Staff
Our people make the difference.
Bonnie Cummings-Vickaryous, A! Executive Director; and Melissa Turbuck, A! Program Coordinator, are essential to the vision, work and community that is Astonished!
Bonnie Cummings-Vickaryous
Executive Director
We are delighted to have Bonnie on the Astonished! team of Board Members, staff, volunteers, Core Members, and friends. Bonnie brings her research and teaching skills, experience with another young non-profit organization, Creative Options Regina, a deep commitment to inclusion, and great excitement about the work and vision of Astonished! In December 2019 Bonnie successfully defended her dissertation for a Masters of Science Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina. She also teaches as a sessional lecturer at the University.
Bonnie could likely organize a blizzard and seems to be able to keep many balls in the air at the same time and get them eventually to settle in good places. An Astonished! day for Bonnie can include recruiting, supporting and training volunteers; consulting with the A! Board of Connectors; providing input to the provincial government disAbility strategy; designing posters; communicating with the A! community; all before breakfast.
Melissa Turbuck
Program Coordinator
Melissa Turbuck joined the A! team in August 2019. Mel brings her passion, her commitment, her creativity, and her caring to the team.
She writes:
I grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, but moved to South Africa in 2013 while waiting for my husband’s immigration process to come to Canada. I began taking classes through correspondence from the University of Regina while living in South Africa and moved back to Regina in August of 2015. After a lot of hard work and support from my husband and family I completed my Social Work degree in December 2018.
While growing up on my quiet bay in Regina, my neighbour who is an individual with a disAbility inspired me to seek a life of being inspired by others and sparked my interest and love for this field of work. My experience in the disAbility community includes working as an Educational Assistant in Fort Qu’Appelle, as a counselor at Summer Program for Special Children, volunteering at Queensburgh Cheshire Home in South Africa, and completing a major practicum at Creative Options Regina. Through these organizations I have gained knowledge and experience in a culture of person-centeredness and continue to be a lifelong learner.
Some of the things I enjoy doing are playing and watching sports, spending time with my family and friends, traveling, watching movies, and spending my summers in Waskesiu!
Thanks for being so welcoming and accepting me into the Astonished! Family!
Mel and her husband Corne welcomed baby Nile into their family in late 2020.
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