Sanctuary Board
Garrett Thiessen, Chair
Garrett Thiessen is a Certified Financial Planner who owns a financial planning boutique firm in Vancouver, Granville West Group. Garrett's knowledge of the financial industry has provided him with the opportunity to partner closely with financial advisors and specialists in the past, which has increased his depth of experience in all aspects of financial and estate planning. Garrett's holistic approach to financial planning helps to create clarity beyond simple wealth management.
Garrett says:
Mental health does not discriminate as it can and does affect us all. I began work with Sanctuary to help provide a voice to those who too often are not heard. The team at Sanctuary provides a resource that I felt was missing within our communities. Whether community is defined as your local neighborhood, a place of worship, or any place where you wish to feel at "home," Sanctuary seeks to be there to provide tools and resources to help those in need. Every one of us deserve to feel that sense of relationship and belonging, regardless of background, faith or beliefs. I am proud to work alongside Sanctuary with this goal in mind.
Ceri Rees, Vice Chair
Ceri Rees is a communications professional with more than fifteen years experience in strategic leadership roles. Ceri has held roles in both education and business spheres, fulfilling curriculum design, teaching, business development, client management, brand, and communication roles. Ceri is deeply curious about what it means to be human, and has explored this question from a range of angles, including a degree in Biochemistry from Oxford University, and more latterly a graduate degree in theology.
Ceri says:
Sanctuary's focus on the integration of mental health and faith communities is absolutely critical. Over the last few years, I've walked with a number of friends and family members as they've wrestled through their own mental health challenges. I frequently found myself grasping for what to do or say, and realized I was ill-equipped to think well about their experience, or know how best to support them practically. During this season, I came across some of Sanctuary's resources, and was deeply grateful for a robust intellectual framework, together with practical tools to help.
John Diack, Secretary
John Diack is a former tech CEO who now provides mentoring to tech and for-purpose based founders all over the planet. BCIT (telecom engineering), SFU (executive management), and UBC Sauder (finance and strategic management) were the education sources along the way. Career roles ranged from engineer to CEO in companies ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies (in Canada, the US, and Israel). The most impactful events in John’s life read this way: meeting Jesus at forty-two years old, marrying Maureen, celebrating the birth of three children, and finding two mentors. He has been blessed to support amazing organizations such as A Rocha Canada, Poco Foundation, ACETECH (tech CEO association), and now Sanctuary.
John says:
I became deeply aware of the building mental health crisis about seven years ago when I began mentoring a mental health tech company focused on education, police, military, and corporate environments. In parallel, first-hand experiences in life and in our church revealed that none of us were equipped to support those dealing with any level of mental health challenge. Around the same time, I was introduced to Sharon Smith, one of the founders of Sanctuary. Her vision for a church community well prepared to support the mental health and wellbeing of congregation members, their families, and communities made so much sense. Since that time, Sanctuary has grown and matured so significantly. It is an honor to support the team.
Jean-Paul Beran
Jean-Paul was born and raised in Vancouver and still resides in the city. He spent over twenty years in the financial world before selling his practice in 2016. Since that time, Jean-Paul has played key roles consulting with non-profits in the lower mainland. He and his wife have been married since 1996 and have two daughters.
Jean-Paul says:
Mental health is something that affects each of us. Too often people tend to have a fear of talking and sharing about the struggles that they face. Sanctuary has provided a safe place for people to share openly. As a father of teenage daughters, I am grateful that Sanctuary has created a place that connects individuals to well-equipped people to help those with their journey.
Rod Bergen
Rod Bergen obtained a BCom from UBC in 1977 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1979, winning the gold medal for BC. He was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC in 2008. Rod spent seventeen years in the tax practice of a global accounting firm, providing advice to some of BC’s largest corporations, ultimately leading the firm’s BC tax practice and national real estate tax practice. From 1998-2012, he worked at The Jim Pattison Group as Managing Director, Tax and Financial Analysis. In 2013, Rod joined Power to Change Ministries and served as president from 2015-2021. Rod has been married to Cindy for forty-eight years and together they have five children and eight grandchildren.
Rod says:
One of my favourite Bible passages is Galatians 5:6 where saint Paul tells us that the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Jesus said that his followers would be known by the love they have for one another. The broader Church, in its many flavours, should be a sanctuary, a safe place for everyone, including those experiencing mental health challenges. Someone once said that the Church is not a museum for the display of perfect people, but rather a hospital where the wounded, broken, hurt and injured find healing. By striving to engage the Church at the intersection of faith and mental health, Sanctuary is an instrument of love—helping the Church be a safe place where stigma is reduced and love is expressed to those who are living with mental health issues.
Bing Ho
Bing Ho earned his LLB from the University of Toronto and then studied law in Peking University from 1980-82. Born in Edmonton, Bing also lived, studied, and worked in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chicago. He primarily acted for multinational corporations investing in China, became a partner of a major international law firm in 2000, and returned to Vancouver after retiring in 2015.
Bing says:
Too many family members and friends have struggled with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other mental health challenges, and their difficulties have been exacerbated by stigma, discrimination, shame, lack of helpful information, and uni-dimensional approaches to healing. Sanctuary develops and shares resources and stories about lived experiences that compassionately and holistically illuminate these issues from psychological (science), theological (faith), and social (community) perspectives. Sanctuary’s work, dedicated to the awareness and promotion of mental health and wellbeing—in and through the Church from all of these perspectives—is critically important in a world where mental health issues are sharply rising. It is a blessing and privilege to be a part of their mission.
Patty Neilson
Patty Neilson is a native of Vancouver, married for fifty-one years, mother of three and grandmother to fourteen. For the past five years, she has served as President of the Vancouver Chapter of Legatus International. She is an interior designer with a love of textiles, grandkids, and creatively providing safe spaces where people can thrive.
Patty says:
The timing was right for me to join the Sanctuary board. As I considered it, I realized that I personally have been negatively impacted during my life in the Church with the lack of empathy and understanding around mental illness. I believe the time is now for Sanctuary. It is the ideal vehicle for God to infuse compassion, love, and healing into the communities of his people. I am excited to be part of such a dynamic, passionate group who are committed to strategically transforming our world.
Sanctuary UK Trustees
David Genn, Chair
David Genn is CEO at Goji, a fintech startup based in London. A software developer by background, David is passionate about building teams and organisations that make a difference.
David says:
I am excited to be part of the Sanctuary UK team's mission to equip the church to support mental health and wellbeing. This is such a critical issue for society at the moment and having a Church that knows how to bring good news to people in this sphere of their lives is essential.
David (DC) Logan
David Logan is a director of services for vulnerable people with sixteen years of leadership experience across London. He has designed, implemented, and managed new supportive communities for people journeying through various stages of social, material, and mental health challenges. David is also a songwriter, forming and leading indie soundscape collectives and music collaborations with those experiencing homelessness, amongst other projects. Together with his wife, Jen, he founded Fer, which produces theologically-informed artworks in a variety of forms responding to social issues. The severe learning and physical disabilities of his youngest child also continues to inform and inspire much of his work.
David says:
I have lived and worked closely with people with mental health challenges throughout my life. I’m convinced of the urgent, increasing need for compassionate and informed mental health care and of the intersectional benefit this makes to the flourishing of societies. I am equally convinced of, and excited by, the distinct place for the Church in this. With my work in mental health services, I believe we are asked by Jesus and resourced by the Spirit to be much more than another drop in, drop out service. We’ve been uniquely gifted with a deep wealth of spiritual treasures for good holistic mental health support that is rooted in something different to any other organization on earth. I am drawn to Sanctuary because they are supporting churches to take hold of this treasure and to operate under a hopeful and biblical practical theology whilst remaining guided by evidence-based practice.
Elli Johnson
Elli Johnson is a writer and poet working in Liverpool, where she lives with her husband and three children. Having initially trained as a theatre director, she began writing ten years ago. In 2019 she published her first book, a memoir about anxiety entitled How Not To Be Good. She is currently working on her first collection of poetry. Elli is a passionate advocate for increasing the dialogue around mental health. She hosts events and speaks regularly about her lived experience of post-natal depression and anxiety both in person and online.
Elli says:
I first encountered the work of Sanctuary via a friend and was blown away by the depth and insight of The Sanctuary Course. The combination of theological and psychologically rigorous content, combined with engaging personal stories has created a compelling and uniquely helpful resource for churches, small groups, and individuals. When Sanctuary UK launched, I was delighted to come on board as a trustee. I believe the work Sanctuary creates will be the answer to many churches’ questions around how to educate and offer support to its members—those who are already struggling with their mental health as well as those who haven’t given it a second thought.
Farayi Nyakubaya
Farayi Nyakubaya has worked as a Dialectical Behaviour Nurse Therapist for many years supporting people living with borderline personality disorder. He broadened his skills through a postgraduate diploma and worked as a clinical nurse specialist with patients with various personality disorders who had also committed serious offences. He has experience in staff training and team development. He moved into management and managed various inpatient services treating adults with complex mental health problems. He is currently working in an inpatient child and adolescent mental health service as a team manager looking after a service that treats young people with general acute mental health presentations.
Farayi says:
We are all broken and living in a broken world. The gospel is such wonderful news because it gives all creation hope for restoration. As we wait for the second coming of our Lord, the Church should use the authority of Christ to love the broken. Those in the margins of society should find love and acceptance in the Church of Jesus. The Church already does amazing work with the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned. From my perspective, the Church needs to do more to support those living with mental illnesses and mental health challenges. Sanctuary’s work in equipping the Church in loving and supporting those with mental health problems is valuable and central to the call of the Church. This is why I feel so privileged to contribute to this work and believe that every church should glean from Sanctuary’s resources to equip itself.
Joy Johnston
Joy lives in London with her husband Tim, who is a barrister, and their three sons. Having completed a degree in psychology at Oxford University, Joy’s work to date has primarily been in the (politically neutral) UK civil service. Alongside this, Joy has helped to start several successful charities as a trustee and adviser. Joy was also one of the founding members of Community Church Harlesden and continues to be involved in leadership within the church. Joy is committed to social transformation and enjoys supporting people, organizations, and communities to grow and thrive.
Joy says:
I am really excited about Sanctuary UK. I was drawn to Sanctuary’s work because it is informed by both psychology and theology, as well as the important perspective of lived experience. I found the material in The Sanctuary Course really insightful. It has given me helpful tools for understanding my own mental health and supporting others. Given the scale of mental health challenges we face as a nation, I believe it is absolutely essential that the Church is equipped and resourced to better understand all aspects of mental health and wellbeing.
Sarah Hindley
Sarah has worked in the charity sector for over a decade, previously managing both fundraising and support teams. She is a Trustee of OCD Action, a charity supporting those living with OCD in the UK. Currently working as a Trusts Manager for a large Christian charity, she is especially interested in the interplay between mental health and faith and is dedicated to dismantling the stigma those who experience mental health issues can often face.
Sarah says:
With lived experience of mental health issues, Sarah is a strong believer in the mission of Sanctuary to equip the Church to support mental health and wellbeing. As a Trustee, she is keen to contribute to the transformative work being done by the charity’s staff, volunteers, and supporters to positively impact in the lives of those living with mental health issues.
Sanctuary US Board
Rev. Professor John Swinton. FBA, FRSE, FISSR, RMN, RNMD
John Swinton is Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care and Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen. For over ten years John worked as a registered mental health nurse. He also worked as a hospital and community mental health chaplain alongside people with severe mental health challenges. In 2004, he founded the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Spirituality, Health, and Disability. He has published widely within the area of mental health, dementia, disability theology, spirituality and healthcare, end of life care, qualitative research and pastoral care. John is the author of several monographs including Finding Jesus in the Storm: The spiritual lives of people with mental health challenges. His book, Dementia: Living in the memories of God won the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Ramsey Prize for excellence in theological writing. John is also chaplain to King Charles of England.
John says:
Sanctuary focuses on a very important area of ministry for the church and offers a vital prophetic sign of hope to people for whom hopelessness is often a defining aspect of their lives. I have been involved with Sanctuary for many years. I have watched as its vision has developed and grown in ways that have been creative and faithful. When organisations begin to grow and reach out into different countries and contexts, there is always a risk that the focus shifts from people to business. I have never seen that with Sanctuary. All of the team have passionately held on to the vision of facilitating better lives of people living with mental health challenges. This desire continues to shine as the organisation continues to flourish. Working with Sanctuary continues to be a pleasure and a blessing.
Rev. Dr. David Kim
The Rev. Dr. David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood, a non-profit whose mission is to cultivate a new vision of work. Over the past several decades, he has trained, consulted, and coached hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a robust, meaningful integration of faith and work. David’s past experiences as VP of Faith and Work, Executive Director of Redeemer's Center for Faith & Work (NYC), Director of the Gotham Fellowship, and editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible have given him a breadth of exposure to the challenges of integrating faith and work. His expertise as a key thought leader in this space has been well-established, having taught classes and addressed prominent institutions and churches worldwide. David has had a particular focus on helping churches develop an exilic approach to ministry and cultural engagement. David serves on the advisory board of Ai and Faith. His passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities of a hopeful future breaking into the present.
David says:
As CEO of Goldenwood, an organization cultivating ecosystems of hope by renewing our vision of work, I'm thrilled to offer my support for the critical work being done by Sanctuary Mental Health. Their mission of equipping churches to become safe sanctuaries for those facing mental health challenges resonates deeply. Mental health impacts every area of life, including our work, and by providing churches with resources to foster open, compassionate conversations about mental health, Sanctuary is helping faith communities become places of belonging for all people. Their educational resources empower churches to care holistically for their members. I'm honored to stand with Sanctuary Mental Health as an ally in creating environments where individuals can thrive in mind, body, and spirit. Together, we can transform communities into havens of healing.
Rev. Justin Alan Lindstrom, MDiv
The Reverend Justin Alan Lindstrom is the Associate Rector for Community Formation at Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio, TX. In this role, Justin oversees the children, youth, college, and young adult ministries of the church and serves as the director of all outreach. Christ Church is a thriving and growing congregation in the historic region of Monte Vista. Justin has served as Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Oklahoma City, was the Founding Vicar of Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Cypress, Texas, and was the Associate for Youth and Family Ministry for St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston. He has been ordained for 25 years. Justin has a heart for people and a strong desire to share the love of God with all, is a community organizer, and sees his role as a Priest of the Church to be involved with the community. Justin has served on numerous boards and community organizations wherever he has served. Justin is the author of Faith, Family, Focus, Finances, a framework to help individuals and families discover their core values, live out their values, become debt free and live with intention. Justin is also a dynamic communicator, effective teacher, and caring leader. He has been a guest preacher, teacher, and speaker on many topics. Justin loves to paint as a spiritual practice. Justin is married to Susan and they have two children. Covell, their son, is married to Lily and they live in Oklahoma City. Cooper, their daughter, is a senior at Texas Lutheran University. The Lindstroms live in San Antonio, TX.
Justin says:
Sanctuary Mental Health Ministry is the best resource for churches to train their people in what it means to love, care, and support those who struggle with their mental health. it has been my experience that churches are incredibly under-resourced when it comes to how to care for those who suffer from mental illness. Sanctuary Mental Health Ministry gives the church a common language, mutual understanding, and key ways to be companionate to those who need their care and teaches how to be compassionate to all. Sanctuary is a foundational part, I believe, of the formation of disciples of Jesus Christ. It is an honor to be a part of Sanctuary as a board member.