Board of Directors
We are people coming together for a common purpose.
Brenda Rossow-Kimball
Board Chair
Brenda Rossow-Kimball is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies (KHS) at the University of Regina. Her area of teaching and research is in adapted physical activity, specifically exploring aspects of leisure & recreation, health promotion, aging and retirement, and community involvement as they are experienced by persons labelled with intellectual and/or developmental disability. In addition to her involvement with Astonished! Brenda is also a member of the advisory committee for the Supporting Retirement Program (for Older Adults with ID/DD) and a member of the board of directors for Creative Options Regina, a non-profit organization rooted in the philosophy of Gentle Teaching that develops personalized support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In her spare time, Brenda plays tenor drum with the Regina Police Services Pipes & Drums. At heart, Brenda is a prairie girl, and lives in White City with her husband Ian, and their daughter Wilder.
Deneeca Ludwar
Treasurer
A little bit about me. I am married to a wonderful husband for almost 11 years, and we have two beautiful girls who are 9 and 18. It is hard to believe that we have a child graduating this year and has been accepted to university in the fall. I have been working in the accounting industry for about 20 years. I have been at my current job for 15 years. I received my CA designation in 2011. I have been on various boards throughout my career, usually in the treasurer role due to my background. I am qualified to perform audits in my day-to-day job, so I work with many different committees as I complete their annual audited financial statements. I work with the board members with any questions that they may have as well as present the financial statements at the AGM. In my spare time, I enjoy taking pictures, tending to my flowers, and spending time with my family. My ability to keep flowers looking their best is not near as good as my accounting ability, but I can manage the flowers for a short period of time. As a family, we also enjoy spending time at the lake and visiting our extended family. I am grateful for this opportunity and to be able to assist in any way that I can.
Rhea Boysen
Board Member & Secretary
Rhea Boysen was first introduced to Astonished! in 2013 when she had the opportunity to complete a mini practicum with Astonished! while she was completing her Bachelors of Sport and Recreation studies. Since then she has been involved with Astonished! in varying capacities including volunteering, being a member of the Leadership Team, acting as the Interim Manager while Bonnie was on her maternity leave and currently sits on the Astonished! fundraising committees.
Rheais now working as a nurse in British Columbia and joins Astonished! via Zoom. She is very excited to be a member of the Board of Directors!
In her spare time, Rhea loves to cook for people, camping and fishing and spending as much time as she can with her family.
Taylor Carson
Board Member
I was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan and attended Luther College High School graduating in 2009. After attending three years of undergrad at the University of Regina, Paul J. Hill School of Business, I was accepted into the University of Saskatchewan College of Law. In 2015, I received my Bachelors of Administration (graduating with distinction) majoring in Human Resource Management from the University of Regina and my Juris Doctrate from the University of Saskatchewan.
Currently, I live in Saskatoon and work at the law firm McKercher LLP. I am an associate lawyer working in the Saskatoon office practicing primarily as a solicitor in the Corporate Commercial area.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time at the cabin, boxing at New Line Boxing Academy, and being a participating member on my condo board. While I was in law school, I volunteered at CLASSIC, a pro bono legal service that serves individuals in inner city Saskatoon. I also currently volunteer at Pro Bono Saskatchewan, being a member of their corporate solicitor program.
I am very excited to be a Director for Astonished! and to serve all members of Astonished! Thanks to the Board and all of the members for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.
Heather Dorgan
Board Member
Heather is a mother to Kennen, a 27 year old with a complex physical disability. Her educational background is nursing and she had 30 years experience in bedside and administrative nursing duties before retiring in 2013. Heather is actively involved in pursuing funds in support of Astonished! Kennen was one of the first three student researchers in the program.
Michael Dubnewick
Board Member
Michael Dubnewick is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina. Michael’s research is rooted in narrative inquiry and he is interested in learning from people’s stories of experience as they compose their lives within recreation, leisure, and wellness places. He has worked with several community organizations within marginalized and urban areas in Edmonton and Regina. Currently, Michael works with the Growing Young Movers (GYM) after-school program which operates out of the mâmawêyatitân centre as a research associate. His passion for teaching, research, and community development stem from his desires to open spaces of possibility in how we negotiate and live our lives. Michael is most at ease when he is in the garden with his partner, Claire and their two helpful onlookers Bella (the fluffy cat) and Theo (the goofy goldendoodle).
Nora Davis
Board Member
Nora was a Medical Laboratory Technologist with Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region for 33 years. She is also Sean Davis’ mom. Sean is a core member of Astonished! and actively participates in our three main programs as well as some of the short-term initiatives that we offer throughout the year. Nora is familiar with the work of Astonished! and will be an asset in knowing the strengths, dreams and needs of our Core Members.
May Desnomie
Elder
May Desnomie was born and raised on Wapaskokimaw in northern Saskatchewan. Also known as Sandy Bay First Nation.
May has worked as an educator and in social work all her life. She taught at Red Earth First Nation in Saskatchewan, Grassy Narrows First Nation in northern Ontario. Now May is an Elder in the Regina Catholic School Board and works as substitute teacher with the Regina Public School Board. May also worked for ten years in a Women‘s Shelter as a Children’s Counselor.
May is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Helen Pridmore
Board Member
Helen Pridmore is a singer and sound artist, with a focus on new and experimental music. She has performed as a soloist across Canada and the USA, and also in Mexico, Japan, Germany and France. Helen has 3 CDs to her name, including one which was awarded “Best Classical Recording” at the East Coast Music Awards in 2013. Read more about Helen’s musical career on her website, www.helenpridmore.ca.
With degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto and the Eastman School of Music, Helen has had a flourishing academic career in addition to her life as a performer. For 15 years Helen taught at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. In 2014 she and her husband returned to their home province of Saskatchewan, where Helen joined the Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance at the University of Regina. There, she has been teaching courses in Music and in Creative Technologies.
It was at the U of R that Helen was introduced to the Astonished! organization and its inspiring mandate and members. For the last few years, Helen has been involved with Astonished! student researchers and members of the summer literacy program, running improvisation sessions and various types of music events. Helen has also been involved with improv at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre, and with students at the U of R. She enjoys the discovery of new sounds, open ears and creative sound sharing.
Nikita Rathwell
Board Member
Nikita is an associate at McKercher LLP in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, practicing primarily with their Indigenous Law Practice Group. Her focus is First Nations litigation, governance issues and on-reserve development. Prior to practicing at McKercher, Nikita worked for the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General in their civil law division. Nikita attended Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar in Ontario in 2015 and Saskatchewan in 2019.
In her personal life, Nikita enjoys spending time with her rescue greyhound, Curry, swimming with the Goldfins Master’s program, and travelling. She is also a Board member with Chokecherry Studios, a youth-focused non-profit organization offering arts-based programming and mentorship to young and emerging artists in inner-city Saskatoon.
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