Board of Governors
Board meeting materials and other documents can be accessed at the SSC Board Portal.
Nancy Chegus (she/her)
Nancy has a master's degree in Theological Studies from St. Stephen's College, and an Education degree from the University of Alberta. She is a Designated Lay Minister, educator and published songwriter for the United Church of Canada. She has worked as a music teacher and choir director, and has served in congregational ministry in the areas of faith formation, music, congregational care and worship. Currently, Nancy continues to write music and liturgy relevant to our everyday experiences.
Dr. Margaret Clark (she/her)
Margaret B. Clark, D.Min, has been an Instructor in Practical Theology at St. Stephen's College for many years and is currently assisting with the Spiritual and Theological Reflection in Professional Practice: An Introduction course. She is a CASC/ACSS certified Spiritual Care Practitioner and former Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Supervisor-Educator. Margaret studied Theology at both Newman Theological College (M.Div. eq.) and St. Stephen's College (D.Min) in Edmonton, and trained in spiritual direction by completing a Masters in Christian Spirituality at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Margaret enjoys opportunities to serve others through teaching, mentoring, spiritual care, and spiritual direction.
Larry Derkach (he/him/his)
Board Chair
Larry is a life-long Edmontonian whose career has focused on not-for-profit leadership and social justice advocacy. He completed a BSc at the U of A while working with inner city children and families at Bissell Centre, and remained at that agency for 25 years in various roles, culminating as the Executive Director. While in a similar role for 17 years at Jewish Family Services (the first non-Jewish Executive Director of such an agency in Canada), he earned a Licenced Lay Worship Leader Certificate at St. Stephen's, and is a frequent guest preacher in the Edmonton area. His volunteer work has extended into many areas related to social justice. Now retired from "Executive Directoring" he is a consultant in the not-for-profit sector on matters of board governance, policy and strategic planning, and he serves on a variety of not-for-profit boards. He also loves to cycle in the river valley, and sing, presently with a community choir called Vocal Alchemy.
Dr. Leslie Gardner
After graduating from York University, Toronto, with a PhD in Research Psychology, Leslie worked as a professional program evaluator in Ontario children's mental health organizations until moving to Alberta. She became a founding member and executive member of the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Evaluation Society (1984-1991). As an active member of the St. Stephen's College community since the 1990s, Leslie has served as associate faculty on the Doctor of Ministry Program Committee; Chair of Senate; and as a member of the Board. She teaches introduction to inquiry, program evaluation and qualitative research methods at St. Stephen's, and enjoys mentoring, working and learning with doctoral and master's thesis students, reflecting a variety of qualitative methods, including arts-based and Indigenous research approaches. After many years in Edmonton, Leslie moved to Lethbridge in 2012 and maintains an evaluation practice there. Her Lethbridge volunteer activities include being a Board member for both Ecumenical Campus Ministry, which sponsors a part-time chaplain at the University of Lethbridge, and for Lethbridge Family Services. Leslie loves sailing her classic little wooden sailboat, which she keeps in a marina near Sidney, BC on Vancouver Island.
Jack Jervis (he/him/his)
Chair of Personnel Committee
Jack is recently retired from the Government of Alberta after 40 years working in Human Resources specifically focusing on Employee Relations. He is on the Board of St. Paul's United Church and has had previous connections with St. Stephen's College. He is married to Lori and has two grown daughters and one wonderful granddaughter.
Winston Pei (he/him/they/them)
Winston Pei brings to the St. Stephen's College Board 25 years of experience in corporate communications and community-building. Having earned a BA and an MA in English from the University of Alberta, he has built a career that has thus far ventured into communications, graphic design, publishing, post-secondary advancement, change management, software implementation, user training, technology consulting, arts management, and coffee. He currently serves as Digital Content Strategist for the University of Alberta Faculty of Engineering, President of the Kokopelli Choir Association, and proud dad to three young adult humans.
Michael Phair
Chancellor
Michael has served as a strong advocate for social-justice issues, education, championed efforts to reduce homelessness, promoting affordable housing, and advocacy for the advancement of 2SLGBTQ+ rights in Edmonton and beyond. In 1992, Michael joined Edmonton’s city council and became Alberta’s first openly gay elected official. He went on to found HIV Edmonton (then known as the AIDS Society of Edmonton) and has served as a board member with Edmonton Homeward Trust, the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, the Edmonton Pride Society, and the North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society. Mr. Phair is an adjunct professor with the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS) in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta and was recently awarded honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta.
Dr. Frederick Tappenden (he/him/his)
Principal and Dean
Frederick S. Tappenden is Principal and Dean, and Professor of Theology, at St. Stephen's College. His scholarly work focuses on issues of embodiment, cognition, social memory, and metaphor in religion, with a particular emphasis on ancient Christianity and ancient Judaism. Dr. Tappenden has published and taught widely in the fields of Biblical and Religious Studies. His 2016 book, Resurrection in Paul: Cognition, Metaphor, and Transformation (SBL Press), was awarded a 2017 Lautenschläger Award from the University of Heidelberg. Prior to coming to St. Stephen's he was a Faculty Lecturer at McGill University. He has also taught and/or researched at the University of British Columbia, The King's University, and Concordia University of Edmonton.
Sanna Westermann
Sanna has a master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Alberta, and a Commerce degree (Bcom) majoring in Marketing from MacEwan University. She has volunteered at St. Stephen's College Galas since she was 16 and has always kept St. Stephen's College in her mind as she developed her career. She has worked in marketing, communications, sales, and fundraising with many non-profit and for-profit organizations. She has worked in health and mental health for over 6 years. She founded the digital marketing and business consulting agency called Active Reach Consulting. From SEO to social media, she is an expert in navigating the digital landscape. Sanna loves connecting with changemakers and fellow enthusiasts!
Faculty Representatives
|
Sheryl Johnson |
Marie Muggeridge |
Lorraine Smith-MacDonald |
Staff Representatives
 |
Tammy Chizen Kelly Parson |
Standing Committees of the Board
Larry Derkach, Chair
Dr. Margaret Clark
Dr. Frederick Tappenden
Jack Jervis, Chair
Dr. Frederick Tappenden
Sanna Westermann