Contributor Bios

The following is a list of contributors the Raise Their Voice: The Trafficked + Exploited April 15 + 16 in Red Deer, Alberta

Please continue to visit the site as our list of contributors grows:

Joy Smith

Mark Wollenberg

Mark Wollenberg serves as IJM Canada’s Regional Representative in Western Canada. In this role, Mark travels the four western provinces to cultivate relationships with existing donors, meet potential new donors, raise the profile of IJM in the Christian community, and articulate the story of IJM to a wide variety of constituencies.

Before joining IJM Canada, Mark was a pastor for 25 years, leading established churches as well as developing four new church communities in Edmonton, AB and Yellowknife, NT. He most recently served as senior pastor of the North Langley Vineyard Church in Langley, BC. Mark and his wife Brenda were also members of the national leadership team for Vineyard Churches Canada. Mark has coached pastors and church planters in Canada and a number of countries in Asia, as well as being a key leader for various city-wide inter-church events. He holds a B.A. from Taylor University and a M.Div. from Regent College. View Mark’s website.

Glendene Grant

Norma

Norma is a survivor of child sexual abuse, which led to 28 years of being sexually exploited through street prostitution and human trafficking.  She shares her life experiences to prevent young people from being exploited and to educate adults to recognize the signs of abuse and exploitation so that they can better help young people.   Now 50 years old, Norma bears witness to the healing power of love and hope. She is a passionate advocate and educator.  She is the recipient of a Woman of Courage Award from PAAFE (Prostitution Awareness and Action Foundation of Edmonton).

Lianne Hazell

Lianne lives in Red Deer and works both with the provincial trafficking coalition and the local Alzheimer Society chapter. She has more than 25 years experience working for a wide diversity of vulnerable populations in Alberta. Lianne is a servant leader who believes that ALL people can be treated with kindness, respect, and dignity.  One day, when she retires, Lianne will live in Cuba and have a home for misunderstood dogs. View Lianne’s website.

Stephanie Loewen

Stephanie graduated with honors from the Health Sciences department in Addictions Counseling from the Medicine Hat College in 2004. She spent the earlier portion of her post secondary education studying music performance before transferring into this psychology-based program. Stephanie takes a special interest in trauma and recovery from sexual abuse and exploitation. She has worked extensively with children and youth both locally and abroad for 7 1/2 years in the social services field, specializing in rehabilitation and youth empowerment. Locally, Stephanie has worked with AADAC Youth Services, frontline homeless shelters and harm reduction clinics. Internationally, she has spent time volunteering with women in the red light districts of Bangkok and Patteya, Thailand. Adding to her experience, Stephanie has spent time living or working in various parts of Asia, Australia, Central and South America. She is passionate about the eradication of the exploitation of women and children both locally and abroad. Presently, Stephanie works full time with a local residential therapeutic treatment facility for young women ages 12-18, who have been sexually exploited and/or trafficked. In her spare time she loves running her own small photography and catering businesses. The mountains are a welcome getaway.

Andrew Kooman

Andrew is the President and co-founder of Raise Their Voice.  He writes for the page, stage and screen. Andrew is the author of Ten Silver Coins: The Drylings of Acchora, Disappointed by Hope: Migrants and Refugees in Search of a Better Country, God/he a collection of poetry  and She Has A Name a full-length play for the stage that had its World Premiere in February 2011. His writing has been published around the world and translated into ten languages.  He has spoken and taught on a variety of subjects, including writing, creativity, identity, the literature of the Bible, English as a Second Language, and justice issues in Kenya, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, the UK, the USA and in Canada. View Andrew’s website.

Graeme Watt

Graeme (pictured with wife Carissa) is the director of a nationwide social justice movement called loveworks that exists to inspire creativity and empower a young generation to help create change together in 8 areas of critical global need through creative projects. Graeme has a passion to raise up a generation after God’s own heart. He is especially passionate about inspiring young people to respond to God’s call to seek justice for the poor by caring for those in need around the world. Visit his website.

Nick Kooman

Nick specializes in group facilitation, team building, conflict resolution, strategic planning and organizational effectiveness. He is the president and founder of Heart Innovations which provides consulting services for different organizations.  Nick is involved with several non-profit organizations. He and his wife, Margaret, live in Red Deer, Alberta. They have four adult sons and enjoy working with them on various ventures and activities.  View Nick’s website.

Russell Sanche

Russell with his wife Cynthia desire to see people of all ages take up the challenge and participate in taking the message and love of Christ into all the world. This means seeing families restored, strengthened and equipped to GO. Russell has been working with the YWAM Canada since 1993 and is a part of the National Leadership Team.  Teaching/training in an experiential and “heart engaged manner” is a passion.  Combating Human Trafficking is the burden that Russell has taken up and he wants to see human slavery around the world stopped. His focus and efforts are to see the most exploited rescued and communities changed so that we would never consider selling a child for someone else’s pleasure.  “Imagine a world where we would show love, respect, and compassion to the poor, the widow, the fatherless, and the wanderer.” Russell and Cynthia have four beautiful daughters that are 18, 17, 15 and 7 years of age, and they are living out their life in Nova Scotia. View Russell’s website.

Ashlea and Matt Kooman

Ashlea co-founded Raise Their Voice in the spring of 2008 and currently acts as a Creative Director. Ashlea has a heart for restoring beauty and identity in women and children, and affirming the value of each individual’s life. She has been honoured to serve as a peer counselor with the Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre, traveled to Thailand as a relief worker and has also spent time ministering and teaching English to young students in mainland China. She is a dancer and choreographer, and shares her passion as a Dance Instructor in the disciplines of Ballet and Contemporary. She resides in Red Deer, AB with her husband Matt and spends most of her energy raising their two beautiful sons. Visit Ashlea’s website.

Matthew is a co-founder of Raise Their Voice and Unveil Studios.  Keen on international adventures Matt has always enjoyed experiencing authentic culture. Recently, he helped lead a team of artists on a film-making journey through North America, Kenya, India and Southeast Asia to produce their studios first feature length film.  He believes in the immeasurable value and potential of one human life and lives to expose the evidence of that creatively and effectively.  Matthew’s beautiful wife and two boys affirm his belief. Visit Matthew’s website.

James Popoff

James is the founding artistic director of burnt thicket theatre which aims to enliven [restore life to] audiences through original performance.  burnt thicket theatre presented She Has A Name in partnership with Raise Their Voice for a critically acclaimed sold-out World Premiere.  James recently completed a Western Canadian tour of Hockey Dad: A Play in Three Periods (co-created with
Stephen Waldschmidt). Other creation credits include Peddling Parables, Sackcloth, and award winning Inheritance. James holds a MFA from the University of Calgary where he studied Solo Performance Creation. Visit James’ website.

Stephen Waldschmidt

Stephen  works as a director, actor, scenic desinger, and graphic artist.  Directing credits include She Has A Name, Hockey Dad: A Play in 3 Periods (burnt thicket theatre), A Rattling Sound, and Match (Pacific Theatre).  Stephen holds degrees from Regent College and the University of Calgary.

Chuck Gasper is currently enrolled as an architectural design student in Edmonton. Over the past two years he has begun to blend his passion for art and human justice through the visual arts. As an emerging artist, his desire is to help bring awareness to everyday injustices – not just in other countries but with those issues happening in our own backyard. Partnering with organizations like Scarlet Cord (Red Deer), the A-21 Campaign and Raise Their Voice he and his wife, Reann, desire to be apart of the solution to ending human trafficking. Chuck is the proud father of Mercy and Zion.

Emily is currently working on her BFA in Visual Studies. She is a sculptor, drawer, and photographer, with work in a few private collections around Alberta. She hopes to make art that will ask questions and challenge her viewers to think in new ways. Her heart is with the poor and oppressed the globe over, and she tries to live in a way that reflects that. The cause of human trafficking touches her deeply, and she hopes that she can contribute to its eradication in a small way.

Mo Bella is a Chicago based artist who is thrilled to be included in this amazing event produced by Raise Their Voice. The medium she most frequently works in is Clay + Paint. Mo Bella has several paintings throughout the city that are in businesses, homes, churches, and exhibits. She am honored to have a small piece of her heart represented in this gallery.