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Director elections

Biographical information on candidates for election as directors

The Reverend Canon David Harrison, Diocese of Toronto 

David Harrison has served on the PWRDF Board of Directors since 2017. He is currently the chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Executive Committee and the Investment Committee. He also serves as PWRDF’s partner representative on the Council of General Synod (CoGS). David is a parish priest at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Toronto, and has served parishes in small town and suburban settings. When he was on sabbatical he spent time in South Africa, which included a visit to the Keiskamma Trust, which was a PWRDF partner. Prior to being ordained, David served for ten years in the Ontario Public Service as a senior policy advisor in the areas of public finance, pay equity and intergovernmental affairs. David holds a graduate degree in Canadian pollical history and is working on completing his Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development.

The Reverend Gillian Hoyer, Diocese of Ottawa 

Gillian Hoyer is a priest in the Diocese of Ottawa, serving as Associate Incumbent in the Parish of the Valley. Prior to ordination, Gillian worked as a counsellor and mental health worker in transitional and supportive housing and in homeless shelters. Before her election to the PWRDF Board of Directors, Gillian was a member of the PWRDF Youth Council (2011-2014). She has had the opportunity to visit a Canadian Foodgrains Bank project being administered through World Renew in Kenya (2009) and visit partners in South Africa (2012-2013) and El Salvador (2014 and 2015). Gillian is a trustee of the Anglican Alliance, the Anglican Communion’s forum for relief, development, and advocacy. She represented PWRDF to the Council of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (2016-2019).

Gillian has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University in New Brunswick, and a Master of Divinity from Huron University College at Western University in London, Ontario.

Basil Pogue, Diocese of Qu’Appelle 

Basil Pogue is a retired librarian from Regina, Saskatchewan, with extensive board experience in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle – Diocesan Council and Executive Committee, Legislation Committee Finance Committee. He has also served the wider community on the Board of the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry, the Steering Committee of South Saskatchewan Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA), and as a Director on the board of the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC). Basil and his wife Laura were awarded Canada 125 medals for their work in originating Project Turkey, a Christmas food hamper project, in collaboration with the Regina Food Bank. Adopted by the Regina business community in 1989, it continues today.  Basil holds M.A. degrees from the universities of St. Andrews and Calgary, and a BLS degree from University of Alberta.

Mark Hauck, Diocese of Toronto

Mark lives in Orangeville, Ontario and is a Deputy Warden at St. John’s Anglican Parish in East Orangeville.  

He has a BA from the University of Toronto and an MA from McMaster University, both in Political Science.  He has a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto and has been an educator in the public school system for many years, teaching in the Peel Board.  Prior to that he was the National Fundraising Director at Oxfam-Canada and the Vice President of Revenue Generation for Habitat for Humanity Canada.  He has also served as a fundraising consultant for the firm Navion Inc. where he conducted strategic planning studies and served as a director of capital campaigns for several clients in the health care, university, social agencies, and religious sectors.  Over the span of 25 years, he has served as a volunteer Board member for the White Ribbon Campaign, the Paper Kite Children’s Foundation, Shelterbox Canada and Te Deum Orchestra and Singers.  While serving on these Boards, he contributed to the development of strategic plans, fundraising and marketing programs, human resource management, government relations and risk assessment, to name a few. 

Verna Firth, Anglican Council of Indigenous People (ACIP) Representative

Verna is an Inuvialuit born and raised in Aklavik, NT. She is married to a Gwich’in man and has two children and eight grandchildren. She currently works for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), as a Finance & Administration Officer, and has done so for the past 31 years.  Prior to coming to work for the GNWT, she worked for CIBC and BMO for more than 17 years. Some of the activities and committees that she currently serves or has served on include:

  • Volunteer with the Inuvik Curling Club for 10+ years. Served as Treasurer for five years or more;
  • Treasurer of the Anglican Church of the Ascension in Inuvik for 12 years or more;
  • Licensed Lay Leader in her parish since 1994;
  • Vestry member of her parish for 20+ years;
  • Organized fund raising activities for her Church for 20+ years;
  • Previous Co-chair of Anglican Council of Indigenous People for six years;
  • Previous Co-chair for Anglican Church Healing Fund for six years;
  • Member of the Primate’s Commission on Discovery, Reconciliation and Justice;
  • Current Chair of the Regional Gathering National Working Group;
  • Current Co-chair of the Healing Response committee since November 2018;
  • Current member of the PWRDF Indigenous program Advisory Committee.

Verna loves to sing and helps lead the singing in her parish each Sunday. She also loves to watch curling on TV, as both she and her husband were competitive curlers. She is also an active member of her parish and currently the People’s Warden.

The Right Reverend Jenny Andison, House of Bishops Representative

The Right Reverend Jenny Andison is a Bishop Suffragan in the Diocese of Toronto and Area Bishop of York-Credit Valley. She was born in England and has lived in Pakistan, India, Singapore and Japan. She earned an Honours BA from Queen’s University in 1994 and received her Master of Divinity from the University of Toronto in 1997. In 2017, Wycliffe College honoured the Bishop with a Doctorate of Divinity (honoris causa).

Bishop Jenny was ordained to the priesthood in 1998 and has served in the Diocese of Toronto as Incumbent of St. Clement, Eglinton (2013-2016), the Archbishop’s Officer for Mission (2010-2013), and Associate Priest for Church Development, St. Paul Bloor Street (2006-2013). She has also served in parishes in the Diocese of London (UK), the Diocese of Tokyo, and the Diocese of Ontario. She was elected in September 2016 and consecrated on January 7, 2017.  Bishop Jenny lives in Toronto with her husband and their three daughters.

Jane Dittrich, Honorary Associate, Diocese of New Westminster

Jane Dittrich has been a constant supporter of PWRDF over the years, both in the parishes she has attended as well as on the diocesan level. She has been a star-performer in the annual PWRDF Vancouver team Ride for Refuge, as featured in the diocesan paper Topic in 2019. Jane has not only participated for years in the ride, she also motivates others to join her in support of this PWRDF fundraising partnership. This is one of the best examples of Jane’s commitment to PWRDF.

Jane’s commitment to the church’s ministry and witness is not limited to PWRDF. At her parish (Christ Church Cathedral) she coordinates greeters at the largest festivals (Christmas, Easter), funerals and diocesan liturgies (confirmations, ordinations, Chrism Mass). She covers diocesan events for the diocesan paper contributing stories and photos, assists with coordination for the bi-annual Order of the Diocese of New Westminster award ceremony, and participates in the annual fundraising ride for the Mission to Seafarers. She assists at the semi-annual Retired Clergy luncheons and serves as a host at the annual Bishop’s Friends dinner. Jane is someone who contributes unstintingly in her time and talent in support of the common witness to the gospel.