The Team
The Board of Directors are volunteers from various backgrounds who became involved with Heart Beats through personal (or professional) experiences with pediatric heart disease. Most board members are parents of children in the heart community with a variety of different heart defects and ranging in age from babies to adults; this allows for Heart Beats initiatives to support families and children right from initial diagnosis to the time they are ready to transition to the adult clinic.
We are always looking for new board members and volunteers. If you would like to give back and help create more opportunities and programs to support heart families, please email info@heartbeats.ca for more information.
When fall arrives and the weather turns, Jessi passes the time by baking, doing puzzles, and reading with her daughter. Once spring officially arrives, she enjoys going camping with her family every weekend possible.
Jessi often wishes she could function at full capacity with less sleep, as there never seem to be enough hours in the day with so many things to do and places to visit. Having received care from both the Children's Hospital in Calgary and the Stollery in Edmonton, along with support from Heart Beats, Jessi felt it was time to give back now that her CHD daughter's health is more stable. She feels lucky to be a part of Heart Beats, which does wonderful things for the CHD community.
Her favorite snack is 5-cent candies—any and all! Jessi loves Fleetwood Mac, the movie Empire Records, and has a half-sleeve tattoo dedicated to her daughter.
Andrea Klaiber-Langen serves as a Director-at-Large on the Heart Beats Board of Directors, where she utilizes her extensive talents and skills to support the organization in legal and governance matters. Alongside her family, Andrea enjoys jumping into the Okanagan lake, traveling near and far, and playing board games. If she had a superpower, she would choose to grant wishes for those who help others. Andrea is mom to three children: Clara, Mary and Quinlan, who was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. To learn more about Quinlan’s story, please visit A Gift of Hope for Future Babies' Hearts Andrea finds inspiration in the words of Khalil Gibran: “And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
Brett Stevenson is a Managing Partner at BTG Capital Inc., a company he co-founded in November 2020. BTG Capital focuses on investments in the Canadian energy infrastructure sector, with a particular emphasis on midstream, power, and energy transition platforms with approximately $300 million of assets under management as of December 31, 2023. Brett received his ICD (Institute of Corporate Directors) Designation from the Rotman School of Management in Toronto and sits on four other boards of BTG portfolio companies and is the Chair of BTG Power.
Brett’s personal commitment to supporting the Heart Beats community is deeply rooted in his own experience with Wolf-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome and his family members’ congenital heart defects. Beyond his professional endeavors, Brett enjoys golfing, weight training, savoring red wine, and traveling. His favorite holidays are Christmas and his birthday, which coincidentally also falls on the same day. Brett also has a Bernese Mountain Dog cross with a Golden Retriever named Dallas and enjoys country music.
Dana Lahti, is the CHAMPS Camp Coordinator at Heart Beats. Dana was part of the CHAMPS team in Saskatchewan and helped bring CHAMPS to Calgary and our Heart Beats community. She works closely with our pediatric heart kiddos, promoting the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle.
When she's not busy making a difference, you can find her playing softball or hanging out with her adorable cat, Bella. If Dana could have any superpower, she'd love to fly so she could visit incredible places around the world. She’s driven by a desire to help heart children and their families, inspired by their strength and resilience.
Born in Bermuda and a big fan of anything chocolate, Dana brings her warm and caring nature to everything she does at Heart Beats. The kids know when they see Dana, they’re going to have the best time!
Katrina joined Heart Beats after her eldest son was born with complex congenital heart disease (CHD). She has been instrumental in planning Camp Evergreen for Heart Families and serves as the Ladies Event Coordinator. Recognizing the vital role of grandmas, aunties, and friends in supporting families affected by CHD, Katrina rebranded the program to be more inclusive and accessible. Her goal is to create a safe space where women can find respite from caregiving, engage in meaningful conversations, and support each other through the challenges of CHD. She loves building relationships within the heart community and dreams of a future where heart disease has an easy cure. Until then, Katrina is dedicated to creating a warm and engaging group for families who rely on the heart community for support.
Katrina lives by the motto, “Do small things with great love!” from St. Mother Teresa. She loves spending time with her family. When not driving her kids to activities like karate, basketball, bowling, or soccer, she enjoys watching movies, skiing, and camping with her three boys and husband. Recently, the family welcomed a fourth child, and Katrina’s favorite pastime has become snuggling with her little one. With over 25 years of experience playing Ringette, she hopes her daughter will one day share her passion for the sport.
She cannot resist ice cream, cinnamon buns, or dark chocolate with nuts. Summer holidays are her favorite, especially playing cards, swimming in lakes, and sitting by a campfire with loved ones. Her eclectic mix of favorite artists includes Pink, Terri Clark, Matt Maher, Garth Brooks, and Ed Sheeran. Katrina believes "The Greatest Showman" is one of the best movies of all time.
Born and raised in Medicine Hat, Katrina prefers to save her pennies for traveling rather than splurging. She believes in lifelong learning and hopes to one day learn to play the guitar, cello, and piano. She started learning sign language in university and would love to know more.