Brian G. Bachand
Founder, evolution evolution
Brian G. Bachand is Founder and CEO of Evolution Evolution in Toronto. As a highly respected member of the advancement and philanthropic communities in both Canada and the United States, Brian has an unparalleled knowledge of the people and organizations who are at the intersection of private sector investment, academic research, and public policy globally.
Brian received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Steubenville, and his Master of Divinity from Saint John’s in Boston; he received the John King Mussio Award for alumni in leadership. Brian is active in the Toronto community, currently serving as Board Chair for ACCES Employment, assisting job seekers of diverse backgrounds.
Rose Feerick
Co-Director, Wisdom & Money
Rose Feerick grew up in a family that emphasized kindness, ethics, integrity and generosity. As a young adult, she decided to live simply and work with women who were homeless. About the same time, she received the unexpected gift of a financial portfolio. The paradox of that moment awakened questions related to wealth, spiritual wisdom and social justice. Rose has been offering retreats related to money and Christian spirituality since 2003. She has a BA from Georgetown University and an MDiv from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. She lives in Santa Cruz, California and is delighted to be the mother of two young adult sons who share her love of music, nature and conversation about stuff that matters.
Mark Petersen
Founder, Stronger Philanthropy
Mark Petersen is the founder and CEO of Stronger Philanthropy, a firm founded in 2016 to provide philanthropic management services for Canadian foundations and major donors to facilitate strategic and visionary generosity. He has a BA (History) from University of Waterloo, an MDiv from Tyndale Seminary in Toronto, and a DLd from George Fox University in Portland OR where he focused research on navigating succession within family philanthropy. Mark is the author of “Love Giving Well: The Pilgrimage of Philanthropy” (2017)
Wendy
VanderWal Martin
Director of Development, HNS
Wendy VanderWal Martin joined the HNS team in May 2023. She was introduced to Henri Nouwen as a teenager and counts him as one of her primary spiritual guides. From 2002 – 2021, Wendy served as Executive Director of Generous Space Ministries. Wendy lives in the liminal space at the intersection of a mystical heart and visionary strategist and is passionate about cultivating spiritually vibrant communities. Wendy holds an M.Div. from Tyndale Seminary and D.Min. from Knox College, Toronto School of Theology.
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