Board & Staff
Options is made up of a diverse board and a small but mighty team.
Options is always looking for new board members. Please contact Mary Stack at mary@optionsoutreach.com
Board of Directors
Executive
Chair - Bruce Allison
Vice Chair - Tina Learmonth
Secretary - Heather Chandler
Treasurer - Marc Frieden
Directors
Kelly Kelter
Abby Miller
Pauline Waggott
Rebecca Van Veen
Staff Members
Mary brings to the table 20 years of professional and diverse employment experiences, including work both at the New Brunswick Community College and the University of New Brunswick, as well as being the co-founder of The Saint John Multicultural and Newcomer Resource Centre. Over the last several years, she’s been focused on employment counselling, management, communications, culture, and human resources. Mary is a life-long learner; she has a Bachelor of Arts (psych/soc double major) and certificates in Human Resources Management and Teaching English as a 2nd Language from UNB and a diploma in Business Information Technology Specialist from NBCC. Most recently, she achieved the Chartered Professionals of Human Resources designation and, for fun, she continues to try to master a second language….sometimes working on French, sometimes Mandarin and most recently ASL. Mary’s had opportunities to travel extensively, but Saint John has always been her home and she has strong ties and interests in the community.
Mary Stack
Executive Director/Employment Counsellor
Abbie leads with a passion for helping individuals overcome barriers, with a background in social media management and administration. She stives to create inclusive and supportive environments with a commitment to empowering other and fostering community engagement. Abbie is looking forward to building meaningful relationships, providing personalized support, and helping her clients achieve their employment goals. Ensuring each client feels valued and empowered on their journey toward success.
Abbie Shanks
Admin Coordinator/Employment Counsellor
Kendra has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick. Born and raised in Saint John, Kendra’s travels led her to Alberta for several years where she worked as an Employment Counsellor for a non-profit organization, providing one-on-one employment support to individuals with disabilities. Kendra brings with her a wealth of knowledge, tools and experience in helping others recognize their talents and foster their strengths in the workplace. She offers assistance with skill development, post-secondary/training, job search strategies, online applications, and on-going job maintenance support. She is certified in Mental Health First Aid, Applied Suicide Intervention, and Psychological First Aid. Kendra is approachable, optimistic, and enjoys meeting new clients and seeing them discover their potential. She is very passionate about her career and will always go the extra mile to help her clients succeed. Outside of work, Kendra enjoys quality time with family and friends, travelling, and volunteering in the community.
Kendra Foote
Employment Counsellor
Lindsay has a Bachelor of Arts and Education (with a major in Psychology) from the University of New Brunswick Saint John. After graduating, Lindsay spent a few years teaching in the public school system then joined the Department of Social Development as a pre-employment case manager.
She returned to the classroom 3 years later, and now finds herself excited to join the Options team! Her diverse work experience has given her the tools and knowledge she needs in order to help clients identify their skills, and provide the support, guidance and resources they need to reach their employment goals.
Whether it’s searching for that first job, preparing for your next interview, or applying for post secondary education to kick off your career, Lindsay is approachable and eager to work with you!
Lindsay Kirk
Employment Counsellor
David was born and raised in the Greater Saint John area. He graduated from UNBSJ with a Bachelor of Science, majoring on Psychology. He has a history of working for non-profits in the community, working with youth and adults with disabilities. He has a background working with people with varying disabilities and facing varying barriers in daily life. David works hard to provide an individualized approach to each client and their needs and goals. David strives to provide the members of the community with what they need to develop skills to help them achieve their goals. He is passionate about seeing Saint John community members grow and contribute back to the community in their own ways.
David MacDonald
Employment Counsellor