Lighthouse Staff

lighthouse staff group

		Britta Martini-Miles M.A., Executive Director Britta has been the Executive Director of the Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children in Oakville since November 2011. A German national, she completed her undergraduate degree in her home country, followed by a MA in International Relations at Penn State in 1989. After many years of international assignments in Europe, the US, and South Africa Britta, her husband, and three grown children settled in Oakville in 2005, where she has since immersed herself in the local community as a volunteer and as ED for local Not-for-profits. Britta has a track record in fundraising, marketing, not-for-profit management and organizational development and is delighted to be able to lead the Lighthouse to become a highly recognized and respected grief resource and support centre for Halton and Peel. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

		Candace Ray M.Ed., CAGS, Program Director Candace joined the Lighthouse in January of 2013 and brings with her over 20 years of experience in social work and public education. While employed as a social worker, Candace completed her Master’s degree in Education at the University of Vermont in 1992. Candace spent the next four years as a Special Educator in a public high school and earned a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Education at the University of Vermont in 1998 before moving to Canada. In addition to her experience as a teacher and social worker, Candace has spent over 10 years coordinating programs and working with volunteers at Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring organizations in both Canada and the United States. She is passionate and committed to supporting children, youth and their families as they face difficult life challenges and considers it a privilege to be part of the Lighthouse team of dedicated staff and volunteers. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

		Melissa Hedman-Baker M.S.W., Clinical Director Melissa Hedman-Baker is a Social Worker who earned her Bachelor’s in Social Work at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama and her Master’s in Social Work at The University of Alabama. She has extensive clinical experience working with children, teens and families and is very passionate about working with individuals and families to help them reach their goals. There is a saying that “Death comes, and always out of season” and Melissa sees it as a privilege to work with children and their parents as they progress through their grief journey. Melissa feels very fortunate to have found the light which led her to The Lighthouse, and is inspired to work alongside a committed staff team and a dedicated group of volunteers. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

		Caralee McGowan, Office Manager With over 25 years of administrative experience, Cara McGowan is an invaluable asset to The Lighthouse Program. In addition to her organizational skills and her ability to effectively troubleshoot, Cara brings an element of cheer to the work environment which is appreciated by the rest of The Lighthouse team. Cara is one of the first points of contact when families call The Lighthouse, and will make sure that any questions are answered and that calls are directed to the rest of the team. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

		Erica Bostwick B.Ed., Group Leader Erica has known since she was three, when she met her baby sister for the first time, that she wanted to work with children. After graduating from Queen’s University with a B.A. Psychology/B.Ed., life took her to South Africa where she taught drama and creative movement classes, and had her son Jason. Four years later while living in Nevada her daughter Elizabeth was born. Erica has extensive volunteer experience ranging from coaching soccer and basketball, being a Boy Scout and Girl Guide leader, holding various positions on school councils, to facilitating a children’s group at a Women’s Shelter. Erica has been a volunteer facilitator at the Lighthouse since October 2011, a group leader since Summer 2012, and is honoured to be working with the children at The Lighthouse. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

		Peggy McGillicuddy B.A., Group Leader Peggy has spent the last twelve years facilitating educational support groups and programs for young children at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA. In this capacity she has worked with hundreds of kids dealing with a wide range of issues from parental addiction, to divorce, abuse, grief, and loss. After a move to Canada, she was drawn to The Lighthouse Program due to it’s unique focus on the fact that children deserve to experience their own journey of grief in a way that is safe, non-judgmental, and age-appropriate. Peggy believes in working with children from a strength-based perspective, and through experience has come to realize that there is immense hope, and that given the right tools, all people have an amazing capacity for resilience. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it