Leadership Team
Our Board
Leadership Team
Bill Turnham - President
Bill has been an educator since 2003 and currently teaches high school in St. Albert while also contributing to curriculum development with Alberta Education. He holds an Honours degree in Psychology and a degree in Education with Distinction.
Passionate about education and community service, Bill has been a dedicated volunteer for many years, spending Saturdays supporting veterans at the local Legion. As a coach and mentor, he actively guides youth in finding employment opportunities and exploring careers in trades. His teaching experience spans multiple disciplines, including Mechanics, Mathematics, Special Education, and Individualized Learning Plan Development.
Committed to student success and family support, Bill has been a valued member of the Transitions Board of Directors since 2019, bringing his expertise and dedication to helping individuals thrive.
Amzad Amiri – Vice President
Amzad Amiri has been in public practice since 2000 and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He earned his Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation from CGA Alberta in 1999.
Dedicated to his profession, Amzad has served on the Board of the CGA Edmonton Chapter and spent five years as a Practice Reviewer. He also contributed as Treasurer for the Canadian Condominium Institute – North Alberta Chapter for three years.
With extensive experience in financial auditing, Amzad’s practice focuses on auditing condominium corporation financial statements, providing financial information for small businesses, and conducting audits for municipalities and other not-for-profit organizations.
Lisa Rumsey – Treasurer
Lisa Rumsey holds a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge and is a CPA with specialized studies in income tax and GST/HST. With a career rooted in public practice, she began in audit and assurance before developing expertise in taxation. Her leadership in financial initiatives has supported organizational growth and operational excellence.
Outside of work, Lisa enjoys hiking, kickboxing, and spending quality time with her family.
Lisa Galloway-Mah – Secretary
Lisa Galloway-Mah is a Human Resources and Disability Management professional with over two decades of experience in the public sector. Since 2008, she has been with the University of Alberta, where she currently serves as a Senior Consultant, Return to Work. Her career also includes roles with the Government of Alberta and Canadian Blood Services in various human resources capacities.
Lisa holds a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge, along with diplomas in Finance and Human Resources Management from NAIT and MacEwan University. Her passion for disability management is driven by her commitment to helping individuals overcome health challenges to achieve their personal and professional goals.
Carrie Santiago - Director
Carrie Santiago is a heart-centered mentor, entrepreneur, and former educational assistant with over 12 years of experience serving families and children. As a mother of three adult children, she brings compassion, wisdom, and real-world perspective to her work.
Carrie empowers women—especially those in transitional seasons—to rediscover their identity, align with purpose, and build faith-led lives and businesses. She is passionate about service, connection, and helping others step into their next chapter with confidence.
She just recently became a member of the board and is excited to bring her knowledge to the table.
Grace Garcia-Cooke – Board Member
Grace Garcia-Cooke holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta. With over 25 years of legal experience, she has dedicated her career to advising locally elected governments. Since May 2016, she has served as General Counsel for Edmonton Public Schools.
Throughout her career, Grace has represented clients at all levels of Court in Alberta and before numerous administrative tribunals, including the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, grievance arbitration boards, and the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
A lifelong resident of St. Albert, Grace has actively contributed to the community through volunteer roles on City Council Committees, including the Community Services Advisory Board, Municipal Planning Commission, and the Assessment Review Board. She is proud to support the Transitions Rehabilitation Association of St. Albert and District as a board member.
Renee Lukie - Executive Director
Renee Lukie joined Transitions as the executive director in June of 2023. She comes to us with over 27 years of experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Her collaborative spirit, knowledge and understanding of our community, including strong relationships with community partners and stakeholders allow her to lead the team at Transitions to continue to provide exceptional services to those we serve and lead effective change to enhance the services we provide. Her strategic leadership and advocacy skills will enable the agency to create increased opportunities within our community that align with Transition’s values and purpose. Renee loves the outdoors, travelling and spending time with friends and family.
Cathy Kirsch - Senior Director, Community, Supports & Programming
What Cathy loves most about her role is being part of a community where people truly care; and where coworkers, families, and individuals come together with a shared purpose: to make life better for people who call St. Albert home.
Outside of work, Cathy is an avid traveler, a devoted dog lover, and most proudly, a brand-new nana, her favorite title yet!
Sue Donovan – Senior Director of Operations & Continuous Improvement
In addition to Human Resources, her operational experience working in management and senior leadership roles, ensures the implementation of lasting positive change, keeping all parts of the organization moving in the same direction to achieve the intended results.
As a trusted advisor, bringing extensive experience and knowledge, coupled with an honest, empathetic and supportive approach, challenging when necessary, her success is built on earning trust, providing effective advice, building relationships and doing the heavy lifting. She can take an objective position, offer a different perspective or initiate a change.
Charmaine Gee - Manager, Adult Services
Charmaine Gee has been a proud member of the Transitions family for 13 years, bringing with her over 25 years of extensive experience in the disability sector. Her career has been driven by a heartfelt compassion and a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others. Over time, Charmaine has grown into a strong and trusted leader, skillfully managing programs, guiding teams, and navigating the many challenges that come with providing quality services, all with determination, passion, and a positive spirit. Charmaine’s connection to Transitions’ mission and values, inspires her every day to lead with integrity and purpose. She truly loves what she does and approaches each new challenge with enthusiasm and care. Outside of her professional life, Charmaine is fully invested in her family, loves to travel, enjoys walks, fitness and spending quality time with friends. And when she needs a break, she’s not afraid to indulge in a little retail therapy to keep life fun and balanced.
Andy Tran - Manager, Finance & Administration
Besides the finance role, I love to work with my hands, and am very good at fixing and repairing equipment, building; therefore, some staff call me “Handy Andy” in the office. I love fishing and spending time outdoors.
Amber Moore - Supervisor, Adult Services
Amber Moore joined Transitions in December 2022 with over 22 years of professional experience supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families. Her passion grew from personal family experiences, giving her deep insight into the challenges and rewards of navigating support systems. For ten years, Amber ran a support home for two gentlemen, one of whom received services through Transitions. This gave her a unique perspective as both a caregiver and service provider, highlighting the importance of person-centered care and strong communication. Now a Supervisor in Adult Services, Amber uses her hands-on experience to support people, families, and staff with empathy and practical insight. She is committed to Transitions’ mission and values and helping provide meaningful, quality support. Outside work, Amber enjoys time with family, good music, and new adventures. She believes “Everyone has a story, a unique book of life worth honouring”
Brianna Sampson - Supervisor, Adult Services
Brianna began her journey with Transitions in 2013, working as a frontline staff on the Adult Services Residential team while completing her Bachelor of Professional Arts in Criminal Justice degree. Inspired by the impact of the work, she chose to build a meaningful career supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Since then, she has taken on several key roles, including Mobile Team Lead in Adult Services, before stepping into her current role as Supervisor in Adult Services in 2019. She is deeply committed to lifelong learning and advocacy, both within and beyond her professional role. Her volunteer work includes supporting the Edmonton Police Service Victim Services Unit and the Project Adult Literacy Society (PALS). Outside of work, Brianna enjoys spending time with her family, vegetable gardening, camping, baking sourdough, and taking on outdoor carpentry projects. She lives by the belief that with enough determination, you can learn to do anything you set your mind to!













