CMHA Saskatchewan Division Staff

Trevor Gates, B.A.(Hons.), M.A.

Trevor has over twenty-seven years of experience in program leadership and management experience in the area of protection and care for vulnerable youth, adults and their families. Trevor has worked extensively within both government and community-based organizations. Trevor has a Bachelor of Arts with Honors’ in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Regina. Trevor also enjoys spending time in nature with his Labrador retriever, riding his motorcycle and participating in Spartan races.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 234

Rebecca Rackow, BA (Hons.), BSW, RSW

Rebecca Rackow has completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Social Work with a strong focus on research and Canadian policy development and is currently working on her Masters as a graduate student. Rebecca has over 20 years of frontline experience with seniors, at-risk youth, children, and families. She is also a mother of five children. Rebecca has been involved in creating the Mentally Safe Minecraft Server (MS 2 ), Friday Night Games Night, Caregiver Affected Recovery Education (C.A.R.E.) program, the Emergency Wellness Response Lines (During the COVID-19 pandemic) and the Youth Support Programming at CMHA-Sask. She also takes calls from people looking for help, is working on a number of collaborative research projects, has spoken and presented to audiences both locally and Nationally regarding a number of mental health issues, and advocates for accessible mental health services for all.

Program Relevant Training includes:

Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games Level One Training for Mental Health Professionals

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Training for Trainers

Living Life to the Full (Youth Add-on), Facilitator Training

Peer Support Worker Training

Mental Health First Aid

Early Childhood Educator (Level 1)

Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI)

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 224

David Nelson,

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 224

Peter Chaya, MBA

Graduate of Bellevue University.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 227

Md Shofekur Rhaman

Md Shofekur Rhaman is the Payroll/Benefits Clerk of the CMHA SK Division. He has experience working in various financial institutions’ accounting, banking, credit, sales, and customer service departments.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext ___

Angie Paull,

Angie Paull is an Executive Assistant/Payroll Administrator with Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Angie’s role is important with the day-to-day operations of CMHA, ensuring seamless administrative functions and efficient payroll management.

Angie has an Office Education Certificate from SIAST Wascana Campus, where she developed her skills in office management and administration. Her organization and diligence makes her an asset to her team.

Outside of her professional life, Angie enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends at their cabin, creating lasting memories around the firepit and on the water. Angie is passionate about fitness and in her free time she is often found working out at the gym.

Angie’s mix of professional knowledge and personal passions make her a well-rounded and lively individual, committed to both her work and personal health

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 231

Jayne Melville Whyte, B.A. (Psych), PWLE

Jayne celebrates 50 years as volunteer and contract worker with CMHA in May 2025.  CMHA allowed her to contribute lived experience of mental illness through education and advocacy. A teacher certificate at U of S in 1967 and a B.A. with a major in Psychology from U of Winnipeg in 1993 were steps in lifelong learning and teaching.

CMHA Sask commissioned Pivot Points: a fragmented history of Mental Health in Saskatchewan (2012). Then she archived the CMHA Sask files (1985 to 2012) for Provincial Archives. Jayne is compiling a lifetime of her personal archives. Her love of research and writing inspired CMHA SK Newsletter in 2022; she co-facilitates the Writing For Your Life group with Regina Branch. Currently she provides clerical support for the CMHA Life Promotion/ Suicide Prevention Community of Practice.

Jayne was born in 1947, lives in subsidized housing in Regina and often is consulted for as a low income older adult. Reading, podcasts, CBC radio, online solitaire, pulling weeds, and visiting friends enrich her life.

Julius Brown,

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 222

Alternative Phone: 1-888-495-6068

Ronley D. Arnold,

Ron is honoured to be part of the CMHA Saskatchewan Division team as the OSI-CAN Communications Coordinator and a member of the SGEU. Accompanied by his service dog, Kodiak, Ron brings a wealth of experience to his role. Formerly a Corrections Officer in the province, he has been on a journey of PTSD recovery with the support of the OSI-CAN program. Prior to this, Ron served in the Canadian Forces within the Cadet Instructor’s Cadre. His experiences have motivated him to contribute to OSI-CAN by enhancing their online and social media presence. Additionally, Ron is involved in OSI-CAN’s fundraising and awareness activities and serves as a Peer Support Leader in Regina.

Qualifications:

• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
• MHFA (Mental Health First Aid)
• OSI-CAN Peer Support Facilitator Course
• The Violence De-escalation course we took last year as a staff meeting that John O’Connor facilitated
• Ombudsman Training
• Harassment Investigation
• Get Found Digital Marketing Course
• Opioid Overdose Naloxone Kit operation (Nasal and Syringe)
• Red Cross First Aid/CPR Instructor
• BA Justice Studies with Minor in Sociology from the University of Regina
• Unit Human Rights Advisor/Conflict Management Advisor
• Unit Public Affairs Officer Course
• Lieutenant Qualification (leadership and instructor) Course
• Labour Law Familiarization Course – SFL
• Varied Self-Defence and Protective Equipment Training Courses
• H2S Alive/Rescue
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods

Office Phone: 306-540-7576

Photo credit to Dheilly Fire Photography: Dheilly Fire Photography.

Rebecca Rackow, B.A. (Hons.), RSW, BSW

Rebecca Rackow has completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Social Work with a strong focus on research and Canadian policy development and is currently working on her Masters as a graduate student. Rebecca has over 20 years of frontline experience with seniors, at-risk youth, children, and families. She is also a mother of five children. Rebecca has been involved in creating the Mentally Safe Minecraft Server (MS 2 ), Friday Night Games Night, Caregiver Affected Recovery Education (C.A.R.E.) program, the Emergency Wellness Response Lines (During the COVID-19 pandemic) and the Youth Support Programming at CMHA-Sask. She also takes calls from people looking for help, is working on a number of collaborative research projects, has spoken and presented to audiences both locally and Nationally regarding a number of mental health issues, and advocates for accessible mental health services for all.

Program Relevant Training includes:

Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games Level One Training for Mental Health Professionals

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Training for Trainers

Living Life to the Full (Youth Add-on), Facilitator Training

Peer Support Worker Training

Mental Health First Aid

Early Childhood Educator (Level 1)

Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI)

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 224

Cathy White, , B.Voch.Tech.Ed, M.Voch.Tech.Ed & Retired Non-Practising Psychiatric Nurse

Cathy is a retired psychiatric nurse who was registered until this year and is no longer practising. Cathy hold(s) a BVoch.Tech.Ed. and an MVoch.Tech.Ed. and retired from Saskatchewan Polytechnic, where she served as a psychiatric nursing instructor. With extensive experience as both a home caregiver and a professional caregiver,  Cathy has co-coordinated and facilitated both online classes and in-person Caregiver Affected Recovery Education (CARE) workshops. And in the in the winter and spring of 2023-2024, Cathy also had the opportunity to co-facilitate some of the HOPE Learning Centre’s courses.

Ian Morison,

Comedian Ian Andrew Morrison lives in Regina Saskatchewan Canada and has been doing comedy since the age of thirteen. He is a graduate of the Humber College School of Comedy Writing and Performance in Toronto Ontario and has performed in various venues during his time as a comedian. These venues include such famous Canadian comedy clubs as Yuk Yuk’s and The Laugh Stop. Ian is also a published writer and a professional musician. He is the founder and facilitator of a nonprofit organization entitled “Healing Through Humour,” a group that teaches people living with mental illness or mental health issues the art of comedy writing and performance. The Healing through humour course has also been turned into a case study which is available to marketing students at Universities in Japan as well as Harvard in Boston Massachusetts.

Ian wrote and directed his first independent short film in 2013 and his second short film in 2014. The first feature film by Healing Through Humour was shot in July 2016 and on a modest budget of only $4000. Ian has also been a professional actor since the age of thirteen and received a great deal of his training and education through a theatre group in his hometown of Regina Saskatchewan. He has appeared as an extra in multiple productions throughout his teen years as well as a principle role in the movie Painted Angels in 1996.

Ian is also a graduate of the Western Academy Broadcasting College in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and has worked as an on-air radio personality. Ian’s debut comedy rap album by his alter ego General Spanky, was released in 2015 and the first single, “Dollars and Sense” has spent over 100 weeks on the Official European Independent Music Chart. Ian also wrote and published an article about living with mental illness and running Healing Through Humour, in the October 2015 edition of Moods Magazine.

He has also received an award by the Canadian Mental Health Association of Saskatchewan for his work with comedy and mental illness. Ian has also been a guest lecturer at the University of Regina, as well as a speaker at the 2014 improvisation symposium concerning mental health and improvisation. He has also appeared on multiple television and radio programs on the Canadian broadcasting corporation as well as other programs within the province of Saskatchewan. Healing through humour has also done over 20 performances across the province since 2010.

Ian continues to live and work in Regina and plans to keep gaining exposure for his comedy and, “Healing through Humour.”

Office Phone: 306-352-3006

Daniel Blondeau

Daniel was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and has lived across Canada for school and work. He is the proud father of two young boys (1 and 3 years old) and is happily married.

Daniel graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Vancouver Island University, where he majored in Communication Design. Since graduating in 2013, Daniel has worked in various positions. He spent a little over a year as a tattoo designer for an artist in Nanaimo, BC. Following that, he worked as a private contractor, establishing a successful design firm with a partner in Lake Country, BC. After parting ways, he returned to Saskatchewan and worked as an in-house designer for a local firm in Moose Jaw, SK. Then, in late 2016, Daniel joined the Canadian Mental Health Association Saskatchewan Division as the Communications Coordinator for the Gambling Awareness Program.

In 2020, the opportunity to take on the directorship of the Hope Learning Centre presented itself, and Daniel quickly moved into this new role. Since then, he has developed every aspect of the Hope Learning Centre and its educational streams. Daniel is currently beginning a new phase of the program, which will extend the HLC’s in-person course capacity to all existing CMHA Saskatchewan branches. His vision for the Hope Learning Centre extends many years into the future, and his extensive knowledge of information technologies will continue to aid in the development of this innovative program.

 

Office Phone: 306-525-5601 ext. 235

Melanie Tritz

Melanie Tritz is a dedicated Program Coordinator and Peer Support Facilitator at the H.O.P.E. Learning Centre, part of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Saskatchewan. With a passion for mental health advocacy, Melanie facilitates online workshops, develops engaging course content, and provides compassionate peer support to individuals on their wellness journeys. Drawing from her own lived experience with mental health and recovery, Melanie brings unique insight and empathy to her role.

Based in Calgary, Alberta, Melanie brings a wealth of experience in social media marketing, website management, and virtual assistance, having worked as a freelancer in these areas for over five years. Her expertise includes trauma-informed care and nonviolent crisis intervention, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all participants.

When she’s not working, Melanie loves spending quality time with her family, friends and her two beloved dogs.

Carmen Ledding

Carmen Ledding is the Program Director at CMHA Rosetown (Canadian Mental Health Association, Rosetown Branch), in the heart of the Prairies. She has lived in Rosetown, Saskatchewan for 25 years, is married and has 5 children. Carmen works hard to educate people on how to develop resilience by learning more about maintaining their mental well-being and how to support the mental health of those around them. Carmen leads a Parent Support Group, a Caregiver Support Group (for those who support loved ones with dementia
and cancer) and provides outreach mental health education to students and teachers in  SunWest School Division. She is also a mental health educator, teaching classes about mental health, relationships, communication, addictions, and resilience on  skhopelearningcentre.ca, the free virtual platform of CMHA SK Division. Carmen is hopeful that if we focus on “what’s strong”, instead of “what’s wrong”, we can empower everyone in our community to thrive and be the best version of themselves. That is the message of CMHA!

Office Phone: 306-882-1232

Angela Hounjet,

With her skills and passion for empowering others, Angela works to be a catalyst for change. With an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology and Special Education, Angela addresses mental health with an integrative approach. Angela utilized her education and experience in offering counselling services, which instilled a profound appreciation for the intricacies of the human experience. She began with the Canadian Mental Health Association in 2024 to continue her outreach work within trauma recovery and recovery capitol frameworks. When Angela isn’t working, you will catch her enjoying the outdoors and enjoying any sunshine that is available.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601– ext 225

Samuel Oluyide

Office Phone: 306-280-8195

Rose Favel

Office Phone: 306-441-2981

Etchu Besong,

Etchu Besong recently completed his undergraduate studies in Social Work in 2020. He is a registered social worker. His previous experiences include working with adults with disabilities, senior citizens, and with children and families. He currently facilitates mental wellness sessions for youth and adults; and responds to calls from individuals who need help finding additional mental health resources within the community, under the Youth Support Programming and systems navigation umbrella at CMHA-Sask. Etchu has been involved in local presentations on mental wellness and to create awareness of the availability of local CMHA-Sask support services for youth. He came to Canada five years ago following studies in South Korea. He originally hails from Cameroon. Etchu lives with his wife and two sons. He is a strong supporter of customizing community mental wellness resources to suit the unique needs and experiences of Black and other marginalized groups in Saskatchewan and in Canada.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601 ext. 239

Shauna Altrogge, BA Adv, Sociology

Shauna Altrogge grew up in Saskatoon, and something you might not know is that many weekends were filled with racing snowmobiles, or sleds as the cool kids say.  Realizing there was no real future in that (shocking but true), she succumbed to the pull of university and got her degree in Sociology.  After spending the first part of her career working within the gambling industry,  she developed a passion to help those that might be affected by gambling and joined the GAP team. She married firefighter Dale, has a son Jake, stepson Jordan and family, and a furry Bernese Mountain Dog, Burton.  Summers are spent travelling around in their silver bullet Airstream, checking out the amazing Canadian landscapes.

Office Phone: 306-683-2600

Laura Walters, BSW

Laura grew up in Saskatchewan on a farm near Wynyard. After much travelling in her twenties, Laura settled back in Saskatoon and loves living in the River City with her young daughter. Laura recently had the status of “mature student” (rude) when she returned to the University of Regina to earn her Social Work Degree. These studies led to a strong passion for advocating and promoting awareness from a non-judgmental and holistic perspective. With this in mind Laura found a great fit with GAP and is enjoying having lively discussions with everyone from young children to seasoned professionals about behavioural addictions, mental health, and the challenges of technology.

Office Phone: 306 683 3669

Kathy Moorman

Office Phone: 306-683-2602

Sabrina Lybeck, BA Hons in Psychology (University of Regina)

Sabrina Lybeck is the Southern Coordinator for the Gambling Awareness Program. With a background in psychology, her focus has always been on people and mental health. Sabrina spends a great deal of her time doing outreach in the southeast region of Saskatchewan, touching on the topics of gambling, gaming, social media, and mental health. Outside of work, she also enjoys spending time on the road travelling to places near and far, always looking for a good place to go on a hike. Sabrina’s favourite thing to do is play almost any sort of game. This includes video games, board games, and cards with her favourite being cribbage.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601 ext 226

Teanna Morgan

As a Communications Coordinator for the Gambling Awareness Program, I specialize in managing our social media presence, creating impactful presentation materials, and handling various media and communication tasks. With a strong background in graphic design, I bring a keen eye for visual storytelling to our campaigns. I am also a talented illustrator and artist, ensuring our messaging is both engaging and visually appealing. My role is dedicated to promoting responsible gambling and educating the public through creative and effective communication strategies and supporting the online initiatives for CMHA Sask Division.

Office Phone: 306-525-5601 ext 233

Mareike Johnson, PhD

Office Phone: 306-525-5601 ext 223