Quick Escape 
On September 15th, we celebrated our fantastic staff and their years of service at our Staff Appreciation Gala at LiUNA Station after 4 years. It was a night of fun, dancing, gratitude, prizes and smiles!
Medora Uppal, CEO of YWCA Hamilton, opened the night with a land acknowledgement and some words for the staff. “Tonight, is an opportunity to celebrate you, the YWCA Hamilton Staff. You are the success behind this organization, and you are the future”, she said.
The opening words were followed by a Story Time with the charismatic Kenadie St James. “You have to know how a story started to appreciate where it is going,” she announces to the crowd. She further recounts the life-saving accomplishments of YWCA Hamilton as an organization.
YWCA Hamilton opened its doors at 75 MacNab Street, a location that supports women’s housing and shelter, health and wellness programs, and developmental services…and continues to grow and thrive. In 2021, YWCA Hamilton opened the new Putman Family Centre that houses Milli Gould Entrepreneurial Centre, and JOIN Immigration and Settlement Program.
“Today, YWCA Hamilton impacts over 10,000 people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities every year and every day that you come to work – no matter what your role in this organization is – you are helping to change someone’s life for the better”, Kenadie remarks.
And it is because of the caring and passionate staff at YWCA Hamilton that we have come so far.
YWCA Hamilton also celebrated the many staff who reached milestones in their career, positively impacted their community, and completed many years of service with us.
Completing 5 years of service with us were:
Akinyi Onyango (Supervised Parenting Services)
Amy Deschamps (Transitional Housing)
Ani Kaluzny (Facilities), Ani Kaluzny (Facilities)
April Blackmore (Developmental Services)
Bahar Amini (Facilities)
Baria Shaikh (Child and Youth Services)
Brittany Sequeira (Child and Youth Services)
Chris Wilson (Child and Youth Services)
Christina Cordeiro (Developmental Services)
Danielle Miceli (Developmental Services)
Eman Dawod (IT)
Hannah Bouman (Developmental Services)
Heather Jovetic (Developmental Services)
Joseph Surrao (Supervised Parenting Services)
Kallie Hutchinson (Child and Youth Services)
Kelsie King (Developmental Services)
Laura Annable (Human Resources)
Linda Tinline-Jones (Child and Youth Services)
Lirie Azizi (Developmental Services)
Lisa Tomlinson (Developmental Services)
Lydia Walters (Developmental Services)
Malgosia Sienkiewicz (Philanthropy and Communications)
Panni Szakacsova (Child and Youth Services)
Rose Ottawa (Developmental Services)
Sandra Parker (Child and Youth Services)
Sarah Borde (Facilities)
Sarah Ernest (Philanthropy and Communications)
Snika Louis (Developmental Services)
Stephanie Gerow (Developmental Services)
Theodora Mukasine (Developmental Services)
Tracie Grist (Developmental Services)
Completing 10 years of service with us were:
Carol Fraser (Developmental Services)
Deborah Schwientek (Employment and Training)
Ildiko Rausz (Child and Youth Services)
Jesstine Carden (Developmental Services)
John Ronchi (Developmental Services)
Completing 15 years of service with us were:
Shelly Birnie (Developmental Services)
Souththa Khanthalangsy (Developmental Services)
Zeno Bosancich (Developmental Services)
Completing 20 or more years with us were:
Clancy Sheehan (Developmental Services, 20 years)
Heather Clarke (Developmental Services, 25 years)
James Fedirko (Developmental Services, 30 years)
Ulrike Hablitschek (Developmental Services, 35 years)
We loved celebrating and acknowledging all the personal, professional and organizational successes and wins over the past year.
We want to thank all of you – our dedicated and passionate YWCA Hamilton staff for making YWCA Hamilton what it is.