Diane’s list of accomplishments over her 38- year career at CCIS, is both long and distinguished. She has held numerous positions within CCIS, beginning with her time as a volunteer with the Home Visit Program in 1984. 

Between 1978 and 1985, she had been involved with the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program at Holy Spirit Parish. It was during this experience with refugee resettlement that Diane discovered her life’s passion and sought employment at CCIS to utilize her newly developed skills. 

In July 1985, Diane gained employment with CCIS. She worked briefly at the CCIS Cross-Cultural Children’s Centre, followed three months later with a move to Host Program Co-Ordinator, responsible for all aspects of the program, now known as Canada Connects. 

In November of 1992, Diane was promoted to Manager of Community and Education Services, which morphed into Community Development and Integration Services. It was during the next 23 years that Diane truly made her mark on the agency and the community. Her responsibilities included cultural diversity, volunteer engagement, community development/outreach, support for survivors of torture, seniors and youth programs, community engagement, private sponsorship, rural Alberta settlement services, and Notary Services. Her community involvement included working with boards and committees on the Regional, Provincial, and National level.  

Not quite ready to leave the agency she loves, Diane stepped back from full-time work in 2015 to become our Special Projects Advisor on a part-time basis. She has successfully undertaken the co-ordination and administration of the CARF Accreditation process at CCIS, which has just been granted three-year accreditation for the third survey since that time. Diane remains our Notary Public (since 1989) and consults on numerous additional projects at CCIS, 

Diane’s passion has always been her job. “From the moment I met the first refugee family in 1979 I knew this is what I wanted to do – to make a difference for my new friends and others like them. They all led me to my first day at CCIS and all the other days up to 38 years and beyond.”