Shelley Harris, Director of Education and Settlement, YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin
Tel: 519-631-9800 x233
Email: shelley.harris@ywcaste.ca
Shelley is the Director of Education and Settlement at the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin with the responsibility of overseeing Adult Education, Settlement Services, English Language Classes, the St. Thomas-Elgin Local Immigration Partnership (STELIP), and the Skills Connect Employment Project. She was the 2013 provincial winner of the Council of the Federation Literacy Award and supports client-centred programming.
She began her career in Northern Ontario working with Aboriginal learners and has worked with individuals living in poverty, women’s groups, newcomers, and multiple barriered learners.
The YWCA has a long and solid history of leadership in community building and Shelley embeds this spirit throughout her programming.
Shelley is the mother of three beautiful daughters and a grandmother. She enjoys watching them discover their gifts, talents, and individual paths.
Petrusia Hontar, Project Manager
Tel: 519-631-9800 x 241
Email: phontar@stelip.ca
Petrusia Hontar has been a member of the STELIP team since it started in 2011. She holds an M.Sc. in Economic History: Demography, and an M.Sc. Society, Science, and Technology. In her few years of living in St. Thomas, she has also supported the Pathways to Prosperity project to help increase Economic Security for Women, instructed children between the ages of 9 and 12 in the YWCA Kids Creative Cuisine Classes, and is the chair of Relish, a group that works to increase access to local agriculture.
Outside of St. Thomas and Elgin County, Petrusia strives to maintain strong ties to her Ukrainian Culture, and is the an active member of the Ukrainian Youth Association Mississauga Branch.
Fiona Murray, Communication Coordinator
Tel: 519-631-9800 x 239
Email: fmurray@stelip.ca
Fiona joined the STELIP team in 2022 as Communication Coordinator. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Development and a Postgraduate Certificate in Communications and Professional Writing. She loves telling stories and figuring out how to communicate complex information in a way that people can understand and appreciate. Growing up in Belmont, she has called Elgin County home for most of her life. In her spare time, Fiona volunteers as a technical writer for the nonprofit Organization for Transformative Works. She also enjoys kayaking, making art, playing music, and spending time with family and friends.
