Our People
United in Our Purpose
Staff
- Christiana Flessner – Executive Director
- Joy Kilback – Assistant, Administration
- Johanna Stange – Programme Coordinator
Board Members
Who We Are
Christiana Flessner
Executive Director
Christiana has been Executive Director of the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation since its inception in late 2002. Volunteering her time for the first 14 months of the organization’s existence allowed a strong support base to be built by her dedicated efforts and every dollar collected to be used to deliver wheelchairs.
Christiana works closely with the Canadian and foreign governments, international foundations, Rotary clubs, districts and zones and Knights of Columbus councils and states across the country. Her speaking presentations take her on the road for most of the year, but translate into ever growing support for the global wheelchair program and alliances with major foundations and organizations in many countries.
Christiana has been a Rotarian since 2001, is a past Assistant Governor of Rotary District 5050, a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Semiahmoo, White Rock, British Columbia. She speaks German, English, Spanish and French fluently and has participated in hundreds of wheelchair distributions around the world. She was recently recognized as a Not-for-Profit-Leader by the Surrey Board of Trade through their Surrey Women in Business awards.
Joy Kilback
Assistant, Administration
If you have called our office you have likely spoken to Joy Kilback, but with our partners spread around the globe, few have had the opportunity to meet her.
Joy is the hub of the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation, in the way that the central part of a wheel is essential for smooth operation and efficient action.
When you meet Joy you quickly recognize her deep devotion to the foundation’s vision and mission. She is highly dedicated to our partners at every level, sharing respect for others with her calm and professional approach. Her previous administrative experiences at Vancouver Children’s Hospital, with real estate conveyancing and as a legal assistant have been invaluable in advancing the foundation’s success. She is meticulous in the execution of a broad range of responsibilities that include donor reporting and communications.
Joy was born and raised in Vancouver and now resides in South Surrey with her family, including two grown sons. She has always been actively involved in the community, especially with the White Rock Figure Skating club.
We are extremely grateful for Joy’s invaluable contributions since she became part of our small team and hope you will introduce yourself to Joy in the near future.
Johanna Stange, BES, MSc
Programme Coordinator
Johanna Stange has volunteered for the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation since its inception. A formative experience was the opportunity to participate in a wheelchair distribution in Mexico in 2010. She now joins the team as Programme Coordinator.
She brings experience in strategy consulting, international development projects, scientific research and project & programme management for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Most recently she served as CSR Programme Manager at the Association of Savings Banks of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.
Johanna’s responsibilities include forging new strategic partnerships internationally, corporate donors, grant writing and social media marketing.
Johanna earned her Bachelors of Environment & Resource Studies at the University of Waterloo in 2002 and her Master of Science in International Development at Utrecht University (2010).
Originally from Vancouver, she now lives in Germany with her partner and two children.
