Brenda Freeman (she/her) Community Co-Chair
Victoria Native Friendship Centre

Tansi, I acknowledge that I am on the Traditional Territory of the Esquimalt, Songhees, Saanich and the other 10 Nations, I am honored and feel privileged to live, work and grow on this Island.

 I am Nêhiyaw Iskwew, a Cree Women, Native Canadian from Alberta with two adult children and six grandchildren. I have my Bachelor of Social Worker Degree and hold a Supervisor position at Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC), our team supports local Urban Indigenous families.  I enjoy attending Nêhiyaw (Cree) classes, cross stitching, video games, walking outdoors and spending quality time with my family.

 Since 2018 I have been a Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) member. In 2021 I accepted the position as the DAC Community Co-Chair, fully supported by VNFC. I admire the work the DAC does to support our diversity and create stronger community. In addition, I too enjoy Co-Chairing the DAC with Jennifer Ames.

Jennifer Ames (she/her) Police Co-Chair
Victoria Police Department

Jennifer has always enjoyed connecting with community and learning from experiences outside her own. She believes strongly in volunteer service and brings 30 years of policing experience, along with many years of volunteerism, to the DAC. Promoted to Inspector in early 2026, her career has included frontline patrol, specialized investigations, and leadership within Professional Standards.

Jennifer joined the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee in 2021. The opportunity to build relationships with people from diverse communities, and to find ways to strengthen trust and improve accessibility when engaging with police services, are key reasons for her involvement with the Committee. She is honoured to serve as Co-Chair alongside Brenda Freeman. Through the DAC, she volunteers her time to attend community events, listen to lived and living experiences, and support opportunities for collaboration.

Outside of her work and involvement with the DAC, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family and caring for her bees.

Gordy Dodd (he/him)
Victoria Hindu Parishad and Cultural Center

Gordy Dodd is an advisor to the VHPCC.  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.

Tara Gilroy-Scott (she/her)
Victoria Police Department

Tara is the Manager of Community Programs within the Community Engagement Division at the Victoria Police Department. Prior to this role, she served as the Coordinator of Volunteer Services, where she supported and led one of the most diverse volunteer teams in the organization. Tara has also had the privilege of leading several outstanding volunteer programs, including at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea, Rest Haven Lodge, the Belfry Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, and the Vic Juba Theatre.

In addition to holding her Certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA), Tara is an active board member of Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC), and has previously served as Chair of the VMPC BC Regional Committee and Vice President of the Administrators of Volunteer Resources British Columbia (AVRBC). She is also part of the planning committee for the Volunteer Manager’s Hybrid Conference (VMHC), which has recently focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Tara’s interest in contributing to the DAC stems from her ongoing commitment to making programs, policing, and community spaces more accessible and inclusive. She is passionate about creating opportunities that support greater understanding, respect, and connection across communities. Tara approaches this work with curiosity and a willingness to learn, and values meaningful conversations that contribute to building trust and strengthening relationships between policing and the diverse communities of Greater Victoria.

Alec Rossa (he/him)
Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society

Mr. Alec Rossa brings a wealth of business and community experience to the DAC. 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 (she/her)
Restorative justice - West Shore RCMP

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 (he/him)
Saanich Police Department

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 (she/her)
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.

Stacey Fuller (she/her)
Victoria Police Department

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 (she/her)
Victoria Multifaith Society

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.