Alternate Care Team

Sam has been a happy employee of Key Assets NL for over 4 years. Sam has held leadership positions in other organizations and has over 2 decades experience in Child and Youth Care roles within Newfoundland and Labrador. Sam is currently a Manager of Alternate Care Services with Key Assets NL and enjoys providing services to children and families in the province.

Samantha has been working in the child and youth care field for 7 years, 5 here at Key Assets in Alternate Care as a frontline staff then supervisor. Samantha also has done volunteer work with the NL Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Center, and the St. Johns Women’s Center. Samantha has a strong interest in youth mental health and understanding/working as a trauma informed person and recently became an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainer and although it is very new, she is already loving the facilitating. Samantha is always striving to learn more about the field of youth care and enjoy attending trainings to connect with others and learn. Samantha has a BA in sociology and psychology, Certificate in Criminology, and the Child and Youth Care with Addictions Support Worker Program.

Sheena is a graduate from the University of New Brunswick obtaining a BA in Psychology with a passion and strong interest in mental health. Sheena has done a variety of training in specific mental health diagnoses and has a strong background in strengths-based, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction approaches. Over the past 10 years, Sheena has worked hard at building community relationships and connecting with necessary community resources to further her career in the field while working front line at community homeless shelters, community integration at Choices for Youth, and now Key Assets. Sheena is an avid sports fan whether it be playing golf in the summers herself or watching her kids at various sporting events throughout the year.

Joanne Holds a CYW Diploma from Algonquin College- Ottawa/ Youth Studies degree from Mount St Vincent her passion for the field started in residential care in Ottawa Ontario in 1996. Joanne spent 10 years with Child protection agencies in both Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and another 10 years in hospital and treatment centers.  Joanne joined the Key Assets team in February of 2022 and began as Manager of Alternate Care in Central region in November 2022. Joanne loves travelling to Ireland and has had a few trips in Haiti, working in the Orphanage (Hands across the Sea) and is looking forward to going back. Joanne also loves the hiking trails and outdoors that Newfoundland offers- with her children and furry friends.

Brian graduated from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1989 and Bachelor of Social Work in 1999. He started his career with the Department of Social Services in 1989 as a front line social worker in Milltown, Bay D’Espoir. Brian has experience in many of the program areas including Child Protection, In Care, Youth Services and Adoptions and he was the Zone Manager for the Western Region- Corner Brook and Deer Lake offices from 2010 to 2020.

I am an Inuit woman who was born and raised in Hopedale on the North Coast of Labrador. I am a foster Parent who has been fostering children for over 20 years.

I have worked in the mental health, addictions and intergenerational trauma field for 13 years. I hold a certificate in Inuit Intergenerational Trauma and Addictions from the Justice Institute of BC.

I am a trained facilitator in ASIST- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training.

I am passionate about teaching our young people, staff and colleagues all about our culture, language and traditions that are unique to Labrador.