Each issue Foundation Magazine provides a mini-profile of five people whose work and commitment make Canada a more liveable country. We thank them for their service.
Diane Lacaille is the Scientific Director and Senior Scientist at Arthritis Research Canada; as well as a Professor, Department of Medicine, at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver. She has a rheumatology practice in Vancouver, BC. She holds the Mary Pack Chair in Rheumatology Research from UBC and The Arthritis Society of Canada. She completed medical school and internal medicine training at McGill University in Montreal, and her Rheumatology training and a Master’s in Health Sciences, clinical epidemiology, at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Lacaille’s research has led to significant advances in preventing Work Disability for employed people with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). She has developed an online a program that helps people stay employed by promoting self management of problems at work and helping people make necessary changes at work. Dr. Lacaille is also evaluating the quality of health care services received by British Columbians with RA.
Tim Monds has been a pillar in the Lung Cancer Community with his efforts to raise awareness of the disease to as many people as possible. Tim has inaugurated Give a Breath 5k, and thanks to his commitment, energy, and leadership, the event has grown to become Canada’s premier walk/run in support of Lung Cancer. In the spring of 2016, Monds received a diagnosis of stage I lung cancer at the age of 57. The diagnosis came after 20 years of recurrent bronchial pneumonia accompanied by various lung issues. In April of 2016 after going to the hospital for chest pains, an X-ray detected a nodule. A subsequent CT scan confirmed lung cancer. Tim had never smoked in his life. In 2019, with the support of his surgeon, Tim and his family set out to organize a walk/run to raise funds and awareness about lung cancer. Give a Breath 5k’s inaugural event was in 2019. The Monds family has since partnered with Lung Cancer Canada and have seen incredible growth. Now in its fifth year, Give a Breath 5k is held in 4 cities across Canada, and has raised $350,000 to date.
Shayenne Selleck is the Manager, Employee Giving, for Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) and Executive Director of the AIMCo Foundation for Financial Education. She describes herself as a data-driven communicator, creative storyteller and passionate community advocate and says she has one of the greatest jobs in the world: connecting people to the exact project or person making a difference in the area they care about most and telling the story of how a single gift can change everything. She has served the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, the University of Calgary as Associate Director, Annual Giving, the Canadian Cancer Society for more just under three years and the University of Alberta, am other nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
Jennifer Marley is Chair of the Board of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. A proven marketing leader and strategic advisor with 30 years of experience, Jennifer Marley solves the highest-level, toughest strategic challenges for her clients at the marketing advisory firm, Sklar Wilton & Associates (SW&A). In her 18 years at SW&A, Jennifer has been honoured to act as strategic and insights advisor to some of Canada’s finest companies to collaboratively solve tough business challenges to unlock growth and build stronger brands. Her vision has been a driving force behind many successful culture, engagement and coaching initiatives at SW&A leading the firm to be named as one of Canada’s Best Workplaces, as well as, an Employee Recommended Workplace in 2017 and 2018. The blood cancer cause is a personal one for Jennifer. She is a 14-year leukemia survivor and is dedicated volunteer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. She is also a keen adventurer who enjoys new challenges including biking, hiking, trekking, and zip-lining in some of the most exotic and beautiful parts of the world. She is a mother of two, Matt 22 and Kate 20, who she is helping transition through university to adulthood. Her husband Murray enjoys accompanying her on her adventures.
Josée Lafitte is Director of the RONA Foundation. After having worked in the world of philanthropy for over 20 years, she says she is honored to be managing the RONA Foundation. When she looks back on all that the foundation has accomplished these past 25 years, she is inspired and wants to challenge themselves to help even more Canadians in the next 25 years so that the foundation can keep playing an active part in building stronger communities throughout the country. The RONA Foundation contributes to improving the quality of life of Canadians in need by revitalizing their living environments or making it easier to access housing. In particular, it aims to help victims of domestic violence and their children, low-income families, and people with disabilities or mental health issues.
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