Our Team
Staff
Christine Fagan
Executive Director
Hello, I’m Christine Fagan. I am grateful to live, work and play on the beautiful, unceded territories of the Quw'utsun, Malahat, Ts'uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz'uminus & Lyackson Peoples.
I’ve been here for over 30 years with my husband and best friend Charlie. Our 3 children are grown and living every day as an adventure, one of my core values. I’ve worked in community not-for-profit and business since I came to the Valley, appreciating the cross-sectoral skills I’ve gained along the way. My joys are many. Top of the list is my love at connecting people with things that help them thrive. I firmly believe that there’s something out there for everyone, and I’m good at finding. Besides being a people-person, I’m an organization nerd because efficient systems mean services can flow smoothly to the people who need them. I balance work with time in nature, reading, singing, rock climbing, and being with family and friends.
Alisa Elliott
Office Administrator
Alisa Elliott, Office Administrator with over three decades of administrative experience supporting teams and providing clerical support in four countries.
I moved to the Cowichan Valley two years ago with my family and have been working with Volunteer Cowichan since 2023, were I take great pleasure in giving back to the community that has been so welcoming to me and my family. I am an Afro Caribbean and European settler who lives, works, and plays on the traditional and unceded territories of the Quw’utsun First Nations, and my hobbies include watching movies and swimming .
Kellie
Program Coordinator
Kellie has lived on Vancouver Island for over 50 years. She has enjoyed, worked, volunteered, and continues to raise her family on what she calls the most amazing island on Earth.
She believes seniors are the root of family well-being and societal preservation – and as such must be valued for their wisdom, experience, and traditions. Kellie is passionate about supporting seniors to age at home on their own terms.
Kellie is a life-long-learner; her educational background includes a double BA from Vancouver Island University in Creative Writing and Psychology. After thirteen years in the Credit Union industry serving in various roles and committees, she transitioned into caregiving where she and her dog, Rodeo, served and supported many wonderful clients and their families.
As a Program Coordinator for Better at Home, Cowichan Region, Kellie is committed to growing the program so Volunteer Cowichan can support the non-medical needs of as many older adults in Cowichan as possible.
Holly
Youth Can Cowichan Program Coordinator
Holly has been with the Youth 20/20 Can Cowichan program for the past four years and has helped youth in the Cowichan Valley discover and explore their passions through volunteerism. Her main goal is to let the youth take the lead in spearheading projects they are passionate about and to guide them along the way.
After completing a commerce degree in Operations Management at the University of Alberta, she returned to Vancouver Island and has been with Volunteer Cowichan ever since. With her previous experience volunteering with organizations including the Alpine Club of Canada and Special Olympics, she has seen firsthand how volunteering in something you are passionate about can help make a difference. As a Program Coordinator for the Youth Can Cowichan program, Holly works to inspire youth to give back to their community through volunteering and to develop new skills that can help them get ahead in their future careers.
Chris Waddell
Coordinator
Chris Waddell was born and raised on Vancouver Island and has called the Cowichan Valley home for more than 35 years! Following his studies in Applied Communications Chris spent many years working in television news in Northern BC and volunteering with several local theatre groups.
His love of being creative and connecting with people brought him back to the island in the late 90’s where he managed the Duncan BIA and helped to revitalize the downtown business community through the creation of successful marketing campaigns, community events and beautification projects. Chris then went on to work in the credit union system where he found his passion for volunteering by helping to support hundreds of non-profit initiatives through corporate donations, fundraising and volunteer efforts. As Volunteer Cowichan’s Volunteer Coordinator Chris loves to be able to connect people to rewarding volunteer opportunities. “Volunteering has the power to do so much. Not only for others and our community but for ourselves as well! Volunteering helps to lift us up and bring joy to our lives. ” Chris volunteers himself as a Board member for the Cowichan Valley Basket Society and the Big Shop of Horrors Charity Society which hosts an annual theatrical haunted house. When he is not volunteering or connecting others to give back, Chris enjoys geocaching and taking photos as he discovers new places to explore here on the island with his family and friends.
Lisa Cooper
Community Connector in the Social Prescribing Program
Lisa has made the Valley home since 1990 and has worked extensively in community development. Having a passion for food security, she most recently worked at Cowichan Green Community and then established a flourishing Market Garden at Hope Farm using innovative Regenerative Agricultural practices.
Toni Hulan
Enhanced Light Housekeeper
Toni is not your average housekeeper! With her extensive background in the healthcare field, she has the skills and knowledge to provide top notch care.
Her goal is to keep seniors living in a healthy and clean environment so they can continue to enjoy their independence and comfort at home. She creates a meaningful and engaging experience for our clients.
However, Toni’s not all business! She has a friendly, funny personality that makes her a joy to work with and a soft spot for animals. Toni is dedicated and committed to not putting “Meaning in the Cleaning.”
Meet the Board
Sheila
Board Chair
As a retired Nurse Administrator, she understands Board operations as a Chair and Director, but also as the direct employee of a Board. She has skills in policy development, strategy planning, human resource management/business continuity and emergency planning.
She is also a Parliamentarian. An active volunteer in the community, she joined the Volunteer Cowichan Board to provide skills identified by the Board as valuable in their work. She believes in giving back to the community and being part of the development of a strong, trained and valued volunteer base for the Cowichan Valley. Sheila enjoys hiking, anything world travel, knitting, reading and quality time with her family.
Shirley Smith
Secretary
Having recently retired from a career spanning almost forty years in the non profit sector of Human Services, I bring years of experience and leadership aligned to developing programs, facilitating community engagement and strategic planning.
I have had the privilege of being the observer, participant, the engager and champion of working with families and communities. With passion and experience I enjoyed building relationships in order to create better community outcomes. I look forward to my work with Volunteer Cowichan in these next steps going forward.
Donna Bootsman
Treasurer
VC is an important “group” that connects us all as a community of helping those who need it most. It is for the seniors who have contributed to society all their life and now need us for a little assistance to maintain their quality of life. It is for those younger people who need us to open their possibilities to how they want to become adults. And it is for the volunteers that that are so generous with giving up their time to help those who need it.
I don’t have skills; I have life experiences of working. Since I was 15, I worked with numbers. Minus the years I took off raising my kids, I have always worked in accounting.
I have been on the board since 2019, and a highlight has been getting to know and working with the amazing people at Volunteer Cowichan. The staff amaze me every month with the amount of care and dedication that they have for this organization.