Jul 5, 2021 | Testimonial
With a good job and a stable relationship, Meredith never thought she would find herself in a shelter. Meredith’s story began with an increasingly abusive landlord. Then her father, with whom she was extremely close, passed away. Worn out from a lack of support from...May 8, 2019 | Testimonial
In last winter’s bulletin, we shared the story of Valérie, one of our residents who grew up in a dysfunctional family and is a survivor of sexual and mental abuse. Since her arrival at Logifem, the support and stability she has found has brought her great comfort. In...Jul 4, 2018 | Testimonial
Prija (not her real name) was born in Thailand. She grew up in a poor rural family and as a young adult moved to Bangkok, where she got factory work so that she could send money back home. Her first child was born in Bangkok, but when the child was 18 months old she...Committed to her community, Nancy serves as secretary of the Ecumenical Community Services on the South Shore and is a member of the planning committee for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Passionate about music, she has directed several choirs in the
Montreal area and the Eastern Townships. She also loves to travel and has visited 15 countries.
Driven by a deep sense of compassion, Nancy is dedicated to supporting women facing difficult times. She considers it a privilege to serve on Logifem’s Board of Directors.
Coming soon
Heather a rejoint le conseil d’administration de Logifem en novembre 2021 et occupe le poste de vice-présidente depuis juin 2023. Originaire d’Écosse, elle est titulaire d’une maîtrise en musique de l’Université d’Édimbourg, d’un diplôme de la Guildhall School of Music et d’une maîtrise en santé publique et recherche sur les services de santé de l’Université d’Aberdeen. Elle a complété sa formation postdoctorale au Centre Nordoff-Robbins de musicothérapie à Londres, se spécialisant dans la réhabilitation neurologique.
Installée à Montréal depuis 2004, Heather a été gestionnaire de recherche pour un projet pancanadien sur les troubles musculosquelettiques de 2014 à 2018. Elle travaille actuellement à l’Université McGill en tant qu’adjointe administrative auprès du vice-doyen des affaires académiques de la Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé.
Heather est déterminée à contribuer à la lutte contre la violence faite aux femmes, en soutenant la création d’espaces sécuritaires où elles peuvent s’épanouir et renforcer leur autonomie. Elle poursuit également son engagement en faveur des victimes de violence conjugale à travers ses écrits et son activisme local et international.
Elsa Rolo joined Logifem’s board of directors in September 2023. She has over 25 years of experience in human resources. She is President of Human Capital Management, where she supports small and mid-sized biotechnology organizations. Throughout her career, she has held several executive positions with multinational companies, including Director of Talent and Development at SNC-Lavalin, Head of Talent Management for North America at ABB Powergrids, and most recently, Director of Human Resources at Ventus Therapeutics. She holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal. She also completed the Excellence in Canadian Board Governance development program at McGill University. A member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés du Québec since 1997, Elsa is dedicated to supporting women in overcoming poverty, homelessness, and violence.
Ruth has been involved with Logifem since 2013, when she joined the board of directors. In 2014-2015 and 2016-2017, she served as interim Executive Director during the maternity leaves of the director. She has held the position of Board President since September 2017. Her career spans over 40 years in the health and social services sector. She worked as a nurse at the Montreal Children’s Hospital before holding management positions in several CLSCs. She holds a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration from the Université de Montréal. Before retiring in 2010, she was Director of Children, Youth, and Family Services, as well as responsible for vaccination at the West Island Health and Social Services Centre (CSSS). Ruth has also served on numerous committees and boards, both locally and nationally, including Frontier Lodge camp, the national youth organization IVCF, the La Porte Ouverte shelter, and the McGill Community for Lifelong Learning (MCLL). Over the years, Ruth has been deeply impressed by the dedication of volunteers, the commitment of the staff, and the resilience of the residents. She considers it a privilege to contribute to Logifem’s mission.
Jessica has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Montreal. She also obtained a Master’s degree in Addiction Intervention from the University of Sherbrooke, with a specialization in adapting services for mothers. She has been part of the Logifem team since 2018. Since her arrival, Jessica has been promoting a motivational approach, this from a harm reduction perspective.
A quote that represents her work at Logifem is “When a person is suffering, they are standing on a high wire, balanced over an inferno of darkness. Every step, every word, every gesture requires superhuman strength. And in the opaque fog that surrounds her, it is only through faith that she can move forward. If faith is believing in something she can’t see. Not yet.”
Naomi Fontaine, Shur, p78-79
Joyce Laduke has been a member of Logifem’s board of directors since 2016. She worked as a nurse at the Montreal Children’s Hospital for 41 years before retiring in 2015. Throughout her career, she worked in several departments, including intensive care, emergency, medical imaging, and the cardiac catheterization lab. She also taught nursing lab courses at Dawson College and worked for SkyService, an air ambulance and charter company. Touched by the challenges faced by single mothers and their families, Joyce found a natural alignment with Logifem’s mission. Formerly the board secretary, she continues to be actively involved as a board member.
Brenda Thornhill joined Logifem’s board of directors in November 2022. She worked at Scotiabank for over 43 years until her retirement in November 2020. Her career allowed her to gain valuable expertise in administration and accounting. She concluded her tenure as Assistant Manager and Team Lead for Small Business Documentation and Funding. Brenda is also actively involved in volunteering, having offered her time at Accueil Bonneau and other nonprofit organizations. She is driven by a desire to support and connect with people in need—values that align with Logifem’s mission.
Sally brings to Logifem more than twenty years’ experience in not-for-profit management. Originally from the UK, she has worked in the areas of refugees, human trafficking and Fair Trade. “Logifem is a great organisation to work for. We have a terrific staff team who are committed to putting the interests of our residents first. Despite the fact that many of our residents are going through incredibly difficult situations, the atmosphere at Logifem is positive and dynamic. It’s a privilege to be part of this fantastic organization.”
A clinical psychologist by training, Imene has worked with women victims of domestic violence and marginalized families in her country of origin. She did her internship in a hospital and worked with children with pervasive developmental disorders. When she arrived in Quebec in 2010, she worked in an organization for children and families in the east end of Montreal, many of whom were immigrants or newly arrived. She has been working at Logifem since September 2011. She has held the position of intervention worker for residents in supervised apartments, the mother-child position. Today, she is the supervisor of the intervention team for the Maison Benoy pavilion, the post-housing component, and the occupational therapy component, for over six years.