Who we are

Jennifer Kluthe has over 20 years of experience with not-for-profit and corporate Boards focused on serving women and healthy families. Her commitment to Compassion House Foundation comes from a strong belief in giving back to the community and endeavouring to empower women through their physical and mental health. Cancer is one of our biggest challenges and she is passionate about Compassion House’s mission and how we can ease the distress of the cancer journey.

Greg Mittelsteadt is a highly engaged professional, drawing on over 25 years of experience in both international and domestic businesses. Experiences that have given him a strong sense of strategy with a focus on people and culture enabling an organization to fulfill its stated purpose. The purpose of the Compassion House Foundation is one that resonates with many, and Greg is no different; he has seen the impact of the cancer journey on individuals and their loved ones and looks to serve the organization and the communities it operates in as it seeks to execute on its mandate.

Regan Solbak is a CPA with over 15 years serving not-for-profit boards in an audit capacity. Originally from a rural Alberta community, she has witnessed first-hand the difficulties cancer patients face in accessing support when undergoing treatment. Regan looks forward to using her financial background as a way to help CHF support women on their own cancer journeys.

As a cancer survivor and member of a rural community, Sundas had to experience the limitations and difficulties of treatment, along with the financial, emotional and physical impact of the cancer journey. As a former guest at Sorrentino’s Compassion House, she knows how essential the services provided by Compassion House Foundation are. Running a cancer support group in a rural community reinforces her belief of the valuable work Compassion House Foundation provides by not only helping women find a safe place, but also resources to tackle the challenges of the cancer journey. Sundas is excited and humbled to be part of the Compassion House Foundation board. Because of her own connection to a cancer support group in a rural community, she brings the ground-level perspective and will be a voice for women who are benefiting from the provided services and resources.

As an executive leader, Lynette questions and challenges the status quo, believing there is always a better way of doing something if we are willing to be open, foster creativity, and encourage innovation. She has helped build organizations, brands, and ecosystems across three provinces and internationally. Now, as Founder of Iconoclast Solutions, Co-Founder of Stay Spicy Inc, and Co-Host of the Demythifying Brand Podcast, Lynette is leveraging her experience to help CEOs grow their companies, communities grow their economies, and leaders build their brands. Lynette is also passionate about empowering women and newcomers serving as a mentor for the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council, and board member for Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, Compassion House Foundation, and advisor for Society 5.0.

As President and CEO of Alberta Enterprise Corporation, Kristina oversees the management of the Alberta Enterprise Fund with its 40 venture capital fund investments and the underlying portfolio of more than 800 technology companies. She brings over 20 years of board experience from both not-for-profit organizations as well as for profit corporations. Most recently she was the Vice Chair of the Board of Governors at NAIT, and she is a member of the North American Construction Group Board of Directors (NYSE/TSX: NOA). Beyond professional expertise, Kristina bring a personal connection to the mission. Like many, she has witnessed the physical, emotional, and financial toll of cancer on loved ones. Kristina has watched friends as well as her own mother going through the difficulty of cancer treatments. Her mother was at a hospital 6 hours away from her hometown, without the ability to have family visiting or for her to stay somewhere affordable and comfortable during her follow up visits. This took a tremendous toll on Kristina's family, and this is why she believes in the importance of a place like Compassion House.

Heather Barnhouse, KC is a partner in Dentons Canada’s Corporate group, Co-Leader of the Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies group in Edmonton, and the National Co-Leader of the Agribusiness group. She is also a member of the Dentons Canada Region Board. Heather was motivated to join the Compassion House board because she has a number of family and friends whose lives have been touched by cancer, and knows first-hand, the lack of consistently available, affordable and accessible resources to help patients and caregivers navigate this space during challenging times. She is supportive of organizations whose missions are aligned with solving that problem.

A graduate of the University of Winnipeg (2001), Ann-Marie earned her MBA in 2009 and went on to complete her Doctor of Business with distinction in 2014. With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, she has also held leadership roles in the automotive, conference, and entertainment sectors before joining Habitat for Humanity. Ann-Marie joined Compassion House Foundation's Board of Directors out of a deep passion for the vital work the organization does and its lasting impact on women's health, especially during times when support, safety and wellbeing matter most. Compassion House's commitment to advancing their mission and strengthening the organization's ability to serve women reflects the values that guide the work they do each and every day.

Dr. Danica Hoffart is the Executive Director of Compassion House, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience across the nonprofit, post-secondary education, and community sectors. She is a strategic, values-driven leader with experience in fund development, capital project oversight, and strengthening organizational sustainability. Danica is deeply committed to serving women during vulnerable times in their lives and is inspired by Compassion House’s mission to provide care, dignity, and community to women on their cancer journey. Her leadership approach is grounded in empathy, collaboration, and accountability. In addition to her nonprofit leadership work, Danica has an extensive background in post-secondary education and the performing arts, where she spent over two decades teaching Music and Theatre. She holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Alberta, and a PhD in Music from the University of Calgary.