Our Team
United In One Goal
Helping Those In Need
LOCAL EXPERTISE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL NEEDS
Since 1958, United Way Hastings & Prince Edward has been working in tandem with community, business, government and health and social services. Through research, consultation and experience, we know where the need is greatest in each community – and we invest our efforts and your donations where they will have the greatest results.
WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER
We make sure the right people, organizations and skills are at the table to solve the tough problems. We work together with nonprofits, government, community agencies, corporate partners, labour and donors to improve lives across Canada. Our allocations process is volunteer driven, and creates best case scenarios for donor impact. We care about our community as do you, and we work with you to Improve Lives Locally in this 100% Local movement.
WE ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES
While a band-aid fix may help in the short-term, we also aim to create lasting change. By learning more about the factors that influence issues like poverty, we can tackle them early and develop long-term solutions as part of a larger network of over 70 programs. Our programs and partners are providing essential health and social services to those most vulnerable right her in Hastings & Prince Edward. We can no do it without you – our partners. Together we are stronger.
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- e. bhodge@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 30
Brandi Hodge
Executive Director
Brandi’s passion for the United Way movement saw her first join the organization in 2005, and after a brief hiatus from 2009-2010, she re-joined in 2011; she believes United Way’s are uniquely positioned with its mandate, its brand power, and the respect of the community to contribute to and affect positive change. As a facilitator and strategic planner Brandi has been actively involved in the social service sector for the majority of her career working with people with disabilities, children, seniors, fundraising and community impact. She has vast experience and interest in organizational improvement initiatives most often working with not for profit organizations and networks to facilitate strategic plans, operational plans, board recruitment, good governance strategies, team building days and the development of policies and procedures. She is a trained facilitator in outcome measurement and evaluation. Brandi is a graduate of Loyalist College, and is a life-long learner with numerous continuing education certificates and courses.
Brandi is a strong believer in community development and grassroots approaches to social issues and is often found working alongside other passionate individuals and organizations to improve community conditions.
She is a life-long resident of Hastings County and lives in Stirling with her husband and two boys.
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- e. mcressman@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 24
Melanie Cressman
Director of Donor Relations
Melanie cares deeply for those in need, and as an entrepreneur she operated Halladay’s Equine for close to 20 years. Her business model positively impacted many at risk youth, and other vulnerable members of the community. The business was both a school of horsemanship, as well as a therapeutic place for many people in the community. She has collaborated with local agencies such as North Hastings High School, Community Integration, Children’s Aid Society, United Way, Trillium Foundation, Bancroft Community Transit, Local Doctors, Maggie’s Resource Centre and several other supporting organizations. Having worked for the past two plus years at Procter and Gamble, Melanie has been heavily involved in United Way HPE product sales, and campaign activity — being a strong believer in the work of the United Way in our community.
Melanie has a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture), University of Guelph, majoring in Resource Management. She is also a certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and a 3 time recipient of Silver Power of You Award of excellence in the workplace and presentation skills/ Procter and Gamble. As a sales and fundraising professional with more than 15 years of experience, Melanie brings a great deal of enthusiasm to her position as Director of Donor Relations, United Way Hastings and Prince Edward. She is a long-time advocate for the United Way movement.
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- e. jsmith@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 29
Jennifer Smith
Resource Development Specialist
Jennifer joined United Way HPE in January 2019. She has a passion for discovering new ways of bringing non-profits and local businesses together to help facilitate positive impacts within our community. She brings an array of non-profit, development and marketing experience, along with over 10+ years of involvement within the broadcasting and media sectors.
As Resource Development Specialist within United Way Hastings Prince Edward, Jennifer’s goal is to inform local businesses about exciting opportunities within the United Way movement, and how to get involved with the many individuals, programs and services helped along the way.
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- e. jcooper@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 28
Jodi Cooper
Director of Community Impact
Jodi has experience in advocacy, project management, community partnerships, teaching, content creation, and customer service. She studied media and video production at Loyalist College, has an honours BA in Contemporary Studies, and an MA in Communication. Her research focused on collaboration, community building, and dialog generation – between creators/organizations and their publics. Jodi grew up in and around the Belleville area, and has worked with many different community organizations to produce multimedia content to deliver their message. She is an active committee member of Belleville Downtown DocFest.
Jodi is passionate about youth advocacy and children’s rights, having participated in the International Conference on War-Affected Children (2000) as a youth delegate. With her background, she very interested in the opportunities around media literacy, advocacy, and empowering individuals to get their voices heard.
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- e. atucker@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 35
Alyssa Cooke
Community Impact Coordinator
Alyssa joined our team in September of 2019. Her background in managing a membership-based organization is proving invaluable to United Way HPE. She has an education in business, excels in customer service, is skilled at relationship building and has a proven track record with event fundraising.
Alyssa is excited to build on her strengths and experience and her commitment to health and overall wellness by engaging with the community to foster her passion for helping others, to help kids experience amazing opportunities and to make lasting connections with her community.
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- e. youth2youth@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 27
Melissa Wyatt
Youth2Youth Program Coordinator
Melissa joined United Way HPE in April of 2019; through both schooling and life experience, Melissa has increased her knowledge of the issues that youth face, and developed skills in community engagement and relational approaches for working with youth. With a particular passion for mental health and wellness, Melissa is trained in Mental Health First Aid and SafeTALK Suicide prevention
Melissa’s passion for youth advocacy started at a young age. She is a Loyalist graduate from both the Child and Youth Care Practitioner program, and the Public Relations and Event Management Post-graduate program. Melissa is proud to be the coordinator of the Youth2Youth project where she envisions a community that is collaboratively involved in the wellbeing, opportunities and success for all individuals and youth.
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- e. communications@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 22
Tracey Reid
Marketing and Communications Manager
Tracey has been a graphic designer for over 25 years, with experience in communications, marketing and public relations. Tracey has dedicated almost 10 years to the nonprofit sector. These experiences have given her a deep appreciation for how nonprofits improve the quality of life in our community, and Tracey is devoted to using her skillsets to assist them in this goal by making their communications more personal, more genuine and more human.
Tracey also continues to nurture these values and passion for community in the next generation of marketing professionals through teaching graphic design courses online at Loyalist College.
Tracey believes that smart, ethical marketing can make the world a better place. She strives to create content that helps nonprofits tell better stories, push their organizations to excel and do work that matters. Tracey’s passion for great design and love of her community shines through in her work, and this is why Tracey is honoured to do this at United Way Hastings & Prince Edward.
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- e. finance@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 25
Corrine Engelmann
Finance Manager
Corrine joined United Way after many years of providing accounting services to charities and small businesses in Belleville. Her career began in a chartered accounting firm, and in due course she opened her own small business accounting company. When she was in her late thirties a chance to relocate with her husband for his work brought the opportunity for travel. In Vancouver she held the position of controller for a petrochemical distributor, and then for more than a decade lived outside of Canada in Mexico, Korea, Hungary, India, Australia, and Russia. Not able to work while abroad, and as a member of the International Women’s Club in various cities, she volunteered in a diverse range of activities, from making baby blankets for teenage mothers living on the street in Mexico City to creating a health database at a free medical clinic for African immigrants in Moscow.
Working on the business side of charities, she witnessed the enormous generosity of individuals, corporations and small businesses in our area, and wanted to help connect donor funds to the vulnerable in the community. Believing that all of us at some point need a bit of kindness and a hand up, whether financially, or in the form of guidance and direction, she endeavors to use her skills to provide the team at United Way HPE with the back office support needed to facilitate their work of directing donor gifts to those in need through local agencies and programs.
Originally from Toronto, Corrine and her husband are now happily settled in Centre Hastings.
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- e. pnopper@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 26
Paula Nopper
Associate Administration and Data
Paula joined United Way Hastings & Prince Edward in October of 2017. She has vast experience in high level administrative supports, budgeting, coordinating conferences and events, online purchasing and expense reports, reconciliation of department and corporate accounts and budgets, as well as online credit card management. Paula has also shared her experience and knowledge with others as a part-time instructor in Health Information Management at Loyalist College.
Paula has 25+ years of combined customer service and high-level administrative experience. She is enthusiastic and committed with a warm and congenial personality, allowing the formation of solid working relationships and ongoing customer satisfaction.
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- e. support@unitedwayhpe.ca
- p. 613.962.9531 ext. 21
Rhea Patio
Administrative Assistant
Rhea has a thorough and comprehensive background in the Customer Service Industry, having worked for over 10 years as the Lead Customer Care Representative in the business sector of the telecommunications/cellphone industry. Her skills include effective customer service/interaction and optimal efficiency in large-scale operations. Rhea has gained extensive experience through a variety of different positions which provided her with many opportunities to work for a multitude of people of varying cultures and diversified groups.
Rhea came to United Way HPE after volunteering for six months, donating her time and effort, connecting personally with donors. Rhea fosters an environment of collaboration, cooperation and mutual respect.
Rhea and her husband lives in Belleville with their two boys.