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Staff
We are a small team of dedicated psychotherapists, community care workers, and administrative staff who are passionate about feminist, holistic, and client-centered approaches towards mental and bodily health.
We are committed to providing accessible, trauma-informed, and drug use or problem gambling support for women and gender-diverse people.
Our work believes in the power of harm reduction, anti-oppression, community care, social justice, and recognizing the impact of systemic barriers on health and well-being.
We operate as a non-hierarchical feminist collective, which means that all of our decisions are reached through collaboration, engaging in critical dialogue, respect, and consensus.
Board of Directors
Nives Ilic, Co-Chair (she/they)
Bio
Nives is an intersectional feminist and believes that addiction and other health concerns are often rooted in trauma and societal inequities. Through her experiences in the field of social work, Nives has worked to make programs more harm reduction-focused, inclusive and client-centered.
Nives currently serves as a Program Coordinator in the Addiction and Trauma Services department of the Ottawa Mission and is dedicated to assisting people experiencing homelessness. With over a decade of expertise in providing services to those facing addictions and other mental health challenges, Nives offers knowledge in policy development, program management, and dedicated service to vulnerable communities.
In addition to her roles at the Ottawa Mission and Amethyst, Nives is also the Board President of AEL Advocacy, Director on the Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Home and Director on the Board of Directors of Sandy Hill Community Health Centre.
When she is not working, Nives enjoys traveling to different countries with her partner, Remi, trying different vegan foods or spending time with her adopted animals.
Alexanne Stewart, Co-Chair (she/her)
Bio
Alexanne is a lawyer working in a non-profit organization, where she focuses on creating online tools and resources to help fellow legal professionals improve their French terminology. Her work is crucial in ensuring lawyers across Canada can better serve francophone clients, enhancing access to justice for this important community. Since November 2022, Alexanne has served on the Board of Directors for the Amethyst Centre Ottawa, where she currently holds the positions of Co-chair and interim Treasurer. Her commitment to the organization’s mission has fuelled her passion for supporting community-based services that make a difference in people’s lives.
In addition to her role with Amethyst, Alexanne sits on the Board of the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre and is an active member of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, where she advocates for inclusion and representation within the legal profession.
Outside of her professional work, she enjoys travelling and experiencing new culinary delights from around the world. Her dedication to community service and improving legal resources reflects her passion for creating meaningful change, both within the legal sector and in the broader community. Alexanne takes immense pride in her role at Amethyst, witnessing firsthand the positive impact that dedicated support and advocacy can bring to those in need.
Alyssa Peyton (she/her)
Bio
Alyssa is a passionate advocate with over five years of experience in the non-profit sector, with a passion for social justice, specifically linguistic equality, gender equality, sexual and domestic violence prevention, and worker rights. In previous roles, Alyssa has served as the Linguistic Advocacy Officer with the Bilingualism Centre at the University of Ottawa Student Union (UOSU) and has served as the Feminist Resource Centre Coordinator (FRC) for three years at the UOSU. As the FRC coordinator, Alyssa developed a trauma-informed feminist peer to peer active listening program, and peer-support group for survivors of trauma, abuse, and violence. Alyssa is committed to fostering safe spaces that promote collective and individual growth and healing.
As a recent graduate from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor’s in International Development and Globalization with a Minor in Conflict Studies and Human Rights, Alyssa’s professional pursuits are grounded in academic thought. Alyssa has a passion for connecting research within the advocacy spaces she is involved with.
In her personal life, Alyssa loves to spend time in nature either hiking, skating, camping or swimming (depending on the season) or curled up with a good book and a warm cup of tea. Whenever she gets the chance, Alyssa loves to travel, planning road trips or jetting off somewhere new. Alyssa is honoured to serve as a Board Member and work with such a caring team at Amethyst Centre, supporting the work they do to provide healing to those who have embarked on a journey to recovery.
Madison Goodlife (she/her)
Bio
Maddy is a dedicated advocate for human rights, gender equality and access to justice, and has a passion for community-based initiatives.
Maddy is a lawyer, and currently works in the policy realm at the federal government. She has experience working at a law firm specializing in human rights and employment law, as well as the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Maddy previously worked with an NGO at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, where she advocated against nuclear weapons and explored the gendered impacts of conflict and weapons of mass destruction.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Cape Breton University while competing on the varsity women’s soccer team. In 2023, Maddy graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Juris Doctor and from Carleton University with a Master of International Affairs.
Outside of work, Maddy enjoys playing soccer, long-distance running, reading, and taking walks with her pug, Oscar. She also loves exploring new coffee shops and traveling to new corners of the world. Maddy is grateful to be a part of such an impactful organization at Amethyst Centre, and is honoured to be working alongside such dedicated, kind-hearted individuals.
Jegbefume Oberaifo (she/her)
Bio
Jei is a lawyer with over a decade of legal experience across different jurisdictions and currently works as an in-house counsel. Jei has had the privilege of direct involvement in charitable activities for decades stemming from a strong interest in supporting groups experiencing disadvantage and community engagement to drive meaningful change. Jei believes in the importance of giving back and hopes to make a difference through her work supporting communities with a high incidence of vulnerability due to societal and environmental factors.
An avid believer in maintaining work-life balance, when Jei is not working, Jei loves to go on hikes with her family to explore nature. Consistent with her belief that life is a journey, both on and off the road, Jei derives joy in long and scenic drives, visiting new places and enjoying the open road. Jei also loves to learn new languages and hopes to become multilingual in the near future.
Tate Chong (she/her)
Bio
Tate is a lawyer with the federal government, with experience working in legal aid and volunteering with community organizations. Through her recent volunteer work, Tate has advocated for the sponsorship of LGBTQI+ refugees to Canada; the reform of the child welfare system from the perspective of children’s rights and the 94 Calls to Action; and the fostering of community resilience through youth-led programs.
In her spare time, Tate likes to crochet, watch Jeopardy, and host potlucks with her friends. Tate is also an avid reader and part of 3 separate book clubs. Tate believes that building community is a cornerstone of a healthy society, and it is more important than ever to take care of friends and neighbours. She is grateful that her first time volunteering on a Board of Directors is alongside such a passionate and supportive group of people.
