Our Leadership

Open Door Group is proud to have a strong leadership team that embodies our core values of authenticity, accountability, and genuine care. Our team is innovative and solutions-focused, ready to meet the needs of the diverse communities that we serve. Working as a cohesive team, our leadership is focused on strengthening our ability to grow with the individuals and businesses that we serve, creating value for our partners and stakeholders, and providing rewarding opportunities for our people.

Tom Burnell
Chief Executive Officer

Alona Puehse
Chief Operating Officer

Cora David
Chief Financial Officer

Nicole Allen
Director of Employment
and Disability Services

Astrid Amado
Director of Accounting and Contracts

Christine Buchanan
Director of Employment Services and Training
(Lower Mainland)

Jaime Clarkson
Director of Employment Services and Training
(Interior)

Jessica Webb
Director of Human Resources

George Alipio
IT Manager

Naomi Bullock
Associate Director
Corporate Training

Jennifer Do
Project Manager
Innovation

Kristen Gameau
HR Manager

Helen Kim
Associate Program Director
(City Centre- Burrard)

Shanshan Li
Associate Program Director
(City Centre – East Hastings & VCC)

Sophia Liao
Business Intelligence & Quality Assurance Manager
(Lower Mainland)

Sean Miles
Employer Engagement Manager

Maria Pucek
Associate Director Corporate Training

Radka Prihodova
Program Coordinator
Thrive

Samantha Sandee
Project Manager
Operations

Joan Schiebelbein
Associate Program Director
(Sea to Sky – Sechelt)

Robynn Smith
Business Intelligence & Quality Assurance Manager
(Interior)

Joanne Tazelaar
Associate Program Director
(Kamloops – South)

Elizabeth Vu
Communications Manager

Michelle Wright
Program Coordinator
Thrive

Robert Wright
Program Coordinator Gardengate

Crystal Zheng
Finance Administrator

KAL TIRE

A Canadian company with 250 locations across Canada, Kal Tire has been working with our Kamloops team to meet their recruitment needs for several years. As a business, Kal Tire experiences spikes of seasonal demand as local residents switch from winter tires to summer tires and back, so much of their hiring is seasonal.

We work with them to help them find the right candidates for their business philosophy: individuals who are bondable, physically able to do the job, have great customer services skills, and have the flexibility to work long hours from time to time. Because Kal Tire is focused on hiring staff who have the right skills and the right attitude, and willing to train on the job, we have also been able to help them leverage our services to create opportunities for diverse candidates while meeting their HR objectives.

Since the beginning of our partnership, we have been able to match Kal Tire with 7-8 candidates to fill seasonal positions. Some of the top candidates have gone on to be hired into full time positions where they continue to contribute to the company today.