About BANA

Leta Scott, BSW, RSW

A warm hello to everyone reading this! It is my great pleasure to introduce myself to you. I am a Registered Social Worker, and I can say that it has been an honour to be a part of this amazing organization for over 20 years. For 18 years I have had the privilege of working directly with clients in group and individual therapy. I have gained a great deal of experience and participated in many training opportunities for Cognitive Behavior Therapy Enhanced for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), Cognitive Behavior Therapy – Ten (CBT-T), Motivational Interviewing, brief narrative therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). In 2023, I was given the opportunity to take on the role of Manager of Clinical Services and to work with both our outpatient team and our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) team. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience and has allowed me to stretch and grow my leadership skills.

When I’m not at work, I love to spend time with my 3 children. When the weather is nice, I love to be outside walking, bike riding, kayaking and gardening. I also love reading and participate in a monthly book club with friends. Creativity has always been an important part of my life, and I enjoy painting and crafting with my kids, quilting, and crocheting. Lastly, I am an avid animal lover and have been known to adopt strays.

Barbara Trojniak, MN, NP-PHC

I grew up in Windsor and went on to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Windsor in 2007. I briefly relocated to London and completed the Master of Nursing – Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner program at Western University in 2014. I have extensive experience having worked as a registered nurse within a variety of Emergency Departments in southwestern Ontario. As a Nurse Practitioner, I started off at an agency that allowed me the opportunity to manage the primary health care needs of clients afflicted with mental health concerns, and then moved on to a Family Health Team in Harrow, ON where I had the opportunity to care for people at all stages of their lives. I have always received a great sense of fulfilment from helping and collaborating with others and feel it is a privilege to be a part of this interdisciplinary team at BANA, where we work together to achieve optimal outcomes for our clients.

When I’m not involved in continuing education, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and engaging in new experiences.

Heather Leblanc, MSW, RSW

I am a local to Essex County, born and raised in Leamington. I completed by Bachelor of Arts degree in Joint Honours Psychology and Social Development Studies with a specialization in Individual Well-Being and Development at the University of Waterloo. I then completed my Master of Social Work Degree at the University of Windsor. I have been fortunate enough to work with a variety of organizations in the mental health field in both program development and clinical capacities, such as Maryvale, Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society, The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, University of Waterloo, Kids Help Phone, and more. I am extremely passionate about mental health and excited to be a part of the BANA team.

When not working, I enjoy spending my time with my family and pets, working on my embroidery skills, and reading.

Kayla Cheeseman, MSW, RSW

Originally from Toronto, ON, I have lived in Windsor since 2016. Upon my arrival, I was able to complete my Honours Bachelor of Social Work and Disability Studies Degree in 2020 and my Master of Social Work Degree in 2021. Fortunately, I have had the pleasure of working with varied populations across several agencies within and outside of the city. My passion for mental health is exemplified in my clinical work at agencies such as the Learning Disabilities Association of Windsor-Essex, University of Windsor, and Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare.

I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to continue to be an advocate and ally for the populations that we serve here at BANA. Moreover, I am so fortunate to work for an incredible agency with an amazing team!

Outside of working, you will often find me listening to music, travelling, photographing my pets (my dog Koda and cat Nebula), or spending time with friends and family.

Shaina Thompson, MSW, RSW

I was born and raised in Chatham, ON, and moved to Lakeshore in 2018. I graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2019 with my Bachelor of Social Work degree and completed my Master of Social Work degree in 2020 at Wayne State University where I had the opportunity to specialize in psychodynamic and cognitive behaioural therapies. I focused my university research on the complexity of eating disorders, which sparked my lifelong interest in working with those affected by disordered eating and body image concerns. I have been fortunate enough to work with several organizations in the mental health field including the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association, and Windsor Regional Hospital.

I am incredibly grateful to work for BANA as I am extremely passionate about mental health and helping people heal their relationship with food and their bodies. When I am not at work I enjoy being outdoors, travelling, cooking, and spending time with my loved ones.

Nicole Boulanger, RD

Originally from Barrie, ON, I have been at BANA since January 2014. I completed my BSc (Human Ecology) Honours degree in Foods and Nutrition at Brescia University College (of University of Western Ontario) followed by my internship at the Northern Ontario Dietetic Internship Program in Barrie. I am passionate about helping individuals improve their relationship with food and ultimately their quality of life.

A little more about me… I love spending time with my family and friends, but most of all my son. I enjoy traveling and discovering new places and activities. In my spare time, I have fun cooking (trying new recipes), exploring the outdoors and doing sports/activities (acro, yoga, biking, running, hiking, rock climbing).

Maryum Chaudhry, MPH.

I was born in Toronto, ON, and grew up in Windsor, ON. I earned a B.Sc. in Behaviour, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Windsor and a Master of Public Health from Simon Fraser University.

For the past seven years, I’ve had the rewarding experience of working with children and youth as an instructor, which highlighted the critical need for targeted mental health initiatives within our community. This led me to the Lakeshore Community Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic, where I served as a Health Promoter. In this role, I specialized in addressing mental health needs through consultations, education, and the development and management of health programs.

Currently, I am thrilled to be a Health Educator at BANA. This role combines my passion for education, health, and community engagement, allowing me to support and empower individuals in their health journeys.

Outside of work, I enjoy giving back to the community. I’ve volunteered with various Windsor-Essex organizations, including the Downtown Mission, United Way, Hospice, and the Humane Society.

In my downtime, you’ll find me diving into a good book, enjoying the creative process of embroidery, or exploring new places.

Adriana Grande, BA HK.

Having grown up in Windsor-Essex, this incredibly supportive community holds a special place in my heart. I have an undergraduate degree in Human Kinetics from the University of Windsor and a Doctor of Naturopathy Degree from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Prior to joining BANA, I was the Knowledge Translation Research Associate at WE-SPARK Health Institute where I gained invaluable experience in knowledge dissemination, research impact, and community engagement. My diverse background and experiences led me to BANA in May of 2023, where I am thrilled to join the Health Promotions team.

Health promotion and the prevention of disease has always been a passion of mine. Being able to work with youth in our area discussing topics such as nutrition, self-esteem and body image, as well as the impacts of social media, is a privilege. I look forward to implementing new strategies and initiatives to move BANA’s mission and vision forward.

In my free time I enjoy hot yoga, experimenting in the kitchen, and growing my garden with my husband and daughter.

Lucy Irvine, SSW, BSW, RSW

I was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and primarily grew up in Niagara Falls. I graduated with distinction from Toronto Metropolitan University in Social Work. I have previous experience provincially leading a Pan-Canada federal initiative in pre-pre-employment programming focused on life stabilization and complex trauma counselling serving Indigenous communities.

I ground my professional and personal approach with humility in Anti-Oppressive Practice valuing diversity, equity and inclusion. I proudly joined the BANA team in November 2023 as the Eating Disorder Prevention Specialist covering the Niagara, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk regions. It is a privilege to merge my passion and experience for meaningful community engagement with eating disorder preventative initiatives.

I am married to John, and we have a son Darren. An adventurer at heart, I love to travel with family, experience diverse cultures, food and landscapes. I also love camping, hiking and going for walks with my dog “Malik” an Alaskan Malamute.

Amanda Armstrong, BSCN, RN

Originally born and raised in Norfolk County, as an adult I have had the opportunity to explore and live in a variety of places, and in 2018 began to call Guelph home. Educationally, I have earned a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree majoring in History and minoring in Psychology from Queen’s University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Nipissing University.

As a Registered Nurse I have worked primarily in community settings specializing in mental health and harm reduction. I happily joined the BANA team in April 2024 as an Eating Disorder Prevention Specialist in the West Region, serving the Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge regions. Having worked as a nurse with clients who were experiencing severe eating disorders, is highly motivating and increases my passion for supporting provincial wide prevention initiatives.

In my personal life, I love to travel, cook, bake, hike, read, meditate, and watch movies. I am married to Matt, and we love to spoil our two fur babies, our dog Willow, and our cat Sadie.

Patrick Kelly, Adp. Advertising-Business

Originally from Chatham I have lived in Windsor since 1996. As a graduate of St. Clair College with an Advanced Diploma in Advertising/Business I’ve spent the past two decades working with a variety of organizations including the MediaDuo Advertising Agency, Dimanti Stone Works, the John McGivney Children’s Centre, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Lakeview Montessori School, the Children’s Achievement Centre and KPMG.
I’ve been at BANA since 2007 and I am currently the Communications and Office Administrator and Editor-in-Chief of the BANA Be Yourself Magazine. My responsibilities include public relations, media, fundraising, administration and IT services. In addition to my role at BANA, from 2011-2016, I served as an instructor in St. Clair College’s Advertising program.
As a representative of BANA, I actively participate in several community committees; as Co-Chair of the Service Alliance for Equality (SAFE), as Marketing Chair for Windsor Essex Communities in motion, and as a committee member for Children’s Fest.
In my personal life along with my wife Lorretta and 2 kids, Zander and Carly I volunteer time with the Emerald Isle Dance Society and The Windsor Feis Association.

Chandima Weeratunga, CPA, CGA

I am a graduate from St. Clair College in Business Administration-Accounting and the University of Windsor with a degree in Business Management. I am a certified CGA (Certified General Accountant) and CPA (Certified Professional Accountant).
I joined BANA in 2007 and I’m currently working as an accountant. In addition to the accounting work, I am responsible for the government reporting for BANA.
I am a mother of two boys, 20 and 15, with a busy schedule. Whenever I find a time I enjoy watching TV shows, and talking to my parents who live overseas.