Jessica brings with her a solid commitment and a wealth of experience. She began her career with Hopewell nearly 18 years ago as a PSW in the Ariss home. With guidance from founder John Oosterhuis, Jessica soon learned to care for and respect the unique individuals who madet heir home there. She invested herself in helping them develop their abilities and face their challenges.
During her years as Program Coordinator, Jessica worked closely with the Upper Grand District School Board for the onsite school program. She spent time working alongside occupational and physical therapists in a concerted effort to bring clients up to their full personal potential. Serving as Manager for Respite Services brought her many opportunities to interact with families to ensure positive experiences for clients coming into the home for respite care.
Over the last decade Jessica has worked in a variety of management roles and has been an integral part of the start up of several residential programs and facilities. It has been gratifying for her to see how Hopewell has successfully expanded to meet the great needs of people who require specialized care. She remains a dedicated advocate for those individuals and strongly promotes the person-centered approach that Hopewell has always maintained. With that in mind she is now in a position to offer support and encouragement to the many managers who serve diligently throughout the Hopewell organization.
Gayle brings many years of human resource learning and experience, a strategic focus and a solid commitment to people and their work life. This experience has been honed within a wide variety of public and private, for profit and not for profit organizations including within health care, addictions and mental health, education, and environmental services. A past corporate executive and a strong generalist, now choosing to provide strategic HR leadership advice, and counsel; to develop and lead start up, evolving and growing organizations, ensuring alignment of value-based culture with the vision and mission of the organization. Proven strengths and expertise include management coaching, talent acquisition, policy development and administration, organizational effectiveness, change management, employee/labour relations, compensation, and benefits. A leader committed to best practices, continuous improvement, and client service.
Lindsay Sweeney-Hockin is a white, queer, neurodivergent, and non-binary settler new to the Guelph community. As a Fundraising Executive with over 15 years of experience, Lindsay has committed to building strategic, sustainable, and equitable fundraising programs. They are committed to supporting small to midsize organizations with effective, scalable, and meaningful revenue results. They have raised funds for cause close to their values including 2SLGBTAIA services, Housing, Mental Health, Peer Support, Anti-Violence Housing, and Reproductive Justice.
Lindsay is a proud fundraiser with strong values centered on Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF)- a model of fundraising that is grounded in equity and social justice. Lindsay’s dedication to CCF stems from a profound understanding of the systemic challenges present in the nonprofit sector. They are unwavering in their commitment to both learn and unlearn systemic inequities, to ensure that their work is always aligned with the broader good of the community. They are committed to using their privilege to make space and leverage their fundraising expertise to center communities.
Throughout their career, Lindsay has been able to work for amazing leaders and organizations and also hire and build teams that honour their lived experience- as well as their expertise. They are committed to being a leader who is accountable, responsive and committed to continuous learning.
Emily Shoemaker is the Director of Operations and Support Services at Hopewell Support Services and a key leader within the organization. Her passion for working with individuals with developmental disabilities began in high school, where she volunteered in programs that fostered inclusion and connection. These early experiences inspired her to commit her education and career to creating meaningful opportunities for individuals with diverse abilities.Emily has been an integral part of Hopewell’s success, growing through roles that deepened her expertise and strengthened her leadership. She played a pivotal role in the launch of Hopewell’s Grange property, overseeing its opening as the Coordinator and later transitioning into the Manager role. Under her leadership, the Grange became a model of excellence in supportive care, with a culture that values both the well-being of the people served and the staff team. Her ability to build a team that is passionate, engaged, and well-supported reflects her exceptional leadership and people skills.As a member of Hopewell's senior leadership team, Emily provides strategic direction, advocates for resources to enhance programming, and fosters partnerships that align with Hopewell’s mission. Her dedication to person-centered care and operational excellence ensures that the individuals supported at Hopewell experience lives full of dignity, growth, and connection.Emily is deeply committed to empowering both the people supported and the staff who serve them. Her leadership style is rooted in collaboration, empathy, and a vision for creating an inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
