Staff

As a registered non-profit organization, our team includes both our staff and board of directors.

Amanda

Caregiver Support Lead and Service Delivery Manager

Amanda has worked for human services and non-profit organizations for over 25 years. She began work at Cowichan Family Caregivers in January 2018 as the Manager and now serves as a Caregiver Support Lead. Amanda has a first class honours degree in the social sciences and a life long passion for the work of creating inclusive and interdependent communities. She was a caregiver for her beloved mother (in law) and feels honoured to support family caregivers throughout the Cowichan Valley.

Kelly

Caregiver Support Lead

Kelly Chopty has over 20 years of progressive experience working in the field of Human Resources, including long term health care.  Her values are woven into the way she works with clients and candidates alike; with integrity, trust, respect, and enthusiasm at the core. She believes doing the right thing, honesty and follow-through are her strongest skills. 

Kelly has become a passionate advocate for family caregivers and understands what they can go through, as she was the primary caregiver to her mother for many years. Her mother’s disease made her incredibly present in the moment, as things would change daily. Kelly soon came to realize that humour and laughter needed to become a big part of her caregiving role. Kelly knows that caregiving can be extremely hard, and she does not dismiss the gravity and the hardship of the situation, and she has also learned that during the tough times it can be too easy to forget the importance of humour. Kelly is glad she has etched the funny memories of those caregiving years in her spirit and now holds them closely to her heart.

Kelly holds a Degree in Public Administration from the University of Saskatchewan as well as a Business Certificate in Accounting. 

Laura

Caregiver Support Lead

Laura Horton has worked for human service organizations for over 30 years. She has been involved with vulnerable populations her entire career and has a passion for collaborating and creating safe and caring communities. Laura is a caregiver for her mother who lives in an independent living home in WhiteRock, BC. She is married and has two adult children. Laura loves walking, hiking and gardening and is looking very forward to connecting with caregivers in the Cowichan Valley.Laura is also in the process of becoming a Level II certified coach.  For Laura, the coaching relationship is about partnering to create positive, meaningful, sustainable change. Laura describes coaching as a powerful tool that provides a person with a safe space to think through and find their own answers to their questions and/or problems. To hold space with a person means walking alongside them in whatever journey they are on without judging them, trying to fix them, or trying to influence the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we let go of judgement and control and open up our hearts. For Laura, this fits perfectly with her role as a Caregiver Lead.

Linda

Executive Director

As the Executive Director of the Cowichan Family Caregivers Support Society, Linda is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the organization and developing outreach and advocacy for caregivers in healthcare and social services. Professionally, Linda has worked in the non-profit sector for many years, but was drawn to CFCSS for more personal reasons. Having been a caregiver herself, Linda has a deep compassion for caregivers and the many challenges they face. She has had the privilege of connecting with many of the amazing caregivers in our community and is dedicated to representing and advocating for caregivers and programs throughout the Cowichan Valley and British Columbia.

Chantey

Administration and Special Projects

Chantey has been gratefully living on Quw’utsen territory for the past 15 years. She has a background in fine arts but has also worked in many fields of human health including, teaching yoga, supporting childbirth as a doula, and as a breastfeeding counselor. Most recently, Chantey was a lead administrator at Sunrise Waldorf School where she ushered in new families, built relationships amongst parents, and supported teachers with heart. Chantey travels extensively throughout Ethiopia where both her creative and health care passions have come alive while volunteering with some of Ethiopia’s youngest and also their most elderly populations. Every year, she lends her hands at an orphanage for children with HIV, as well as at cataract surgery camps working to eliminate curable blindness. Chantey is the mother of two amazing young women, she is a painter, a colour addict, a star gazer, a plant lover, a meal maker, a conscious dancer, a hiker, a tree hugger, and is always on the lookout for delight. In this next chapter, Chantey will be taking up full-time residence in her painting studio, while supporting the administration at CFCSS. She looks forward to it all.

Board of Directors

Dan

President

Dan served as the Director of our Young Carers Program from 2009 to 2014, and returned to us as a Board member in 2015.

An active community volunteer, Dan worked as an administrator and teacher in international schools and universities for over 40 years. He happily retired in 2021 to spend more time traveling to warmer places and hanging out with his grandchildren.

Phil

Board Member, Acting Treasurer

Phil’s family moved to the Cowichan Valley in 1974. He quickly became an active community member, involved with coaching soccer, volunteering in the executives of soccer, North Cowichan committees, the Parks Board, and Harbours Commission. After downsizing and moving to Crofton the Sea walk, Community Center and our Seniors Center. Phil was introduced to dementia when he and his wife became caregivers for his mother. Later, Phil’s wife was also diagnosed and passed away from dementia. Phil felt that he might be able to help others with his experience in caregiving, and he accepted the nomination to join the CFCSS Board.

Tracy

Secretary

Tracy has been on the board of CFCSS since 2013. She believes that caregivers are the unsung heroes of our society because they watch out for our vulnerable, our elderly, and our frail mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends, sometimes for years. The work we do to support caregivers is why she is an enthusiastic part of the CFCSS team.

Robert

Board Member

Robert retired from his position as Financial Controller for the Cowichan Tribes in 2007. He has enjoyed volunteering for CFCSS on the organizing team for the Annual Shawnigan Lake Adventure fundraiser and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

Jan

Board member, policy and development