Partners & Sponsors

About Us

Our newly formed group, Calgary Helps Chile, is a group of young Canadian/Chilean professionals that work in Corporate Calgary. We feel that it is our responsibility to raise awareness for this disaster.

Organizing Committee:

Carol Gonzalez (Donations & Event Coordinator)

Carolina was born in Calgary, Alberta, to Manuel and Oriela Gonzalez of Rancagua, Chile.  She had the incredible good fortune of being raised by a close knit family, and with community support from the Cooperativa, where she forged lasting friendships with various families in the Chilean Canadian community.

After attending the University of Calgary for her Bachelor of Arts degree, she decided to pursue a legal career and graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Calgary in 2006. Since that time, she was able to dedicate her time to assisting the Hispanic community through her work at Calgary Legal Guidance and the Calgary Immigrant Women's Association, providing free legal advice to those in need. She now proudly works with the Government of Alberta, as a Crown Prosecutor in the Domestic Violence Unit.

Carol can be reached at 403-826-9868

Mauricio "Chico" Uribe (Entertainment Coordinator)

Born Mauricio Uribe in Linares, Chile, "Chico" had to leave his home country with his parents because of their political involvements in Chile in the 1970s.

The Uribe family arrived in Calgary, Alberta, and then moved to a small town by the name of Vauxhall in southern Alberta. Chico then started school in Lethbridge, where he continued to cultivate lasting friendships in the Chilean community.

In the early 1980s, he began exploring the world and moved back to Chile for a time before putting down roots in Argentina, Vancouver, Calgary and finally Montreal. It was in Montreal where he attended college and discovered his passion for DJ'ing and the entertainment industry at the age of 16. Chico has proudly called Calgary his home since moving back in 1992, and continues DJ'ing, promoting events and managing SoHo Bar & Grill.

Mauricio can be reached at 403-968-7646

John Reyes (Media & Event Coordinator)

John was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. He is a first generation Canadian born to Chilean parents Myrta and Humberto Reyes. He has been married to Meghan for 3 years and has a lovely 19 month old baby boy Maddock.

He is active in the community with The Terry Fox Foundation every September for the "Annual Head Shave" to raise money for Cancer research. He also is actively involved with Men's soccer in Calgary and runs The Northern United Football Club.

As a member of the corporate community he runs his own wealth management business at ScotiaMcLeod with his business partner Russ Crittall; The Crittall/Reyes Wealth Management Group manages money for individuals personally and corporately.

John can be reached at 403-605-7718

Jennifer Knox (Silent Auction Coordinator)

Jennifer (Palacios) Knox was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. Her parents although both from Chile, met in Sarnia, Ontario.  Her mother, Yolanda Palacios, is from Rancagua and father, Sergio Palacios, is from Chillan. Her paternal grandparents, aunts and their families still reside in Chillan. Along with her husband of five years, Colin, they have maintained strong ties to the Chilean community in Calgary as well as to Chile by visiting as often as possible. 

Upon graduation from the University of Calgary, Jennifer began work as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator for an Oil & Gas services company, and then for the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival. Currently, Jennifer works as the Office Manager for XCEL Professional Services.

Jennifer can be reached at 403-807-3781

Media Support:

Sebastian A. Salazar

Sebastian was born in Santiago, Chile and moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1987. He studied at the Toronto Film School in Toronto, Ontario and completed a diploma in Digital Film and TV Production in 2002.

Sebastian's first student film short "Confessions of a Slurpee Junkie" won Best Digital Film at the Academy Film Festival in Toronto.

He currently lives in Calgary, where he continues to work in the local film and TV industry in production and directing.