Board of Directors
Fannie Vavoulis
Fannie loves Chatham-Kent. From a very young age she has volunteered in the community in many different roles. Her passion is with her community. Currently she is the Director of Communications at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA). Prior to that she was the Physician Recruiter for CKHA/Chatham-Kent where she had the privilege to recruit close to 100 new physicians to the place she loves – her home community. In this role, she was able to spend more time giving back to CK and expanding her knowledge about her community.
As a founding Director of ComeTogetheCK she works closely on Board Governance, day to day initiatives and visiting the Community Shop with her dog – Juno – who has been captured in many photos and delivering bags of Famous Amos cookies for the volunteers. Other organizations Fannie has been involved with include Rotary Club of Chatham (Past Chair 2015/16), Chatham-Kent Public Library Board, Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Chatham-Kent Hospice and many others. In her downtime, you can find Fannie with her nose in a book or travelling to see her favourite bands whenever they are touring (especially Coldplay).
Brent Wilken – Executive Director
Brent’s greatest gift is seeing humans as humans. It really is as simple as that.
Brent has always had a deep yearning for something more when feeling the disenfranchisement of himself and those around him in the typical dominance hierarchy. Due to his mental health, behaviour and unconventional work habits, he’s highly motivated him to find new ways to create more connections within communities). Alongside many other extraordinary people, Brent has helped ComeTogetherCK embrace more open, purposeful, soulful and productive ways so individuals and communities can thrive. Some of skills include helping people & organizations discover their purpose and ways to unleash it. Brent strives to help people tell their stories, guides them to face the humility to follow the purpose and the ability to build systems through this lens.
Previously, Brent tried to innovate inclusion through small business ownership, sales, and marketing. He earned a Bachelor’s Honours Degree in Social Psychology and a Bachelor’s of Education from The University of Windsor. During the pandemic, the community of Chatham-Kent coming together to perform a miracle in the May 16th Miracle inspired Brent to reprioritize his professional goals and focus on his community work. Following the May 16th Miracle, “The GIFT” continued to teach him the power of community and further called him to build a grass roots non-profit organization to help facilitate people connecting to people.
You may see Brent being a “Tornado” around town interviewing and learning about people through their stories, but he works hard at maintaining a simple life by relaxing with loved ones or connecting with nature.
Pam Fulton
You can see Pam almost daily show up in so many different forms across the CTCK ecosystem, she explains why she is drawn to CTCK: “When I was a child Walpole was a resort area. There were a lot of cottages and people from anywhere. There was beautiful beaches and parks. Thousands of people came to our powwows. We had a fairgrounds with a horse track, a local band and beautiful band stand, a dance hall, lots of different stands and activities and contests.
We had family that lived in many different cities and communities that we visited. We took part in other communities events and activities. Through schools, church, sports, interests and work we made friends from different back grounds etc. Since I was a child, I always felt that people could get along together and enjoy the world. CTCK demonstrates that in many ways.” – Pam, Ojibway Walpole Island First Nation
Gillian Aitken
Gillian, born and raised in Chatham-Kent, now resides in Brantford, Ontario, after having called Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal home for some years. Working for over a decade in the non-profit sector, she’s currently the Community Engagement Specialist at the Medavie Foundation. Her work experience spans fundraising, event organizing, and administrative roles in organizations focused on education, social science research, and the arts, all driving social change.
Gillian is a dedicated French learner with the goal of eventually being functionally bilingual in both of Canada’s official languages. She’s also a practitioner and instructor of breathing and meditation techniques offered by the Art of Living Foundation. She has a Masters of Arts in Human Security and Peacebuilding from Royal Roads University.
Inspired by the inclusive model of Chatham-Kent’s May 16th Miracle food drive, she spearheaded similar Montreal-wide food drives in 2020 & 2021, which evolved into one of the largest food drives in the city’s history, engaging over 2000 volunteers. She’s thrilled to be a board member of Come Together Chatham-Kent because of the outlook that underscores its mission and decision-making processes: the belief that every person has value and if they wish, a contribution to make to the community.
Dakota Hodgson
Passionate about her community and dedicated to building initiatives with long-lasting impact, Dakota eagerly joined Come Together CK (CTCK) as a board member in August of 2023.
Born and raised in Chatham, Dakota has deep roots in the area and a profound commitment to its well-being. Dakota is currently the Founding Director of Neighbourly Care, a Home Care company established in 2019 that has expanded its reach from Chatham-Kent to across South Western Ontario.
Dakota is driven by her passions, which enrich both her personal and professional pursuits. In 2023 Dakota spearheaded the creation of Bloom & Grow, an annual women’s speaker & networking event designed to foster connections and inspiration. In her free time, she is a Competitive Dance Coach and Choreographer, a world traveller, and nature-lover.
Since the beginning, Dakota has been an active participant in CTCK, initially as a team leader for the May 16th Miracle event and later as a coordinator of “The Gift” annual food and toy drive. With a keen eye for creating change in her hometown, Dakota is eager to share her vision for CTCK and “The Gift,” drawing from her experiences and unwavering commitment to community engagement. She is excited to continue to build connections, inspire change, and leave a lasting impact together.
Laurel Miller
Laurel was born and raised in Chatham-Kent and is a proud Métis citizen with ancestral roots in the Penetanguishene region. Midway through university, feeling deflated and stagnant in their environment, Laurel moved across the pond to England; working as a nanny and solo travelling to other countries whenever they could. Laurel returned to Canada with a new sense of community, having been immersed in others and now settling back in CK. Laurel then completed their honours degree in Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and later acquired a postgraduate certificate in Sexuality and Gender Diversity.
Laurel has always had a dedication to youth advocacy and currently works as a Mental Health and Addictions Youth Navigator for the Métis Nation of Ontario. As a youth themselves, Laurel discovered a passion for volunteering and giving back to the community that raised them. This passion resulted in Laurel graduating high school with over 200 volunteer hours and a newfound connection to Chatham-Kent. In joining the CTCK board, Laurel hopes to inspire the same sense of energy and dedication in today’s youth in CK through youth-centered initiatives and events like the sign painting evening for The Gift they hosted at CK’s Youth Wellness Hub in October 2023. They believe that by engaging with youth and nurturing their unique skills through volunteering, they can cultivate a deeper commitment to community engagement, ultimately ensuring grassroots organizations like CTCK thrive for years to come.
When they’re not shaping the lives of CK’s youth, Laurel might be found making many a sarcastic joke, enjoying time with friends and family at their cottage in Rondeau, or cozied up on the couch with their cats and their Kindle.
Laurel feels privileged to be a citizen of Chatham-Kent and an active part of this community. Their involvement with CTCK has allowed them to foster meaningful connections with CK citizens from all walks of life. These connections would not have been possible if they hadn’t sent a spur-of-the-moment email to volunteer 3 years ago and began their journey with ComeTogetherCK.