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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • Commissions
    • Reconciliation Council
    • Leadership
  • Membership
    • Benefits & Categories
  • Education
    • Why CASC/ACSS?
    • Overview
    • Admissions and Fees
    • Internships or Placements
    • Residencies
    • Supervisory Education
    • Financial Assistance
    • FAQ Education
  • Certification
    • Overview & Requirements
    • FAQ Certification
  • Events and Resources
    • Competencies, Scope & Standards
    • Ethics
    • Conference
    • Events Calendar
    • Find a Therapist
    • Communities of Practice
  • FOUNDATION
    • Mission & Vision
    • Leadership
    • Programs

National leadership

National Leadership

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John Hayward
Executive Director
ExecutiveDirector@spiritualcare.ca​
About John
John Hayward brings a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for leadership and making a positive impact throughout Canada. With a background spanning 19 years in church leadership, in 2007, transitioned to the not-for-profit sector, dedicating his skills and knowledge to several prominent organizations.
His career journey led him through significant roles, most notably at the Canadian Cancer Society and the Alzheimer's Society of Canada, where he served in senior leadership roles. As ASC’s Chief Development Officer, John played a pivotal role in driving vital initiatives to support the community and the cause. His tenure at these institutions showcased his ability to lead with empathy and a deep understanding of the complex issues facing the sector.

John's commitment to philanthropic efforts didn't stop there. He brought his expertise to Engineers Without Borders, where he served as Director of Partnerships, forging connections and collaborations to advance their mission. Additionally, at the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, he served as Director of Development, contributing to the growth and success of the organization.
John's experience and dedication have brought him to CASC/ACSS in 2020 with the hope of being a leader who fosters collaboration, promotes positive change, and advocates for the profession of Spiritual Care across Canada.

Board Executive

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Lynn Granke
​President
President@spiritualcare.ca

About Lynn
Lynn served as the Manager of Spiritual Health Services at Victoria General Hospital, Winnipeg for 11 years retiring in June of 2017. She is a Certified Supervisor- Educator Emeritus and Specialist with the CASC/ACSS. Her professional work has included extensive experience with the aging both at Deer Lodge Centre and VGH, in the interim and long-term care context. Lynn’s work in the acute and critical care context at both her site and regionally developing family support programs and patient initiatives such as family presence during resuscitation. Lynn has engaged with many patients and their families on EOL conversations and initiated learning opportunities for staff.  Focusing on ensuring the dignity of patients, especially as EOL wishes are explored and implemented, is profoundly spiritual work for Lynn.
As an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Lynn worked on a team preparing the church’s statement on MAID in 2019.
Lynn has served CASC/ACSS as the RAC Manitoba region, Chair of ESC and Certification Chair. Her term as president is 2022-2024.
Lynn holds a Masters of Divinity from Waterloo Lutheran Seminary (WLU). Her first unit of CPE was taken while in seminary under the supervision of Craig Peters and Peter Van Katwyck.
Lynn is a mother of 3 and grandmother of 2 who loves reading Canadian Fiction whether Robert Munsch or Ann Marie MacDonald. Walking in the bush or paddling a canoe are places of sanctuary. ​

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Ajith Varghese
Vice Chair
ViceChair@spiritualcare.ca

About Ajith
​Ajith Varghese is the Manager of the Spiritual and Religious Care Department and Clinical Educator for professional Spiritual Care at the Scarborough Health Network.
He was granted his dual Specialist Certification in Pastoral Care and Pastoral Counselling with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) in 2010.  In 2012, he was certified as an Associate Supervisor in Clinical Pastoral Education by CASC. Ajith received his Full Teaching Supervisor Certification in 2014. He holds a Masters of Theology (Th.M.) in Pastoral Counselling from Regis College, Toronto School of Theology, The University of Toronto. 
Ajith also holds a Bachelor of Divinity, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, as well as post graduate diplomas in Counselling and Psychotherapy and Psychological Counselling.
He began his professional ministry as a Pastoral Counselor in a substance de-addiction clinical setting in 2001 and has worked as a pastoral counselor and a spiritual care provider in a variety of multifaith/ multicultural clinical settings.  Ajith advocates and promotes 'culturally sensitive spiritual care’ in the culturally diverse context of Scarborough, encouraging his students to join the diverse ministry team already present in the Spiritual and Religious Care department.  
Ajith enjoys cooking and photography.

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Rev. Dr. Florence A Juma
Secretary
Secretary@spiritualcare.ca

About Florence
The Rev. Dr. Florence A. Juma is a Certified Spiritual Care Practitioner and Supervisor Educator in Spiritual Care and Psychospiritual Therapy with CASC/ACSS.  Florence serves at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener as a spiritual care education lead.  She is a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario and ordained with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.  Her research interest includes the integration of spiritual disciplines in psychotherapy to foster emotional and mental wellness with individuals and families; the interplay of spirituality in the aging process and more recently, exploring experiential approaches in therapy to examine the similarities with the Oral Traditions of Afro-Indigenous response to emotional trauma. 
Florence embarked on the pastoral care path in her youth and have since served in various capacities within her faith tradition and beyond, in her home country of Kenya, in South Africa and currently in Canada.  Florence is an Associate Professional Faculty at Martin Luther University College in the department of spiritual care and psychotherapy. 

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Jeff Vidt
​Treasurer
Treasurer@spiritualcare.ca

About jeff
Jeff Vidt is a Certified Spiritual Care Specialist and Registered Psychotherapist, and has spent his entire professional career promoting and providing spiritual care.  He has worked in a diverse range of health care contexts, including the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, Unity Health Toronto, CHEO, and various hospices and long-term care centres.  He is passionately dedicated to education and helping others learn the ways spirituality impacts health, and has developed expertise in providing staff support in trauma.
He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two sons.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors are comprised of the Board Executive, the Reconciliation Council Co-chairs, the Education Standards Commission Chair, the National Ethics Commission Chair, the Professional Practice Commission Chair, the Presidents and the Reconciliation Council Co-Chairs.
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Education Standards Commission Chair
Alida van Dijk
Education@spiritualcare.ca

About Alida
Executive Director, Community Counselling Centre of London, Sept 2019 - present
Associate with Patricia Berendsen & Associates, The Trauma Healing Centre of London, Jan 2019 - present  
London Health Sciences Centre, Spiritual Care Practitioner, part time casual, Jan 2019 - present 
St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Staff Chaplain, part time casual, Dec 2018 - present
St. Joseph's Health Care London, Staff Chaplain, full time, Veterans Care Program at Parkwood Institute, 2016-2018.
I am a Certified Psycho-Spiritual Therapist (2014) and Certified Supervisor-Educator (2017) with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care. 
I have experienced that the best way to see the country is on a bicycle. I rode in a supported bicycle tour across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax during the Summer 2005 and from Seattle, WA to Jersey City, NY during the Summer 2008. Now, I enjoy drinking wine with good friends.

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National Ethics Commission Chair
Dr. Jeffrey Braff
Ethics@spiritualcare.ca

About Jeff
Dr. Jeffrey Braff is a Buddhist hospital chaplain at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. An ordained monk in the Vajrayana tradition, Jeff earned his Master’s Degree in Pastoral Studies from the University of Toronto, and is a DMin candidate at Regis College. He completed four units of CPE at the University of California Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, on the Pediatric Oncology Unit.
Jeff is a retired infectious disease epidemiologist who received his Doctorate from the University of California – Berkeley, with a postdoctoral fellowship at the School of Medicine at the University of California—San Francisco. He taught at the School of Public Health at the University of California – Berkeley.
In addition to his work as a chaplain at St. Mike’s, Jeff is the Chair of the CommonSpirit Health Institutional Review Board. CommonSpirit Health is the largest nonprofit health system in the United States. He also chairs the California Rural Indian Health Board IRB.
In a previous lifetime, Jeff was the Kaiser Permanente Federalwide Assurance Institutional Official for research ethics. He has served on the Board of Directors for San Francisco Food Bank, the AIDS Emergency Fund (where he was Board Chair for three years), and Lyon-Martin Women’s Health Services (a community-based organization committed to providing quality, compassionate, innovative primary care and behavioral health services to women, lesbians, and transgender people)

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Professional Practice Commission Chair
Greg Dunwoody
Practice@spiritualcare.ca

About Greg
​Greg is a Community Chaplain in the "We Are Neighbours—Community Chaplaincy." program in WInnipeg Manitoba. He provides spiritual care and support for individuals reintegrating into community and their families and support also for those experiencing first time arrest, incarceration or court.
Now retired, he was the staff chaplain for 19 years at Headingley Correctional Centre. (the largest provincial custody centre in Manitoba.)  Greg piloted the Empathy Project with a core group of men for ten weeks.  HCC was also a CPE site for nearly two decades.
Writings: Compassion and Forgiveness: Inheriting the Wisdom of Our Spiritual Traditions (2000), Editor.
Service: Justice & Corrections Committee of the Manitoba Multifaith Council (MMC); Church Council on Justice & Corrections; Representative of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops;  Restorative Justice in communities, faith communities, court and prison. 
​

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Presidents' Council Chair
​Michael Thibert
PresidentsCouncil@spiritualcare.ca

About Michael
​Member of CASC/acss since 2012 - Chair of CASC/ACSS Manitoba REGION 2020-21, Past Chair 2022 - member of Nimawin 2015 - 2023
Spiriutal Care Professional for Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2011 - 1017 - Deacon within Roman Catholic Church since 2013 - Elder within Indigenous Health - WRHA 2017 - Present
Michael seeks to blend Christianity with Traditional Land teachings and approaches to relationship with world.
Michael is married to a wonderful woman (Holly) since 1986, has 4 adult children and 4 biological grandchildren , 2 in law children, and 2 step grandchildren.
Michael is a quiet, reflective man who would rather listen to both the said and unsaid in a conversation to better understand the wisdom that is being shared as a way to know the path foward, backwards or perhaps the path to stay and learn to be. Michael recently accepted the role as chair of the President's Council to share gifts, presence and leadership in bringing our profession to the forefront of western world thinking when it comes better understanding the Human condition.

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Reconciliation Council
Paul Vanderham
Reconciliation@spiritualcare.ca​
About Paul
Paul was a member of ᓃᒫᐃᐧᐣ Nîmâwin since 2018 before becoming a co-chair of the Reconciliation Council.
Paul is descended from European settlers who came to Turtle Island from Holland, Ireland, and France. The first to arrive came from France as part of the “Great Recruitment,” which was organized by de Maisonneuve, the founder and governor of Montreal, as a means of strengthening the fledgling colony. He and his wife became farmers and raised six children before being killed by Iroquois warriors, who were fighting to stop colonial incursion into their traditional territory and trading routes. Paul’s Irish and Dutch ancestors came much later, with the Irish arriving in the early 19th century and the Dutch (Paul’s father) not setting foot on Canadian soil until just after WWWII.
Paul’s awareness that the success of the colonial project entailed grave injustice and suffering for the Indigenous peoples of Canada did not begin in earnest until he was in his late forties, when he established friendships with members of the Squamish First Nation who, like him, were members of a Roman Catholic parish in North Vancouver.
Thanks to these friends, Paul developed deep appreciation for Indigenous culture and community, appreciation that has grown over the years through his involvement in Edmonton’s Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, his study of the Cree language and culture, and his chaplaincy work alongside Indigenous Elders and oskâpêwis who offer their healing presence and wisdom in Edmonton’s hospitals and prisons.
Paul considers it one of the great blessings of his life that he, along with his wife Mary Anne, has able to participate in the historic work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, first by attending a regional gathering at maskwacis, then by witnessing a national event in Edmonton, and finally by celebrating the closing ceremonies in Ottawa. He recognizes the work of the TRC–made possible above all by the courage of residential school survivors–as both a shining example of restorative justice and a profound exercise in spiritual care.
Paul is grateful to the CASC/ACSS Board for the opportunity to serve as a member of Nîmâwin, a diverse community of Indigenous persons and (as Nîmâwin members like to say) sisters and brothers from the four directions who have come to share the land in these northern reaches of Turtle Island. In solidarity with them, Paul looks forward to the day when that sharing, as envisioned by the spirit and intent of the historic Treaties, will be characterized by respectful relationship, substantive equality, and mutual prosperity.
Paul is currently living in Edmonton, where he is serving as a relief chaplain for Covenant Health, working seasonally for a local farmer, and doing strategic planning work for the Alternatives to Violence Project. He and his wife Mary Anne have a blended family of nine adult children and four grandchildren.

Regions

CASC/ACSS has nine regions across the country, each with its own structure and leadership team.  Members benefit from a network and structure which supports localized nuances. Each Region elects a representative to each Commission.

  • Atlantic Region
  • Quebec Region
  • Ontario North East Region
  • Ontario Central & Northwest Region
  • Ontario Southwest Region
  • Manitoba Region
  • Saskatchewan Region
  • Alberta Region 
  • British Columbia Region
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National Office Staff

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John Hayward
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Executive Director
​ExecutiveDirector@spiritualcare.ca

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Rochelle Blackwood
​
Director of Development
Foundation Director

Development@spiritualcare.ca

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Heather Mallet
​Manager, Member Services & Administration
​Office@spiritualcare.ca

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Sarah Borrett
Manager of Communications

​Communications@spiritualcare.ca


Canadian Association for Spiritual Care / Association canadienne de soins spirituels.  All Rights Reserved.
12-16715 Yonge St, Suite 315, Newmarket, ON L3X 1X4
Within Canada: 289-837-2272 (289-837-CASC)
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