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Staff

Click on the names below for bios of each member of the CanadaHelps staff team.


2011 Interns
  • Melanie Castillio, Fundraising Intern
  • Ivy Lao, Multimedia Intern

Owen Charters
CEO


Owen first began his career in the nonprofit sector working for his local YM-YWCA and at Easter Seal camps, working with children with disabilities. Since then, Owen has built a career in the non-profit sector, starting with a national, student-led charity he founded as an undergraduate student.


Owen Charters joined CanadaHelps as Executive Director in January 2007. Previously, he held senior marketing and development roles with both Muscular Dystrophy Canada and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Foundation in Toronto. He is currently a board member for the Human Resources Council for the Nonprofit Sector and for Imagine Canada, and sits on the Advisory Committee for the Fundraising and Resource Development program at Georgian College. He holds an MBA, and a Graduate Diploma in Nonprofit Management, both from the Schulich School of Business, York University. He is also a part-time lecturer in the Nonprofit MBA program at Schulich.


While a university student, Owen worked in search and rescue with the Canadian Coast Guard, and today - when he’s not in the office - he can still be found in, on, or under the water.


Patrick Banville
Director, Operations and Client Services

Patrick joined CanadaHelps in 2011. Prior to joining the team, Patrick worked in the media industry where he oversaw the financial and operational activities of an educational television network, a comprehensive news website, a merchandising division and various television productions. He holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, York University, where he has mentored new students. He also has volunteered with various organizations, such as the Untied Way, local schools and children's sports leagues.


Kirstin Beardsley
Marketing & Communications Manager

Kirstin joined CanadaHelps in 2006. Prior to joining the team at CanadaHelps, Kirstin worked in other projects and programs in the non-profit/voluntary sector including Vartana, Developing Human Resources in the Voluntary Sector-HRVS (precursor to the HR Council) and Community Foundations of Canada. She has volunteered for a number of non-profit organizations including women’s shelters, a small credit union and a crisis line. Kirstin holds a B.A. Honours in Women's Studies from York University.


Dina Bilenkis
Database & Systems Administrator

Dina joined CanadaHelps in 2010. Before coming to CanadaHelps, Dina spent 6 years working for BCE companies, specializing in data analysis, database support and BI (Business Intelligence). Prior she worked in Telecommunications sector as a software developer and data analyst. She began donating to charities regularly upon her first job and is excited to join the nonprofit sector. Dina holds a B.A. Honours in Computer Science from University of Ottawa.


Vanessa Boudreau
Charity & Donor Services Associate

Vanessa joined CanadaHelps in the fall of 2010. Prior to joining the team at CanadaHelps, she was a student at McMaster University where she completed a B.A in English Literature. Originally from Montreal, she has volunteered as a teacher’s assistant working with physically and mentally disabled children at the Mackay Elementary school. From a young age, Vanessa volunteered at Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, working in a soup kitchen for homeless people, and for the SPCA Montérégie as an animal caretaker.


Kara Golani
Nonprofit Training Associate

Kara joined CanadaHelps in early 2012 to help facilitate the development of the MyCharityConnects program. Prior to joining the team at CanadaHelps, Kara worked in Communications and Fundraising roles at various Canadian non-profit organizations, including the Allergy/Asthma Information Association, COSTI Immigrant Services, and the Peel HIV/AIDS Network. Kara is passionate about the non-profit sector and in her spare time, she volunteers with CNIB (formerly the Canadian National Institute for the Blind), Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Habitat for Humanity, and as a ‘Stage Manager’ with the North by Northeast (NXNE) Festivals and Conference. Kara holds a B.A. in English from York University and is working towards a Corporate Communications Certificate from Humber College.


Amy Huynh
Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Amy first joined CanadaHelps in the fall of 2008 as a Communications Intern. After a year at CanadaHelps, Amy left to join MyThum Interactive. In the fall of 2010, Amy re-joined CanadaHelps as Marketing and Communications Coordinator. She has volunteered for community programs such as the Ontario Early Year Program and Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services. Amy holds a B.A. Honours in Anthropology and Communications from York University, and an Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communications from Seneca College.


Katelyn McKeown
Fundraising & Business Development

Katelyn joined CanadaHelps in September 2010 to participate in the advancement of the organization’s fundraising practices, donor relations and development of new community partnerships. She discovered her passion for the non-profit sector while interning with Community Living branch, working with adults and children with disabilities. Since then, Katelyn has continued to invest her time and energy into organizations such as the Elmvale District Food Bank, Volunteer Hamilton, Mohawk College’s Foundations for Success and Peer Mentorship programs, Seniors Activation Maintenance Program, Community Living Huronia and Georgian College’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations. She is currently a member for the Ontario Youth Matters Advisory Panel, and sits on the Advisory Committee for the Fundraising and Resource Development program at Georgian College. Katelyn holds a Social Service Worker diploma from Mohawk College and her Postgraduate in Fundraising and Resource Development from Georgian College.


Ren Ramkhelawan
Systems Architect

Ren joined CanadaHelps in May 2003. Prior to joining the team, Ren worked for a software company (now a division of Brascan/Royal LePage) where, amongst other things, he developed Web and QA applications. Through his consulting company, he has worked on commercial software projects in the military medical and automated security fields, and several network infrastructure projects. He also volunteers at the Oakville Speed Skating Club as an instructor. Ren holds a B.A.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto.


Caroline Schwechlen
Office Manager & Executive Assistant

Caroline joined CanadaHelps in 2010. Before joining the team, Caroline was working as an Administrative Assistant at a real estate agency in Switzerland. She is a board member of a humanitarian organization based in Europe. Caroline has participated on several volunteer projects such as charity events, in-kind collections for orphans and fundraising for the construction of schools to promote education for girls in underdeveloped countries. She holds a diploma in Office Administration and is fluent in French, English and German.


Kelei Xu
Web Developer

Kelei joined CanadaHelps in the summer of 2011 as a web developer. Prior to joining, Kelei was a student at the University of Toronto, during which he spent a year as an IT Intern at AMD. He has volunteered at Mount Sinai hospital in the geriatrics department. Kelei holds a B.A.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto.