Community Hero Program

Presented By

Janna Amirault

Sergeant Janna Amirault has been an officer with the RCMP for over 23 years, in Manitoba. She has worked as a uniformed police officer, which is where she developed her passion for investigating complex and challenging crimes against persons. As a plainclothes investigator, she worked in various units under the RCMP Major Crime Services, where her duties included investigating sexual assaults, child abuse, and homicides. Janna is currently working in Winnipeg, based at Toba Centre. She has been part of the development of the Integrated Child Abuse Unit, where the RCMP is integrated with the Brandon Police Service and the Manitoba First Nation Police Service. Janna is a champion for providing the best possible care for victims of abuse and is an extraordinarily valuable member of Toba Centre’s leadership team.

Mike Chiborak & Theresa Pickering

Mike Chiborak and Theresa Pickering have spent the past 10 years working at Toba Centre as Forensic Interview Specialists, helping children and youth share their experiences. Prior to joining Toba Centre, Theresa worked in the field of Child and Family Services for more than 20 years and Mike was a police officer with the Winnipeg Police Service for 27 years, including 10 years as an investigator with the child abuse unit. Mike and Theresa have dedicated their entire careers to ensuring children and youth have a voice – so that they feel heard, so that they can be kept safe and so that we can seek justice on their behalf. We are so grateful that they come to work each day and sit with children through their darkest times, so that those same children have the opportunity to move forward in a positive way.

Kristyn Miller

Kristyn Miller is a dedicated member of the Circle of Hearts Family Support Network, a community that supports families affected by congenital or acquired heart disease. Her journey began when her son, Jaxon, was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and received a life-saving heart transplant at just four months old. After spending the first six months of Jaxon’s life in the hospital, Kristyn felt compelled to give back to the community that guided her through such a challenging time. For the past six years, she has served on the Circle of Hearts board, passionately working to create lasting connections among heart families and ensuring they have access to vital resources, support, and joy. Her innovative ideas and relentless dedication have significantly enriched the organization, establishing a strong support network that fosters a sense of belonging.

Bailey Englot

Bailey Englot is a teacher and a passionate lifelong learner and mental health advocate, dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health through her work with Project 11. She provides professional development to Manitoba teachers with the Manitoba Association of Multiage Educators, lead student voice and leadership groups, and supervise school patrols. As an advocate for inclusion, she co-leads the GSA, ensuring every student feels safe and welcomed in the school. Her diverse experience across various schools has deepened her commitment to helping every student thrive.

Christy Dzikowicz

Christy Dzikowicz is the Chief Executive Officer of Toba Centre for Children and Youth - Manitoba's only child advocacy centre. Over the past 5 years Christy led the development of Toba Centre into the fully integrated, wrap around child abuse response centre that it is today. Christy has worked in child protection in variety of roles for over 25 years. She is an outspoken advocate for children and for better systemic and community responses to child maltreatment.

Connie Newman

Connie Newman is Executive Director (consultant) for the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres. She connects with member centres to provide guidance and encouragement. She is a member of Manitoba’s Age Friendly Resource Team which provides her with opportunities to connect with local Age Friendly committees all around Manitoba and Canada. Connie believes in active aging and community development. Keeping her mind and body active helps her to assist those who may need information and support as we all age together.

Ken Opaleke

Ken Opaleke is the Executive Director of West Broadway Youth Outreach. As a young Jamaican newcomer to West Broadway in the 70s, Ken dreamt of creating a free safe space for youth. Inspired by his grandmother's values, he started West Broadway Youth Outreach (WBYO) in the late 80s. His dedication has earned him several accolades, including the 2013 Manitoba Hero Award, the 2018 Order of Manitoba, and the 2019 Winnipeg Foundation Fast Pitch Championship, etc. Remarkably, Ken hasn't taken a single sick day in over 32 years. His excitement and commitment to WBYO and Winnipeg's children remain unwavering, believing in their infinite potential.

Mackenzie Jansen

Mackenzie Jansen is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Adolescent and Young Adult Program at CancerCare Manitoba. Mackenzie's role focuses on addressing the unique physical, emotional, and social needs of young patients with cancer. She provides specialized care, including fertility preservation discussions, support throughout treatment, and guidance on survivorship. Mackenzie's goal is to optimize care by offering expert clinical support, education, and advocacy, ensuring that each patient’s individual needs are met along their cancer journey. As an AYA survivor herself, she feels it is a privilege to come full circle in working with AYAs to empower and help them navigate the challenges of cancer with resilience and hope for their futures.

Brita Hall

Brita Hall is a decorated Special Olympics Manitoba athlete with six World Games gold medals. When Brita was only nine weeks old, a car accident changed the course of her life and the lives of her parents forever. Doctors gave her only a 10 per cent chance to ever walk or talk. But at age five, she defied medical odds by learning to skate. She won her first gold medal in the 800m race at the 1980 Provincial Summer Games, setting the stage for an illustrious career. Over her 44-year career, Brita has excelled in multiple sports, including cross-country skiing, track and field, golf, and alpine skiing. Brita is the first athlete with an Intellectual Disability to be inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

Dave Feniuk

Dave Feniuk is the General Manager of Agape Table, a not-for-profit soup kitchen that has been feeding marginalized communities in Winnipeg for over 44 years. Dave is dedicated to helping prepare daily lunches, learning more about their volunteers or at the front door talking with guests, sharing a laugh, and learning more about their journeys. Together with a very dedicated and well-rounded staff, he would like to extend an invitation to come down to 364 Furby and experience a true sense of family and community, and be part of the magic he gets to see and be part of every day.

Cheryl Dizon-Reynante

Cheryl Dizon-Reynante is the Clinical Lead of Psychosocial Oncology at CancerCare Manitoba. She is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who has served patients and families for over nine years, with a primary focus on those affected by breast cancer. Connecting with and supporting people affected by cancer is very rich and meaningful work for Cheryl.

Luc Gauthier

Luc Gauthier is a Royal Canadian Airforce veteran. Luc worked as a Dash 8s technician for 6 years, travelling all over North and Central America. He repaired and maintained Griffon tactical helicopters, and completed a tour in Haiti where he helped build a school. Luc retired from service in 2004 and now provides counselling and addictions services to those in need.

Kim Melnyk

Kim Melnyk is a literacy support teacher at Norquay School. Kim has taught in the Winnipeg School Division since 2008 and has impacted the lives of many students. She has picked up and coordinated food hampers, helped raise funds for a student whose house burnt down, and has been affectionately known as "school mom" by many former students at TecVoc where she taught for 13 years. To those who know her, Kim is a real-life superhero!

Nimmi Ramgotra

Nimmi Ramgotra is an advocate for victims of domestic violence, she assists cancer patients whose second language is English by taking them to appointments and translating doctors' diagnoses and treatment plans. She has been a leader in advocating to receive government grants to help upgrade local religious temples. Nimmi also continues to raise funds for CancerCare Manitoba. As a member of the community since 1970, she has gone to great lengths to help build a better community for those in need.

Daniel Lepp

Daniel Lepp is U11 head coach and President of the Elm Creek Hockey Rink. In just four short months, Daniel has successfully helped raise over three hundred thousand dollars for artificial ice, demonstrating his commitment to enhancing recreational opportunities for the community. This project will allow for extended hockey seasons and serve as a gathering place for community events and activities, fostering a sense of togetherness and camaraderie that is so vital in a rural setting.

Diogo Iwasaki

Diogo Iwasaki is a Brazilian immigrant who is impacting his community at just twenty-one years old. Diogo is a teacher at Red River College and the co-founder of Ori.gatou Solutions, a tech start-up that focuses on digital innovations in marketing. He recently created the “Builders League Hackathon”, an event where roughly sixty people came together to create a piece of software for an Indigenous led social enterprise in just one weekend. It promotes truth and reconciliation learning, and he hopes to help more non-profits and social enterprises through tech in the future!

Janice Welby

Janice Welby is a Registered Nurse at Children’s Hospital for nearly twenty years. Janice has worked in Children’s Emergency since two thousand seven, and on various research projects that aim to improve treatment outcomes. She credits her amazing team for keeping Manitoban families safe and supported in their time of crisis.

Daphne Welsh

Daphne Welsh is an ambassador for Ronald McDonald House. Daphne was born with a heart condition that resulted in eleven surgeries and nearly three hundred days spent in the hospital over six years. During her time in the hospital, the Welsh family stayed at the Ronald McDonald house, and the experience deeply touched their hearts. Over the past year, Daphne has taken on a crucial role in representing the Ronald McDonald House. She has worked tirelessly to raise money for RMHC and raise awareness about the importance of families staying together during tough times.

Michele Cyrenne

Michele Cyrenne is a passionate volunteer. Michele has outlasted her doctor’s diagnosis of an incurable disease. She has put on countless fundraisers for cancer, officiated a wedding, and volunteers her time effortlessly.

Joseph Fourre

Joseph Fourre is the founder of the No thanks, I’m Good campaign. After the devastating loss of his son, Harlan, in 2023, Joseph became an advocate for an anti-drug awareness campaign using his son's words, No thanks, I’m Good. Through the campaign, he hopes to educate people about the dangers of recreational drug use and that it’s ok to say, “No Thanks, I’m Good.” Joseph has taken his message to numerous schools and spoken to thousands of youths.

Quinton Denechezhe

Quinton Denechezhe is the North End Multi-Sports Program Coordinator for the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council. In just two years with MASRC, Quinton has expanded the North End Storm Hockey program from 60 to nearly 100 players, providing more youth with the opportunity to play hockey. Outside of his role at the MASRC, he invests countless hours coaching multiple teams, serving on the board of the Seven Oaks Minor Hockey Association, and going above and beyond to support players by driving them to practices and games. His commitment ensures that kids in the North End and Central areas have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in hockey, regardless of their circumstances.

Shaun Dalgliesh

Shaun Dalgliesh is a tireless volunteer from Stonewall. Shaun spends hundreds of hours developing kids skills on the ice and the ball diamond. He coaches a AA U13 team, provides guidance to young officials in Stonewall minor hockey, and runs a non profit development hockey skills camp on a weekly basis. In the summertime, he is the president of Stonewall minor baseball and coaches several baseball teams. Shaun is always volunteering his time and is committed to helping develop young athletes.

Genalyn Tan

Genalyn Tan is the former Manitoba Association of Filipino Teachers president and current director of the Rondalla program. As the director of the Rondalla, Genalyn, has gone to great efforts to rejuvenate the group including the purchase of new instruments from the Philippines, including bandurias, lauds, and octavinas. Genalyn was also a key figure in securing a Filipino-bilingual program at Meadows West School.

Dr. Lindsay Ross-Stewart

Dr. Lindsay Ross-Stewart is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and current Director of Mental Performance for STRIVE Fitness and Therapy. Since 2021, Dr. Ross-Stewart has supported Project 11 through classroom visits, student and adult wellness development events, high school curriculum, and applied for grant funding to support P11's Sisler CREATE students in reimagining existing mental wellness coping strategy videos to be shared with Project 11 students across Manitoba and beyond.

Chelsea Kork

Chelsea Kork is an animal advocate and rescuer of over 17 years. Chelsea’s been involved with K9 Advocacy for approximately eight years, the last few as the director of the organization. She works tirelessly at every aspect, willing to drop everything to help a sick or injured animal. Chelsea is a voice for the voiceless.

Cynthia Drebot

Cynthia Drebot is the Executive Director at the North End Women's Centre and North Point Douglas Women's Centre. Cynthia has worked in social services for nearly thirty years and is a well recognized leader in the not-for-profit sector. She has grown the North End Women's Centre and North Point Douglas Women's Centre to stable, lasting fixtures in Winnipeg's most vulnerable areas of the city, supporting women and families who need it the most. Her impact will be felt for decades beyond her time working in the sector because of her mentorship of other up and coming leaders, especially women and gender-diverse individuals.

Barbara Nepinak

Elder Barbara Nepinak is a member of Pine Creek First Nation and a recipient of the Order of Manitoba. Barbara and her late husband, Clarence Nepinak, have been pivotal in the City of Winnipeg. Everything from Ojibway Language classes at Maples Collegiate to winter programming at The Forks. Barbara prides herself on passing down the knowledge she has experienced in her life to her children and grandchildren so they can continue the legacy that her and Clarence have built during their lives.

Adam Dyck

Adam Dyck has been the president of the St. Eustache Minor Hockey board since 2021. Dedicated to leaving a positive impact, Adam strives to improve the communities that first fostered his love for the game. Some key initiatives developed in recent years include the introduction of the Breakfast Club, in-service day development camps, and the annual ‘STEMHA Parents Cup’ shinny tournament, which has become a highly anticipated event. Under Adam's leadership, the women's hockey program has flourished, and he has made it his mission to make St. Eustache Minor Hockey a welcoming place for everyone, from the players' families to neighbouring communities.

Matt Muir

Matt Muir is a minor hockey coach who dedicates countless hours to building his players’ confidence and character. Whether it’s staying late to work on individual techniques or providing life advice off the ice, his outstanding dedication, passion, and tireless commitment leave a lasting impression.

Vernie Price

Vernie Price is a dedicated nurse from Antigua. Vernie has worn many hats in the nursing field and has worked in Acute Psychiatric Nursing, Obstetric Nursing as well as Geriatric and Long-Term Care. She is part of the nursing cohort which years later would be credited with having ‘Saved the NHS’ in the UK. Vernie has spent the last 20 years working at Riverview Health Centre.