Bak Emergency Management
Meet the Team
Sharon Bak
Owner, Primary Consultant
Sharon Bak, owner and primary consultant at Bak Emergency Management, was born and raised in Northwestern Ontario and currently resides in the City of Thunder Bay. She holds a diploma in Social Service Work from Confederation College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Lakehead University. She has worked and volunteered extensively in the social services field and supported many individuals on their paths to overcoming issues such as addiction, homelessness, abuse, and violence. Sharon is also a vocal advocate and trained peer supporter in the mental health field, with a focus on the unique needs of first responders and their families.
For nearly thirty years, Sharon has been an emergency responder, starting as a volunteer with the Pass Lake Volunteer Fire Protection Team & then moving on to the Canadian Red Cross, where she lead multiple large-scale emergency operations supporting thousands of evacuees over fifteen years. She spent seven years employed as a Field Officer for Emergency Management Ontario and provided operational support to multiple municipalities, unincorporated areas, and First Nations communities with various emergencies and evacuations. In addition, she supported their plans and programs on a daily basis through planning and facilitating training and exercises, and providing advice, assistance, and guidance to community emergency management coordinators, community control groups, community leadership, and internal and external system partners.
Sharon has been a recipient of multiple awards including the Order of the Red Cross Member, the Governor General's Sovereign's Medal, and a Champion of Mental Health as recognized by the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment. She is an experienced trainer in both emergency management courses and specific workshops she has developed, including a Mental Health Awareness Workshop for First Responders or Emergency Managers.
Her passion is to put people first in all aspects of emergency planning as well as focus on the needs of those left most vulnerable due to a disaster.​ Sharon's network of colleagues, both in emergency management and the social services fields, ensures that clients can have the subject matter expertise they require and she engages other partners and organizations in all the work she does. Not one to work in silos, Sharon believes in bringing the best people and supports on board to assist when and where it is needed!
Resilient HERoes: Women in Emergency Management (2025)
Click here to listen to Sharon's podcast interview Laura James!
Highlights
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Registered Social Service Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (Reg. # 116 466)
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​Trained in Critical Incident Stress Management from, and maintains current membership with, the International Critical Incident Stress Management Foundation
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Certificate of Psychological Health and Safety Professional through the Canadian Mental Health Association
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​Experienced trainer in multiple Emergency Management Ontario courses: EM 200, IMS 100, IMS 200, IMS 250​
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Nearly thirty years of practical, on the ground, operational experience in both small and large scale disasters
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President of Thunder Bay Family Network
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Vice President, Pass Lake Volunteer Fire Protection Team Incorporated
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​Trained and experienced peer supporter, with a focus on public safety personnel and their families
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Northwest Operations Manager (volunteer) with Boots on the Ground - Peer Support for First Responders
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Certification as a Community Resilience Model Teacher through the Trauma Resource Institute
Keri Stemkosi
Program Specialist - Clinical
Keri Stemkoski was born and currently resides in the City of Dryden, Ontario, where she enjoys the vast lakes and the beautiful outdoors. She graduated from St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario and is a Registered Social Services Worker. She has spent her career dedicated to crisis response, emergency preparedness, and supporting vulnerable populations.
Her professional path began as a Plant Protection Officer and Medical First Responder, where she gained foundational skills in safety, emergency response, and frontline decision-making. From there, she advanced into disaster management, coordinating large-scale emergency preparedness and community response efforts as a staff and volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross.
Building on this emergency management experience, Keri transitioned into law enforcement as a Special Constable, working directly with community members to ensure safety and support during times of crisis. She later expanded her focus into social work and health care, serving as a Crisis Counsellor in a hospital setting and as an Integrated Service Provider at a women’s shelter, offering trauma-informed care and advocacy for vulnerable individuals.
Alongside these roles, Keri dedicated over 15 years to teaching as an Advanced Medical and First Aid Instructor, training individuals and organizations across the district in lifesaving skills. She continues to share her expertise today as a certified Nonviolent Crisis Intervention instructor.
Currently, Keri works as a Patient Care Navigator within primary health care, supporting patients and families in accessing services, building resilience, and managing complex health and social needs. With specialized training in mental health evidence-based approaches and care navigation she brings a holistic, person-centered approach to every interaction.
Throughout her career, Keri has consistently demonstrated a commitment to building safer, stronger, and more resilient communities through leadership, education, and compassionate frontline service.
Sharon Luhtala
Program Specialist - Training
Sharon has resided in Thunder Bay for the last forty-four years and since 1999 has been an Instructor
Trainer in First Aid /CPR. She enjoys being in the outdoors with her family and her multiple pets.
Sharon travels extensively throughout Northwestern Ontario delivering high quality training to
communities and groups.
Sharon has twenty-five years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities and their
families for various community organizations. Her kind and caring nature has enabled her to
support a variety of families, enriching the lives of their loved ones. She is currently employed with Thunder Bay Family Network as their Family Engagement Facilitator.
She has over ten years of emergency social services experience responding to evacuations of First Nation communities as well as local and regional emergencies. Sharon has operated as a Canadian Red Cross Liaison for several Municipal Emergency Operations Control Groups and participated in local capacity building initiatives and preparednesness planning. In addition, she has served on various working groups and committees, including cross-border emergency planning, vulnerable sector planning, and committees related to both public and private industry support for response.
Sharon strongly believes in promoting safety and well-being for all individuals and ensuring they can utilize what they learn in their daily lives. As a result of her ability to adapt her approach for various groups she is much sought after Instructor Trainer in her field.
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Sharon's passion for supporting those most vulnerable in our communities, both during emergencies and in daily living, makes her uniquily positioned to assist clients with all manner of training, planning, and program development in the emergency management field.
