Leadership Team

View a message from our Executive Officer and get to know our board members.

A year of change and re-connection post COVID, a message from Valerie Janz, Executive Officer

2022 was a year of change, learning, opportunity and growth at Interior Community Services.

We welcomed back face to face services and programming that was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and have adapted some new ways of doing business because of the pandemic. To say the last 2 years have been challenging would be an understatement. Not only did the pandemic isolate and exacerbate the inequalities and barriers of the people we serve, there was also an opioid crisis to contend with.  Tragically, ICS Youth Services Team saw more youth succumb to fentanyl overdoses during the pandemic than prior years put together.  

2022 brought back celebration and togetherness. In August 2022, ICS Safe Spaces program had a float in the annual PRIDE parade with many staff and program participants represented.  In November 2022, the first staff appreciation event since 2019 was hosted. This event recognizes milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years with ICS , this year the first 35 year staff was honoured!  Although we pride ourselves on the retention of many ICS staff, we are also aware that younger generations are moving around more frequently in their lives and careers, so the retention trends are definitely changing.

Needless to say, we are happy about the ability to reconnect in fulsome ways as our social care work is relationship based and the human to human connection is paramount in this field.  We are hopeful that 2023 is uneventful and provides staff and the people we serve some stability and well-deserved relief from everything COVID.

Tracy Hoot – President

Tracy Hoot – President

Board Member since 1996

Professional:

  • Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Thompson Rivers University

Personal:

  • Basketball Referee (including wheelchair)
Bob Smillie – Secretary

Bob Smillie – Secretary

Board Member since March 2014

Professional:

  • Retired Physician

Personal:

  • Executive Director of Kamloops Blazers Sports Society
  • Member of Kamloops Hospice Association Board 
George Campbell - Vice-President

George Campbell - Vice-President

Board Member since May 2012

Professional:

  • Businessman - Owner of Overland Press

Personal:

  • Member of Kamloops Rotary and BC Interior Community Foundation 
Kristine Allegretto, CPA, CA - Treasurer

Kristine Allegretto, CPA, CA - Treasurer

Board Member since 2019

Professional:

  • Financial Controller, Molycop Canada
  • Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia
  • Masters of Professional Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan

Personal:

  • Born and raised in Kamloops and an active board member in the community – Canada 55+ Senior Games
  • Coached KYSA team, and current member of KWSL
Ted Kowalsky - Director

Ted Kowalsky - Director

Board Member Since January 2020

Professional:

  • Retired from Cabinet and Renovation Business
  • Spent five (5) years as president of the Kamloops Curling Club
  • Spent five (5) years as president of KIBIHT 

 

Personal:

  • Ted and Maryanne have been married for over 50 years. They have two married children, with their daughter giving them three (3) grandsons. 
Kaitlyn Cumming – Director

Kaitlyn Cumming – Director

Board Member since May 2016

Professional:

  • Graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University of Alberta in 2015
  • Developing a litigation practice in municipal, commercial, employment and personal injury law
  • Attended the University of Victoria in the Bachelor of Commerce program prior to law school

Personal:

  • Player and executive member of the Kamloops Rugby Club
  • Player on the British Columbia Senior Women’s 15s and 7s rugby teams
  • Volunteer at ASK Wellness, previous volunteer work at the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, the Calgary Food Bank, and Calgary Legal Guidance.
  • Completed a low income & the law practicum with Legal Aid Alberta in the area of criminal law
Jeremy Heighton - Director

Jeremy Heighton - Director

Board member since 2023

Professional:

  • Executive Director, Kamloops North Shore Business Improvement Area Association
  • Principal, Heighton Strategies – People, Process, Profit
  • 1st Vice President, Business Improvement Areas Associations of B.C.

Personal:

  • Member City of Kamloops “Grow Kamloops” Committee
  • Member - City of Kamloops “Alternate Transportation” Committee
  • Member - Kamloops Business Council
  • Member - Community Advisory Board (Reaching Home)
  • Member - Community Action Team
Madison Hall - Director

Madison Hall - Director

Board Member since October 2023

Professional:

  • Project Manager/Consultant
  • Master of Business Administration
  • PMP Designation
  • Associates Degree Commerce and Accounting

Personal:

  • Born in Kamloops