Speakers
Prepare to be inspired, challenged, and transformed by a roster of speakers and panellists representing 11 parishes across the Archdiocese of Vancouver! Each brings their unique background, perspective and experience to help parishes enrich each other for mission.
Keynotes
Eric Chow currently serves as Director for Proclaim and Associate Director for Ministries and Outreach at the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
He has been in mission and leadership for almost 20 years. As a lay missionary involved in his local parish, school, and men’s ministry, Eric finds life in roles of leadership, strategy, and mentorship. He loves working through others, seeing them succeed, and mentoring/coaching people in their gifts and talents. Eric loves being a husband to Vanessa, and father to Eva, Isabel, Sophie, Samuel, and Francis. You can usually find Eric climbing a mountain, fishing, or roasting coffee.
Pete Burak is the Vice President of Renewal Ministries and the director of their young adult outreach called id. He is a 2010 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has a Master’s Degree in Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Pete is a frequent speaker on discipleship and evangelization, and he is the co-director of Pine Hills Boys Camp. He is a monthly columnist for Faith Magazine and the host of the Spirit-filled Leadership and The Hour podcasts. Pete and his wife Cait have five children.
Breakout Speakers
Clay Imoo is a speaker, YouTuber, writer, musician, and bowler. He is married to his lovely wife Gail and together they have three awesome children (Sean, Jacob, and Kayla). They live in Richmond and are parishioners of St. Paul Parish.
Clay has worked for the Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past 21 years, predominantly in youth and young adult ministry, and he currently serves as an Associate Director for the Ministries and Outreach Office. He has helped numerous ministries, parishes, and dioceses in the areas of recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers.
When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys playing music, sports, nap time, and making YouTube videos about his favourite hockey team. Find out more at clayimoo.com.
Theme: How To Strengthen Your Ministry Core Team
Sister John Mary Sullivan, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist, holds a Masters in Theological Studies from the John Paul II Institute at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She earned her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at Central Connecticut State University. Sister John Mary is currently working for the Archdiocese of Vancouver as an Associate Director in Ministries and Outreach and is the coordinator for Marriage and Family Ministries.
Theme: The Art of Listening in Evangelization
Barbara Dowding, Special Assistant to Archbishop Miller, is the chair of the Archdiocesan Synod Committee and was part of the Continental Writing Team for the 2024 Synod of Bishops.
A former Chancellor for the Archdiocese of Vancouver and Past National President of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada, Barbara has extensive experience working with leadership groups. She specializes in communications, dialogue, consensus building and the synodal spiritual conversations process.
Theme: Effective Ministry Decision-Making
Fr. Bryan Duggan was ordained to the priesthood in 2011 for the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He first served as assistant pastor at St. Mary’s in Chilliwack and later as Vocations Director.
He received his master’s in clinical psychology (M. Psy) in 2019 and his doctorate (Psy. D.) in 2021. He worked in outpatient settings with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, VA, and a group practice in Frederick, MD, which serves the seminarians of Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary. He completed his predoctoral internship at St. Raphael’s Counseling in Denver, CO.
Fr. Bryan is a registered psychologist in BC and currently serves as the Director of Psychological Services for Priests and Seminarians at the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Theme: Managing Conflicts in Ministry
Panel Leads
Kyle Neilson of Evangelium Consulting Group equips Catholic and non-profit groups with ways to develop cohesive leadership teams and healthy organizations, drawing from the wisdom of Patrick Lencioni, an American writer and speaker on business and leadership. Prior to consulting, Kyle worked in diocesan and parish ministries in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Theme: Effective Leadership Models for Parish Growth
Panel Members: Catherine Kreikenbeek-Lee, Fr. Justin Huang (St. Anthony of Padua, Vancouver); Christine Oberti, Winfred van der Sande (St. Anthony’s, West Vancouver)
Sharon Goh loves to cook, hike and connect with people of all ages and cultures. She worked with youth and taught PREP for many years and is now currently involved in marriage ministry, particularly the formation of couples preparing for marriage in the Church. Together with her husband Glen, she has served in Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends, and most recently, hosted The Alpha Marriage Course for the Archdiocese and for parishes. They have two sons and a daughter who got married to a neat guy last summer.
Theme: Revitalizing Parishes through Marriage & Family
Panel Members: Glen Goh (Christ the Redeemer); Pierre de Fleuriot, Carmen de Fleuriot (St. Nicholas)
Pete Burak is the Vice President of Renewal Ministries and the director of their young adult outreach called id. He is a 2010 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has a Master’s Degree in Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Pete is a frequent speaker on discipleship and evangelization, and he is the co-director of Pine Hills Boys Camp. He is a monthly columnist for Faith Magazine, the host of the Spirit-filled Leadership and The Hour podcasts. Pete and his wife Cait have five children.
Theme: How To Thrive as a Young Adult Leader in the Parish
Panel Members: Caroline Francis (Immaculate Conception, Delta); Krista Greig (Christ the Redeemer); Conrad Mina (Our Lady of the Assumption)
Brett Powell has been a leader in the new evangelization for the past 25 years. He has held various roles including parish youth minister, campus missionary and as an executive with Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) Canada. He is currently serving as the Archbishop’s Delegate for Ministries and Development in the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Royal Roads and has been a leadership coach/consultant in the Church and corporate world for several years. As a speaker, Brett has given presentations throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Africa. He has been a contributing writer for various publications, including The Word Among Us. His popular blog, Leadership Where It Matters Most, can be found at brettpowell.org. He also partners on a podcast for Catholic men, The Way of the Heart, at wayoftheheartpodcast.com. Brett and his wife Andrea are high school sweethearts; They’re proud parents of eight children, and grandparents to two.
Theme: How Parish Missions Activate Leaders
Panel Members: Fr. Mark McGuckin (St. Francis de Sales); Fr. Bruce-John Hamilton (Corpus Christi); Catherine Davidson (Christ the Redeemer)
Eric Chow currently serves as Director for Proclaim and Associate Director for Ministries and Outreach at the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
He has been in mission and leadership for almost 20 years. As a lay missionary involved in his local parish, school, and men’s ministry, Eric finds life in roles of leadership, strategy, and mentorship. He loves working through others, seeing them succeed, and mentoring/coaching people in their gifts and talents. Eric loves being a husband to Vanessa, and father to Eva, Isabel, Sophie, Samuel, and Francis. You can usually find Eric climbing a mountain, fishing, or roasting coffee.
Theme: Accompaniment for Profound Conversions
Panel Members: Shawna Zadeiks (Christ the Redeemer); Aiden Wickey (All Saints); Conchita Bambilla (St. Patrick’s, Vancouver)
Hannah Powell is an avid coffee drinker (stirred well, thank you) and a good thing too, because she works at Holy Grounds Coffeehouse in Maple Ridge! Hannah is the Discipleship Formation coordinator at St. Patrick’s Parish. She is also completing her Master’s studies to become a clinical counsellor. Hannah loves to go for runs and walks, and you can catch her thrifting often… probably wearing something bright pink!
Theme: Intentional Spaces for Parish Community
Panel Members: Fr. Matthew To (St. Patrick’s, Maple Ridge); Henrietta Lam (St. Anthony of Padua, Vancouver)
Emcees
Megan and Miguel Andres
A missionary family from Vancouver with a deep love for Jesus, Megan and Miguel Andres both work for Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO), a lay movement across Canada dedicated to the evangelization of young people, on university campuses in the Lower Mainland. They have been missionaries since 2018 and are parishioners at Holy Name of Jesus Parish.
Megan and Miguel got married in 2021 and have a one-year-old son whom they adore. They enjoy eating good food and hosting friends, but most of all, they love helping bring people back into a personal relationship with Jesus.
Music
A seasoned musician and worship leader, Jonathon Vogel has released over 40 uplifting and inspiring songs since 2015. He has also worked with the Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past couple of years, leading worship at various diocesan programs. Jonathon is the co-founder of Catholic Charismatic Worship (CCW), a cover band and movement in the West Coast with a focus on helping people encounter Jesus. His newest music album, What If There’s More?, is set to release this year.
Sacred Music Sundays exists to help draw people to Jesus Christ and to evangelize through the beauty of our Church’s timeless tradition of sacred music, namely, Gregorian chants, polyphony, and traditional hymnody. Directed by Anabella Nootebos and Daniel Ma, the young adult choir, formed in 2020, hopes for sacred music to inspire everyone to reverence and deeper intimacy with God.
Proclaim is an evangelization movement in the Archdiocese of Vancouver. The Archdiocese acknowledges that the land on which we gather and work is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.