Janelle Coultes, BSc’01

Recipient of the 2024 Community Service Award

Janelle Coultes exemplifies the true spirit of service and philanthropy. Logging more than 11,500 hours of volunteer work since 2007, she is genuinely committed to bettering the lives of people in her community and Western Alumni is pleased to recognize Janelle for her dedicated service.

Janelle’s list of volunteer roles and accomplishments is extensive. She has held several positions with London Search and Rescue, an organization that is on call 24/7, 365 days a year, to aid the police in locating missing and distressed individuals. Janelle’s roles with the organization have included team chief and community services coordinator, and she is currently serving as liaison officer.  

Janelle was the Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association's president for seven years. She has been active with the board in multiple roles since 2011 and continues to serve as a past president. Janelle is also the president of the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada, an organization representing 10,000 volunteer members across the country. Her expertise in ground search and rescue and search management is an asset to the organizations she has served, and she is known for facilitating strong relationships with police agencies, fellow non-governmental volunteer organizations and government officials.

Janelle is an Ontario Provincial Police Certified Search Manager, a Train the Trainer who certifies search instructors across Ontario, an incident command system instructor and is chair of multiple committees at local, provincial and national levels. Janelle is committed to continuous learning and works consistently to improve skills in search and rescue, emergency management and leadership qualities.

Janelle is a 2023 recipient of the Public Safety Canada Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award. This prestigious recognition is presented in partnership between federal, provincial and territorial governments and recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in emergency management, acknowledged by the prime minister. She has also received a Priory Vote of Thanks issued by the Governor General of Canada and an Ontario Volunteer Service Award in recognition of her community involvement.  

Janelle refers to her teammates as her “second family,” united by a drive to help people and their loved ones during times of conflict and uncertainty. Her values of empathy, compassion and social responsibility have inspired countless individuals she has worked with.  

Janelle owns Paramount Health & Wellness, working as a Canadian certified pedorthist. She and her husband Brandon, who met at Western, have four teenaged children. Janelle is back at Western as a full-time student working towards a second degree in honours biology, with aspirations to enter the master of pathology assistant program. Through her work, school and volunteer endeavors, Janelle wholeheartedly demonstrates a commitment to helping teammates, board representatives, local community members and citizens across Canada.