Meet the Team

Bente Yanota moved to Canada from Denmark as a child and has lived in Okotoks most of her life. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she joined a local food manufacturing company and then continued to work in a variety of industries in the Okotoks area.

Bente began volunteering at the Okotoks Food Bank where her role eventually grew into Client Support Coordinator and Community Garden Coordinator.

A passionate community advocate and volunteer, Bente has lent her time and talents to the Okotoks Toy Library, It Takes a Village, and to her children’s schools. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, cycling, and walking the family dog, Peaches. She is a member of the St. James catholic church.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Christina loves having the opportunity to serve those in need in her community. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Spanish from the University of Calgary. Christina spent her days training volunteers at Samaritan’s Purse Canada and at the Calgary Food Bank before landing in Okotoks with her husband and two young kids. She and her husband served on the Board of Directors at City Mosaic Church in Calgary for several years. Christina enjoys taking part in all that Okotoks and the Foothills have to offer with her family, including walking the trails, attending town events, and discovering gems hidden in the many small shops around town.

True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. – C. S. Lewis

Char was born and raised in Calgary and completed her Child & Youth Care Diploma at Lethbridge Community College. She moved to the Foothills area in 2006 and to Okotoks in 2014. Char enjoyed volunteering at her children’s schools, with their sports teams, and in the community. Working in the non-profit sector in the Okotoks area for over 7 years, Char has enjoyed collaborating with many different organizations and was excited to join the team at the Okotoks Food Bank in November 2021. She counts it a privilege to serve the families of the Foothills by working with the generous and kind volunteers in this community.

“I am so grateful to be a part of an amazing organization which relies on our faithful volunteers to function every day. It brings me such joy to watch our volunteers find fulfillment and a sense of belonging at the Food Bank.”

Char loves any time spent with friends, singing with the Big Rock Singers in Okotoks, travelling to her trailer in BC and enjoying time with her husband of 21 years and 3 children who are 19, 17 and 15 years of age.

John has been a member of the Board since March 2017. John was the Chair of Big Rock Brewery from 2014 through 2017 and has been the People’s Warden at St. Peter’s Anglican Church for the past six years. He has been a resident of the Foothills area since 1976 and has lived in Okotoks since 2004. He is married to Lorrie and has two children and two grandchildren.
Church Affiliation: St. Peter’s Anglican Church

Soli Deo gloria

Dave joined the Board in September 2018. His career in Downstream oil and gas spans 42 years, living in 10 different locations. Dave has volunteered for many organizations including United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, MRU Calgary Marketing Advisory Board, St. James Parish Council, and is currently the Grand Knight of Okotoks Knights of Columbus. He and his spouse Odile have lived in Okotoks since 2000 and have four grown children and 8 grandchildren. Dave enjoys reading, financial management, investing in real estate, traveling, and working with volunteer organizations where he feels he can make a difference.

St James Catholic Parish

We cannot become what we want by remaining who we are.

Pamela spent the first 27 years of her life in Ontario, growing up in London, and completing her undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature, and her master’s degree in Library and Information Science at Western University. After two years working in Toronto, she ran for the hills in the West and has never looked back.

Pamela has been an Information Management Business Leader in the Calgary oil and gas industry since 1993, working for national and international companies: Alberta Energy Company, EnCana, Statoil, TransCanada, Spectra Energy, and Enbridge. She has also operated her own consulting business, Creative Information Solutions Inc., specializing in Information Governance and Intellectual Property.

She moved to Okotoks in 2004 when she married the love of her life, Ken Colosimo, and immersed herself in the local community. She has served as Chairperson of the Foothills Country Hospice Board, Chair of the Artifacts Committee for the Friends of the Bar U Board, Member of the Okotoks Arts Council, President of the Foothills Humane Society, Fund Development at the Okotoks Public Library, and President of the St. James CWL.

In 2019, Pamela accepted the role of Executive Director of the Okotoks Food Bank. It is a job that continues to provide daily challenges and constant fulfillment. Suffice it to say it has transformed her life. When not working or volunteering in the community, Pamela relishes her time spent with family, friends, and the menagerie of three dogs, one horse, and too many bees to count.

“This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.” – Maya Angelou