Board of Governors

Our Board

Bissell Centre Board of Governors provides important oversight and governance functions for Bissell Centre.

Amanda Rosychuk, P.Eng., MBA, ICD.D, Board Chair

Amanda Rosychuk is Senior Vice President of Electricity Services for EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR). In leading EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc., her team is responsible for the safe and reliable delivery of power to customers in the City of Edmonton, Alberta, along with wholesale energy transmission and sales, retail distribution and metering. Prior to this position, Amanda served as Senior Vice President of Drainage Services and other senior positions including the Senior Vice President of Corporate Services.

Amanda has held board positions for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and associations.  In addition to sitting on the board of the Bissell Center she is also on the board of Nulife GreenTech.  Previous roles include the Chair of the Board of Directors for Women Building Futures and a board member of Edmonton Waste RE-solutions.  She has also participated in a number of government task forces including the Skills for Jobs task force, and the Alberta 2030 round tables.

Amanda holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a graduate of its Executive MBA program and has achieved ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Kate Kerber, Board Vice-Chair

Kate Kerber joined the Bissell Centre board in 2026. She is a public health specialist and non-profit leader with over two decades of experience addressing health inequities globally and locally. Kate has dedicated her career to systemic change, ranging from large-scale health initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa to improving access to care in rural and remote Northern communities.

Kate is the Operations Director of Goba Care, an Indigenous-led organization providing navigation and advocacy support for patients from Northwest Territories and Nunavut who need to travel to Edmonton for medical care. Previously, her research at the University of Alberta provided insight into the intersections of health, housing, and urban poverty. Beyond frontline work, Kate has a keen interest in organizational governance. Through her work with Ozone Advisory Inc., she has supported over two dozen board evaluations and has completed the High Performing Boards course.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Kate is passionate about making the city a welcoming place for everyone. To recharge, she enjoys exploring Edmonton’s river valley and spending as much time as possible outside with her family and dogs.

Jeff Simpson, Chair, Human Resources, Nominating & Governance Committee

Jeff has been with Alberta Municipalities since July 2018 and has been working in Human Resources for over 20 years within the private, non-profit and charitable sectors. Positions held have included Director of Recruitment for an oilfield services organization; Western Canada regional lead for a private professional services company and Vice President, Human Resources for YMCA Calgary. He has extensive experience in governance, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, change management, recruiting and strategic planning.

Jeff’s Board of Directors experience includes President and VP of Edmonton Rowing Club (Management Board); President for Alberta AdaptAbilities Association (at the time the board was transitioning from a Management to a Governance Board); and Chair for the MS Society of Alberta and NWT Board. He has also been on the other side of the table as the VP, Human Resources with YMCA Calgary, reporting into presents to the HR Committee and the Board of Directors on a regular cadence. This gives him the perspective of what the Board of Directors is seeking from both sides

Jeff completed an MBA with a focus on International HR from the University of Alberta in 2014. He currently holds his Chartered Professional in Human Resources designation within Canada; and has certifications in Change Management and Psychological Health and Safety.

In his free time, Jeff sits on the steering committee for the Rotary Employment Partnership (a collaboration between Inclusion Alberta and Rotary clubs within Alberta to find people with developmental disabilities meaningful employment); continues to support MS Canada (they have centralized their governance to the national Board, so his role is minimal in approving applications for licenses and casinos for the Alberta office and AGLC); and works with Rowing Canada as a member of the National Umpire Committee as well as officiating rowing events throughout Canada.

Kenneth Singh, Chair, Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee

Ken joined the Bissell Centre Board of Governors in 2023 and serves on the Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee. He brings over 18 years of cross-functional experience in accounting, audit, compliance and risk management, human resources, and marketing.

Ken is currently a Senior Program Director at Alberta Health Services, where he leads the Quality Assurance and Compliance department. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring that internal controls related to human resource functions are effectively designed and operating as intended. His work plays a critical role in promoting accountability, integrity, and continuous improvement across the organization.

In addition to his leadership in the public sector, Ken is a lead Session Leader with the CPA Western School of Business, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to learning, mentorship, and professional development.

Ken holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).

A strong advocate for poverty alleviation, Ken believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of dignity, equality, and potential. He is passionate about contributing to work that drives systemic change and empowers communities.

Alan Aburto

Alan Aburto has been a member of the Bissell Centre Board of Governors since 2024. Alan is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 10 years of experience working in external audit and senior management positions in a variety of industries including Indigenous Business Services, Real Estate, Public Sector, and Not-for-profit organizations. Currently, Alan is the Director of Finance for CPA Alberta, the professional regulatory body for the CPA profession in Alberta. He has a diverse background in financial reporting, assurance, compliance, corporate strategy and risk management.

Alan has significant experience working with Not-for-Profit boards and First Nations governance and has previously served as Treasurer for a Provincial Arts Service organization. Alan is very passionate about serving the community and is inspired by the Bissell Centre’s work towards creating generational impact in the community.

Martin Garber-Conrad

Before retirement, Martin served as CEO of Edmonton Community Foundation for 18 years following 17 years as Executive Director of e4c. During those years, he was Chair of Homeward Trust and on the boards of its predecessor organizations. He has received several honorary degrees and currently has an Adjunct appointment at the School of Public Health. Martin is a long-time resident of McCauley and enjoys baking and traveling.

Brooklyn LeClair

Brooklyn LeClair is legal counsel with the Court of Appeal of Alberta, where she conducts legal research, prepares memoranda that inform appellate judgments, and assists in editing decisions made by the Court. She also serves as a sessional instructor for the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Law, teaching a course on appellate practice and procedure.

Brooklyn holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia. She is an active part of her community, serving as a mentor to students and young lawyers through her work with the Edmonton Regional Heritage Fair and the Law Society of Alberta’s Mentorship Express program.

Outside of work, Brooklyn enjoys baking and exploring Edmonton’s food scene with her husband and son. When she is not with her family, you can typically find her at one of the libraries or bookstores in town, meticulously curating the list of books she plans to read.

Avery Letendre

Avery Letendre works at the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta as the Continuing Education & Online Project Manager. Avery is committed to working toward decolonization in Canada and is keen to build bridges, interconnections, stronger relationships and knowledge toward those ends.

Avery has experience in banking, management, economic development, research and administration and holds a Master of Arts (Native Studies) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta. She is honoured to serve at the Bissell Centre and work toward poverty elimination in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton).

Murray McKay

Murray McKay has been a member of the Bissell Centre Board of Governors since 2024. Murray holds the title of Director, Enterprise Change Management within the Department Justice of the Government of Alberta. He and his team guide and support Public Servant Executives, Management and front-line Employees in the areas of Enterprise Change Management, Change Leadership and Team Cohesion. Murray holds a Master of Arts Degree in Sociology from the University of Manitoba and continues to further his knowledge and experiences in the areas of executive/life coaching, high performing teams, leadership development and emotional social intelligence.

Murray’s mantra in life for as long as he can remember is he doesn’t take himself seriously but takes what he does seriously. His family is his universe, sports is his escape, nature is his friend, humour is his go to, social responsibility is his passion, and his ultimate hope is he can contribute in any way possible in ending poverty. He is honored and privileged to be part of this Board.

Kevin Yee

Kevin is a Chartered Professional Accountant and works at the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission as a First Nation Gaming Liaison. In this role, Kevin has built and maintained working relationships with stakeholders. Those relationships help to get things done to help out those respective communities.

Kevin enjoys helping out and has volunteered with various charities such as Cross Country Alberta, the Edmonton Food Bank, STAR Literacy, and the CPA Alberta Tax Preparation Program. He is grateful to participate in the Bissell Centre’s mission to “remove barriers and support people as they move out of poverty.”

Executive Team

Johanna Knettig, Co-Chief Executive Officer

Johanna was appointed to the Co-CEO position with Bissell Centre after serving as its Chief Programs Officer since 2022. Her career spans nearly 27 years, beginning working as frontline care staff in health care before she quickly moved into senior leadership positions with Covenant Health. She shifted her career’s focus towards social service agencies three years ago. Her expertise in guiding Bissell Centre is built on her extensive experience in relationship development, strategic planning and organizational governance with a deep belief that all people deserve respect and dignity as they journey through life.

Louise Traynor, Co-Chief Executive Officer

Louise was appointed to the Co-CEO position with Bissell Centre after serving as its Chief Operating Officer since 2019. She joined Bissell Centre in 2016, serving in multiple leadership roles that have helped refine the organization’s program delivery models and project management practices. She shifted her career from mechanical engineering to social services more than 20 years ago, driven by her deep belief in the inherent value of every individual and the potential that everyone has for growth. Since then, she’s held multiple positions with organizations such as the Mustard Seed and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Help Eliminate Poverty in Your Community!

Bissell Centre is looking for new Board members.

If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering to become a Board member for Bissell Centre, please take a look at our Board of Governors Recruitment Notice.

Board member nominations are open year-round. Our Nominating Committee interviews prospective Board members twice a year, in April and October. New Board members are voted on just once per year at the Annual General Meeting held in July. If you are interested in becoming a Bissell Centre Board member, please contact Mary Higgs at mhiggs@bissellcentre.org.

Governors must be or become members of Bissell Centre. Interested individuals are welcome to submit a short bio or resume to the attention of Mary Higgs, Director of Administration.