Tim Jones, M.A.
Tim began his journey as a support person, supporting the first person served by SAI in 1995. He has moved up over the years to his current role as the Executive Director. Tim believes in the philosophy of Gentle Teaching with his whole being, and was fortunate enough to be mentored by Dr. John McGee from 1999 up until John’s passing in 2013. Tim is a certified Master Mentor, and is currently serving as the Board President of Gentle Teaching International. You can always find Tim with a Coke Zero in his hand, ready to discuss his vision for SAI or who got voted off on Survivor. Tim is a married to an amazing woman who shares his passion for Gentle Teaching, and is a proud father of three children and two fur babies; he is also thrilled to have three grand babies. Tim is also a certified Color Spectrum Trainer, holds a graduate certificate in Valued Based Leadership, is a certified CTT consultant with the Barrett Values Centre, and holds his MA in Global Leadership.
Melanie Loroff
After working in various areas of the disability sector Melanie found her true fit at SAI in 2002. She started out as the Vocational Coordinator/Team Leader who was instrumental in the growth of SAI’s community based day program. She now serves as the Associate Executive Director (which is really code for a little of this and a lot of that). Melanie is committed to those we serve and their personal networks. She works hard to ensure that the values of SAI are present in everything from working with funders and families to interacting with team members and community partners. When Melanie isn’t bopping around SAI she is often found in the stands cheering on her girls, spending time with her husband or cuddling with her schnauzer. Melanie has successfully completed the Effective Executive program through Edwards School of Business and is recognized as a certified Gentle Teaching Mentor.
Toni Klassen
Toni - who is a fabulous yet stubborn wife, learning mom of an incredible daughter, lover of all dogs, and world’s biggest Nickelback fan - recognized her desire to be involved with people with developmental disabilities at a very young age. She has been employed with SAI since 2009; started out providing direct support, advancing to Team Leader and finally Coordinator all within our Vocational program. Upon finding SAI Toni realized her passion for Gentle Teaching and pursued becoming a certified Mentor and Master Mentor. Today Toni’s focus has shifted slightly to concentrate on SAI’s employee experience. She combines HR with an emphasis on culture to help employee’s find purpose and meaning in their role.
Kaitlyn Vetter
Kaitlyn is a big dog lover and is calm, gentle, and soft-spoken. Kaitlyn has a plethora of experience. Throughout high school, Kaitlyn worked in retail and volunteered through her job with the Boys and Girls Club, Saskatchewan Blind Sports Association, and organized SickKids Foundation Fundraisers. She began taking health sciences classes at Saskatchewan Polytechnic after high school while working as a Medical Administrative Assistant and casually with Saskatchewan Health Authority at RUH. Kaitlyn had always wanted to help people and had decided she wanted to work in a place that makes a difference in people’s lives; she simply needed to find it. Enjoying the variety of jobs that each day provides, the unforeseen challenges that await tomorrow, and helping others by removing tasks off their plates made SAI a perfect fit for Kaitlyn. She fell in love with SAI’s philosophy and the individuals we serve. When Kaitlyn is not at SAI, she can be found cheering on the Saskatoon Blades in the winter and outside in the summer riding her dirt bike, going for long hikes, longboarding along the river, and camping (ideally in the mountains).
Diana Malloy
Diana joined the SAI family in 2013 as a VOC Support Person. She then covered a maternity leave as a VOC Team Leader in 2016, which allowed her to expand her knowledge and experience. Diana has explored various support opportunities at SAI, including our Dube Outreach Program and Home Support. She took a permanent Team Leader position on one of the home teams in 2018. Diana has also created a social club within the organization to allow people to connect with one another and try new things. She has a passion for language and communication and currently working towards a diploma in ASL. When she isn’t busy at SAI, she spends time at her cabin at Manitou Beach with her wife and giant fur baby Waldo.
Heather Foster, B.A. (Hon)
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Heather attended the University of Saskatchewan, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Science, majoring in Psychology and completed an Honours degree. It was in her final year of studies that a friend introduced her to SAI with the phrase, “this agency is like nothing out there”. On that note, Heather has been employed with the agency since 2000 where she has been a support person, a Team Leader, a Home Supports Coordinator before becoming the Director of Program Supports. Heather is passionate about the values and principles of Gentle Teaching and the positive impact it has on the individuals served and support people at SAI. She is a certified Mentor in Gentle teaching and a Mandt instructor. Heather is married with two grown children. In her “spare time”, Heather is her family’s biggest supporter and encourages them in all they do: announcing, school, BMX , football, and snowmobiling. Being present with her family and their pup brings fulfillment in her life.
Jacine Gyug
( Maternity Leave)
Jacine started her SAI career in the Vocational program as a Support Worker and then moved up to Team Leader. After a term position as a Home Supports Coordinator, she finally found her true fit as the Vocational Coordinator in early 2016. Jacine fully believes in community based day programming, and feels that everyone we serve should find value and joy in their day. Her commitment to working alongside families and teams to bring everyone together is clear as she continues to facilitate growth in the vocational program. Jacine is committed to bringing Gentle Teaching to everyone that she encounters and is a certified Mentor through Gentle Teaching International. Jacine does all of this great work, with a witty sense of humor, deep standing love affair with Star Wars and being a talented musician extraordinaire who can be found jamming at various events throughout the city.
Tyson Elliot
Tyson burst on to the SAI scene in 2010 as a strong Team Leader, and in 2015 he accepted a position as a Home Supports Coordinator. Tyson is one of the few men around the SAI office so he has had to become skilled at carrying on a conversation about the latest hair colour trends and what the new spring styles are. Tyson is an avid sports guy, whose passion for teamwork, commitment to Gentle Teaching, and ability to carve out a strong teams is evident as his helping hand is always at the ready. Tyson has played a key role in organizing many of the SAI Dream Fund activities such as the Glow Curling Bonspiel, the Slow Pitch tournament, and the annual Roughrider bus trip. Tyson, alongside his amazing wife, is the proud parent to 2 beautiful daughters. 1 handsome son, and 2 rambunctious dogs.
Kaesha Jones
Kaesha started her journey at SAI in 2012 as a support person in home support. Kaesha quickly felt at home as she found her personal beliefs and values align with the SAI philosophy of Gentle Teaching. She soon after became an Assistant Team Leader and then a Team Leader. Kaesha excelled as a Home Supports Team Leader for 7 years until she began a new adventure in 2021 and became a Home Supports Coordinator. Kaesha lives on a farm with her husband, 3 dogs, 4 farm cats, and 150 black Angus cows. Kaesha is a sports enthusiast. You‘ll often see her at the ball diamond in the summer playing fastball or watching her husband play. She has been apart of the SAI dream fund and has had a hand in organizing different fundraising events such as the glow curling bonspiel, slo- pitch tournament, and SAI Carnival. Kaesha is always one to stand up for what’s right... especially when it comes to the right teams; the Blue Jays and the Oilers.
Nolan Rystrom
Nolan spent his pre-SAI days travelling and learning across the country, gaining experience and perspective in the world of disability support. His work took him into school systems, day programs and community living associations in the Canadian West and Northwest Territories. Nolan’s journey with SAI began in 2012 as a direct support worker in the Home Supports Program, where he felt equipped to share positivity and connectedness. Since then, he has focused on expanding the communities he is a part of and strives to remove barriers to inclusion. He received his Gentle Teaching Mentor certification in 2019, and his journey into understanding and applying this philosophy is ongoing. Nolan is a firm believer that nothing brings people together better than a shared meal. His other passions include animals, the Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Vikings and words.
Russell Weyland
Russell, the sports guru of SAI, is always ready with any random sports stat that you may (or may not) be seeking. Before joining the SAI team in 2010, Russell completed his Business Management diploma from Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta. Russell worked in both the public and private sector for eight years before settling into the world of non-profit. As the Accounting Manager, Russell has formed close connections with various people throughout the organization and finds value in not only a balanced budget but also the services that SAI provides. The love of Russell’s life is his beautiful wife and their 2 growing sons - who are taking strides to be the future home run hitters of the New York Yankees.