Meet the Team
Chalmers is supported by over 100 volunteers who are guided by a team of 5 part-time staff and 10 board members.
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Our Staff
Crystle Avery
Executive Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Languages: French, English, Hindi
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Crystle Avery is a retired French Immersion Teacher. While working full time, she founded her own charity, The Indian Village Poverty Relief Fund which provided an education to thousands of Indian students for seventeen years. She was also a founding member of Interval House in Brockville. Now Executive Director of Chalmers Community Services Centre, Crystle is committed to the Chalmer’s vision of a community, without poverty, where people flourish with dignity and respect.
Find Crystle on LinkedIn here.
Joanna Wegman
Program and Volunteer Manager
Pronouns: She/Her
Languages: English
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Joanna Wegman has lived in Guelph for almost 40 years. She grew up in the Niagara Region and attended the University of Guelph. She loves Guelph for its many parks and biking trails and raised three children here. Joanna also works evenings as a piano instructor and plays at Three Willows United Church on Sunday mornings.
Dakota Kersting
Donation and Communication Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her
Languages: English
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Dakota is a University of Guelph graduate, and is passionate about studying topics related to Industrial-Organizational Psychology. In her spare time, Dakota enjoys hiking, dancing and cooking.
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Find Dakota on LinkedIn here.
Mary Heyens
Custodian
Pronouns: She/Her
Languages: English
As custodian, I enjoy the work I do at Chalmers and try hard to maintain a clean and safe work space for staff, volunteers and guests.
David Chiswell
Bookkeeper
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Royal City Bookkeeping Services
Board of Directors
Rhondda Lymburner
Board Chair
Pronouns: She/Her
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​Rhondda Lymburner is a social worker. She was employed by the Government of Ontario and Conestoga College working with individuals requiring accommodations to support education and employment. Has community involvement and has been with Canadian Mental Health Association, Chalmers since its inception and Second Chance Employment.
Lucy Mutharia, Ph.D
Vice Chair
Pronouns: They
Languages: English, Gikuyu, Swahili
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Lucy was born, raised and educated in Kenya. They worked as a professor at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, then at the University of Guelph's Microbiology department. Retired in 2020, Lucy joined Rotary and is volunteering their time in support of social justice causes in the community.
Janet Wood
Past Chair
Languages: English
Janet Wood is a biochemist and a University Professor Emerita of the University of Guelph. Her social justice activities have included initiating the human rights office at the University of Guelph, co-chairing the local Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee, tutoring at Action Read Community Literacy Centre and volunteering at Chalmers.
John Benham, B.A. & M. DIV.
Director
Pronouns: He/Him
Languages: English
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John Benham is a United Church of Canada minister serving at Trinity United in Guelph. John enjoys working for social justice with Anishnabeg Outreach and Indigenous reconciliation at Trinity for two years. John has also supported North End Harvest Market at Waverly Public school for almost a decade. John is looking forward to working with Chalmers Community Services.
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David Parr, CFP
Director
Pronouns: He/Him
Languages: English
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David has been living and working in Guelph for 40 years. He has been active in the community through Rotary, Dublin St United Church and the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital. David was instrumental in getting Tour De Guelph off the ground. Together with his wife Rose, they have raised 4 children in Guelph.
Irene Marson
Director​
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Retired CPA with many years of experience in Public Accounting and working for a large multi-national Vaccine company. Enthusiastic to support Chalmers in its goal to provide food for those in need.
Nancy Ormos-Gadde
Director​
Languages: English, French
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I have been a Human Resources Manager for the last ten years. Before becoming an HR Manager, I worked as a Training and Development Specialist and then as an HR Consultant.
In 2010 I had the privilege of volunteering with an organization called Empower Global. Empower Global was a Canadian charitable organization that was focused on providing dignity and hope to the poor in developing countries through micro-credit set up.
Jill Gill
Director​
Pronouns: She/Her
Languages: English
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Jill retired from teaching Theatrical Costuming in the Drama Department at the University of Guelph. She has a passionate interest in reducing food insecurity and spearheaded Harcourt UC’s Communal Garden which has donated 8000 lbs. of organically grown vegetables to Chalmers since 2011. Jill has been providing a free mending service to Chalmers guests for the past 15 years and offers the same skills to Guelph Tool Library’s Repair Cafes bimonthly. Jill was recognized as a Woman of Distinction for her community work in 2019 and is looking forward to adding her voice to the Chalmers Board.
John Lawson
Director​
Languages: English
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John and his family have lived in Guelph for over 20 years. During that time, he has served as a United Church minister in a number of churches and ministries in the community. Most recently he served at Three Willows United where he was able to see first-hand the work of Chalmers Community Services Centre and hear of its long connection with many in the congregation. John studied history at Western and London School of Economics. He did his theological studies in Princeton, New Jersey. John has a particular passion and spiritual connection with the environment and this commitment to sustainable environment and community led him to run as the Green Party candidate in Guelph during the federal election of 2011. In his retirement John has become an active member of SCAN – Seniors For Climate Action Now.
Stuart Holloway
Director​
Languages: English
Stuart recently retired from a career in accounting and
finance, mostly in the lighting industry. He was actively involved with the local United Way for almost 20 years, beginning as a member of the Campaign Cabinet, lastly as a Board Member. Out of all the agencies he visited as a member of the Fund Distribution Committee, Chalmers on Baker Street made the greatest impression. He has very much enjoyed volunteering with Chalmers for the past year.