Meet Our Foundation Team

Jaya James, Executive Director 

Jaya James is a seasoned nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Since 2016, she has held executive leadership roles focused on expanding programs that improve the well-being of vulnerable and marginalized adults, youth, and children through food access, therapeutic supports, skill development, and community-based services. Earlier in her career, she worked as a policy advisor researching food access across Ontario and began her professional journey in commercial banking. Her leadership has been recognized with several honours, including the Canada 150 Community Leader Award, and the YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

Jaya brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. Raised in a bi-racial and bi-cultural family, she developed an early understanding of navigating diverse communities with empathy and respect, values reinforced by her father's work as an addiction counsellor. As a parent of three boys, including two adopted through Canada's child welfare system, she has gained insight into the long-term impacts of childhood trauma. In 2016, she co-founded Ontario's first Adoptive Family Camp to support peer connection among adoptive families. Jaya is committed to advancing trauma-informed, inclusive approaches and is honoured to serve as Executive Director of the FACS Foundation, building on its mission to support children, youth, and families.

Jullie Pfeffer, Corporate and Community Giving Manager

Jullie brings decades of fundraising experience to the Foundation, most recently as Senior Manager, Operations at donorworx. In that role, she trained fundraisers, planned campaigns, and managed the logistics of major fundraising efforts for national and international charities. Jullie is passionate about discovering what really matters to people and helping them help others. Jullie would love to talk about how you can get involved in fundraising for us! Send her an email at Jullie.Pfeffer@facswaterloo.org
 

SarahJane McNaughton, Events & Special Projects Associate

SarahJane brings a passion for creating memorable experiences and meaningful community connections to her role at the FACS Foundation. A lifelong Waterloo Region resident and University of Waterloo graduate, she led large-scale festivals, community events, and promotional campaigns that brought people together and fostered community engagement. Her experience also includes working in local radio, where she managed events, coordinated promotional initiatives, and built relationships with community organizations, sponsors, and partners. Passionate about community involvement and volunteerism, SarahJane is proud to support events and special projects that advance the Foundation's mission and create meaningful opportunities for fundraising and engagement.

To learn more about FACS Foundation events or ways to get involved, email SarahJane at SarahJane.McNaughton@facsfoundation.org

Questions about your gift, scholarships or general questions about the Foundation? Email Keke at foundation@facswaterloo.org or keke.hu@facswaterloo.org