Meet Our Team.

Charlene is a Financial Coach, supporting individuals through real-life decisions with compassion, clarity, and practical tools. Her approach is rooted in Motivational Interviewing, cultural safety, and trauma-informed care, creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered. With a background in healthcare and years of navigating complex systems, she brings a strong understanding of the barriers many people face and works alongside participants to find solutions that fit their lives. She connects knowledge to real life experience, making every conversation accessible, meaningful, and person-centered. Delivered through Launch Okanagan, this work sits at the forefront of what community financial empowerment can look like when it is done with integrity and authentic partnership. This isn’t just financial coaching. This is changing trajectories.

Born and raised in Sweden, Zanna moved to Canada in 2019 and joined the Launch team in January 2026. She brings experience in equity & inclusion facilitation, nonprofit entrepreneurship, outdoor education, and mentorship programming. As a Dollars & Sense Program Facilitator, Zanna centers care and relationship in her work, and is passionate about collaborative processes that are rooted in deep trust, joy, and collective growth.

Raised in the Okanagan, Alicia is passionate about building meaningful connections and helping people reach their goals. With a diverse background in administration and people-focused roles, she brings a strong sense of awareness, organization, and community-minded values to her work. Alicia thrives on engaging with others, learning new things, and continually challenging herself both personally and professionally. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle, whether that’s cheering on a local sports team, spending time outdoors, or soaking up the sunshine. She is grateful to call the Valley home and to be part of a community that believes in supporting and empowering others.

Crystelle’s passion for learning and development is the golden thread throughout her 13+ years in education, training, e-learning, and coaching. She earned her MBA in 2014 and her coaching qualification in 2017. In her coaching practice, she saw how inextricably linked financial wellbeing was with overall wellbeing and fulfillment. With that in mind, she’s driven to help others activate the financial knowledge and habits that will set them up for the most success and joy in their lives.

Susan brings over 25 years of financial industry expertise to her passion for financial literacy.  Certified as a Financial Planner, with multiple certificates from investment management through divorce financial specialist, she loves helping people become more confident and comfortable through knowledge and understanding. She helps individuals through one on one coaching as well as leading groups both in person and online.

Rita brings a background in adult education, curriculum writing, and informal counselling to her role as a program facilitator with Launch Okanagan. She works with several community partners, leading financial literacy groups and doing one-on-one coaching with clients.

With many years of experience Dawn currently is supporting vulnerable families in the South Okanagan area.  Dawn is immensely involved in adult education as an instructor in the Continuing Studies Program at Okanagan College.

Dawn is currently providing Launch Okanagan’s Dollars & Sense programs to small, in person groups with our community partners in Penticton.

Krista is a program facilitator with Launch Okanagan who brings her planning, facilitation and financial industry experience from a 30+ year corporate career in IT, consulting and banking to help deliver our courses. Krista is currently leading our Matched Savings program and is involved in several Launch Okanagan classes with local community organizations in Kelowna.

Jennifer Robins has been the Executive Director of Launch Okanagan since 2019. It has always been her passion to help people learn how to manage their money in a way that builds their confidence and improves their financial stability.

Prior to joining Launch, Jennifer was a professional in the financial services industry for over 20 years, spending 15 years with CIBC in St. John’s, Halifax, Vancouver, and Kelowna. She has held the designation of Certified Financial Planner since 2005.

Jennifer’s interest in the not for profit sector started 10 years ago while volunteering with the United Way in Kelowna. She was a board member for the United Way Southern Interior BC for 7 years and during that time had the privilege of meeting so many different not -for- profit leaders in the community.