Board of Directors
Meet our Board of Directors
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LESLIE WELIN
CHAIR
With decades of experience in education and social services, Leslie’s roles include coach, teacher, counsellor, board member, professor, and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. She believes that everyone has strengths and gifts to bring to communities and in the value of lifelong learning.
Working with other community leaders through Board Meets Board Cowichan, Leslie brought board directors and senior staff together with business and local government sectors in dialogue about social and economic challenges and opportunities facing citizens in the Cowichan region.
Leslie has extensive experience writing training materials and documents across education and social service sectors. She has contributed to developing provincial education curricula such as the Building Better Boards project. She also worked with communities across BC to produce There is a Better Way: A BC Framework for Wellbeing.
Board Voice of BC named Leslie its first honorary life member for contributions to working with community based social service agencies in finding innovative ways to meet the increasingly complex needs in community and to build upon the strengths of people in the community.
Leslie is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors at Clements Centre and to support its commitment to inclusion, dignity, and respect for all individuals.
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RICHARD CALVERLEY
VICE-CHAIR/TREASURER
Richard and his wife, Nancy, have been involved in caring for adults with developmental disabilities for over 10 years. His involvement includes Operation Track Shoes and home-sharing. Richard joined the board of Clements Centre in 2008. As well, he is heavily involved in Rotary, both locally and internationally.
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CARREEN UNGURAN
SECRETARY
Carreen is a telecommunications professional at TELUS who believes in giving back to her community and has a diverse background in leading teams in the areas of procurement, network planning, and regulatory. She also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Calgary.
Carreen comes to the Cowichan Valley from Calgary, where she previously volunteered with organizations there, including as a board member for Carya and as Committee Chair for the Fashion with Compassion fundraising event, which supported Breast Cancer Supportive Care.
Carreen’s demonstrated curiosity, passion for learning, and natural leadership skills have provided her with opportunities to thrive in a variety of areas and she applies these same attributes to supporting organizations in her community.
Directors
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CATHERINE HUDSON
Catherine is a retired nurse clinician with extensive experience in special needs/psychiatric pediatrics, psycho-geriatrics, and the mother of an adult child with developmental challenges. In the past, she served as a founding board member of Giant Steps West Program for Autism and Developmental Disabilities and as a board member of a child development centre. Currently, she serves as a resource parent of the Family Support Institute and has obtained her Master Gardeners certification. She is married to a physician/musician active in the Cowichan Valley.
Catherine views board service as an excellent way to have a substantial, and ongoing impact in the community. She is passionate about the organization’s particular cause and mission and is proud to be a member of the dedicated team of concerned and engaged individuals on the Clements Centre Board. Catherine looks forward to being able to participate in identifying long-term goals, seeking out diverse opportunities for collaboration, as well as potentially implementing innovative strategies for lasting change.
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RAY ANTHONY
Born in Kamloops, Ray lived in various communities throughout BC before finishing up his secondary schooling at the former Malaspina College. He completed the Renewable Resources Program at Selkirk College in Castlegar and worked for the next 7 years for Habitat Protection with the then, BC Environment. After a personal tragedy, Ray sought out travel opportunities and volunteered with Humana in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where he discovered his passion for working with youth and the community. Upon returning to Canada, he was able to work/train as a Youth Worker through a Service Canada Program and was part of a team that created 4 successful, neighborhood youth drop-in programs in Nanaimo. Ray then worked as a Project Leader with the National Katimavik Program before landing his dream volunteer job as – Project Coordinator with Right to Play in Juba, South Sudan. Upon returning to Canada, he was very fortunate to get a spot in Vancouver Island University’s Child and Youth Care First Nations Program where he received a Citizenship Award as well as the Governor General Award. Over the last 15 years, Ray has worked for a number of local non-profit organizations including the Cowichan Intercultural Society and the Canadian Mental Health Association. Building on the foundations of the Inclusive Leadership Program founded by mentor Dr. Linda Hill, Ray developed the Compassionate Leaders Program which received a National Award for Best Youth Practice. Now helping people into a new vehicle at Discovery Honda, Ray is very excited for the opportunity to return to the board of Clements Centre and be a part of a fantastic team in co-creating an inclusive Cowichan Region where everyone can experience a sense of belonging and value.
Huy ch q’u
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JEAN SCHOLEFIELD
I have lived in the Cowichan Valley for 27 years.
Currently, I’m the Executive Director at Cowichan Independent Living, a disability resource Centre in Duncan. Also, very involved with the local Special Olympics, the local coordinator for the past 7 years as well as a 5-pin bowling coach. I have been lucky to have 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, and, the best part, 8 grandchildren. I have known Clements Centre since my youngest daughter started to participate there in 2001. I strongly believe in every part of Clements Centre and all the incredible programs, the inclusive environment, and the positive atmosphere.
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NICOLE DIACHUK
With over 40 years of personal and professional volunteer experience combined with governance education and hands-on experience, Nicole Diachuk has resided in Maple Bay since 2019 and is a proud employee of Island Savings, A Division of First West Credit Union as the Director of Retail Banking leading highly engaged and successful teams in Nanaimo, Chemainus, Lake Cowichan, Cedar, Duncan & Mill Bay. Nicole spent the past nine years (past Vice Chair 2018 – 2021) as a Board of Directors member with the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank ( COCFB) raising food, funds & awareness to alleviate chronic hunger in Kelowna and surrounding areas. Nicole is committed to sharing with Clements Centre her financial industry business acumen, including a background in senior leadership roles, strategic planning, human resources, budgeting, fiduciary duty, and decades of proud volunteerism and board governance.
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ROB CONWAY
Rob is a Registered Professional Planner with a masters degree in urban planning from the University of Toronto and 30 years experience planning communities on southern Vancouver Island. Since retiring as the Director of Planning and Building with the Municipality of North Cowichan in 2024, Rob has been focussed a small woodworking business, designing and building custom furniture and other products made from local wood. As a life-long resident of the Cowichan Valley, Rob cares deeply about this community and hopes he can support the important work being done by Clements Centre.
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NANCY DOWER
Dr. Nancy Dower is a retired pediatrician, with a sub-specialization in cancer and blood disorders. She also collaborated on many scientific projects with her husband, a retired professor of biochemistry. Since retirement, she has served as the training officer for the Cowichan Power and Sail Squadron, a founding Director of the Quamichan Lake Neighbourhood Association, and a Rural Ambassador to the Municipality of North Cowichan Official Community Plan.