Jennifer Ames
(Co-Chair)
Jennifer has always enjoyed connecting with community and learning about experiences outside her own. She believes strongly in volunteer service and brings 26 years of policing background and many more years of volunteerism to the GVPDAC. The opportunity provided by the GVPDAC to build relationships with people of diverse communities, and find ways to build trust and increase accessibility and comfort in accessing police services, are key reasons for her involvement with the Committee. Jennifer is honoured to co-Chair the GVPDAC with Brenda Freeman. Jennifer’s free time is spent with her family and her bees.
Gordy Dodd
India Canada Cultural Association
Gordy Dodd is the President of the India Canada Cultural Association. He was born in India in 1945 and came to Canada in 1967. Gordy has been a business owner in Victoria since 1977 and he is a former member of the Victoria Police Board. In 2014, he was the recipient of the Rotary Community Leadership Award.
Kecia Hosein
African Heritage Association of Vancouver Island
Kecia Hosein has over 15 years experience in National Security and is currently employed as a Corporate Investigator with BC Transit. Kecia holds a MBA in Business Administration, Post Graduate in International Relations and a Bachelor degree in Sociology and Quantitative analysis. She is currently a board member of Kids Sport Victoria and Doncaster Oak Crest Child Care Society. She is a former national Field Hockey player and international umpire.
Kecia, her husband and four children recently moved to Vancouver Island in 2020 from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. They are all sports enthusiasts and enjoy participating in several sporting activities and travelling.
Tara Gilroy-Scott
Tara is currently the Coordinator of Volunteer Services for the Victoria Police Department. Prior to that she had the privilege of leading several other outstanding volunteer teams, including the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea, Rest Haven Lodge, the Belfry Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre and the Vic Juba Theatre. In addition to having her Certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA), Tara is proud to be an active board member of Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC), as well as the past chair for VMPC BC Regional Committee and Past Vice President for the Administrators of Volunteer Resources British Columbia (AVRBC). Currently Tara is also on the planning committee for the Volunteer Manager’s Hybrid Conference (VMHC) whose theme this year just happens to be Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Tara’s interest in contributing to the GVPDAC stems from her ongoing pursuit to make her programs, VicPD and the policing community more accessible and inclusive. As the Coordinator of Volunteer Services at VicPD, Tara manages the most diverse team in the department. She wants to create opportunities to help our community grow in perspective, appreciation and respect. When asked to describe herself she would say she is not an expert on DEIA, but is just beginning the journey. She joins the committee with a great curiosity to learn more, and a desire to have meaningful community conversations that can work towards building the public trust while promoting the positive relationship between the Policing Community and the communities of Greater Victoria.
Alec Rossa
St Nicolas Parish
Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society
Mr. Alec Rossa brings a wealth of business and community experience to the GVPDAC. He is very involved in community as the President of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church, the Vice President of the Ukrainian Culture Centre of Vancouver Island, and the Director and Founder of the Kiwanis Ukrainian Village for supportive housing. He is a board member for the Eparchy of New Westminster of BC finance committee for 14 parishes in the province. For 20 years, Alec has been the President and CEO of MD Charlton Company which is the largest company of its kind in Canada, supporting law enforcement and military across the country. Mr. Rossa is happily married to Joan for 36 years. He is proud of his two daughters who live in Vancouver and Toronto.
Randie Johal
Randie Johal retired after 33 years with BC Transit with the last 10 years as a Service Delivery Manager of Operations. Randie volunteered for West Shore RCMP originally as an Auxiliary in 2005 and now holds the role as the Restorative Justice Co-Ordinator. Randie tries to make people feel safe and knows of the struggles in our community as a child of immigrant parents and member of the Sikh Community.
Alex Omoding
Alex Omoding works at the Saanich Police Department and is currently assigned to the community engagement division as a liaison officer. Alex has been policing since 2009 and believes in equality, diversity, inclusion and representation to achieve a safe and harmonious community. Prior to Policing, Alex worked in the hospitality industry and has vast life experiences.
Karyn French
Greater Victoria Police Victim Services
Karyn has worked for over 35 years in the non-profit sector on Vancouver Island. Ten of those years focused on food security for seniors and vulnerable people, sixteen years on housing security in social housing and homelessness and two years as Executive Director at a community hospice.
In 2016, Karyn accepted the position of Executive Director with Greater Victoria Police Victim Services. Over the past six years, Karyn has served on the board of directors of Police Victim Services of British Columbia in the roles of Vancouver Island representative, board president and currently director at large. Karyn joined the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee in 2023.
Karyn is a fourth generation Victorian and is a lifelong learner alumnus of the University of Victoria and the University of Alberta. She is married with two sons and three grandchildren.
Davis Bawtinheimer
Central Saanich Police Service
Davis joined the Central Saanich Police Service in 2017. Prior to beginning his career as a police officer, Davis lived, worked, and volunteered abroad, helping him to develop a keen curiosity and appreciation for different cultures and perspectives.
Davis also appreciates being involved with the GVPDAC for the opportunities it presents to connect with members of the community in which he serves.
Stacey Fuller
Stacey has been a police officer for 29 years and has had the opportunity to take on many different roles in her department. It is in her current position as a community resource officer that she finds the most job satisfaction and feels she makes the most impact. Stacey works in conjunction with the community she serves as well as the Greater Victoria community through the GVPDAC. Stacey believes the relationship between police and the diverse communities represented is getting stronger every day and she looks forward to continuing to foster these relationships working toward building more trust, understanding and acceptance.
May Shihadeh
May Shihadeh is a dedicated advocate for refugee mental health and interfaith collaboration, actively involved in numerous community initiatives since 2016. As a member of the Victoria Coalition for the Survivors of Torture, she has contributed to critical global conversations, representing the organization at the prestigious XXXVII International Academy Congress on Law and Mental Health in France.
As the Chairperson of the Victoria Multifaith Society, May passionately represents the Muslim faith, fostering dialogue, respect, and understanding among diverse religious communities. Her work, guided by Islamic values, champions equity, compassion, and mutual support in society. Through her leadership, May has successfully bridged cultural divides, empowered refugees, and connected communities in Victoria and beyond.
In recognition of her remarkable contributions, May was honored with a nomination for the esteemed King Charles III Coronation Medal by the Victoria Multifaith Society. This accolade celebrates her dedication to promoting respect for different religious traditions, advocating for pluralism, and making a lasting impact on Canada’s national and regional landscape. Additionally, May was recently nominated to join the executive of the Canadian Interfaith Conversation, further cementing her role in fostering interfaith understanding across the country.
Beyond her advocacy work, May holds a Master’s degree in Intercultural and International Communication from Royal Roads University and is an outspoken activist for the human rights of marginalized populations. Her previous roles included Social Director at the British Columbia Muslim Association, where she served as a liaison between the Muslim community and Victoria's police forces, strengthening community relations.
May’s contributions extend to academic research on refugee mental health, the empowerment of women, settlement processes, and combating racism. She remains committed to generating valuable insights to improve the lives of refugees and underrepresented groups in Victoria.