Get to the root causes of disaster, conflict and poverty with MCC’s Speakers Bureau. Offered by MCC staff in Manitoba, we can help engage your community with MCC’s work in relief, development, peace and advocacy.
Below you’ll find a list of themes and the staff who are available to speak on those subject areas. Depending on provincial health orders, most staff are available to speak in Winnipeg and nearby communities or over virtual meeting platforms like Zoom at no cost.
To invite a speaker, fill out the form to the right. Or if you’re not sure who to request, we’d be happy to discuss options with you. Get the conversation started by contacting us at (204)-261-6381 or speakers@mccmb.ca.
Click on each speaker's name to read a brief bio about them and their work with MCC.
Who is MCC?
Each staff member listed below can give an overview or report of MCC’s mission and programs through the unique perspective of their work.
- Darryl Loewen - Executive Director, MCC Manitoba
- Simone Thiessen - Church Engagement Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Relief responses
Each staff member listed below can speak about MCC’s response in situations of conflict or disaster – from material resources like comforters and relief kits to providing funds for emergency food and shelter.
- Sophia Bezoplenko - Winnipeg Material Resources Coordinator
- Gord Letkeman - Plum Coulee Material Resources Coordinator
- Bruce Guenther - Director of Disaster Response
Development
Food security, sustainable livelihoods, international development, climate change. What do these terms mean and how do they intersect with MCC’s work? The speakers below can help you gain an understanding of MCC’s development work around the world.
Peacemaking
We seek to engage Manitobans of all ages to think, talk and live peacemaking. Peace engagement gives individuals, church and community groups opportunities to discuss, learn and share experiences of what it means to be people of peace on a personal level, within communities and internationally.
- Marta Bunnett Wiebe - Peace & Advocacy Coordinator
- Joanna Hiebert Bergen - Program Director - MCC Manitoba
- Darryl Loewen - Executive Director - MCC Manitoba
- Kerry Saner-Harvey - Indigenous Neighbours Program Coordinator
Local programs
MCC’s work isn’t only global, it’s very local, including right here in Manitoba. Our local programs address abuse response and prevention, fostering relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, migration and resettlement, peacebuilding and advocacy as well as employability for youth and young adults.
- Joanna Hiebert Bergen - Program Director - MCC Manitoba
- Jaymie Friesen - Abuse Response & Prevention Program Co-Coordinator
- Val Hiebert - Abuse Response and Prevention Program Co-Coordinator
- Kerry Saner-Harvey - Indigenous Neighbours Program Coordinator
- Maysoun Darweesh - Migration and Resettlement Program Coordinator
- Marta Bunnett Wiebe - Peace & Advocacy Program Coordinator
Restorative justice
MCC Manitoba supports restorative justice work through Initiatives for Just Communities. If you are interested in a presentation on restorative justice, find out more here.
Sophia Bezoplenko
Winnipeg Material Resources Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Sophia has been the Winnipeg Material Resources Coordinator for MCC Manitoba since 2015. She coordinates volunteer efforts to assemble and pack material aid kits, several annual volunteer fundraising efforts, and provides presentations to church, school, and volunteer groups on MCC's relief, development, and peace work around the world. Sophia's prior MCC experience includes co-managing the Village Green Thrift Shop in Saskatoon, SK. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies and Certificate in Christian Studies in Worship Leadership from Horizon College and Seminary.
Sophia is comfortable presenting to children or adults in Sunday school classes and providing group presentations at the Winnipeg Material Resources Centre or elsewhere. She is available to present on the following topics: an overview of MCC's mission and programs; comforter and material aid kit assembly; and disaster relief projects.
Marta Bunnett Wiebe
Peace & Advocacy Program Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Marta’s work as Peace & Advocacy Program Coordinator is to engage Manitobans of all ages to think, talk and be peacemakers through education, advocacy and dialogue. Previously to joining MCC Manitoba, Marta served as the editor of the book Germinating Conversations: Stories from a Sustained Rural-Urban Dialogue on Food, Faith, Farming, and the Land. The book is a culmination of 10 years of dialogue between rural and urban people on the topics of food, faith and farming. Germinating Conversations is a collaborative initiative of MCC Manitoba, A Rocha Manitoba, Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Canadian Mennonite University.
Marta welcomes opportunities to offer a sermon or MCC report in churches, adult and children’s Sunday school classes or to small groups of elementary or high school class students.
Learn more about Peace & Advocacy program in Manitoba!
Maysoun Darweesh
Migration and Resettlement Program Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Maysoun Darweesh has been the Program Coordinator since 2019. The core component of the position is to promote, coordinate and implement all MCC Manitoba work related to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program and the Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) Program. This position connects with a wide variety of people, groups and supporting constituency in Manitoba as well as with the MCC Canada network.
Before joining MCC Maysoun worked alongside many refugees and newcomers to Canada as a Settlement Counselor and a Community Activist for the Syrian and Kurdish Community. Maysoun is currently a board member on the Asian Heritage Society of Manitoba. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism and completed Amnesty International Training for Human Rights Advocacy-Outrage to Action.
Maysoun is available to present to settings involving a sermon or an MCC presentation to older adults. She is able to speak on topics about local programs involving migration and resettlement.
Learn more about the Migration & Resettlement program in Manitoba!
Brian Dyck
Migration & Resettlement Program Coordinator, MCC Canada
Brian has been the Migration and Resettlement Coordinator at MCC Canada since 2015. Before that he was Refugee Assistance Program Coordinator at the MCC Manitoba office for seven and a half years. His primary work at MCC has been helping churches think about refugee sponsorship and the broader issues around forced displacement. Since May 2012 he has also been chair of the Canadian National Refugee Sponsorship Agreement Holder Association, a national organization that meets with the Canadian government to help form Canadian policy on refugee resettlement. Brian was a missionary with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission in South Africa from 1999 to 2005 where he and his wife, Lynell Bergen did leadership development and HIV/AIDS education among the African Indigenous Churches in the Eastern Cape Province. Before that he and Lynell were co-pastors of the Arnaud (Manitoba) Mennonite Church. He has received degrees from Canadian Mennonite Bible College, University of Winnipeg and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.
Brian is available to speak on the following topics: A Christian response to forced displacement; Refugees and the Bible; Canadian refugee resettlement policy; and "How can my church get involved in sponsoring refugees?"
Jaymie Friesen
Abuse Response & Prevention Program Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
As Abuse Response & Prevention Program Coordinator, Jaymie raises awareness and offers resources relating to healthy relationships and abuse, while supporting those impacted by abuse. Jaymie entered this role with experience as a sexual assault and healthy relationships educator, sexual assault crisis counsellor, mental health worker and volunteer supporting women exiting the sex trade in Cambodia. She holds a BA in Social Sciences and Counselling, a Certificate in Applied Counselling and is currently working on her Masters in Psychotherapy and Spirituality.
Jaymie welcomes opportunities to speak to adults and youth through workshops, Sunday school classes, and presentations. She is available to speak on topics including: understanding intimate partner abuse, healthy boundaries in ministry, sexual violence awareness, and abuse prevention in faith communities. Presentations specifically for youth include: healthy relationships, active bystander response, and media messaging and gender stereotypes.
Learn more about the Abuse Response & Prevention program in Manitoba!
Bruce Guenther
Director of Disaster Response, PLDR, MCC Canada
Bruce’s work involves supporting and directing MCC offices and partners in humanitarian and disaster response worldwide. Bruce has served as a pastor at Langley Mennonite Fellowship and as a MCC worker for a human rights organization in Jamaica. He has a Bachelor of Theology from Canadian Mennonite University, a BA in International Development from the University of Winnipeg, and a Masters of Philosophy in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, UK.
Bruce is available to speak on the following topics: international development, climate change and disaster response (particularly the Haiti earthquake and East Africa food crisis).
Val Hiebert
Abuse Response and Prevention Program Co-Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Val Hiebert joined MCC Manitoba’ s Abuse Response & Prevention Program in 2021. As co-coordinator, she raises awareness, teaching workshops and seminars relating to healthy relationships within churches and families.
Val entered her role in MCC Manitoba with an academic background. She taught gender, children & violence, language & culture, cultural anthropology and marriage & family at Providence University College for 20 years. Today, she teaches sessional courses at the University of Manitoba and Canadian Mennonite University. Val holds a PhD in Sociology and Anthropology from Western Sydney University and enjoys bringing her academic learnings into community contexts — for awareness, advocacy and conversation.
Val is available to speak in a variety of church and community settings. She welcomes opportunities to share sermons, in Adult Sunday School Classes, young adult and youth groups, elementary and high school class presentations and workshops, with community organizations, and to young and old alike. Healthy relationships are a goal for all ages.
Learn more about the Abuse Response & Prevention program in Manitoba!
Joanna Hiebert Bergen
Program Director, MCC Manitoba
Joanna is the Program Director for MCC Manitoba programs. In this role she is a functioning member of the MCC Manitoba's leadership team as she supports the work of individual program staff and helps carry out the MCC's mission and vision.
Joanna also serves as a resource to those interested in engaging in active peace building and advocacy, locally and around the world. She has served with MCC internationally both as a service worker and as representative in Nigeria, as MCC's HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator and as MCC representative in Palestine and Israel from 2012-2015. Joanna has a B.Ed degree and an MA in Theology: Peace and Justice.
Joanna is available to preach, speak or deliver workshops in a variety of venues on the topics: the work of MCC Manitoba programs in fulfilling the mandate to be a witness to God’s love and commitment to follow Jesus, theological constructs of peace and justice, complexities of justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, non-violent peacemaking in conflict zones, trauma and healing, inter-faith bridge building, listening with compassion, faith formation and spiritual disciplines.
Learn more about MCC Manitoba's local programs!
Gord Letkeman
Plum Coulee Material Resources Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Gord serves as the Plum Coulee Material Resources Coordinator and filled the role of Canadian Material Resources Warehouse Manager for 11 years. In his current role, Gord coordinates volunteer activities, inventory of supplies, maintenance of the facility, and fulfills reporting requirements. Volunteer activities at the Plum Coulee MCC Warehouse vary from assembling and packing kits, to comforter making and recycling books.
Gord holds a Diploma of Agriculture and worked in the grain industry before serving with MCC. He has volunteered in leadership capacities on church committees and as a youth leader.
Gord is available to speak at churches and schools once per month and is more frequently able to accommodate church, youth, community, and school groups to participate in volunteer activities at the Warehouse. He is able to speak to the link between MCC's material resource activities and our relief work around the world.
Darryl Loewen
Executive Director, MCC Manitoba
Darryl joined MCC Manitoba as Executive Director in 2016. Prior to this, Darryl served as an educator at Mennonite Collegiate Institute for 22 years, including 11 as principal. During that time he served as Treasurer and Chair of Canadian Association of Mennonite Schools. Additionally, he has served on Church Council of Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church, as well as various local and provincial boards including Gretna Athletic Association, various credit union boards and the Board of Credit Union Central of Manitoba.
Darryl welcomes opportunities to speak to adults and children in church, educational, community and organizational settings. He is available to present an overview of MCC’s mission and programs and/or share about his recent international program visits.
Kerry Saner-Harvey
Indigenous Neighbours Program Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Kerry’s work in the Indigenous Neighbours Program aims to facilitate relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people towards reconciliation and strategies for justice. He has been in his current position since 2016. In the past, Kerry has worked with First Nations youth in Cranberry Portage, Manitoba, did restorative justice, community-building and advocacy work for MCC Newfoundland and Labrador and served as a Peace Advisor for MCC Bangladesh.
Kerry welcomes opportunities to offer a sermon or MCC report in churches, school groups and groups of adults. He would be excited to present on topics such as the meaning of Treaties then and now, reconciliation, the Doctrine of Discovery, “settler” identity, and our shared history. Kerry is also able to do short workshops for newcomers about Indigenous relations or facilitate the Kairos Blanket Exercise, especially for youth, newcomer groups or Mennonite churches.
Learn more about the Indigenous Neighbours program in Manitoba!
Simone Thiessen
Church Engagement Coordinator, MCC Manitoba
Simone has served with MCC Manitoba since 2015, working in community engagement and events with a focus on church engagement since 2018. She connects with churches and schools in their areas of MCC interest, questions and around events. Simone coordinates MCC speakers and presenters in church contexts. She loves to find the spaces where church ministries and MCC’s mission intersect and exploring new ways of partnering together. Her previous MCC experience includes administrative support for MCC’s international program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Conflict Resolution Studies from Menno Simons College, University of Winnipeg.
Simone welcomes invitations to preach and share about MCC’s local and international programs. She is available to join your community in a Sunday morning worship service, small group gathering, or at a Wednesday afternoon ministry event. Simone is happy to hear your general questions and interest in MCC or to dive more deeply into an area of MCC’s work.