Our Leadership Team

  • Jamie is an experienced corporate and non-profit business professional who has recently worked for Scotiabank, Bobby’s Hospice and Family Plus. Before that she had 10 years in senior management in the contact centre industry .

    She is a passionate and driven professional, who is adept at relationship building and revenue/business development. She has a proven track record in Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Strategic Partnerships, Market Research, and Employee Management. 

    Jamie is the founder of the Compassionate Grief Centre and served as the Board Chair for one year in 2020 prior to becoming the CEO in 2021.

  • Sandy is a former registered nurse and a non-profit business specialist.  She was the Chief Executive Officer of Hospice Greater Saint for 21 years, managing a $2.2M budget and leading a team of 30 paid staff and 150 volunteers.  Her leadership established Bobby’s Hospice, a 10-bed community palliative care home, the first in Atlantic Canada and supported the development of others in the region. 

    Sandy is a passionate and driven healthcare and non-profit business professional and a social entrepreneur. She strongly believes in community programs and services that deliver high quality palliative care and comprehensive grief support that enhances our quality of life and supports our ability to cope with grief and loss.

  • Megan Glode is a dynamic and results-driven operations professional with over a decade of experience in project management, sales operations, procurement, and finance. Known for her exceptional leadership, analytical skills, and ability to streamline processes, she has consistently delivered measurable results, including resolving $26M in outstanding costs during a major organizational transition and driving 300% sales growth within six months in a previous role.

    Megan excels in cross-functional team coordination, financial reconciliation, and program development, bringing creativity and innovation to every challenge. With a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of New Brunswick, she combines strategic vision with tactical execution, making her a transformative leader committed to operational excellence and impactful results.

    In Megan's personal life she loves travelling with her husband and relaxing at home with her fur babies. 

Counselling Team

  • Originally from Australia, Athena now calls Rothesay, NB, home, where she lives with her husband and two adorable children—her greatest pride and joy.

    Athena brings with her a Master of Counselling and six years of experience in the mental health field. She is highly skilled in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy, making her a wonderful addition to our team.

    She is a passionate and driven professional, who is adept at relationship building and revenue/business development. She has a proven track record in Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Strategic Partnerships, Market Research, and Employee Management. 

    Jamie is the founder of the Compassionate Grief Centre and served as the Board Chair for one year in 2020 prior to becoming the CEO in 2021.

  • Ruth Anne is a highly skilled and compassionate social worker, bringing over 25 years of invaluable experience to our team. As a dedicated professional with a passion for helping others navigate life’s challenges, Ruth has extensive experience in a variety of mental health concerns.

    Ruth Anne holds both a Master of Social Work and a Master of Divinity, showcasing her multidimensional approach to holistic care. Her unique educational background and extensive experience equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of individuals, allowing her to provide well-rounded support to her clients.

    Her career has been marked by a dedication to individual counselling where she has supported countless individuals in navigating personal and emotional challenges. In addition, Ruth Anne is highly skilled in leading groups, and helping to foster a sense of community and shared understanding among participants.

    Another one of her notable strengths lies in crisis intervention. She is very adept at handling high-stress situations, providing immediate support and comfort to those in need.

    Ruth Anne is known for her kind and compassionate approach to supporting others when they need it the most. Her soft and caring nature creates a safe and nurturing environment for clients to freely express themselves. Her commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others is evident in the genuine care and support she provides and significantly enhances the quality of mental health care we provide to our community.

    Ruth Anne and her family have recently relocated from Ontario to New Brunswick and have been thoroughly enjoying the beautiful and serene countryside and laid back and friendly lifestyle of the east coast.

  • Olga is a licensed counselling therapist with a Masters in Education in Counselling Psychology and over 25 years of experience working with clients on a diverse range of issues. Her expertise includes addressing grief, depression, anxiety, PTSD, illness, relationship challenges, violence, and sexual assault/abuse.

    Olga has always been deeply committed to assisting clients who have experienced trauma in various ways. As a trained trauma therapist specializing in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), she offers a psychotherapy treatment designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories.

    Olga is also very experienced in offering couples counselling, using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).

    With a gentle, client-centered approach, Olga provides care and support characterized by empathy, kindness, and a commitment to creating a safe environment for clients to explore their emotional challenges at their own pace.

    Olga recently moved to New Brunswick after residing in Nova Scotia for many years. Having spent a significant portion of her life kayaking along the Atlantic Coast, she has developed a deep appreciation for the stunning kayaking and hiking destinations in New Brunswick, including the Bay of Fundy and Fundy Trail Parkway.

  • Melanie has over 20 years of experience in health care and social services., including 10 years at Ridgewood Addiction Services as a Clinical Social Worker and 4 years as the Regional Lead and Acting Area Manager at Horizon Health’s Addiction and Mental Health Services. Melanie is currently employed full-time as an Instructor at New Brunswick Community College.

    Melanie is proud to join the professional counselling team at the Compassionate Grief Centre on a part-time basis. She has extensive experience providing one-on-one therapeutic intervention and is skilled at building effective relationships within the professional counselling environment.

  • Clinical social worker with over five years of experience in in-person counseling and group therapy facilitation. She is highly skilled in utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to support her clients in navigating life’s challenges.

    Maggie is compassionate, resilient, and outgoing, She prioritizes her clients’ well-being and finds fulfillment in helping them move forward on their journeys.

    Outside of her professional work, Maggie values mental wellness and enjoys spending time outdoors. She finds joy in going for walks with her partner and their beloved dog, Rosie.

Student Counselling Team

  • David Fleming is a dedicated educator and working on being a full time mental health professional counselor/Guidance Counsellor. David has a strong background in teaching and a passion for supporting student well-being. With over a decade of experience teaching elementary and middle school students, he has developed expertise in personalized learning, inclusive education, and fostering growth mindsets. David has served in various leadership roles, including contributing to school improvement plans and professional development initiatives.

    As a Psychology major with a deep understanding of child development along with his very personal devastating grief journey, David brings a unique perspective to mental health counseling, emphasizing empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based strategies.

    His commitment to creating safe and supportive environments makes him a compassionate and caring team member and a great addition to our team.

  • Michelle is a Registered Social Worker with the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick and a Bachelor of Social Work from Dalhousie University. Currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University, Michelle began her career in frontline roles within the nonprofit disability and criminal justice sectors. She has also worked with adults facing co-occurring intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges in both hospital and residential settings. Over the past five years, Michelle has held various positions within Child Welfare and Disability Support at the Department of Social Development, where she developed therapeutic relationships with individuals and families centered on collaboration and respect. Her holistic approach to counseling considers individuals’ experiences and goals, recognizing the influence of environmental factors, resource accessibility, and social systems on overall wellness.

Special Projects Team

  • obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick in 2018. Kat also received her Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University in 2021. During her schooling and practicum, Kat worked with individuals in coping with anxiety, depression, and grief. Her therapeutic approach is person-centered, trauma-informed, and emotion-focused. Mental health has been a critical component of Kat’s life and serving her community by giving back has been a lifelong passion.

    Kat is helping us with our Intellectual Disability Programs

  • Mathieu received his Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Moncton in 2009. He has worked as a Clinical Social Worker with Addictions and Mental Health in Charlotte County and in Saint John providing case management and crisis services.

    Before finding his niche in addiction and mental health adult services, Mathieu gathered experience in the field of social services working in different roles serving children and youth. He worked for two years at the child and youth advocate office in Fredericton where he reviewed complaints about a multitude of provincial services aimed at young people and promoted children’s rights through advocacy and the participating in the planning of sensibilization events.

    Mathieu currently works full-time at the Ridgewood Addiction Treatment Center in Saint John, providing private counselling and group sessions to adults dealing with substance abuse. Matt joins the Compassionate Grief Centre as a part-time, fully bilingual, licensed counsellor. Matt is an experienced and compassionate counsellor with a passion to help people dealing with grief, loss and life's challenges.

  • Kelly is a Certified Grief Specialist with over 20 years’ experience counselling individuals, families and leading Grief Programs. She has received a Certificate in Children and Youth Grief and Bereavement from Toronto SickKids Community Mental Health Centre to help children and their families find meaningful ways to cope with the pain of grief. Kelly also has Palliative Care and Hospice experience, helping individuals and families engage in communication about their hopes, beliefs and values as they approach the end of life. 

    Kelly is a Clinical Spiritual Care Practitioner and the Manager of Spiritual Care the Horizon Health Network, Saint John Regional Hospital. She is trained in Mindful Self-Compassion and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction from the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto and includes the components of Mindful Self-Compassion: Mindfulness, Self-Kindness and Connectedness in her grief programs and counselling.   

    Kelly brings a presence of compassion, mindfulness and empathy in her counselling.  She believes that therapeutic counselling can be defined by Brene Brown’s quote: “It’s simply listening, holding space, without judgement, emotionally connecting and communicating the incredibly healing message of “You are Not Alone.” Kelly knows that message brings hope … and hope changes everything. 

Fundraising & Marketing

  • Audrey brings over two decades of diverse marketing and sales experience to her role as Fund Development Coordinator at the Compassionate Grief Centre. With an impressive background that includes positions at Irving Lubricants, Xerox, Westjet, MBS Radio and Kent Building Supplies.

    Audrey has honed her skills in marketing campaigns, branding, advertising, and social media.

    A proud graduate of NBCC in St. Andrews, NB, Audrey holds certification in International Business-Latin American Studies, showcasing her commitment to a global perspective. As a member of the Fund Development Team, Audrey is an asset to the Compassionate Grief Centre who relies heavily on sponsorships, donations and fundraising to deliver our programs and services.

    Her creativity extends beyond sales and revenue generation and includes skills in photography, videography, web design and social media marketing. Throughout her career and her work at CGC, Audrey has demonstrated strong communication and marketing skills, along with exceptional sales abilities.

    Audrey is recognized for her kind, compassionate and caring nature. Her commitment to making a positive impact aligns seamlessly with the mission of the Compassionate Grief Centre ensuring that the organization continues to thrive with her work in fund development.

Administration