Jane Bates
Representative for Children and Youth
Jane’s story starts in Mississauga, Ontario, in a quiet neighbourhood with her adoptive family. She has always been passionate about helping young people, which led her to earn her Bachelor of Social Work from Ryerson University. Early in her career, she responded to the call of the north and moved to Whitehorse.
While working in Yukon, Jane touched the lives of many young people and their families through her contributions to child protection, family services, critical incident investigation, youth justice, crisis intervention, and restorative community conferencing. Throughout her career, she has been guided by the principle of the best interests of the child.
A Winnie the Pooh and Star Wars fan of the highest order, she appreciates the diversity that life has to offer. Her husband, Russ, and her dog, Grace, are extremely supportive of her move to Nunavut. Jane is honoured to serve young Nunavummiut and to ensure their rights are supported.
Jarrett Parker
Director of Child and Youth Advocacy Services
Jarrett grew up in southeast Saskatchewan and Kansas. He completed his Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of Regina and his Master of Social Work degree at the University of Calgary. He has been, and continues to be, a field supervisor for BSW and MSW students from Schools of Social Work across Canada.
His career, which has primarily been in rural and Northern locations, has focused on all aspects of Child Protection, both on and off First Nations reserves. This included intake/investigation, crisis investigations, foster care, and child care, in frontline, supervisory, and senior management positions. He has also worked in both Youth and Adult Corrections, Emergency Management, and was an Armoured Reserve Officer for 12 years.
Jarrett is a champion of reducing the stigma of being neurodivergent and speaks openly about living with ADHD. He is passionate about community safety, developing leaders, and the future of children and youth in Nunavut.
Since moving to Iqaluit, he has run a boxing class (pre-COVID), served as a board member for the Uquutaq Society, and volunteered with Skills Nunavut. Other interests include running his woodworking business, renovating his house, reading, and spending time on the land.
Kim Foster
Manager, Policy and Communications
Having lived on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Kim moved to the Arctic Ocean of Iqaluit in 2017.
Supporting children, youth, and families, has always been a large part of Kim’s life, having previously worked for Ronald McDonald House Charities® Southern and Central Alberta.
In 2024, Kim completed the Master Certificate in Project Management Program offered in partnership between the Government of Nunavut and York University’s Schulich School of Business. She also received her degree in communications from the University of Calgary and her diploma in journalism from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
One of her greatest passions is travelling, as she loves to learn about and experience other cultures and foods. Kim also enjoys mini adventures with her dog, Hudson; baking; and recently started teaching herself watercolour painting.
Nubiya Enuaraq - On leave
Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist
Nubiya attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and in June 2017, she graduated as a valedictorian from Nunavut Arctic College, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Arctic Nursing. She went on to complete the Nursing Mentorship program, where she was placed in various acute- and long-term health care settings at Qikiqtani General Hospital (QGH).
Prior to joining our team, she was a nurse in the Emergency Department at QGH. Nubiya gained valuable knowledge, skills, and abilities during her two years as a registered nurse at QGH, and she feels that they will positively contribute to the vision of our office.
Her passion lies in serving the public and ensuring that the services, policies, and procedures in place in Nunavut adequately meet the needs of its population. Through her work, she hopes to strengthen and/or contribute to the development of healthy public policies.
Dustin Patar
Senior Systemic Investigator/Researcher
Born in San Francisco, California, and raised across the United States and Canada, Dustin often found himself surrounded by new environments and people. Although challenging, Dustin believes that these rich encounters fostered his strong sense of curiosity and passion for storytelling; lifelong guides that have taken him down a winding path of unique experiences.
Academically, Dustin's journey has been just as diverse as his life experiences. He spent two years at film school, honing his visual storytelling skills. Years later, he then pursued a bachelor's degree in communication from Simon Fraser University, followed by a master’s degree from the University of British Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism.
After completing his education, Dustin headed north, arriving in Iqaluit in September 2019 to work as a reporter for Nunatsiaq News. Since then, he has worked at Inhabit Education, CBC North, and also as a freelance journalist. He has contributed to well-known publications such as The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, and Canadian Geographic.
When Dustin isn’t holding a camera or in front of a computer, he can be found behind a sewing machine, fixing some sort of vehicle, or out on the land.
Ross Ferguson
Senior Systemic Investigator/Researcher
Ross was born and raised on a horse ranch in western New Brunswick. Despite growing up in what Ross considers to be one of the least diverse places on earth, he has always been interested in other cultures. In 1988, this curiosity led him to pursue secondary education in anthropology and native studies. Disgusted and disillusioned by what he learned about colonization, Ross left university. It was then that he began what he refers to as his “20-year camping trip” in western Canada. During this decades-long odyssey, Ross worked as a fishing guide in the Rockies, a wilderness guide in Yukon, and on the coast of British Columbia, doing forest engineering work.
When Ross eventually returned to New Brunswick, he was determined to tackle some of the problems he learned about during his first stint in university. This resolve led him to complete degrees in psychology, and social work with a focus on First Nations child protection. Although his work as a child protection social worker started in New Brunswick, Ross was again drawn back to British Columbia and Yukon.
Ross' interest in the north has been a constant thread throughout his life. As an avid outdoorsman, he has dreamed of exploring Baffin Island for as long as he can remember. For Ross, being in Iqaluit, where he can assist young people and have the opportunity to catch char, is a dream fulfilled.
Wendy Makpah
Intake Specialist
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Philip Chen
Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist
Philip grew up primarily in Ottawa on unceded Anishinabeg land. He was known for being passionate about equitability and justice, even when this ran him amok with his parents. He believes his lived experiences gives him empathy for those experiencing generational trauma and the effects of domestic conflicts.
Philip received a diploma in Respiratory Therapy from Algonquin College in 2003 and an Anesthesia Assistant Certificate through Thompson Rivers University in 2016.
With a strong desire to practice in the Arctic, in early 2018 Philip headed north to work on the first community wide screening for tuberculosis of this generation in Qikiqtarjuaq. He later began working on contracts at Qikiqtani General Hospital and became a regular voice advocating for augmenting services and bringing care closer to home for Nunavummiut.
To continue advocating for ethical, equitable, and consistent services, Philip joined our office as a Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist in 2025.
Outside of professional life, Philip is always interested in learning new and eclectic skills and enjoys karaoke, cycling, travelling, and sailing.
Funmilola Windokun
Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist
Favour completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Nigeria in 2009. After moving to Canada in 2014, she completed a Child and Youth Worker Diploma at Reeves College in Edmonton, Alberta. During this time, she developed strong skills in trauma-informed care, conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and youth development.
Favour is a passionate humanitarian known for her empathy, patience, and ability to build safe, supportive relationships with diverse youth.
Favour joined our office as a summer student in 2025, and she plans to begin her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2026 to further her advocacy work as she is committed to uplifting individuals and communities.
When Favour isn’t supporting children, youth, and families, she enjoys watching movies, blogging, and spending quality time with her family.
Poe Foster
Senior Systemic Investigator/Researcher
With more than 25 of years of managerial and field work, Poe has always enjoyed working with and for children and their families.
Poe’s professional background is in behavioural and mental health, working predominantly with at-risk youth, children in care, development disabilities, substance and alcohol treatment programs, and youth in various stages of the correction system.
Poe has a bachelor's degree in rehabilitation from the University of Calgary and a master's degree in business administration with an emphasis on social enterprise and leadership from the University of Fredericton.
Poe moved to Iqaluit in the fall of 2025. Most of Poe’s life he lived in Calgary, Alberta, except for the past eight year, when he lived in Oregon with his family, two children and two dogs.
In his down time, Poe enjoys spending time with his family, reading, watching sports, and learning new hobbies, which recently is making bread.
Colleen Chubbs
Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist
Colleen has always enjoyed working with and helping people.
She has extensive experience in healthcare and various acute settings, including medicine, paediatrics, and mental health, having worked in long term care for almost 20 years and as a Social Assistance worker in acute care for 10 years.
In Iqaluit, Colleen has held positions at the Elder's long term care home, at the Qikiqtani General Hospital clinics, and at Akausisarvik Mental Health Facility.
Colleen was born and raised on the south coast of Labrador and moved to Corner Brook, Newfoundland after high school to attend post-secondary education. Colleen always had an interest in the North and in 2020 filled her dream and moved to Nunavut.
Colleen is looking forward to the opportunity to be a Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist with the RCYO, as she feels her knowledge and experience makes her caring, compassionate, and empathetic.
Abigail “Abbie” Atienza
Child and Youth Advocacy Specialist
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