role, Reanna also supports the Community Service Outreach program.  This program is offered as a partnership between CMHA, Kamloops, the City of Kamloops and an additional local non-profit organization with a purpose of connecting those most vulnerable within our community to shelter and support services. Reanna has 14 years experience in crisis management, program management, and direct front-line work. She is passionate about creating safe spaces for individuals to address mental health issues and is committed to advocating for open dialogue, awareness, and a reduction in stigma. Her unique perspective on the impact of safe and supportive housing inspires her commitment to empower individuals towards self-sufficiency and lasting well-being.