Meet Our Foundation Team

Dr. Jill Stoddart, Executive Director

Jill is the Executive Director of Family and Children’s Services Foundation. She worked for in Child Welfare, Children’s Mental Health and Developmental Services, for more than 30 years, including various frontline positions. Recognizing the disparities in child and youth outcomes by race, ethnicity and other socio-demographic factors has been the driving force for her collaborative community approach to program and research design.

Jill leads several multi-sector collaborative projects focusing on preventing child abuse and neglect. Her experience in multiple sectors serving children and families has led to positive changes in the provision of evidenced-based services ranging from resilience promotion for children and youth to decolonizing trauma based parenting programs for specific cultural groups. This work has ensured that funds raised by Family and Children’s Services Foundation benefits not only children, youth and families involved in Child Welfare, but also other marginalized populations facing adversities such as trauma, social isolation, poverty, and re-settlement issues. Jill has a Masters and a PhD in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada and also holds a position of Assistant Professor (status only) at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.

Jill is the proud mother of three children who are now grown and have families of their own. She enjoys spending time with her husband Dave and can often be found out walking or hiking with a few of her 5 rescue grand-puppies or playing with her beautiful grand daughter. If you’d like to learn more about the research that supports the work of the Foundation email Jill at jill.stoddart@facswaterloo.org

Jennifer Utting, Leadership and Corporate Giving Manager

With over 25 years in the social profit sector, Jennifer has a passion for community and equitable philanthropy.

Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Jennifer volunteered with grassroots projects in India. Returning home to Toronto, she realized how much there was to do here, in her own backyard. Her commitment to social justice led her to opportunities with a number of charities and not-for-profits. Her roles have included event management, sponsorship, fundraising, communications and, as is the case in small charities, “other duties as required”. Jennifer recently completed her MA in Social Justice and Community Engagement at Laurier (Brantford).

Happily married and the proud mom of two teenagers, Jennifer is devoted to making her community and world a better place for not only her own family, but all families. An idealist at heart, she believes that we can only make that happen together.

Jennifer loves connecting kind and generous people with opportunities to create lasting impact and transformative change. If you’d like more information on how you can help children, youth, and families in Waterloo Region, email Jennifer at Jennifer.Utting@facswaterloo.org or send her a text at 226-791-3074.

Crystal Raymond, Annual Giving and Donations Coordinator

A leader in the fundraising industry for almost two decades, Crystal has spent her career in the fundraising and philanthropy community. Working with children and youth has always been a focus of her work - she spent over 16 years working as a lead in post-secondary advancement mentoring students and raising money for student support.

Relationships are the core of what she does... she is a community builder, a mentor, a project manager who always leads with values of honesty, passion, and integrity. The reason? Crystal loves getting people excited about the things she's excited about. Right now, it's the preventative work the Family & Children's Services Foundation supports in Waterloo Region.

At home outside the office, Crystal is committed to stepping outside of her comfort zone where new experiences can make the magic happen. She speaks a little French and German and is currently tackling Korean. She is a world traveler, a trivia aficionado and was a nanny in Europe before university.

She is a people person who is approachable, fun and knows the power of helping others through not for profit and charitable projects. Crystal holds a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador and a Master's Certificate in Project Management from York University. Crystal can be reached via email crystal.raymond@facswaterloo.org.

Sydney Tricand, Community Fundraising Manager (On Leave)

As a Canadian who grew up internationally, Sydney moved to Canada for the first time to complete her Honours BA in Psychology at Queen’s University, followed by a year-long trip across the pond to undertake her MSc from the London School of Economics in Health, Community, and Development. This experience furthered Sydney’s understanding of the importance of strong and supportive communities to nurture healthy and happy individuals. Combined with her passion for social justice, Sydney’s experience and education led her to a career in the social profit sector.

Most recently, Sydney has worked for both the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation and the Stephen Lewis Foundation supporting groups and individuals in their communities hold third party fundraisers and promote awareness for their organizations. Sydney is always in awe of the incredible people willing to give their time, energy, and resources to causes they feel strongly about. As a newcomer to the Waterloo region, she is excited to learn more about the community and continue to encourage the wonderful ways they support Family & Children's Services Foundation. You can reach Sydney at Sydney.Tricand@facswaterloo.org.