Board of Trustees

DeAnn is the President & CEO of Edmonton John Howard Society working to eradicate the root causes of crime to build safe and healthy communities. As a seasoned executive with more than 20 years in business, health care and the community sector, DeAnn is known for driving transformational change, maximizing operational excellence and building collaborations to enhance the lives of individuals. DeAnn is passionate about mental health and community development. She has held numerous community board appointments including Board Chair for Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters, Board Chair for Terra Centre and a Board member with the Mental Health Foundation. DeAnn holds an undergraduate degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice and a MBA in executive leadership. In her spare time, DeAnn can be found on the soccer field and running in Edmonton’s beautiful river valley.

Mohammad Asif is a forward-thinking professional with over 20 years of progressive experience in Business Development, Retail Banking, Financial Planning, Branch Management, Hospitality, Real Estate, and Business Consultancy. Mohammad is best known for his passion for coaching new immigrants and supporting Mental Health in the community. He has received serval community awards and recognitions. Mohammad is passionate about raising Mental Health awareness in his organization and in the community and has even shared his personal mental health story publicly. Mohammad holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Athabasca University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of the Punjab.

Aileen Giesbrecht is a passionate community builder and is proud to hold the position of City Clerk for the City of Edmonton. She has held a variety of positions since joining the City in 2005, including Chief of Staff, Executive Director Commonwealth Games Bid 2022, as well as leading teams in Corporate Business Planning and Performance Measurement. Prior to her tenure at the City of Edmonton, Aileen spent a decade in Scotland working in a variety of social inclusion partnerships and the Scottish Government.
She is a graduate of both the University of Alberta and the University of Glasgow and has embarked on a journey of lifelong continuing education, including the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program, and the Judy Project at Rotman School of Management.

Aileen has recently joined the Mental Health Foundation as a Trustee and Chair of the Governance Committee and is inspired by the vision of the Foundation to work with communities, raising funds to enhance mental health and addictions recovery through research and innovation, education, and care. Aileen loves Edmonton summers and winters and shares her passion for outdoor activities with her husband, Scott, and son, Emerson.

Gord Gilroy was born, raised and educated in Edmonton. He graduated from the University of Alberta in 1986 with a degree in Business. From there he founded Vision Creative in 1987 and operates it today with two business partners and 10 employees. Gord is currently a member of the UofA Senate. Previous board commitments include Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Glenora Rotary Club. Gord has been married to his wife Angie since 1996 and together they have two adult kids – Jack and Grace. In his spare time he enjoys hiking / skiing the Canadian Rockies, travel abroad and art in its various forms.

Scott is perhaps best known for his time on city council, representing Ward 6 from 2013 to 2021. Scott led city council initiatives on mental health, social isolation, indigenous relations and reconciliation. His work led to the funding of supportive housing facilities, as well as the formation of the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee. Prior to his time on council, Scott was a journalist, with 24 years at The Edmonton Journal. He left the newspaper in 2010 and launched a successful communications business, serving local, provincial and federal clients. Actively involved in the community, Scott also volunteered as director of the Downtown Edmonton Community League, the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, the Downtown Vibrancy Task Force, the Alberta Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health and the Lieutenant Governor’s Circle on Mental Health and Addiction. Scott has three grown children, who all live in Edmonton. Scott is a life-long bedroom guitarist and also rides an eBike, motorcycle or yellow Vespa scooter when the weather allows.

Nicholas Mitchell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta, and the Senior Medical Director of the Addiction and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network and Provincial Medical Director for the Addiction and Mental Health Provincial Team within Alberta Health Services. In his roles with AHS he is involved in government and community stakeholder relations, policy, strategy, and research and innovation with a goal of improving the quality of healthcare for Albertans.

Donna has been married for 34 years. Together, her and Travis have two grown children and three precious grandchildren. When not working or volunteering, Donna enjoys spending time with her family, reading, enjoying the outdoors, and socializing with friends.

Anita is a partner at the law firm Ackroyd LLP and practices in the area of corporate commercial law with a focus on advising Indigenous communities on corporate governance matters, joint venture and partnership agreements, trusts and financing. In her spare time, Anita is an avid runner and has run a number of marathons including the New York Marathon and the Los Angeles Marathon.

Deborah is a fundraising professional with more than 15 years of fund development leadership experience and a track record of raising more than $30M. Deb stepped up to her role as MHF’s President & CEO after formerly serving as Vice-President, Philanthropy at Covenant Foundation Edmonton. She has also served as: Director, Fund Development, YWCA, Edmonton; Director, Children’s Miracle Network & National Partnerships, Sick Kids Foundation, Toronto; and Senior Manager Annual Fundraising Programs/Children’s Miracle Network, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. She is also a board member for YMCA Edmonton Foundation. In her spare time, Deb loves to cook and hang out with her husband and dogs.

Jo-Anne has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Alberta and over 20 years of experience designing print materials, digital content, and websites. Residing in Edmonton, she is an outgoing and enthusiastic person that has worked across a variety of industries. She has found her niche working for the last three years in the non-profit sector on projects that are both meaningful and rewarding. She is passionate about innovative problem-solving, diligent about details and deadlines, and always strives to deliver premium results. She is always looking to expand her areas of expertise and is currently exploring photography and video editing.

When she’s not being swarmed by her two cats, Jo-Anne enjoys running, yoga, and travelling to sunny shores with her husband and daughters.

Serving as the new Director of Communications, Rolando has decades of experience in communications, project management, and leadership roles. As an communications and engagement specialist, an entrepreneur, and a nonprofit leader, Rolando has received numerous recognitions and honours for his work and volunteerism. He is driven by contribution and creating dynamic teams full of fun and growth opportunities.

Over 25 years, he has gained experience developing business strategies, operationalizing plans, as well as with outcome and performance evaluations. Rolando was responsible for developing an engagement framework for 40,000+ Métis citizens across Alberta, and grown a start-up to 20 staff and $1.5M in revenue within its first year. He has drafted and implemented internal and external communications strategies, created procedures and policies, and has been the key contact on several initiatives receiving national media attention.

Rolando believes in servant leadership, building on strengths, and is an avid volunteer. He currently sits on the board of directors for the Business Link board and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Rolando and his partner, Nicole, are eager to start their inaugural summer of RVing throughout Alberta!

Shelley is an accomplished self-starter with a strong background in the nonprofit and finance sectors. Working remotely from Ontario, Shelley gained her extensive experience in data management and event coordination at the Grand River Hospital Foundation, following a tenure with the Bank of Montreal. Shelley volunteers making and providing hot meals for vulnerable people, as a social media manager for a nationwide prostate cancer non-profit, and is on the Finance Committee as an advisor at her church. In her spare time, Shelley enjoys hiking and camping in Ontario, and beyond.

Erin joined the Mental Health Foundation in February 2022, as an Executive Assistant and Grants Administrator. She is an experienced Executive Assistant and Board Secretary, with a background in a variety of industries, including non-profits—most recently with the University Hospital Foundation.

She is excited to join a team of passionate individuals making a difference in the lives of Albertans. Erin lives in Sherwood Park with her partner and dog, Birdie. She enjoys running, spinning, and travelling.

Mickey Melnyk has worked for the Mental Health Foundation since September 2022.

Mickey has over 20 years of fund development experience in major gifts, donor stewardship, community relations, fundraising, and event and project management. During his career, Mickey has also worked for Covenant Foundation, Edmonton Opera, Alberta Ballet, MacEwan University, Alberta Chambers of Commerce, and Enbridge. Mickey led and organized special events during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

He is past-President and Founder of the Alberta Piano Chamber Society and past-Board of Trustee of the Edmonton Symphony Society and Edmonton Concert Hall Foundation. He chaired the 2001 Enbridge United Way Campaign raising over $212,000 for the Alberta Capital Region. In 2015, he led and organized the Edmonton Opera gala, which raised over $350,000.

Mickey is known for excellent relationship building and stewardship. He obtained his Public Relations Diploma from MacEwan University in 2005. Mickey studied piano performance since five and plays at concert level. He enjoys gardening, hiking, travelling to see museums and experiencing different cultures.

Amber is looking forward to a future where we can all acknowledge mental health and addictions in a progressive and destigmatized manner. Amber has a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in International Studies, and a minor in Anthropology. Having spent most of her time learning about people and their roles in society, she pursued a person-centered career in client relations. Amber spent several years working with families at Kids Uncomplicated; she thoroughly enjoyed bringing innovation to the disability sector.

Amber also spent some time interning with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights. Her volunteer time provided her great insight to the collective efforts needed to help our communities prosper. She is eager to learn more about our donor community and the mental health needs of Albertans. The Mental Health Foundation is setup for success, and she is excited to join a team of passionate and dedicated individuals. In Amber’s spare time you will find her exploring the outdoors with her family, swimming laps at the pool, cooking vegetarian food, and chasing after a mischievous dog.