Christine Taylor is a storyteller who wants to use her powers for good. After a decade of helping academics tell their stories to broader audiences, she's excited to tell the NCHC story to anyone who will stand still long enough to listen. She's also a writer, facilitator, and serial immigrant, a Taiwanese American who grew up abroad, spent most of her adult life in Europe and now has Dutch citizenship and a very friendly dog.

Chair

Marie-Audrey works as a federal prosecutor in Edmonton. She has extensive experience in criminal law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. Marie-Audrey has served as a legal advisor for Lawyers Without Borders Canada and Partners in Justice, notably in Mali, Tunisia, Guatemala, and Colombia. She also worked as a prosecutor for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.

Vice Chair

Jenny is originally from Colombia. She has spent the last decade building her professional and community life in Canada. With a Business Administration degree in Marketing, she is passionate about supporting newcomers and first connected with the NCHC through her volunteer work at the Edmonton Food Bank. She has now served on the board for two years, contributing to meaningful community impact.

Treasurer

Halima Jama earned her medical degree in Wuhan, China, and has since dedicated her time to nutritional epidemiology research, focused on the dietary health of underserved populations in India, the United Kingdom, and the ASEAN regions. Halima’s dedication to refugee health is rooted in her personal history as the child of refugees who settled in Canada. Having witnessed the barriers her parents faced when navigating the Canadian healthcare system, Halima possesses a profound understanding of the challenges newcomers encounter. She recognizes that the New Canadians Health Centre provides the vital support their own family once needed and is honoured to contribute to the health and successful integration of the newcomer community.

Secretary

Dr. Corinne Rogers is an Assistant Professor at MacEwan University and a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Human Anti‑Trafficking Response Team at Women’s College Hospital. Her research focuses on domestic sex trafficking, health equity, and survivor‑informed systems of care, using narrative inquiry to examine how structural inequities shape health experiences. She develops trauma‑ and violence‑informed curricula, e‑learning tools, and inter‑professional training to strengthen healthcare and community responses for trafficked persons. At the NCHC she supports initiatives advancing equitable healthcare access for refugees and newcomers.

Director

Eoin Murray is the Vice President of Immigration and Settlement Services at Catholic Social Services. He has worked in communications, fundraising, public affairs as well as human rights in the Middle East, and promoting women's rights. He also serves on the board of the Alberta Association for Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA), and is a founding member of The WISE Charter School. He co-authored Defending Hope: Dispatches from the Frontlines in Palestine and Israel and occasionally contributes to publications such as Jacobin and Open Democracy

Director

Razia Saramad was born and raised in Afghanistan and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Persian Literature from Kabul University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from China Women’s University in Beijing, China. Since moving to Canada in 2022, Razia has worked with Catholic Social Services and also serves as a board member of the New Canadian Health Centre and recently became the CoLE Committee Leader.

Director

Dr. Frank Hoentjen is a Gastroenterologist and Professor of Medicine at the Division of Gastroenterology, University of Alberta. He is Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit and Co-Director of the Gastroenterology Clinical Trial Unit at the University of Alberta and serves as Co-Chair of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Council for Crohn's and Colitis Canada (CCC).

Director

Sarah Aleba has a background as a medical doctor and manager in her home country of Côte d'Ivoire, where she managed a community health center for nine years before moving to Canada in 2011. Since arriving in Canada, she has worked at MCHB as a broker for the French-speaking community and serves as a member of their finance committee. Additionally, she holds a bachelor's degree in pastoral ministry, alongside diplomas in family and couples counseling, and massage therapy. She is also the author of two books.

Director

Kimberly Mayer brings over 20 years of experience in community support and advocacy. As a Coordinator in the Settlement Department at the Edmonton Newcomer Centre, she draws on her diploma in Social Work and Community Rehabilitation to help create inclusive, welcoming environments for newcomers to Canada. Kimberly is passionate about the intersection of culture and disability, ensuring support systems are both culturally sensitive and accessible.
Outside of her professional work, she enjoys B‑movies and crafting unique works of art.

Director

Astrid Velasquez is the Executive Director of the New Canadians Health Centre and a certified Resettlement Practitioner with 20 years of experience in immigration and resettlement. Arriving in Canada as a refugee herself, she brings extensive lived and professional experience supporting refugees and newcomers. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023 for demonstrating excellence in the non-profit sector in Alberta.

Executive Director

Dr. Molly Whalen-Browne is a family physician and the Medical Director at the New Canadians Health Centre. She has completed advanced training in tropical medicine and hygiene, women’s health, and global health. She is the Program Director for the Health Equity Enhanced Skills program and the Domain Lead for Health Equity in the Family Medicine program at the University of Calgary.

Medical Director

OUR BOARD