Our Team
Building a brighter and safer future, together.
Jasmine, Executive Director
Jasmine De Fina is a Human Trafficking Consultant, advocate, and the Executive Director of SafeHope Home. Jasmine is a recognized expert in human trafficking and has significant experience educating frontline workers, government leaders, the court system, law enforcement, community agencies, and the public to provide insight into the issue of human trafficking and information on how to better understand, support, and work with survivors. Jasmine is a survivor. With the support of Natasha Falle and Bridget Perrier, Jasmine turned her own story and experiences into a fulfilling career as a human trafficking expert, advocate, and community leader. She has worked as a National Advocate supporting the implementation of Bill c36 and as a member of Victim Services of York Region, where she developed the internal Human Trafficking Response program. She also served as a peer mentor providing support to other survivors and to teams of Crisis Intervention Counsellors. She is also contracted by the provincial government to lead Maya Chacaby’s Indigenous cultural competency training and Jen Richardson and Jane Runners’ Sexually Exploited Youth Training. Jasmine is also a sought-after public speaker and is regularly engaged as an expert panellist and has been featured on CBC News, Global News, The Toronto Star, Radio, and many other platforms. Jasmine has been working with SafeHope Home since 2018, first in the role of guest speaker, then Peer Mentor and Program Manager. She was invited to serve as the interim Executive Director in April 2022 before formally accepting the role of Executive Director in August 2022. Jasmine identifies as a person of mixed heritage with Métis, French, Irish, and Scottish ancestry and roots in Northern Ontario and Quebec. Like many Indigenous people on Turtle Island her heritage is a result of the complicated and traumatic history of colonization, and helps fuel her passion for this work. Jasmine is also a proud mother of two daughters and two puppies.
Allison, Manager of Outreach
Allison is the community outreach and intake support worker at SafeHope home. She started her journey with SafeHope Home as the program facilitator before transitioning into her current role. With 20 years of experience in the social service field, Allison has a great deal of experience with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, those with substance use disorders and mental illness. Allison is the founder and former Director of Jinja Connection, an organization located in Uganda, East Africa that supports children and youth sleeping on the streets. Allison lived in Uganda for 10 years where she met her husband. They have 2 children and love spending their free time travelling to new places and back to Uganda to visit their friends and family. “I am honoured to be able to stand alongside the strong women who come to Safehope Home and support them in their recovery journey”
Kayley, Program Manager
Kayly Fordham is dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking. Her education, earned from both Durham College and Trent University’s Child and Youth Care programs, demonstrates her extensive knowledge of social welfare, crisis intervention, mental health, and gender-based violence. As a member of the SafeHope Home team, Kayly brings this expertise to her role as Program Manager. Kayly’s approach to healing is characterized by her gentle demeanor, creativity, and commitment to an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed framework. This, along with her respect for each individual’s unique needs and dedication to creating safe and inclusive spaces, has made her an invaluable asset to the team and a true advocate for those she serves. Kayly Fordham is a valued member of the SafeHope Home team. Her unwavering commitment to supporting survivors of human trafficking and her exceptional skills in her field make her a shining example of professionalism and dedication.
Maggie, Addiction Counsellor
Maggie Beatie is recognized as a distinguished advocate for women. She has earned respect and admiration of her colleagues during her long career in addiction services and sexual assault organizations. At MacMaster University, she studied addiction and mental health and has become a natural learner and teacher, embracing sharing knowledge with her community. She began her career in 1989, working with women in addiction treatment centres. She was passionate about helping women heal and used her background and education to make a difference at Bethesda House – a shelter for women and children, the Durham Rape Crisis Centre and Destiny Manor – a women’s treatment centre (now known as Pinewood’s Women’s Residential Treatment Centre). She also spent many hours professionally and personally supporting and advocating for women who had been incarcerated. Many of the women suffered from addiction and lived traumatic lives of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and abuse. Later in her career, Maggie spent over 20 years working in the walk-in crisis unit, welcoming people looking for a way out of addiction at Pinewood Centre of Lakeridge Health. She became familiar with the homeless, mandated and street population and how underserved they are. Maggie accepted a position at Safe Hope Home in 2018 facilitating addiction-specific groups. Today she holds the title of Addiction Counsellor. It is here at SafeHope Home where all her experience has come together serving the women who seek safety and healing. It’s clear to everyone who meets Maggie that she uses her skills and passion at every opportunity to advocate for women and those who have suffered the wounds of trauma and addiction. Every woman she works with gets the same energy she would give her daughter, sister, or friend. She lives in Oshawa, Ontario and loves to spend time on Lake Kashwackamack with her husband of 35 years, Rick. She is a loving mother of five, grandmother of five, and great-grandmother of one. When she is not helping others, she can be found playing pool in local billiards leagues. Quote from Maggie: “When I leave work, I stand for a moment on the stoop and admire the view as I contemplate everything I have experienced in life. Every piece of education, every job, and every client has been a blessing in my life to lead me to this very moment at Safe Hope Home. It truly is an honour to work with such a dedicated team of talented, powerful and experienced women.”
Angela, Office Manager I Human Resources
Heather, Supervisor of Care
Heather is the Supervisor of Care at SafeHope home, she started working with SafeHope home in 2022. Heather received her Social Service Worker diploma from Loyalist College in 2008. Heather is working towards her Bachelors of Social Work through the online distance delivery program with the University of Manitoba. Before joining the SafeHope Home team, Heather spent many years working with youth and mental health. To accompany her passion to help others, Heather has completed training in Trauma-informed Responses to Human Trafficking, First Aid and CPR, CPI, Psychological First Aid, Infant mental health, San’yas indigenous cultural safety, Ministry of the Attorney General Human Trafficking training and Naloxone administration. In addition to all of this, Heather is also the proud and devoted mother to two young boys and a beautiful dog.
Shabnam, Care Support Worker
Sheanda, Care Support Worker
Stephanie, Care Support Worker
Jeni, Care Staff
Jeni is a Care Staff at SafeHope Home. Jeni is a passionate and dedicated advocate for vulnerable individuals. Jeni is dedicated to supporting and building a safe, trauma informed, client centered, professional relationship with participants. Jeni received her bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Justice Studies with University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Jeni holds a certificate in Court Support Services and diploma in Law and Security from Durham College. Jeni has a background in providing advocacy and support to youth at risk / experiencing homelessness, crisis intervention, case management as well as working with victims/survivors of crime. Jeni worked with the Victim/Witness Assistance Program – Special Prosecutions team as a Service Worker supporting and advocating for survivors of Human Trafficking throughout the Criminal Court Process. Jeni currently works full- time with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services as a Youth Probation Officer providing support and advocacy for youth in conflict with the law. Jeni supports the youth by completing risk need assessments and case management plans while supervising compliance with court orders. Jeni has training and education in areas such as case management, crisis response/intervention, Trauma Informed Care, Risk Need Assessments, San’yas Indigenous Cultural Competency Training, working with survivors of Human Trafficking, working with victims of violent offences, Motivational Interviewing and Strength Based Approaches. Jeni is a dedicated mom of two; a boy and girl, a fur mom to two cats and a dog. When Jeni is not working; she is relaxing at her cottage with her family.
Kaitlyn, Care Staff
Kaitlyn is a Care Staff At SafeHope Home and her pronouns are she/her. She is of white settler heritage and is also Jordanian. Kaitlyn is dedicated to ongoing learning. She has her Social Service Worker diploma, Graduate Certificate in Addictions and Mental Health, and an Undergraduate Degree in Social Work. She is knowledgeable in mental health, gender-based violence, Indigenous ways of knowing, and addiction interventions including motivational interviewing. Her approach to social work includes feminist perspectives, trauma-informed care, and anti-oppressive practice. She has prior experience in providing supports for at risk youth, folks experiencing housing insecurity, and folks in need of harm reduction resources. Kaitlyn is passionate about supporting survivors of human trafficking and she is dedicated to maintaining safer spaces for the women that she works with. She works from a space of compassion and collaboration and she values community building. When Kaitlyn is not working, she enjoys spending time outdoors, reading books, and leaning into her creativity with writing and visual arts.
Shantel, Care Support Worker
Shantel is an advocate & Care Staff at SafeHope Home. Shantel has a Social Service Worker diploma & a BA in Global Development. Shantel is currently working full-time as a Crisis Response Specialist on a new pilot that focuses on bridging the gaps for BIPOC communities faced with mental health crises. Shantel continues to advocate for services for women, BIPOC & mental health communities. Shantel enjoys going on nature walks and hikes. Shantel is creative & artistic and uses art as a form of therapy for herself and community members.
Dr. Jacqui Linder, Clinical Consultations
Dr. Jacqui Linder is a registered psychologist and certified Clinical Traumatologist who completed her doctoral dissertation on the psychospiritual impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). She founded the Chrysalis Network in 2010 and Canada’s National Roundtable on Human Trafficking the following year. In 2011, she co-founded Freedom Relay Canada, an annual education and fundraising initiative for survivors of human trafficking and exploitation. In 2013, Jacqui developed and launched Canada’s first national human trafficking investigators forum, an initiative designed to connect law enforcement personnel nationally and internationally. Later that year, she established the SAFENET project, creating access to a network of safe houses for survivors of human trafficking across Canada. In 2014, Jacqui was named Clinical Director of Canada’s first residential facility specializing in the treatment of sexually abused children. She also became a founding co-chair of EUROTAS’ international trauma and disaster relief task force that year. Jacqui has extensive training in classical and complementary healing techniques including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, EMDR, expressive arts therapy, psychodrama, and ritual healing. She has worked with a wide range of trauma populations including survivors of human trafficking, First Nations and Inuit communities, male offenders, war rape survivors, former gang members, military and law enforcement members, judges, lawyers, government employees, medical personnel, and survivors of childhood sexual abuse/adult sexual assault. She is the founder of the Spiral Phoenix Trauma Institute in Edmonton, AB., which treats military personnel, first responders and survivors of complex trauma. She is also a professor of psychology and Director of Canadian Counselling Programs for City University in Alberta and British Columbia. Jacqui is an internationally recognized expert on the psychological profiling of survivors of human trafficking, and has consulted for a number of NGO’s, law enforcement/justice agencies. She is an experienced facilitator, conducting workshops on the neurobiology of PTSD, trauma recovery, stress management, burnout, grief & loss, psychological first aid, and therapeutic breathwork. She has lectured for the Canadian Police College, Interpol, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as at conferences across Canada, the USA, France, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Hungary, the UK, Guyana, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Her professional affiliations include the College of Alberta Psychologists, the Psychological Association of Alberta, the College of Psychologists of Ontario, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation. Dr. Jacqui Linder has been working closely with SafeHope Home staff since 2020 to provide frequent clinical consults and provide relevant training to enrich the teams’ knowledge and accountability to ensure client service delivery excellence.
Meet our Board
Margot Carleton, Board Chair
Margot Carleton has a heart for the work done by SafeHope Home being a mother of a young adult daughter and having an intimate understanding of the vulnerabilities young women face. Margot has been a member of the Board of Directors since November 2018, becoming Secretary in November 2019. For over 30 years working for Scotiabank, she has held varied management positions gaining valuable and practical experience in areas of customer service, human resources, regulatory and risk management, operations and technology. Margot is a graduate of University of Guelph, holding a Bachelor of Commerce Degree.
Greg Devitt, Secretary
Greg Devitt is the Managing Director for CBRE’s Canadian Client Solutions team. He has 25 years of experience in marketing, communications and sales, including ten years of broad-based experience in commercial real estate. Greg has been a member of the Client Solutions team since 2017 and has led the team since 2021. In this position, he oversees a multi-disciplinary group designed to diagnose client needs, connect teams to CBRE’s platform of services, and partner to develop innovative real estate strategies for clients’ businesses and people. Greg and team lead one-off and multi-market pursuits, develop market-leading property marketing solutions for investors and deepen relationships with key clients across Canada. In 2021 alone, the Client Solutions team partnered with teams to secure over $36M in revenue across CBRE’s occupier, investor leasing, project management and capital markets businesses.
Noemi, Director
Noemi is a graduate of Ontario Bible College (currently Tyndale University) with a Bachelors of Religious Education. She is now a retired civil servant, having worked 11 years in the Health Care sector and 25 years in the Education sector in different administrative roles. She serves on the Board because she has a passion to see the women that come through this ministry redeemed and restored experiencing the power of God to restore brokenness to an abundant living.
Ron Huard, Director
Ron retired from the Durham District School Board where he worked for 25 years as a psychometrist. Ron has a great deal of experience in the area of behaviour management with a focus in the area of autism spectrum disorder. Ron was instrumental in providing professional develop to educators in the Durham School Board. He continues to be a behaviour consultant to the Durham Board for those students who prevent risk of injury behaviour to themselves and/or others. Ron is a Provincial Trainer in Behaviour Management Systems Training, a non-violent crisis intervention program for educators throughout Ontario and within the English boards in Quebec. Ron is excited about using his skills in the area of collaboration, problem solving and educating others in his role on the Safe Hope Home board of directors.
Cheryl, Board Treasurer
Cheryl is currently serving as the Treasurer. With more than 25 years as a CPA, she has an extensive knowledge of business, including financial and managerial accounting, internal and external audit, and compliance with internal controls. Currently teaching in post-secondary institutions, Cheryl is a dedicated educator and mentor to her students. The Lord has given her a willingness and desire to use her skills to serve her community. Cheryl has a heart to help those who need assistance and she is honoured to be part of an organization that provides hope and a new future for its participants.
Meet our Volunteers
Janice, Care Support Team Volunteer