Executive Leaders
Captain Sheldon Feener - Executive Director
Born and raised in Newfoundland to Salvation Army Officer parents, Sheldon has travelled across Canada in his role as a Salvation Army Officer. Spending most of his time in Ontario where he served as the pastor in two small churches before becoming the Assistant Executive Director at the Kingston Harbour Light, his first stop in Social work which led to what has become a heart’s desire and passion in his ministry.
After a 5 year stay in the United Kingdom, Sheldon and his wife Sharon moved to the United States where they took on different leadership roles in Salvation Army ARC’s in the Southern Territory, serving in Northern Virginia as assistants, taking full leadership and rebuilding a program in Nashville and moving on to become Mission Specialists in Memphis.
Now in Victoria, Sheldon and Sharon have settled into different roles, Sheldon at the ARC and Sharon at Sunset Lodge, but feel incredibly blessed and excited to see how God will use them in this chapter of their lives.
Born and raised in Newfoundland to Salvation Army Officer parents, Sheldon has travelled across Canada in his role as a Salvation Army Officer. Spending most of his time in Ontario where he served as the pastor in two small churches before becoming the Assistant Executive Director at the Kingston Harbour Light, his first stop in Social work which led to what has become a heart’s desire and passion in his ministry.
After a 5 year stay in the United Kingdom, Sheldon and his wife Sharon moved to the United States where they took on different leadership roles in Salvation Army ARC’s in the Southern Territory, serving in Northern Virginia as assistants, taking full leadership and rebuilding a program in Nashville and moving on to become Mission Specialists in Memphis.
Now in Victoria, Sheldon and Sharon have settled into different roles, Sheldon at the ARC and Sharon at Sunset Lodge, but feel incredibly blessed and excited to see how God will use them in this chapter of their lives.
Management Team
Martin Castellani, CEC - Residential Program Manager and Manager of Hope House
Martin comes to the SAARC as a Senior Executive Coach, Conflict Coach and Human resources specialist with a 21-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy. His service included two wartime tours to the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, where he deployed with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. While employed with the Department of National Defence, Martin used his Project Management and Human Resources background to become fully qualified in the recruitment, training and employment assignment for new members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Martin dedicated 10 years as an instructor at the Department of National Defense's Alternate Dispute Resolution Centre. He subsequently became a Certified Executive Coach, 2014-2015 from Royal Roads University
Martin has received the South West Asian Service Medal, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and the CFB Esquimalt’s Base Commander’s Coin for his personnel management during the 2016 Duke of Cambridge’s Royal Visit.
Martin comes to the SAARC as a Senior Executive Coach, Conflict Coach and Human resources specialist with a 21-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy. His service included two wartime tours to the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, where he deployed with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. While employed with the Department of National Defence, Martin used his Project Management and Human Resources background to become fully qualified in the recruitment, training and employment assignment for new members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Martin dedicated 10 years as an instructor at the Department of National Defense's Alternate Dispute Resolution Centre. He subsequently became a Certified Executive Coach, 2014-2015 from Royal Roads University
Martin has received the South West Asian Service Medal, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and the CFB Esquimalt’s Base Commander’s Coin for his personnel management during the 2016 Duke of Cambridge’s Royal Visit.
Yin-Yee Yip - Manager Community Residential Facility
Joining the Naval Reserve at the age of 19 in Toronto, Yin-Yee served in the Naval Reserve over summers while completing her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto. After falling in love with Victoria after summers sailing on the pristine west coast waters, she moved to Vancouver and then finally to Victoria where she worked as a Resource Management Support Clerk at various positions at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. After finally achieving an dream of hers to deploy, she was tasked to Operation Athena in Afghanistan for Task Force 1-08 with the National Support Element. Strongly affected by her experiences, she came back to pursue her Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University because of her interest in working with those affected by trauma and suffering from addictions. After a practicum placement working with the Skills for Recovery program; upon graduation, she had an opportunity to come back as the Program Facilitator of the program. After facilitating the program, she wanted to focus her energy on working more directly with clients making the transition from the institution to the community and worked as the high-risk counsellor. After four years working with the Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre, Yin-Yee has been able to move into a management position and works to put Victoria on the map as a Centre of Excellence for Community Corrections.
Joining the Naval Reserve at the age of 19 in Toronto, Yin-Yee served in the Naval Reserve over summers while completing her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto. After falling in love with Victoria after summers sailing on the pristine west coast waters, she moved to Vancouver and then finally to Victoria where she worked as a Resource Management Support Clerk at various positions at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. After finally achieving an dream of hers to deploy, she was tasked to Operation Athena in Afghanistan for Task Force 1-08 with the National Support Element. Strongly affected by her experiences, she came back to pursue her Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University because of her interest in working with those affected by trauma and suffering from addictions. After a practicum placement working with the Skills for Recovery program; upon graduation, she had an opportunity to come back as the Program Facilitator of the program. After facilitating the program, she wanted to focus her energy on working more directly with clients making the transition from the institution to the community and worked as the high-risk counsellor. After four years working with the Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre, Yin-Yee has been able to move into a management position and works to put Victoria on the map as a Centre of Excellence for Community Corrections.
Karla Anderson - Spiritual Care Coordinator
Karla started her career as a missionary / ESL teacher overseas in Japan. When returning home, she continued her work in international education until starting work at the ARC. She has a bachelor's degree in behavioural science and religious studies. She has been here at the Victoria ARC since November 2014, and she continues to find great fulfillment in seeking ways of connecting people with what can give them hope and strength in difficult times. Spirituality is all about connection; to oneself, to community, and to the divine. Karla also acts as volunteer coordinator here at the ARC, recruiting and supporting volunteers. Karla is also the Family Tracing representative for Vancouver Island, supporting people searching for lost family members.
Karla started her career as a missionary / ESL teacher overseas in Japan. When returning home, she continued her work in international education until starting work at the ARC. She has a bachelor's degree in behavioural science and religious studies. She has been here at the Victoria ARC since November 2014, and she continues to find great fulfillment in seeking ways of connecting people with what can give them hope and strength in difficult times. Spirituality is all about connection; to oneself, to community, and to the divine. Karla also acts as volunteer coordinator here at the ARC, recruiting and supporting volunteers. Karla is also the Family Tracing representative for Vancouver Island, supporting people searching for lost family members.
Sean Rankin - Kitchen Manager
Sean, born and raised in Victoria, started at fourteen as a restaurant dishwasher in a local Esquimalt Pub, later running its night shift while attending high school. He then enrolled in the Camosun College Cook Training program,arranging his own work term placement through a local. hotel where he gained a job and apprenticeship. As part of a three year program followed by a g full time job for the same company for eighteen years he progressed through second cook, junior sous chef, executive sous chef and finally executive chef in the same fine dining Victoria Hotel. A chance to move within the company resulted in moving to the biggest hotel in Prince George with three restaurants in casual, fine dining and Japanese restaurant plus catering, where he worked as an executive chef job in in for six years. Following this, he came back to Victoria where he worked for about a year. After this he started working in oil field camps in Fort McKay, effectively a small city of 9000 workers with three camps, in charge of one camp providing 2400 meals twice a day for five years. He again made a change, when he saw and applied for a posting for Salvation Army Food Service Manager, bringing him to his new calling serving the homeless population here.
Sean, born and raised in Victoria, started at fourteen as a restaurant dishwasher in a local Esquimalt Pub, later running its night shift while attending high school. He then enrolled in the Camosun College Cook Training program,arranging his own work term placement through a local. hotel where he gained a job and apprenticeship. As part of a three year program followed by a g full time job for the same company for eighteen years he progressed through second cook, junior sous chef, executive sous chef and finally executive chef in the same fine dining Victoria Hotel. A chance to move within the company resulted in moving to the biggest hotel in Prince George with three restaurants in casual, fine dining and Japanese restaurant plus catering, where he worked as an executive chef job in in for six years. Following this, he came back to Victoria where he worked for about a year. After this he started working in oil field camps in Fort McKay, effectively a small city of 9000 workers with three camps, in charge of one camp providing 2400 meals twice a day for five years. He again made a change, when he saw and applied for a posting for Salvation Army Food Service Manager, bringing him to his new calling serving the homeless population here.
Community Advisory Council
The ARC is ably supported by a number of community volunteers who lend their expertise to assist the Executive Director in leading the organization. These volunteers assist especially in areas of strategic planning, financial & risk management, property management and community relations. The members of the ARC's council are:
David Woodland - Ex-Officio, BC Division - DSSS
Captain Sheldon Feener - ED - Victoria ARC (Chair)
Roger Butcher, BC HOUSING – ESP & EWP Funder
Rear Admiral Roger Girouard, Leadership, Governance, Crisis and Emergency Management
Rob Johns – Emergency Social Services Director, City Of Victoria – Emergency Program
Rob Clarke – Area Director, Vancouver Island Community Corrections
Shirley Hunter, Victoria Advisory Board Liaison
Rick Elliot, SANRO Regional Director
Keith Linder - Inspector, Victoria Police Dept.
Victoria PRD - Special Projects, Marnie Burnham
Yin-Yee Yip, ARC - CRF Manager
Martin Castellani ARC - Residence Manager and Manager of Hope House
Shelly Gugden, Owner - Il Terrazzo Restaurant (Neighbouring Business - link to Victoria Downtown Business Association)
David Woodland - Ex-Officio, BC Division - DSSS
Captain Sheldon Feener - ED - Victoria ARC (Chair)
Roger Butcher, BC HOUSING – ESP & EWP Funder
Rear Admiral Roger Girouard, Leadership, Governance, Crisis and Emergency Management
Rob Johns – Emergency Social Services Director, City Of Victoria – Emergency Program
Rob Clarke – Area Director, Vancouver Island Community Corrections
Shirley Hunter, Victoria Advisory Board Liaison
Rick Elliot, SANRO Regional Director
Keith Linder - Inspector, Victoria Police Dept.
Victoria PRD - Special Projects, Marnie Burnham
Yin-Yee Yip, ARC - CRF Manager
Martin Castellani ARC - Residence Manager and Manager of Hope House
Shelly Gugden, Owner - Il Terrazzo Restaurant (Neighbouring Business - link to Victoria Downtown Business Association)
