Ken Dardano, Executive Director
(519) 821-0571 X 23
ken’at’unitedwayguelph.com

 

Campaign

Grace Correia, Campaign Director
(519) 821-0571 X 33
grace’at’unitedwayguelph.com

Brenda Carson, Campaign Manager
(519) 821-0571 X 31
brenda’at’unitedwayguelph.com

 

Social Planning & Fund Allocation

Sarah Haanstra, Social Planning Director
(519) 821-0571 X 34
sarah'at'unitedwayguelph.com

Randalin Ellery, Social Planning Associate & Coordinator of the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination (currently on maternity leave)

Natalie Johnston, Senior Social Planner (currently on maternity leave)

Michelle Martin, Acting Social Planning Associate
(519)821-0571 X 27
michelle'at'unitedwayguelph.com

Bethany Wagler-Mantle, Acting Social Planning Associate & Coordinator of the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination
(519) 821-0571 X 29
bethany’at’unitedwayguelph.com

 

Organizational Support

Judy Curtis, Accounting
(519) 821-0571 X 28
judy’at’unitedwayguelph.com

Heather Kepran, Manager of Communications
(519) 821-0571 X 22
heatherk’at’unitedwayguelph.com

Jillian Tausky, Systems and Database Manager (Currently on maternity leave)

Jean Thompson, Administrative Assistant
(519) 821-0571
jean’at’unitedwayguelph.com

Mark Town, Acting Systems and Database Manager
(519) 821-0571 X 25
mark’at’unitedwayguelph.com

 

Staff Bios

 

Ken Dardano, Executive Director

Ken has a long and successful history working in the social service sector. Trained as a social worker, Ken spent four years in Montreal supporting youth and adults in need. During this time, Ken was involved in building partnerships with other social service providers. A passion for all things Scouting turned into work when Ken took on his first executive director role, and was able to use his leadership skills for relationship building. Ken was instrumental in helping Scouts Canada grow its volunteer admission and recognition programs. Before joining United Way in 2007, Ken also served as executive director for East Wellington Advisory Group in Erin.

 A Queen Jubilee Medal award winner in 2003, Ken was extremely proud to be a member of the Leadership Management Programme at McGill University sponsored by the McConnell Foundation. As one of 40 non-profit leaders from across the country, Ken was able to learn from some of the brightest minds in the sector.

 As executive director, Ken is looking to build collaborative relationships with other community leaders.

 

Campaign

Grace Correia, Campaign Director

Grace joined the United Way in July 2009. As Campaign Director, she is responsible for the strategic direction of the overall annual fundraising campaign. In addition, she provides support for the University of Guelph workplace campaign and leadership giving, as well as overseeing the Loaned Rep program.

Grace has nearly 20 years of fundraising, volunteer management and public relations experience in a variety of sectors, including post-secondary education, the arts and health organizations.

 

Brenda Carson, Campaign Manager 

Brenda joined the United Way in May 2009 as a Campaign Manager and is responsible for conducting workplace campaigns in some the area’s largest companies within the manufacturing and business sectors. She is also responsible for certain special events, such as the All Night Film Fest.

Brenda’s diverse background includes fundraising and communications at the local, regional and national levels for a variety of non-profit social services and health organizations.  Her proudest achievements have been the creation of a national medical research program as well as an award-winning program to prevent noise induced hearing loss in children now being presented in schools in four provinces.

 

Social Planning & Fund Allocation

Sarah Haanstra, Social Planning Director

Coming soon...

 

Randalin Ellery, Social Planning Associate

A Social Planning Associate since February 2009, Randalin conducts primary and secondary research to support the United Way and community initiatives. Randalin specializes in qualitative and participatory research and has extensive experience working with volunteers, developing projects and writing reports.

Randalin provides support and input to a variety of planning initiatives, including the Guelph Inclusiveness Alliance, Wellington & Guelph Housing Committee, Guelph & Wellington Food Round Table, and the United Way Social Planning Committee. In addition, Randalin provides staff support to the Guelph & Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination and is a member of the Research, Learning & Evaluation sub-committee.

Randalin has a BA in Sociology and a MA in Sociology and International Development from the University of Guelph. In 2009 she was recognized by the Ontario Council for International Cooperation as a Leader in Development. Her research interests include fair trade coffee, gender empowerment, local economic development, alternative food geographies and poverty reduction.

Natalie Johnston, Senior Social Planner

Natalie is also responsible for analyzing results gathered through primary research methods (for example surveys and community consultations) and reporting findings through the online newsletter.

Natalie serves as the staff support person for the Fund Distribution Committee.  In this capacity, she has revitalized the Fund Allocations Application and Manual, making applying for funds a more user-friendly process for agencies. For the Social Planning Committee, Natalie assists in the maintenance of the Social Planning Framework, which helps keep the group up to date with programs and initiatives happening locally.

Natalie, who holds a BaH in Psychology and a certificate in Community Based Research from the Wellesley Institute, also supports the Homelessness Partnership Strategy, and the Growing Great Kids Network by assisting with planning, organization and administrative tasks as needed.

 

Organizational Support

Judy Curtis, Accounting

Judy handles telephone donations, inquiries about receipts, and inquiries about pledge payments from bank accounts or charge cards. She also takes care of the change of address and change of banking information requests from our donors.

In addition, she handles all internal bookkeeping functions.

 

Heather Kepran, Manager of Communications

As manager of communications, Heather Kepran is responsible for the face the United Way puts out to the world. 

Heather crafts the messages that compellingly communicate our vital work. She helps arrange opportunities throughout the year to spread the word, everything from bus tours of agencies we support to events for our donors.

She oversees the production of all print materials, signage and advertisements, as well as handling media outreach and information needs related to the annual fundraising campaign.  She also supports the communications work of the United Way's social planning department, including the Poverty Elimination Task Force.

 

Jillian Tausky, Systems and Database Manager (Currently on maternity leave)

 

Jean Thompson, Administrative Assistant

A part-time Administrative Assistant from September 2009, Jean’s role is to support the executive director and his team in their daily operational and administrative functions.  Her duties include transcribing and distributing minutes at internal and external United Way meetings, updating the executive director’s calendar, coordinating meetings, setting up filing systems and responding to front-line inquiries.

She brings with her to this role over 15 years experience in office support positions, much of that in an executive assistant capacity.

 

Mark Town, Acting Systems and Database Manager

Coming soon...