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.
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 Westermann has been involved with SSC volunteering in the past with the SSC Annual Convention and in a consulting capacity regarding marketing. Sanna has a bachelors degree in commerce from MacEwan University and is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of Alberta. She brings years of marketing, communications, and new media experience to the board.
Standing CommitteeS of the Board
Larry Derkach, Chair
Dr. Margaret Clark
Dr. Frederick Tappenden
Jack Jervis, Chair
Dr. Frederick Tappenden
Sanna Westermann