Staff
Danielle Dolgoy PMP
Executive Director
Danielle Dolgoy is a devoted servant leader empowering communities through heritage and engagement. As an advocate for change, she amplifies Edmontonians’ voices and advances well-being through cultural initiatives rooted in loving kindness. Guided by fairness, respect, and healing, Danielle excels in team management and stakeholder relations, embodying kindness, compassion, and social justice. Taking the helm of Jewish Family Services, she brings integrity and community connection, steering the organization towards impactful, future-ready programs. With a commitment to servant leadership and wellbeing, Danielle leads JFSE into a new era of relevance, empowering those served with renewed energy and compassion.
Ext. 210
Alyona Lanyme
Operations Supervisor
Alyona joined Jewish Family Services in August 2017. She provides essential administrative support to Board, staff and programs. Alyona immigrated to Canada from Kazakhstan in 2016 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. She speaks English and Russian.
Ext. 220
Machelle Curtis
Office Administrator
Machelle joined Jewish Family Services in 2019 as an administrative assistant. She provides assistance to both counselors and office staff with day to day operations. Machelle moved to Alberta in 2015 from Newfoundland and Labrador. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree and has
several years of experience in various administrative roles.
Ext. 200
Home Support Services
Alberto Genis
Home Support Manager
Alberto has gathered over 10 years’ experience working with non-profit organizations. In 2011, Alberto began working with Holocaust Survivors at JFSE. As Home Support Manager, Alberto developed program operations for senior Holocaust survivors, providing services in their homes and fulfilling their basic needs.
In his spare time, Alberto travels and spends time with his friends; he also likes outdoor activities and is an avid volunteer.
Ext. 234
Alena Sasnouskaya
Home Support Supervisor
Alena has an Administrative Assistant diploma from Campbell College, Alberta. She has worked for Jewish Family Services since 2012. She has significant experience in working with marginalized and underrepresented populations.
Alena is passionate about traveling, sports, and art. She speaks English, Russian, and Belarussian.
Ext. 226
Natallia Kazlova
Home Support Assistant
Natallia joined Jewish Family Services in August 2021 as a Home Support Assistant. She has a Bachelor of Teaching degree and an Administrative Assistant diploma from Campbell College, Alberta.
Natallia speaks English, Russian and Belarussian. She likes traveling, gardening, and outdoor activities.
Ext. 405
Olesya Voytovych
Home Support Assistant
Olesya Voytovych joined Jewish Family Services in 2023 as a Home Support Assistant. She provides assistance with payroll, recordkeeping, reporting, and also helps with our recruiting and hiring process for Home Support workers. Olesya has extensive experience in the administrative field which has become an asset in managing scheduling and correspondence within our Home Support program. She obtained her Digital Marketing certification in Alberta and has experience working as an entrepreneur by running a small business.
Olesya enjoys travelling, gardening, and painting in her free time. She speaks Ukrainian, Russian, and English.
Ext. 243
Alesya Puchko
Home Support Assistant
Alesya Puchko joined the Jewish Family Services in February 2025. She’s been working in customer service over 15 years, meanwhile gathering knowledge in marketing and journalism. Previous experience with clients makes Alesya a good listener and dedicated problem solver. Alesya’s personality has two sides: creative, artistic side and well-organized, task-focused side. She calls herself “an eternal student” as she likes to study new fields and getting new experience.
Alesya loves discovering new places, taking pictures, and watching movies. She speaks English, Belarusian, and Russian.
Ext. 252
Older Adult Services
Tatiana Kastner MSW RSW
Older Adult Services Program Manager
Tatiana started working at JFSE in 2015 after moving from Montreal. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from McGill University and has significant experience in working with immigrants and older adults. At JFSE, she has worked as a Case Manager for the Holocaust Survivors Support program, then as a Case Management supervisor, and as of July 2023 as Older Adult Services Program Manager. Her current role involves managing the Holocaust Survivors Support Program, Coordinated Outreach and Social Prescribing projects for older adults, as well as oversight of Home Support program.
Tatiana loves nature and volunteers as a hiking lead for Edmonton Trail Community. She speaks English, French, Russian, and Hebrew.
Ext. 232
Anastasiia Kozhevnikova
Case Management Supervisor
Anastasiia joined Jewish Family Services in 2020. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Management in Social Work from Siberian State Industrial University. She works as a Case Worker for the Holocaust Survivors Support program, Social Prescribing, and Coordinated Outreach projects. In her current role she assists the clients with referrals, connection to resources, filling forms, settlement process, mediation, and many other needs.
Anastasiia enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, baking and gardening. She speaks Russian and English.
Ext. 228
Danielle Shaposhnikov
Case Management Assistant
Danielle is currently in her bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy at the University of Alberta. In the summer of 2023, she joined Jewish Family Services as a Case Management Assistant. Danielle brings several years of experience working with immigrants and refugees and is deeply involved in the Jewish community. Within Jewish Family Services, Danielle works with the Holocaust Survivors Support program, where she assists the case management team in their daily interactions with the clients and care partner.
Danielle enjoys the outdoors and being active and is a yoga instructor. She speaks English, Russian, and Hebrew.
Ext 248
Deborah Miville RSW
Case Manager
Deborah’s first career was in medical laboratory technology. She came to social work in mid-life when she graduated the Social Work diploma program at Grant MacEwan college in 1996.
She has worked in various Social Worker positions in the HIV sector until 2008. Then found an amazing opportunity to work with older adults in 2009 and has been in this sector ever since. Has helped and contributed to outreach to older adults in many organizations in Edmonton including: SONS, Sage, North West Seniors, Strathcona Country FCSS, Start Here Seniors Support, SEESA and now JFSE.
She loves the diversity of the clients and staff and embraces the challenges that the work provides.
Ext. 238
Insun Kim BSW, RSW
Older Adult Services Intake Coordinator
Insun immigrated to Canada from Korea in 2014. Then, she learned English, and studied Social Work at MacEwan. After graduation, Insun worked as a Program Facilitator for seniors at ElderCare Edmonton, and that widened her practical knowledge about gerontology and Dementia Care. She is very curious about the human mind and aging. Insun speaks English and Korean.
Ext. 245
Kaychelle Soliman
Outreach Support Worker
Kaychelle is an immigrant from the Philippines who spent several years working as a community nurse, where she cultivated a deep passion for caring for others. After moving to Canada, she decided to pursue a career in Social Work, motivated by her desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and communities. Recently graduating after years of dedication, Kaychelle is eager to apply her combined healthcare and social work knowledge to support and advocate for those in need. She is enthusiastic about this new chapter and look forward to embracing challenges, continuous learning, and personal growth.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with family and exploring Canada’s beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures. Whether she’s taking scenic hikes in the mountains, visiting vibrant cities, or immersing herself in local traditions, she finds joy in experiencing all that Canada has to offer.
Ext. 235
Nargiza Mamyrbaeva
Link and Outreach Worker
Nargiza joined Jewish Family Services in 2024. She is originally from Kyrgyzstan and holds a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and economics. She began her career at a bank as an administrative assistant before moving to South Korea, where she lived for 11 years and worked in customer service. In August 2022, she immigrated to Canada and decided to apply her personal and professional experience to make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and the community.
Nargiza loves to travel, discover new places, meet new people, and is passionate about helping those in need. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga. She speaks Kyrgyz, Russian, English, and Korean.
Ext. 244
Ruth Assoue, RSW
Case Manager
Ruth is a Registered Social Worker who joined JFSE in 2024 to support the older adults as a Case Manager. With a background in healthcare and social services, she has spent several years advocating for the well-being and independence of this vulnerable population.
Bilingual in French and English, Ruth effectively communicates with diverse clients and families, ensuring that their needs are understood and addressed. Her passion for helping others is complemented by a deep appreciation for nature and the arts, which enrich the human experience and promote mental well-being.
In her role, Ruth combines professional expertise with a compassionate approach, creating tailored care plans and connecting clients with vital resources to meet their needs. She is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those she serves.
Ext. 239
Remya Ponnore Raghavan, MSW, RSW
Older Adult Services Case Manager
Remya joined Jewish Family Services in April 2025 as an Older Adult Case Manager. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from India. She has over 11 years of experience in India and Canada, and works with families, adult, children and Youth.
Remya believes that all individuals possess inherent dignity and worth. She is committed to create a supportive and empowering environment for clients, fostering their self-determination, and advocating for their rights. Her practice is guided by the principles of social justice, equity, and inclusivity, and she strives to challenge systemic barriers and promotes positive social change. She believes in the power of human connection and collaboration, and is dedicated to build strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and the broader community.
In her current role she provides long term case management, referrals, and resources to seniors and older adults from all backgrounds.
Remya enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, reading and learning about world history.
Ext. 249
Brandon Krygowski, RSW
Outreach Support Worker
Brandon joined JFSE in 2025. He is a registered social worker holding a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from MacEwan University. During his career so far, he has been able to work in a variety of sectors within the field of social work and non-profits such as those supporting children, adolescents, young and newcomer families, within schools, and with Edmonton’s vulnerable and homeless populations. Brandon is excited for the next chapter of his career working with older adults and seniors, furthering expanding his knowledge and expertise.
Outside of work, Brandon lives a simple life and spends his time with his partner enjoying hobbies such as sneaker collecting, movies, music, video games and other media, trying new restaurants, and enjoying the weather while it is nice!
Ext. 257
Jassmeen Kaur Sandhu
Intake Link Worker
Jassmeen joined Jewish Family Services Edmonton in August 2025 as an Intake Link Worker. She is holding a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Calgary. Jassmeen is dedicated to creating a welcoming first point of contact for clients seeking support and connection to community resources. Jassmeen is passionate about helping others feel understood and empowered to access the services they need.
In her free time, she enjoys going for walks, spending quality time with her family, and finding moments of calm in nature.
Ext. 223
Barbara Newell
Service Connector
T: 780-860-2931
Kathy Watters
Service Connector
T: 780-995-2908
Outreach Services
Meital Siva-Jain, MSW, RSW
Manager, Outreach Services
Since immigrating from Israel in 2006, Meital has connected with JFSE as a client, volunteer, and practicum student. She joined the team in October 2021 and now leads the Outreach Services team, offering case management and developing community support programs.
Previously, Meital spent over seven years at the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, working to reduce service barriers through community collaboration.
Meital holds a BA from Tel Aviv University, a diploma in Social Work from MacEwan University, and an MSW with a focus on Clinical Social Work in Trauma-Informed Practice. Meital speaks English and Hebrew.
Ext. 236
Liron Shteynpres
Outreach Case Manager
As an Outreach Case Manager, Liron combines her passion for client-centered front-line work with her educational background. Under this role, she assists members of the Edmonton community under 55 years old with accessing relevant resources. Before joining JFSE, Liron accessed JFS services as a newcomer client and later became a dedicated volunteer of JFS and other non-profit agencies. She also worked for the Settlement program at Action for Healthy Communities, where she was inspired by the dedication, collaboration, and innovative work of her colleagues. Liron holds an honorary diploma in Settlement Studies from NorQuest College.
Ext. 237
Nika Silinsh
Outreach Case Worker
Nika joined Jewish Family Services Edmonton in 2025, bringing a diverse background to the organization. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering from Israel. Prior to moving to Alberta, she lived on Prince Edward Island, where she worked as an Employment Specialist at a settlement organization, helping newcomers to Canada navigate their employment journey.
Nika speaks English, Russian and Hebrew. In her free time, she enjoys baking, camping, traveling, and solving puzzles.
Ext. 229
Edmonton Healing Centre
Sarah Karesa, M.Ed., R. Psych
Counselling Program Manager, Edmonton Healing Center
Sarah is a Registered Psychologist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alberta and a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Lethbridge. She is a published researcher, professional speaker, and mental health advocate who uses her professional and personal experience to provide the best possible support for her clients.
Prior to coming to the Edmonton Healing Centre, Sarah worked at Pilgrims Hospice Society – providing counselling for individuals struggling with grief and loss, caregiving, and palliative/life limiting illness across the lifespan. Sarah currently works an Associate Professor with City University of Seattle’s Edmonton Campus. In this role, she instructs future counsellors in the areas of grief and loss, group counselling, and professional practice.
Sarah’s approach to counselling is based on the philosophy that everyone has the ability to heal: they just need the right tools and a supportive environment to be able to do so. Sarah integrates self-compassion, mindfulness, and strengths-based practice into her work with children, teens, and adults of all ages. While Sarah enjoys helping clients with diverse presenting problems, her specialties are addressing issues related to grief and loss, palliative and life-limiting illness, caregiving, dementia anxiety/fear, depression, self-worth/self-esteem, and life transitions.
Ext. 240
Anna Jongeleen MPS AT CCC
Canadian Certified Counsellor, Registered Psychotherapist and Art Therapist
Anna started at JFSE in 2018. Anna’s approach as a therapist is not only informed by her extensive education, training and professional experience; it is first rooted in her own life experiences and a deep love and care for human beings.
Anna has a Masters in Psychotherapy, Spirituality and Art Therapy, and is certified in Counseling and Children Counseling. Anna is also trained in Complex Trauma Therapy, Trauma-Informed Art Therapy, Somatic and Focussing Psychotherapy, Grief Counseling Play, and Sandtray Therapy. She facilitates Art Therapy for adults, children, and families, to explore and heal deeper levels and to find expression for experiences that are difficult to verbalize.
She has over 20 years of experience as a multicultural therapist in Europe, Israel, and Canada and works with adults, families, couples, youth, and children and is a strong advocate for marginalized populations and people. Her thesis specialized in Eating Issues, and she developed a new treatment model based on attachment theory, somatic experiencing theory and art psychotherapy models.
Her areas of focus are 2SLGBTQ+ clients, clients experiencing social justice issues, family, child and couple therapy, grief and loss (health, career, job, community, faith), bereavement, trauma, sexual abuse, childhood trauma, spiritual dilemmas, attachment wounding, and emotional regulation issues (e.g. anxiety/depression/mood disorders, dissociation, borderline personality, alexithymia, eating issues and disorders, etc.).
Anna speaks English, Hebrew, Dutch and some conversational French.
Ext. 233
Kayla McLachlan
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Kayla is a Registered Provisional Psychologist. Since 2013 Kayla has worked and volunteered in several non-profits that focus on supporting people impacted by trauma and ending gender-based violence.
Kayla believes that counselling is a collaborative process and that people are the experts in their own lives and experiences. Kayla aims to create a warm, safe, and gentle space to explore the challenges that have brought people into counselling. Her work is informed by social justice and anti-oppressive principles. Kayla has additional training in narrative therapy, trauma-informed practices, mindfulness, somatic approaches, and hypnotherapy.
Kayla enjoys spending time in nature, playing cards, cross-stitching, and live theatre.
Ext. 409
Heather Ruhl
Mental Health Therapist
Heather is currently completing her Master of Counselling, reconnecting with her passion for mental health after over a decade of working in financial services. Before joining JFS, Heather completed her internship at Pilgrims Hospice Society, working with individuals experiencing loss and grief and facilitating group program delivery. Her hope is to help clients find ways to heal and discover their own strengths along their journeys and believes her role as a therapist is to shine a light into the darkness so you can choose your path forward. Heather is an advocate for mental health awareness and inclusion, and she works to raise awareness and understanding of mental health and inclusivity in a variety of settings. Heather is a Certified Trauma Professional and uses trauma-informed and narrative therapy approaches in her work.
Heather values spending time with her friends and family, reading, playing with her cat Sam, sewing, crochet, knitting, kayaking, and baking, and appreciates a good cup of coffee.
Ext. 242
Nessa Hill, B.A. (They/She/He)
Intern Therapist
Nessa is an intern therapist at Jewish Family Services who is currently completing their Masters of Counselling at City University.
Nessa completed their B.A. in psychology (minoring in philosophy) at the University of Alberta in 2021. During their undergraduate studies, they volunteered for the Kids Help Phone crisis text line, providing empathetic listening and crisis management for young people.
Nessa believes that the therapy space should be one of emotional safety and mutual collaboration with clients towards their goals. They approach therapy with the perspective that the client is the expert in their own life. They draw from a variety of modalities including narrative therapy, DBT, existential, and ACT.
Nessa is especially passionate about working with the LGBTQ2S+ community. They specialize in working with anxiety, depression, LGBTQ2S+ issues, self-criticism, and trauma. Nessa takes an anti-oppressive lens, and welcomes neurodiverse clients to come as they are.
In their free time, Nessa loves spending time outdoors whether it be birdwatching on Edmonton’s many river valley trails, or camping on the weekends.
Ext. 225
Daniella Kersey
Group Facilitator
As a Registered Social Worker, Daniella brings professional expertise and heartfelt compassion to her role as a Group Facilitator at Jewish Family Services Edmonton. Her practice creates safe, supportive spaces where individuals can process grief and connect with others on similar journeys.
Daniella is committed to accompanying community members through their unique grief experiences, offering evidence-based support while honoring each person’s individual path. Through meaningful group discussions and therapeutic guidance, she helps participants develop coping strategies and discover hope even amid loss.
Her approach combines professional training with genuine empathy, meeting clients where they are on their grief journey. Outside of her professional life, Daniella finds balance through winter camping adventures and regular meditation practice. She believes in the healing power of community and witnesses daily the resilience that emerges when people are given space to share and support one another.
ext. 247