Quick Escape 
At YWCA Hamilton, our mission is bold – to build a future where women, gender-diverse people and families thrive. It’s a vision that takes courage, and people who show up every day to make that future possible.
We’re proud to celebrate the people behind our mission – across our organization, team members marked milestone anniversaries, and were honoured at our Staff Appreciation Gala in mid-September. These are years spent walking alongside our community through its greatest challenges and triumphs.
At the Gala, YWCA Hamilton CEO, Medora Uppal reminded the room that what grounds us in the midst of change is people. In a world that is constantly shifting, it is the dedication of our staff that holds us steady and propels us forward.
Our staff members who reached milestones for their years of service:
5 Years of Service:
Rachel Jones (Children’s Services)
Teurai Kadema (Developmental Services
Jennifer Monahan (Developmental Services)
Tehreem Zafar (Immigrant and Settlement Services)
Kayon Simpson (Developmental Services)
Stacy Ann Martin (Children’s Services)
Lidia Siino (Philanthropy)
Leigha Burns (Children’s Services)
Ikram Abdulwahed (Children’s Services)
Zachary Drakes (Developmental Services)
Debbie Vandepoele (At the Table)
Bolanle Ogunjimi (Children’s Services)
Benjamin Sanders (Developmental Services)
Shahd Salman (Children’s Services)
Lissette Mendez Solerzano (Immigrant and Settlement Services)
Nourhan Afify (Youth Services and Speqtrum)
10 Years of Service:
Elizabeth Castellanos (Children’s Services) 
Kaitlyn Haalstra (Children’s Services)
Stefanie Rudzinski (Health and Wellness)
15 Years of Service:
Kelly Ladniak (Developmental Services)
20 Years of Service:
Tabitha Hancock (Developmental Services)
Lindsay Leclerc (Developmental Services)
25 Years of Service:
Neanette Atanas (Central Administration)
30 Years of Service:
Tara Weiderick (Health and Wellness)
35 Years of Service:
Diane Abraham (Developmental Services)
Corry Green (Developmental Services)
To all of our staff: thank you. To our community: we hope you’ll join us in celebrating the extraordinary people who make our work possible.
