Headquarters:

4th floor, Peace Hills Trust Tower, 10011- 109 Street NW, Edmonton AB, T5J 3S8

Year founded:

1988

Number of employees:

242 (as of March 31, 2023)

Phone:

780-400-2270

Email:

info@casaservices.org

Website:

casamentalhealth.org

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/casa-mental-health

“What drives our success is our results-driven people. Capable, entrepreneurial Rohitians are the driving force behind our growth”,

Masa Idelbi, Manager - Human Resources

Bonnie Blakley

Chief Executive Officer

Amanda LaFrance

Director, People and Culture

Dena Pedersen

Director, Clinical Operations

Leadership

Bonnie Blakley knew from an early age that she wanted to serve the social fabric of families and communities in Canada. With experience in government, health care, leadership and the private sector, she is now the CEO of CASA Mental Health, where she works with a dynamic team of mental health experts to provide accessible and effective mental health services to Albertan children and families. Blakley is also a mother and stepmother of seven and a sports enthusiast. Her personal philosophy is to walk with purpose and lead with grace.

Chief Executive Officer

Bonnie Blakley

Throughout her formative years, Amanda LaFrance was always passionate about empowering others, leading by example and leaving things better than she found them. This culminated in her pursuing a career as a public health professional and commitment-based leader. As the director of people and culture, LaFrance strives to create operational excellence through continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and mutual learning. She values spending time with her close-knit family and cheering on the Edmonton Oilers as a lifelong Edmontonian.

Director, People and Culture

Amanda LaFrance

Dena Pedersen joined CASA in September 2021 after spending 10 years with the St. Albert Primary Care Network, where she was executive director for seven years. She has a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Alberta and specialized clinical training as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Her passion to support children’s mental health started while she was a frontline nurse in the Stollery Children’s Hospital and inner-city public health unit, and continued to focus on mental health in her leadership roles within the Pediatric Weight Management Clinic, the Adolescent Mental Health Clinic at the Northeast Community Health Centre, and Edmonton Zone Primary Care Networks. Pedersen lives in St. Albert with her two children, Tye and Calla, and continues to spend her time in various arenas across Alberta as an active hockey mom.

Director, Clinical Operations

Dena Pedersen

“What drives our success is our results-driven people. Capable, entrepreneurial Rohitians are the driving force behind our growth”,

Masa Idelbi, Manager - Human Resources

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Leadership

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

“What drives our success is our results-driven people. Capable, entrepreneurial Rohitians are the driving force behind our growth”,

Masa Idelbi, Manager - Human Resources

Leadership

Darby Semeniuk

Director, Communications and Philanthropy

Darby Semeniuk has worked in communications and leadership for 20 years, from natural resources to environment to health care, and has extensive experience in media relations, issues and reputation management, and writing and reporting. His current role at Alberta-based CASA Mental Health brought an opportunity to launch a new department and rebrand the organization as it expands provincially. He believes clear, purposeful, and proactive communication can mitigate risk, inspire positive change, and ultimately deliver business results.

Director, Communications and Philanthropy

Darby Semeniuk

Eric Marshall

Director, Genesis Brand

Eric Marshall has been with HAC since 2015, starting as product manager for Hyundai. In 2016 – the inception of Genesis Motors Canada – he transitioned to the luxury brand as senior sales manager and was promoted to national sales manager in 2019. Prior to joining the company, he held progressive roles at a domestic automaker in the areas of sales and brand management. Marshall is among a small, dedicated team responsible for launching operations in the Canadian market as it established its unique agency model. As one of the architects of the organization who participated in the development of the brand strategy and creation of distributor network agreements, he is well equipped to oversee all aspects of the business. Marshall’s responsibilities include oversight of GRX (Genesis Retail Experience) facility construction and overall growth strategy as sales continue to increase. He is based in Genesis Motors Canada’s head office in Markham, Ontario.

Director, Genesis Brand

Eric Marshall

CASA Mental Health provides holistic, culturally safe, wraparound mental health services to Albertans aged three to 18 and their families. Their team of mental health professionals are trauma experts who work with community partners to provide assessment and treatment to about 4,000 children, youth, and families each year. The non-profit organization provides specialized mental health services unavailable elsewhere in Alberta or Canada, with a focus on the missing middle – mental health treatment for diagnosed children and youth, in between prevention and promotion in primary and community care, and acute treatment in hospitals. In 2021, CASA formed a new leadership team to lead it into a new era of expanded mental health services for Albertan families. Under CEO Bonnie Blakley’s guidance, a new five-year roadmap was implemented that aims to double the number of people served, expand their footprint, and bring services closer to where kids need them. “We have three focus areas: to be leaders in delivering child-centred and family-inclusive mental health services for children; having effective and relevant programming; and ensuring financial health,” explains Blakley. “We’re also focusing on five-year headlines to guide where we want to go as a service provider.” The roadmap’s guiding headlines are: • being a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace • being recognized nationally as a learning and teaching organization • being a provider of culturally safe mental health services • being a Canadian leader in trauma-informed, wrap-around mental health programming for children and their families • being a financially stable organization through diverse funding sources • being an identifiable and trusted organization in western Canada “A community stakeholder told us that they love the plan because it is unapologetically aggressive and kind,” adds Blakley. “What they saw in the map was an assertive approach to get to more kids, but not to the detriment of the quality of our care or the broader community. It is a roadmap to model the way.” As a recognized 2023 Best Places to Work employer, CASA offers a competitive wage and benefits package, including wellness days and other employee perks, and various professional development opportunities. As a teaching and learning organization, staff can attend professional conferences, EDI and Indigenous learning days, leadership training, and specialized clinical training like play therapy. The organization values staff’s opinions and offers opportunities to contribute, such as quarterly meetings with the CEO and surveys to ensure work-life harmony. Staff well-being is prioritized at work and home, and the organization is investing in a large-scale compensation, benefits and pension review, implementing shorter workdays, and a wellness week that staff can use how and when they want. As one of the best companies to work for in Canada, CASA allows staff the ability to work hybrid where possible, providing flexibility around working hours, ensuring events have quiet rooms, and implementing new policies regarding wellness, bereavement, and other paid leaves. CASA is building a legacy of action for a future where children and families receive equitable and culturally safe wraparound mental health services where they feel seen, heard, and supported. It also strives to be a culturally safe and inclusive space where diverse staff, children, youth, families, and communities can thrive. The team comprises expert leaders in clinical and medical programs, people and culture, finance, diversity and inclusion, communications, and philanthropy. A complete list of senior leaders is available at casamentalhealth.org/our-team-and-board.

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Steve Flamand

Executive Director of Product, Corporate, IT and Digital Strategy

Kirk Merrett

Director, HR and Administration

Michael Ricciuto

Director, Safety and Compliance

Simon Williams

Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955

As the executive director of product, corporate, IT and digital strategy for HAC, Steve Flamand oversees the product portfolio life cycle activities, pricing and packaging strategies, research and forecasting functions, and the development of short- and long-term business plans. He is also responsible for Hyundai Canada’s IT and Connected Digital Experience divisions, which was established with the aim of creating industry-leading customer purchasing and ownership experiences with a complete digital transformation that will introduce new business processes. This also includes a heightened focus on retaining customer loyalty through technological innovations across a number of platforms. Flamand has 30 years of experience in the automotive industry working for both domestic and import brands in positions around the globe. He has a proven international track record of creating and building leading concepts, pioneering new business opportunities, acting upon consumer insights, and responding to market trends. Prior to joining Hyundai Canada in 2018, Flamand worked for General Motors for 25 years in a variety of product and portfolio planning, program management and strategy roles across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Executive Director of Product, Corporate, IT and Digital Strategy

Steve Flamand

Kirk Merrett is the director of human resources and administration at HAC. Since joining the company in 2013, Merrett has been leading the strategic development of the HR function to promote maximum effectiveness in Hyundai’s diverse workforce and directing the inclusive philosophy for attracting and retaining the best talent. Merrett draws from a deep level of expertise through over 20 years’ experience in organizational management and corporate governance. Merrett strongly believes in the personal and professional benefits of corporate social responsibility and is directly involved in a number of organizations. He and his team have driven a number of youth-targeted CSR initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, most notably with BGC Canada, for which Hyundai Canada is a title sponsor. In January 2023, he was recognized as Notable Champion of Diversity by Automotive News Canada. Prior to joining Hyundai, he served as a human resources senior executive for Mitsubishi Canada and Eddie Bauer of Canada.

Director, HR and Administration

Kirk Merrett

Michael Ricciuto is the director of safety and compliance at HAC. He is responsible for guiding and elevating Hyundai and Genesis as the automotive leaders in safety and compliance while overseeing all government policy interactions and strategies. Ricciuto is a familiar face to HAC, having previously been with the company for eight and a half years. In 2010, he joined HAC as the national manager, product and strategic business planning, was promoted to director, product and corporate strategy in 2016, and subsequently moved to the director, Genesis role where he launched the unique Genesis retail business model in Canada. Most recently, he was with Volkswagen Canada as their director, network development, for over four years. He also has experience in various engineering and managerial roles, including manager of automotive regulatory activities and vehicle environmental programs, at GM Canada.

Director, Safety and Compliance

Michael Ricciuto

Kimi Shah leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic, and tailored to each situation.

Partner

Kimi Shah

Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.

Partner

Kimi Shah

Partner

Kimi Shah

“Despite the challenging claims environment, QBE’s coverage and risk appetite have remained consistent. Brokers and customers know and understand our risk appetite and the cover we offer, providing them with certainty for the future,” says Erica Kofie, head of cyber proposition. “We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions.” Kofie adds, “Through 2022, QBE successfully delivered significant growth in the cyber sector, reflecting the depth and strength of our team. We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations.”

Read on

IB Top Brokerages

Award Winner

CASA MENTAL HEALTH

SPECIAL REPORT

Home

Bio

Read on

Award Winner

SPECIAL REPORT

Home

Bio

Read on

Award Winner

SPECIAL REPORT

Home

Bio

Medal

Small business

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Turnaround time – claims

BDM support

Broker communication, training and development

Overall service level

BDM support

Medal

Overall service level

Broker communication, training and development

BDM support

Turnaround time – claims

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Small business

Medal

Overall service level

Broker communication, training and development

BDM support

Turnaround time – claims

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Small business

We welcome those from a variety of backgrounds to help strengthen our Nation, and your career. With a wide range of opportunities, a rich heritage, strong core values, and extraordinary benefits, you’ll find a place to forge a career and be a force for positive change. When you work for the Choctaw Nation, you’re seen as a member of a family. We constantly strive to improve the health and happiness of our Choctaw associate family and their dependents through our exceptional benefits and resources, which include access to employee health clinics (these function like free urgent care clinics), 12 Choctaw Nation Wellness Centers, a tuition reimbursement program, and a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.