Leadership Team

Shawn MacKeigan

Executive Director

Shawn MacKeigan brought his passion and enthusiasm for serving people to the Mission Services team in 2016 after spending nearly a decade supporting various projects related to the municipal delivery of social assistance. During his time with Mission Services, Shawn has helped oversee Mission Services’ transformation from a traditional shelter provider to a housing-focused shelter model. This change has been has been one of Mission Services' longest running and most exciting service enhancement efforts. That enhancement - and the learnings that have followed - has helped shape the foundation for an effective early-intervention service, a short-term housing program, and Housing UP!, an innovative and successful housing-first solution.

Wendy Kennelly

Associate Executive Director, Administration and Community Relations

Wendy Kennelly has extensive fundraising experience in the non-profit and healthcare sectors. After graduating in Economics from McMaster University, she started her career with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and went on to serve in leadership and fundraising roles with the Shaughnessy Hospital Foundation, The Kidney Foundation of Canada, and Good Shepherd. She is responsible for developing Mission Services’ annual fundraising plan in order to meet the capital and operating requirements for Mission Services’ programs.

Valerie Sadler

Associate Executive Director of Organizational Excellence

Valerie Sadler joined Mission Services in 2008 and brings a rich background in education and non-profit leadership to her position. She holds a Master of Education degree from Brock University and serves as a part-time faculty member for McMaster University/Mohawk College’s affiliated certificate in Leadership & Management in the Not for Profit Sector. She is responsible for organizational excellence including attaining accreditation, quality improvement, community-based research opportunities and helping to build a culture of performance and innovation across Mission Services.

Lisa Morikawa

Director of Finance

Lisa Morikawa joined Mission Services in November of 2021, bringing with her more than 30 years of experience working in finance departments for non-profits. For the past 23 years, she has held the role of Director of Finance for various organizations. A native of Burlington, Lisa holds a diploma in Business-Administration/Accounting from Sheridan College, where she graduated first in her class and received the President's Silver Medal Award. Lisa works in the not-for-profit sector because she is committed to making a positive contribution in her community.

Tricia Wedge

Executive Assistant

Tricia Wedge has been with Mission Services since 2008, in various Administrative roles. During her fifteen years at Mission Services, she has built a very diverse profile having worked directly in almost every department of Mission Services. In 2010 she became the Senior Administrative Assistant and transitioned to her current role as Executive Assistant in 2017. Her vast experience and knowledge of the organization enables her to manage the Executive Office with efficiency and sound judgment. She anticipates and moves quickly to address the needs of the Executive team while expediting the flow of information through the Executive Director’s office to the organization. Tricia is dedicated to serving Mission Services, the Executive team, and the Board of Directors with proficiency and accuracy.

Sheryl Bolton

Director of Community Services

Sheryl Bolton has over 20 years of experience managing social service and community-based programs through a gender equity lens. She started at Mission Services’ Violence Against Women (VAW) shelter, Inasmuch House, after completing her Social Services Work Diploma at Sheridan College. As a strong VAW advocate, Sheryl helped to develop some of the protocols for the VAW shelter system working in collaboration with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, C/CAS and the Hamilton Wentworth Police Department.

In her current position, she leads a diverse team of staff and volunteers in delivering trauma-informed and client-centered programs in food security and outreach and is always looking for innovative ways to create safer, healthier, and more connected communities.

Eileen Cowan

Director, People, Culture and Communications

Eileen's career journey with Mission Services (MSH) began during a high school co-op placement at the Men's shelter. She then volunteered with the Suntrac program and worked two summer student positions during high school.

In 2014 Eileen became a Client Advocate at the Men’s Shelter. Realizing her interest in Human Resources (HR), she began an HR program at Conestoga College, soon accepting the HR Assistant position at MSH. While gaining experience, she continued her education earning both her CHRP and CHRL designations, leading to her promotion to Director of Human Resources in 2017.

The dedication she has shown to our organization has led to a deep appreciation for the significance of our work, and has equipped her to understand the pressures of our front line and management teams. Eileen firmly believes that Human Resources should not only enforce rules but also serve as a primary support system for staff members, teams, and the organization as a whole. Eileen strives to be approachable, fair, and transparent in every aspect of her work.

Reinaldo da Silva

Director of Housing UP!

Reinaldo da Silva joined Mission Services in 2015 as a volunteer after moving to Canada from Brazil. His goal was to contribute and give back to the community that was welcoming him. Since then, Reinaldo has held different roles with the Men’s Services working towards ending homelessness in Hamilton. He holds an MBA in People Management and a Social Work degree. Reinaldo actively participated in the development and implementation of the Housing UP! Program, a housing-first solution that has been growing and successfully supporting vulnerable individuals to move as far away from homelessness as possible.

Erin Griver

Director, Women's Services

Erin is a seasoned leader with over three decades of experience working with women and children affected by gender-based violence. Her work is grounded in an intersectional feminist, anti-racism, and an anti-oppression framework, with a strong focus on trauma-informed care. Throughout her career, she has held senior roles in program development, counselling, and executive leadership. She brings deep expertise in community development, policy development, media communications, partnership building, and strategic planning, and has successfully secured funding from major public and private funders. An active member of multiple regional and provincial committees, she collaborates widely to advance systemic change in the areas of gender based violence, homelessness, poverty, and housing. She holds a Honours Diploma from George Brown College in the Assaulted Women and Children Counsellor Advocate Program, is a student in the McMaster school of social work and has several certifications in leadership, trauma, and mental health.

Tiffany May

Director of Men's Emergency Services

Tiffany May’s heart and home has always been in Hamilton. Her passion to serve her community led lead Tiffany to complete a diploma in Community Outreach and Development at Sheridan College. She began her journey with Mission Services as a contract Christmas Care Assistant in 2013. During her time with Mission Services Tiffany has held many roles within men’s services. Her passion for the community and service users allowed her and Mission Services to assist The City of Hamilton with the opening and operation of the 2020 Pandemic Hotel shelter that housed hundreds of individuals over a 2/12 year period. In her current role, Tiffany is overseeing the operational growth of the department of Men’s Emergency Services.