A carefully chosen collective to champion the interests of Green Haven Shelter for Women and advocate tirelessly for victims and survivors of gender-based violence. Comprised of professionals with varied skills and perspectives, they embody a force driving positive change within our community.
Kyla Epstein
Board Chair & Chair of the Fundraising Committee
As a second-generation REALTOR®, Kyla merges her passion for real estate at RE/MAX Right Move, collaborating with exceptional agents like her mother and mentor, Marci Csumrik. Her decade-long corporate tenure in NHL and CFL preceded her transition into real estate, where she managed the NHL’s marketing division for over seven years.
Raised in Orillia, she pursued higher education at Laurentian University, combining a Bachelor of Commerce with a Sports Administration degree. Kyla’s journey into motherhood enriched her appreciation for Simcoe County’s family-centred community. Now residing in Innisfil with her husband and their children, she embraces the region’s potential for growing families.
Leila Sherriff
Vice Board Chair
Leila Sherriff worked at GHS when we first opened in 1991. She started as a relief worker and then became our Community Outreach worker for almost six years doing supportive counselling and court/legal support for our clients. She went on to become a paralegal. Leila retired in 2013 and her last work was as Executive Director of the local Alzheimer Society. She has been a Director in many capacities on several Boards prior to coming back to Green Haven as a Board member in 2021.
Liz Ross
Treasurer & Chair of the Resource Committee
Liz is a retired bank executive who moved to Orillia permanently in 2018 after spending holidays in the area since childhood. Liz holds a BA in Economics and an MBA, both from Western University. She has served on numerous not-for-profit boards and has a passion for women’s issues and rights.
Kristin Maillet
Secretary & Chair of the Governance Committee
Kristin has worked as an attorney in Simcoe County with a focus on Criminal Law. Kristin has a Bachelor of Science with a specialization in Psychology and a major in Criminology. Upon receiving her law degree, Kristin was offered a job in Simcoe County and relocated to the Orillia area where she has remained ever since. Kristin is passionate about giving back to her community and advocating for vulnerable individuals. In her free time, Kristin enjoys spending time with her animals, playing soccer, and taking hikes on the local trails.
Tugba Karademir
Governance Committee Member
Tugba is a former local lawyer who has an interest in serving the community as part of a vital organization.
Morrigana Townsend
Director at Large
Morrigana is passionate about survivors and healing. She is a dedicated service worker and supporter of grassroots organizations, as well as a survivor herself.
Krista Walker
Director at Large
Krista was born and raised in the Orillia area. Married with two young boys, she resides just outside of town with her husband. With 16 years of experience in finance, she values the importance of charity, a value instilled by her mother during her upbringing, and aims to impart this to her children.
Amy Britta Watt
Director at Large
Amy Britta Watt is a professor in the Faculty of Social and Community Services at Durham College and is multi-credentialed and the recipient of numerous awards for her precise and highly effective resume development, personal branding, and interview coaching.
Wanda Valliant
Director at Large
Wanda is a dedicated Business and HR Professional with over 20 years experience in the industry, during which she has grown and managed several teams, businesses, and projects. She has always been passionate and outspoken about women’s rights, particularly in regard to women who have experienced abuse.
In her free time, she enjoys golf, snowmobiling, travel, and spending quality time with her family and friends.