About

Our Staff

Directors

Executive Director

Mebrat Beyene

(she/her)

Mebrat is an Eritrean, born in Ethiopia and raised in Montreal. As executive director of WISH and co-chair of Living in Community, Mebrat supports women and initiatives related to the health and safety of women and gender-diverse people engaged in street-based sex work.

She has worked in social justice, and non-profit management and community development for over twenty years. Mebrat has worked closely with women and women-serving organizations as a Programs Officer with Status of Women Canada; and served as executive director of PeerNetBC. She is also a recipient of the 2020 YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Award in the Non-Profit category.

In a volunteer capacity, Mebrat sits on the board of the Equality Fund; serves on the City of Vancouver’s Black History Month Planning Committee, and also volunteers with the Vancouver Youth Choir. She lives in East Van, doing as much singing, adventuring and plotting with her son…much to their cat’s chagrin.

Director of Communications & Development

Estefania Duran

(she/her)

communications[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 124)

Director of Direct Services

Tracey Brezovski

(she/her)

tracey.brezovski[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 141)

Director of Finance

Nancy Xu

(she/her)

financedirector[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 129)

Director of Participant Engagement

Caitlin Johnston

(she/her)

caitlin.johnston[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474

Director of People, Culture and Engagement

Payvand Gonzalez

(she/her)

pcedirector[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 236-777-4451

Administrative Staff

Communications & Development Officer

Lauren Burrows Backhouse

(she/her)

devofficer[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 125)

Development & Finance Coordinator

Jeanie Parkinson

(she/her)

admin[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 118)

Development Senior Manager

Sophie Luckhart

(she/her)

sophie.luckhart[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 123)

Executive Assistant & Board Liaison

Celdae Anderson

(she/her)

execassistant[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 142)

Facilities & Operations Manager

Aja Lamb-Hartley

(she/her)

Finance Senior Specialist

Carol Minchinton

(she/her)

finance[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 126)

Grant Specialist

Alison Clancey

(she/her)

alison.clancey[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 143)

Grant Specialist

Elicia Loiselle

(they/them or she/her)

grantspecialist[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 130)

Human Resources Manager

Laura Wicks

(she/her)

hr[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 120)

Payroll & Finance Manager

Catherine Tan

(she/her)

catherine.tan[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 121)

Programs Staff

Drop-In Manager

Kelsea Lawton

(she/her)

dimanager[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 116)

Drop-In Supervisor

Sonya Kim

(she/her)

disuper2[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 117)

Drop-In Supervisor

Kelsey German

(she/her)

disuper[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 127)

Inreach Manager

Jenny Sloman

(she/her)

inreach2[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 106)

Inreach Worker

Charlotte

(she/her)

inreach1[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 115)

Kitchen Supervisor

Jordan Seay

(she/her)

kitchenmanager[at]wishdropincentre.org

Learning Centre Coordinator

Emily Hunter

(she/her)

Learning Centre Coordinator

Namosh Reddy

(she/her)

MAP Van Manager

Star Deibert-Turner

(she/her)

mapvan[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 114)

MAP Van Supervisor

Robyn Dekinder

(she/her)

mapsuper[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 107)

Music Therapist

Christina Tsikata

(she/her)

Shelter Manager

Michelle Bunton

(she/her)

sheltermgr[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 110)

Shelter Supervisor

Chrys Hibbs

(she/her)

sheltersuper[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 112)

Supportive Employment Program Manager

Melody Wise

(she/her)

melody.wise[at]wishdropincentre.org

T: 604-669-9474

Supportive Employment Program Supervisor

Megan Banks

(she/her)

sepsuper[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 108)

Volunteer Manager

volunteers[at]wishdropincentre.org
T: 604-669-9474 (Ext. 122)