Our Team
Aaron Rogers
Chief Operations Officer
Aaron was born in Pune, India and grew up in Kuwait in the Arabian Gulf. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Pune with a major in Accounting & Auditing. His professional career began in 1987 in the machine tool industry, in Pune, with the set up and management of a private limited company. He worked at Otis Elevator Company, Kuwait, a subsidiary of United Technologies, from 1989 to 1998. In 1998, he left a successful career with Otis Elevator Company and moved to Canada with his wife Madhvi, in faith, trusting that this was God’s plan for their lives.
He worked in the finance office at CCCC’s Head Office from January 1999 to June 2000. From there he went on to manage the Creative Communications department of CCCC until July 2001. Aaron has been involved with GAiN since July 2001. At GAiN, Aaron has led and implemented disaster response and relief projects around the world. Aaron is passionate about doing whatever it takes to get the job done. This has been important in his career as he has fit into a variety of different roles over the years. Aaron is excited about touching people through acts of compassion & seeing their lives transformed through the love of Christ.
Jennifer (Mullan) Thornton
Director of Marketing & Communications
After completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree (Marketing Major), Jennifer spent the last 15+ years in a variety of marketing and communication roles in Alberta, British Columbia, Ireland, Thailand and other areas. Whether it was working with a media campaign, starting a communications department or even focusing on the marketing aspect of certain city strategies, Jennifer was continually drawn to the compassionate activity in each project. Today, Jennifer is using her passion for humanitarian work as well as her skills to help GAiN practically meet the needs of individuals and communities around the world.
Tim Lee
Innovation & Strategic Partnership Director
Tim graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Food Science and Technology. Prior to joining GAiN, Tim worked in both non-profit and for-profit organizations that allowed him to have an extensive international working experience by traveling to various countries in Asia and Africa. He is passionate to see life change happening around him and is very excited use his skills to help bring tangible change in people’s lives around the world.
Eric Rose
Mission Integration Director
Eric has served primarily with the university division of Power to Change since 1985. He is passionate about making disciples who make disciples of Jesus. Originally from Northern BC, Eric has studied Economics, Business, French and Theology at the University of Victoria, Western University, Laval University and McGill University and has worked with Power to Change in Ottawa, Kingston, Quebec City and Montreal. He currently lives in Montreal with Julia and their four children. Eric took on the role of director of JFCPS in 2018.
Dennis Fierbach
Global Mentor with GAiN Worldwide
For over 30 years now, Dennis has been involved in planning and implementing projects of faith around the world which communicate Christ’s love and change lives. His career began after he graduated with a degree from the University of Alberta in Electrical Engineering. He maintains his active status in the British Columbia Association of Professional Engineers. His work has exposed him to the varying needs in cultures of different countries, including Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Jordon and Tanzania. Dennis’ assignments have included founding an ESL school in the Dominican Republic, Director of Information Technology, VP of Operations, and managing many international projects. Joining GAiN in 2008 was the fulfillment of a personal dream – to work in the humanitarian aid sector and implement projects which demonstrate Christ’s love in practical ways to needy people, underscoring the message of God’s love.
Janet Fierbach
Global Mentor with GAiN Worldwide
What drives Janet is a desire to come alongside people to help them become the best they can be in their God-given areas of strength. After graduating with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta, she used the platform of teaching to come alongside, first, children in Canada, and later, adults in an ESL school in the Dominican Republic. Over the last 3 decades, she has served in various leadership capacities to create opportunities for women from many cultures to share and explore experiences about the grace of God. Janet joined GAiN in 2018 to serve alongside her husband Dennis as a mentor to leaders in the nine GAiN Resource Offices around the world. Her passion is to understand the vision that each of the leaders has and help them grow in their capacity to pursue it.
Lindsey Schacter
Chief of Staff
Lindsey graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Science. After graduation, Lindsey served internationally for two years in Panama City, working with university students and various mission teams. Throughout living in Panama and travels throughout Central America, Lindsey saw the need to minister to those in material need through both practical action and support, but more importantly through sharing the love of Christ. Lindsey joined GAiN in 2009 and is passionate about seeing people engage and grow in making a difference in the lives of others.
Steve J. Thompson
Director - Water for Life Initiative
Prior to joining GAiN, Steve held various operations leadership roles during his 25-year career in the private sector. After a short-term missions trip to Mexico in 2015, he gained a passion for helping to meet the physical needs of women, children and families across the world. Over the next two years, he had the opportunity to use his background in operations and logistics on two relief and development projects. These experiences, plus his desire to work in the field of humanitarian aid for a values-focused organization, prompted him to join the GAiN team in 2018. Steve has been a member of the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation (CITT) since 2004.
Samuel Bechard
Project Associate
Samuel joined GAiN in 2012 after a growing passion for the poor. After graduating in 2005 as an automated manufacturing engineer, Samuel worked for a few years in aerospace industries. His passion for the people and for helping them to discover God's love, pushed him to quit is job and get involved with students. During this period, he traveled to Haiti on a LIFE Team and discovered how he can use his engineering and social skill to make a difference in this world. His compassion for the poorest people pushed him to join GAiN and to help bring water where water is a question of life or death.
Darren Child
Coordinator for Church Plant Leadership Development
Darren was born in Victoria B.C. and lived in Fairbanks Alaska for several years. After five years as a tradesman a (Millwright/Machinist), he felt a strong calling into vocational ministry. While attending Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, he received a B.Sc. Degree in pastoral ministries. It was at Liberty that he realized the tremendous need for solid, conservative, expository teaching of Gods word in Churches. He sensed God's direction to attend Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Tx. It was there that he received a Masters Degree in Theology (Th.M) with an emphasis on New Testament Greek exposition. In November of 2010, he became a ministry associate involved with planting a Church in Pitt Meadows, B.C. He also worked with Workplace Chaplains USA in developing a chaplaincy program for workers in the oil fields of Northern Alberta. His ministry focus has now been re-directed to work with the JESUS Film Church Planting Strategy (JFCPS). His role will involve training nationals and spiritual leaders in several countries around the world. This training will be part of the Theological Education by Extension or (T.E.E.) program offered through JFCPS. Currently, he is raising his financial support that will enable him to fulfill his role.
Peter Koteles
Mission Integration/Field Ops. Manager: Sierra Leone & Liberia
From a 9-year background of initiating, directing and implementing national education projects in Ukraine, Peter joined GAiN Canada in 2005, out of a desire to reflect Christ’s love as he networks with people to practically equip the needy to live better lives. He coordinated the acquisition, logistics, and shipping of GIK (Gifts In Kind) such as non-perishable food, clothing, medical equipment, etc., from generous partnering donors to various GAiN projects worldwide. Today, he is now working as a Church Plant Coordinator for the JESUS Film Church Planting Strategy.
Brad Thompson
Manager of Discipleship and Leadership Training
Brad, upon graduation from the University of Waterloo in 1980, has served in various divisions of Power to Change. In that time he has been involved in Campus ministry across Canada discipling and mentoring students and staff; earned his Masters of Divinity; taught at and directed the Ukraine Bible Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine; and has been a marriage and family educator with FamilyLife. He is passionate about strengthening believers in the Lord, in the Word, and in their understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit so that they may follow Christ and make disciples of all peoples.
Lerie Canlas
Ministry Administrator
Lerie became a born-again Christian in high school through the ministry of Philippine Campus Crusade for Christ. She was actively involved in campus ministries at the University of the Philippines while earning a degree in Broadcast Communication. After graduation, she worked for the University’s Institute for Small-Scale Industries spending the next 10 years in small business and rural enterprise development research and training. In 1991, she left the university to concentrate on raising a family and later also she helped with her husband’s growing graphic design business.Lerie, together with her husband and four sons, migrated to Canada in March 1998. She joined Campus Crusade for Christ Canada the following year as Communications Assistant for The JESUS Film Project, a position she kept for 9 years until she transitioned to Distribution Coordinator to provide administrative assistance to JESUS film teams in several countries.
Charmaine Bond
Water for Life Initiative Administrator (On Mat Leave)
Charmaine joined GAiN in July 2014 after spending a year in Kenya working with International Justice Mission. She is a graduate from Trinity Western University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a concentration in Human Services. Originally from Singapore, Charmaine spent most of her childhood years in Israel before moving to British Columbia in 2004. Her diverse cultural background and volunteer experiences have fuelled her passion for doing work in developing nations. Charmaine has a heart for justice and is excited to be working with the Water for Life Initiative in helping to provide clean water for villages around the world.
Stephanie McDonald
Project Manager Drilling Specialist - Water for Life Initiative
Stephanie graduated from the University of Calgary, Schulich School of Engineering with a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering and worked in the Oil & Gas industry as a project manager for several years. Her long-standing passion to bring clean water to those in need, combined with her educational background, opened the door for her to join GAiN in June 2015 and work alongside the drilling operations team. Travelling has always been a favourite hobby for her; to see and experience new cultures both for work, travel and short-term missions. Stephanie is excited to be working in what she calls her "dream job" combining many things she enjoys while providing sustainable clean drinking water to those in need.
Sarah Winters
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Sarah has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Before GAiN, she did some freelance work for websites, magazines, local newspapers, churches and small businesses. She feels at home at GAiN, where she can bring her experience in media, storytelling, content creation, and passion for sociology and social justice to the job. Telling stories of lives that have been changed keeps her inspired and motivated every day.
Tess Mawson
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager - Water for Life Initiative
Tess joined GAiN in 2015 after graduating from the University of British Columbia at the Okanagan campus with a degree in Civil Engineering. She had experienced different short-term mission projects in the past; one where the focus was on providing aid and another where the focus was on spiritual development. Both times she felt something was missing from her experience. Then she went on a LIFE team trip to Benin with GAiN where she was able to combine words and deeds by helping provide clean water to people and sharing the love of God with them at the same time. She wanted to use her heart for serving and skills in engineering to help people in need. Now she able to do that with GAiN by helping to develop the long-term sustainability of the Water for Life Initiative.
Bessie Lee
Operations Administrator
Bessie's first mission trip was in grade 9 and spent many consecutive summers going on trips since then. It was after her trip to North Korea in 2012 when she developed a heart to extend her hospitality to the unloved and vulnerable. With a degree in Bachelor of Arts, major in Mathematics, she struggled to identify a particular career path in which her educational background would align with her passions. Shortly after graduating, she joined GAiN in July 2015. Since then, she began to attain a broader perspective and deeper insight into global issues. Her role at GAiN allows her to use her practical skills to provide help to the hurting and needy people around the world, as well as being challenged to actively reach out in God's love to the people around her.
Monique Lieuwen
Project Manager - Relief and Development
Monique graduated from Dordt College with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. After graduating, she worked for the City of Abbotsford for six years, where she obtained her Professional Engineering License. Monique is very excited to use her engineering and project management skills to fulfill a lifelong dream of working in international relief and development. She is passionate about making a difference in people's lives around the world.
Esther Chan
Project Manager Drilling Specialist - Water for Life Initiative
Esther has a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Non-Profit Management through part-time studies. She joined GAiN in 2019 after working for seven years as an engineer in the Oil and Gas sector in Alberta. Esther believes God first planted a seed for missions in her heart at the age of 14, when she visited local missionaries in Eastern Europe. There, she witnessed deep poverty and an urgency to not only provide basic physical needs, but to also fill the ache for Jesus and His love. Since then, God has brought her to witness other needs and ministries in Asia, South America, and locally in Canada. Her role at GAiN is a combination of both her passion for missions and skill sets.
Lyndon Dojohn
Church Partnership Director
Lyndon was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, where he trained for pastoral ministry. From there, he went on to be the lead pastor at Lakeview Heights Baptist Church in West Kelowna, BC for 23 years, helping them to see their role in making a local and global difference. He has had the privilege of visiting churches around the world that desire to be one with churches in Canada, partnering in the Gospel together. Lyndon joins the GAiN team excited about global partnerships, with the goal of connecting churches with the mission and vision of GAiN. He resides in West Kelowna with his wife, Suzanne, and their family.
Lindsay Peters
Donor Fulfillment Administrator
Lindsay moved from Ontario to British Columbia in 2016 after experiencing the Pacific Northwest that spring. She spent four years in the Vancouver IT industry, and then joined GAiN in 2020 as a donor fulfillment coordinator after hearing about them through Power to Change. Lindsay loves seeing all that Jesus is doing through GAiN and hearing the awesome stories of redemption, hope, and praise.
SP Wong
Finance Administrator for WFLI
SP grew up in a small village in Malaysia, accustomed to a wood burning stove, kerosene lamp, candles, and shallow well water. He knew that God was calling him at a very young age. However, he did not know who this God was, nor what he was calling him for. His Christian journey began in a dormitory in university, where he decided to give his life to Jesus Christ.
SP treasured every moment of his 30 years in the workforce in various industry sectors. He honed his skills, primarily in financial controlling, planning and analysis, and change management. He firmly believes that God intentionally placed him at whichever organization he joined.
SP is excited to join the GAIN family as a Finance Administrator. He’s excited about the work the team does. He anchors himself on two life verses - John 21:15 and Matthew 6:33 - to spur himself on in everything that he does.
We as staff could not accomplish anything without the vast, hardworking network of unpaid partners that we have. They contribute their labour, influence, finances, and expertise in working together with us to demonstrate God’s love to hurting and needy people, and we are grateful for each one of them.
