Our Team

Collective Interchange is led by a dedicated group of directors who demonstrate strong due diligence in governance, reflecting the highest integrity when working with funders, partners and associates and taking an active and strategic role in positioning the organization to make a difference in the lives of individuals, communities, and the co-op’s members.

Founding Members

The founders of this co-operative have extensive partnering and service delivery experience undertaking projects of varying scales in small business, government, and non-profits, with a demonstrated history of working differently with a positive impact. Their combined partnering experience extends, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

This experience includes working with stakeholders including frontline practitioners; municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives; non-profit agencies; management; boards of directors; private sector clients; and politicians who embrace our co-op’s values.

Linda Hickey – Chairperson

Linda is inspired by the potential of a better world and engages in opportunities that help generate ideas, establish plans and use strategies to bring the dreams of communities and individuals to reality. She has extensive experience administering federal and provincial funding contracts including Employment and Social Development Canada, Service Canada, Canadian Heritage and Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Linda is a change-maker and is not able to stand by and watch when there are things that can be done!

Fern Mitchelmore – Director/Treasurer

Fern is a CPA/CGA and takes a leadership role in the development, maintenance, and monitoring of internal controls and financial systems seriously.  She ensures that the projects are undertaken and any services provided are in compliance with the co-op’s policies and procedures as well as government legislation.  As a co-founder of Collective Interchange, Fern has been a solid and grounded leader and contributor helping forge a new kind of organization in an ever-changing province with significant challenges yet many opportunities to explore.

Valerie Carruthers – Director

Valerie has 20+ years’ experience designing and delivering national and provincial projects, specializing in equipping diverse and sometimes marginalized populations with information and other resources so they can make informed choices. Valerie also serves as a director with the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Co-operatives and a member of the WEC Collective, both focused on economic development and security.   Valerie enjoys tracking new tech trends and integrating them with other proven methods to strengthen participation, collaboration and responsiveness.

Sophia Solomon – Director

Sophia completed her BSc degree in Psychology with a minor in Business at Memorial University in 2018. She served as the first female international student elected to the MUN Students’ Union Executive. She was the recipient of the International Undergraduate Student Leadership Award 2017 and Student of the Year Award 2016. She was a speaker at the first Women’s March NL and facilitator for FemFest NL 2.0. She is deeply passionate about international students’ issues and an advocate for human rights, social justice, equity for marginalized identities and fighting systems of oppression especially towards women and people of colour. She loves volunteering and doing what she can to make the world a better place!

Elayne Greeley – Director/Secretary

Elayne is well known in the field of community resources and non-profit management. She wears many hats and they are as diverse and colourful as her personality and skill set.  She leads a stakeholder collaboration of 15+ non-profits, she is a Thought Leader with the Tamarack Institute and is a partnership broker with many other community-centred organizations.