Safe Haven Foundation Board of Directors

A less than ideal childhood and upbringing ultimately prepared Karen Sherbut for the role of her life as a role model, mentor, and humanitarian. In this capacity she is able to provide what she so desperately had once needed; ultimately improving the lives of many young women, their families, and loved ones. Karen’s dream of providing for homeless teenage girls came to fruition in 1996, when Karen and her husband founded Safe Haven Foundation of Canada. In a volunteer capacity at the helm of the Foundation, Karen’s steadfast commitment to Safe Haven Foundation continues to shape a better and brighter future for all of us. With over 40 years of senior marketing, management, and leadership experience, Karen has been extensively involved in the development and implementation of strategic plans and financial planning at both grassroots and national levels. An engaging and innovative leader, Karen’s focus on results- oriented programs, financial accountability, public relations, and award-winning campaigns have provided an enviable advantage to the Foundation at no cost. Karen’s passion remains visible and reflective through the time she dedicates not only to Safe Haven Foundation but also to the many boards and advisory roles she has undertaken over the years. Her story continues to inspire and strike hope and has been widely recognized for her unwavering commitment to end youth homelessness. Karen has also served as the Vice President of Britgary Properties for the past 25 years and leads the marketing and public relations strategies for the company. In recent years, Karen’s expertise has expanded to include operations and strategic planning of some of the Britgary’s newest endeavors.

As Co-Founder and Treasurer of Safe Haven Foundation, John Sherbut’s commitment to serving Calgary’s homeless and at-risk teenage girls has been unwavering.   A visionary with an unbridled philanthropic spirit, John’s long-term financial and personal commitments to Safe Haven Foundation are simply and quite profoundly, a way of life for him.  His larger than life commitment and steadfast championship of the cause nearest and dearest to his heart is a cornerstone of Safe Haven Foundation and our impact on the very fabric of society.  John is President and Owner of Britgary Properties Limited, a real estate development company he established in 1982.  Successfully spearheading the development of new shopping centres and the redevelopment of existing retail complexes, John has also led Britgary Properties into diversification into residential properties and start-up companies in recent years.  John is now proudly taking two of his sons under his wings imparting his knowledge and wisdom as they transition the management of the companies to the next generation.   His entrepreneurial spirit, solid business ethics, and sound financial management have seen Britgary Properties continually prosper in an industry that has shown great fluctuation over the past three and a half decades.   These same values and knowledge base serve Safe Haven Foundation so very well.

Carmen learned of the Safe Haven Foundation shortly after moving to Calgary. The stories and experiences of the Alumni and of Co-Founder, Karen Sherbut, drove her to want to be involved in ending youth homelessness in Calgary. She was eager to get involved as an ambassador and on the Fund Development Committee. Growing up in a small farming community in southern Saskatchewan inspired Carmen’s values of working hard, being a leader and helping others. She graduated from the University of Regina in 2008 with a degree in Business Administration. Being involved in her community is important to her and she believes that organizations like the Safe Haven Foundation are vital to building strong communities. Carmen is extremely grateful for the experiences, people, and opportunities that her husband’s career in the NHL presented her.  She was able to launch an annual fundraiser to support a local animal shelter, support a women’s shelter and support many youth sports programs. For the past 2 years, Carmen has brought a group of ladies together to donate Christmas gifts for the residents of Haven’s Way, making sure they feel the love and joy the holidays can bring. Carmen and her husband Troy are always willing to step up and support friends and family with causes close to them. Carmen brings with her a large network of young, like-minded women that believe in supporting organizations like Safe Haven. She believes the program set in place at Haven’s Way is what makes the foundation so successful along with the passion and commitment by the Board of Directors and Safe Haven team, and says that “Safe Haven is giving homeless young women the opportunity to feel safe and learn the skills they need to be self-sufficient, changing the course of their lives and ending homelessness one life at a time”.

Olivia Dixon is a corporate and commercial litigation lawyer with a primary focus on energy litigation, construction litigation and international commercial arbitration. Olivia obtained a Juris Doctor from the University of Saskatchewan (2007, with distinction), and a Master of Laws from Columbia University (2011, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar). She has been a member of the Alberta bar for over 15 years and is a Partner in the Litigation Department of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Calgary.

Olivia first learned of the Safe Haven Foundation through one of her law partners and was excited about the opportunity to become involved with a charitable organization that focuses on the advancement of women and includes education as part of its core values. Olivia is looking forward to advancing the mission and vision of Safe Haven, and enabling at- risk girls to grow into confident, independent, and self-sufficient young women.

Jillianne (Jill) Farley is a dynamic and accomplished Leader and Consultant in the SaaS technology space. She is widely respected for her ability to drive significant business growth through her experience in client success, technical consulting, operational efficiency, and leadership. Jill’s career is marked by her tenure at Benevity Inc., where she developed her skills adapting to nine different roles across four business functions: charity support, client success, marketing, and sales. Jill has spent the last five years contributing to new business growth as a consultant and sales leader. She has consistently demonstrated her proficiency as a sales professional, blending her passion for developing relationships with her ‘jill-of-all-trades’ skill set, creating a rounded perspective that clients trust and gravitate towards. Known for her transparent and inclusive leadership style, Jill has consistently earned high leadership ratings from her team. She led the technical consulting group at Benevity as it grew from 2 to 16 members, achieving high performance and retention rates over that time. Jill shows her commitment to fostering talent and promoting efficiency through continued training and development of her teammates. Jill’s board experience, including her roles as President of a Condominium Board, Board Director at Lono Inc., and governance committee member at FearIsNotLove, showcases her versatility and ability to provide strategic direction in various settings. Her ownership of Cymbidium Capital Ltd. adds to her diverse portfolio of leadership and business acumen. Jill’s commitment to community service is deeply rooted in family tradition and is reflected in her active involvement in community support, volunteering her time with organizations like the Calgary Food Bank, Alpha House, and Inn from the Cold.

Jill holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & History from the University of Calgary. She pursues continued personal development through training programs and online courses, recently completing courses in Generative AI, Digital Transformation, and Situational Leadership. Jill Farley is known for her consultative, adaptable, and innovative approach, combined with a keen analytical mind and empathetic nature. Jill’s career journey is a testament to her relentless pursuit of excellence, innovative problem-solving skills, and the ability to lead and inspire teams to achieve remarkable results.

Drawing from her own experiences of domestic violence, Jill is deeply passionate about supporting individuals affected by similar circumstances. She recognizes the importance of community and a secure space while navigating those challenges. Jill Farley’s addition to the Safe Haven Foundation Board brings a unique blend of professional acumen, personal empathy, and a commitment to positive community impact, poised to contribute significantly to the Foundation’s mission and future endeavors.

Maria is currently the HRVP for Shell Canada, accountable for all facets for Canada’s people agenda. With over 18 years with Shell, she has held various global and local roles and projects – in support of various businesses across the organization. Previous to her current role, she was the Policy & Benefits Manager, responsible for setting overall Employee Value Proposition for Canada through development, delivery and administration of all policy and benefits. Subsequent to her role in Calgary, she and her family lived in Edmonton, Alberta where she held the role of Scotford Upgrader HR Manager responsible for partnering with business to provide strategic & operational HR advice. Prior to joining Shell, she worked at a manufacturing company in a HR generalist role.

Maria holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA with a specialization in Leadership. Maria is married with two children. Outside interests include spending time in nature, hanging out at the hockey rink, softball field, reading on self-development and dinner parties with family and friends.

You don’t have to spend more than a few minutes in a room with Keli to know her well of creativity runs deeper than most. She has the computer skills but is also a staunch advocate for stepping away from the screen — pottery, photography, and most recently painting fuel her seemingly endless spring of inspiration. Add to that a formidable work ethic and the kind of personality that rallies a team, and you have a true creative powerhouse. Her resume evidences this fact. It features a who’s-who of clients – WestJet, TELUS, The Calgary Stampede, Shaw, and Bow Valley College, to name a few, alongside the awards and industry accolades to fill many a trophy case. These days she focuses on helping up-and-coming creatives earn their brass. Keli currently leads the creative team at Daughter while doing a tremendous amount to support Calgary’s creative eco-system. During the pandemic, she organized a much-loved outdoor public art show featuring Alberta artists and illustrators.

Flash back to 1999, Safe Haven Foundation was just a vision, and we were introduced to a creative genius who truly got us.  She developed our logo, our brochures and produced award winning campaigns. We were in bus shelters and media outlets throughout the city at no cost to us…Keli Pollock put us on the map.  And she planted the seed as she created an image of a child going from darkness into light, a halo around the girl’s head, and thus was born Haven’s Angels.   Fast forward to July 2017 when our Co-Founder, Karen Sherbut, sat down for a coffee with Keli. She had barely sat down when Keli said, “Karen, you know it is time to update your logo”. And since it was created in the 90’s she was right! Keli created not one but three new logos for Safe Haven Foundation, Haven’s Way and Haven’s Angels, all which was what was needed to propel Safe Haven forward and reenergize our presence and brand in the community. Keli was inducted into the Haven’s Angels Hall of Fame in November 2017 and has been instrumental in providing guidance and creative expertise in many areas since then. Most recently Keli and her team at Daughter Creative have been working tirelessly on Safe Haven Foundation’s 25^th Anniversary campaign and are doing this project entirely pro-bono. Once again it is a shining example of Keli’s commitment and generosity, and Safe Haven Foundation is immensely proud to be sharing this campaign with the public. Keli joined our Board of Directors in January 2020 and she is truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Trisha was introduced to the Safe Haven Foundation in 2017. As a Landlord in Calgary’s affordable housing arena working with many housing agencies under Calgary’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness (2010-2018), she was truly impressed with Safe Haven’s comprehensive program that provided a long-term home-like environment (with all the necessary supports) for girls who would otherwise be calling the streets ‘home.’ The progress Safe Haven Foundation has made to end homelessness is beyond an inspiration to her. “Collaboration is really key. We need more support for community-based organizations like Safe Haven to increase the supply of supportive housing – affordable housing with health & social supports on site, because that really is the recipe for success when it comes to making an impact on the ground. People that are homeless aren’t homeless because they want to be homeless. They’re dealing with challenges, like with mental health and drugs and maybe violence in the home. Safe Haven’s program and counselling services have proved to be crucial supports for girls transitioning out of homelessness.”

Growing up in Regina, Saskatchewan in an entrepreneurial family laid the foundation for Trisha to work hard for herself in business, discover a real estate passion and give back. She graduated from the University of Regina with a degree in Kinesiology & Health and moved to Calgary. She entered the real estate market in the early 2000’s flipping properties with her father. By the early 2010’s she was accumulating multi-residential apartment buildings and helping end Homelessness. Her company, Arise Housing Services effectively manages multi-residential apartment buildings in Calgary’s inner-city communities and provides tenants with an affordable place to reside.

For the past three years Trisha has been the organizer of The Calgary Women’s Group, a meetup group in Calgary that plans events to get women (of all ages) out having fun, trying something new and meeting friends in the process as she strongly believes social support systems are critical for everyone to have. But two of the [little] women who have had the most profound impact on her life are her daughters. “I am really grateful for these girls, and I consider it such a joy and privilege to be raising women.” As a single mother, Trisha believes it is her job to raise strong, independent women who will contribute to society, and there’s no better way to do this than to lead by example.