About Next Step Residential Services
Next Step Residential Services was incorporated in August 1995, and provides services to individuals in Medicine Hat, Brooks, and surrounding areas.
Next Step Residential Services employs approximately 150 staff in various positions. Our team of professionals assist and support individuals through individualized support plans. We focus on using the individual’s strengths, abilities, and interests to develop plans that suit each person’s needs.
Program Coordinator
Develops a support plan for each individual tailored to their needs. Provides support and guidance to the team working with the individual.
Community Disability Services Worker
Provides direct support services to individuals. Assists in implementing support plans.
Team Leader
Provides direction, support, and coordination of services for staff, individuals, guardians, and families.
Office Team
Brandon Thomas
Executive Director
Brandon has been with Next Step Residential Services from the start. His education background consists of a Bachelor Degree in Community Rehabilitation from the University of Calgary, and he has been working with individuals with disabilities for over 36 years. He is heavily involved in the recording industry and the music scene.
Coreena Thomas
Accounts Manager
Coreena moved to sunny Medicine Hat with her children in 2010. Her family expanded with her marriage and she gained 4 step sons. Her love for people and her outgoing attitude has resulted in her working in the human services field in various positions for numerous years.
When she is not at work Coreena loves to travel and to spend time with her family. You can also find her spending plenty of time in her she-shed either painting or planning parties.
Carrie Uhrich
B.S.W, R.S.W
Program Manager
Carrie started her professional career in the Registered Nursing program, but decided to change her interests to Social Work. She has completed her Bachelor Degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary (2013) and is also registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers. Carrie has worked in this field of disability services for 10+ years and brings complex behavioural support experience as both a Team Leader and as a Program Coordinator.
Carrie is an Executive member on the local dart league, as well as a Provincial Director for a non profit organization. In her spare time she enjoys to garden, bake, camp/travel and loves to play board games!
Alicia Davies
Administrative Assistant
Alicia moved to Medicine Hat from Ontario in 2006. She worked in the food service industry for many years and began a new path working at Next Step Residential Services on Valentines Day in 2020. She began her career casually as Administrative Assistant and received the opportunity to work the position full time in summer 2022. She loves working in the human services field.
Alicia has is happily married and has one son and one daughter.
She enjoys spending her time with her family, friends and two dogs. Her hobbies include playing acoustic guitar and bass with her church band, sketching, travelling, camping and paddleboarding.
Heather Paish
Program Coordinator
Heather grew up in small town Saskatchewan and in 2005 moved to Lethbridge to attend college where she received her Child and Youth Care diploma from Lethbridge College in 2007. Heather has experience working front line with disabled adults, and at risk youth. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Heather made the brave decision to return to school and enrolled as a university transfer student in the Social Work program. Heather graduated in November 2024 with a Bachelors of Social Work from the University of Calgary. Currently she lives in Medicine Hat with her daughter, and an abundance of pets, including a dog, cats and even a snake. Heather loves to spend time with friends and enjoys traveling around to chase water falls and see the beauty of nature.
Deanne Hersak
Program Coordinator
Deanne grew up in a small place named Chance Cove in Newfoundland (NL). 1985 I moved from NL- Manitoba, 1988 to Nova Scotia (where I obtained a nursing diploma) then in 1999 to Calgary. I started a nursing career in 1988, working for 13 years with individuals with physical and mental disabilities from which I advanced into different positions in Health Care management. Also, I taught nursing for over 14 years in total (2 years in Nova Scotia at NSCC and then in Calgary at Bow Valley College, taught Mental Health to the criminal Justice Department at MHC) and became an interim chair at a college for 1 year.
Life has always been about continuous learning, which led me to obtaining a Master of Education from the University of Calgary in June 2020. Throughout my career, I have obtained many different achievements, Kimberly Ann Furgeson Memorial Award’ for Nursing (Scholarship award), Paul Ruthford award and scholarship’ (Leadership and management award), Infection Control Nurse with the Calgary Health region, now AHS, obtain ‘First Peoples award.’
I am humbled by the many achievements, there are far too many to mention. I have acquired and continue to advocate for individuals in care, which, is my true passion that I continue to enjoy.
I have two grown sons, that have families of their own now, that gave me three beautiful grand babies. I love the outside, whether it is going for motorcycle ride, walking my three pets, 2 dogs and my cats.
Life is valuable let’s enjoy.
Sashana Henry
HR Admin Assistant
Born in Jamaica and moved to Medicine Hat one year ago. I have an extensive Human Resources and Administrative background from my home country of over 6 years of experience. Since being here, I have volunteered with various organization as I have a passion for helping people. I am very outgoing and loves spending time with my family (husband and two boys). I love to cook, bake, and sew in my free time to help me relax. My hope is to visit every province within the next five years.
Kimberly Sloan
HR Manager
Kimberly Sloan leads Next Step’s Human Resources, with responsibility for managing the most valuable assets – our employees.
In her previous role in healthcare administration, she served as the executive director of a supportive living facility, and led her team through the accreditation process, obtaining Accreditation with Merit. Before jumping into Healthcare Administration, Sloan served as administrator to two principles for a high net wealth financial planning / investment firm, where she was instrumental in modernizing the organization’s website and ERP system. In Ontario, Sloan had the privilege of being a front-line worker where she had a rewarding and fulfilling career working as an LPN for ten years.
Sloan holds multiple certifications in Human Resources, business administration and graphic design.