Dr. Paul Pascoal – Executive Director (2019)

Paul has served as ELC’s Global Program Director since 2019. A native of Portugal and a Canadian citizen, Paul is passionate about empowering and equipping Gospel-based leaders. As Global Program Director, he has promoted ELC’s global strategy and developed relationships with Christian partners from around the world.

Paul is a global thinker and networker. His ministry has been shaped by his international experience and the education and training he received in Portugal, Brazil and Canada. Paul holds a Doctoral Ministry degree in Leadership from Tyndale University, with a focus on Missional Leadership and Spiritual Formation. Paul has served in pastoral, teaching, and global advocacy ministries for more than three decades. Paul has been a mission agency co-founder, the past President of the Portuguese Theological Baptist Seminar, and former National Co-Ordinator of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Portugal.

His extensive network of global connections keeps him in demand and is a big asset as he introduces ELC to potential global partnerships. Paul and his wife, Rute, have been married for 35 years, have three grown daughters (Rebeca, Sally and Priscila) and five grandchildren (Ezra, Selah, Zoe Joy, Bella Grace and Boaz Jack).

When Paul is not travelling the globe and teaching he enjoys walks by the lake, watching sporting events and reading books on theology.

Wes Boldt – Global Lead Trainer (volunteer), Author of “Authentic Leadership- Living in Newness of Life”  (2015)

Wes Boldt grew up in a legalistic Christian home in central Canada. After he married his high school sweetheart Mary, he became a successful businessman as well as a leader in his church. In 1997 his business interests were purchased and he was unemployed for the first time in his life. That began a journey of discovery that God took him on. Much of the journey was unlearning what “religion” had taught him and replacing it with the truth of who God is, who he is in Christ and the implications of intimacy with God on how a person leads. The profound changes in his life led to writing the Authentic Leadership curriculum that God is using through ELC to change lives around the world. Wes and Mary have been married for 55 years and together they have 2 sons, and 4 grand children. 

Tom Arabis – Global Training Director (2023)

As Global Training Director, Tom is responsible for seeing that Equip’s growing group of international Authorized Facilitators are equipped and ready to effectively facilitate the Authentic Leadership training in their local context. 

He comes to this role with about 35 years of experience, having served in Portugal in theological education in both residential and online environments. Presently, he lives in the U.S. and helps Christian organizations develop unique training opportunities. Equip is one of those organizations!

Tom and Vicky have six married kids and nine grandkids. Besides playing with the grandkids, Tom enjoys pickleball and walking/hiking.

Pia Kaufmann – Global Partnerships Director (2024)

Pia grew up in Germany on a small sheep farm, accompanied by four younger siblings. There, she acquired an appreciation for her family, the beauty of nature, and the value of work. Growing up, Pia was exposed to legalistic teachings. She loved Jesus, but her life was governed by rules. After leaving the legalistic church setting, she experienced genuine freedom by focusing on “HIM” instead of “SIN.” Following her nurse training, Pia received the call to attend Bible school, where she thoroughly enjoyed immersing herself in the Word of God daily and getting to know the biblical foundations of our faith. God has prepared her to work in an international context through a six-year ministry in Pohnpei, Micronesia, followed by twelve years in Chiapas, Mexico.

As ELC’s Global Partnerships Director, Pia will nurture our global network of partners and authorized facilitators while helping to open new areas for ELC to encourage leadership as Jesus intends. Her passion for Jesus, creativity, administrative skills, and servant’s heart before God will ensure that the planning, implementation, evaluation, and refinement of our global strategies are relevant to what God desires for EQUIP. Pia is single and currently lives and serves in an orphanage in Mexico while also training Sunday School teachers.

Whenever the opportunity presents itself, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her six nephews.

Ana Simões – Finance & Administration (2022)

Ana Paula (Ana) Simões, born and raised in Portugal, immigrated to Canada with her husband, Artur, in 1990. Her graduate degree in translation (verbal and written) and administration, with “an intense focus on English and French”–she is fluent in Portuguese, English, and conversational French–her significant administrative, finance, and communications career experience in both ministry and the professions, and her passion for God and a life of global significance and purpose makes her ideal for her ELC responsibilities. She is a consummate team player with a desire for excellence in all that she does. 

Outside of her work environment, Ana enjoys time with her family, reading historical novels and Jane Austen, and watching tennis and soccer. 

GOVERNANCE OF EQUIP LEADERSHIP CANADA

The EQUIP Leadership Canada Board of Directors bears the civil and moral responsibility for the governance of ELC’s policies, principles and practices. It is the final authority for the charity in the governance of its donated funds, in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), to fulfill the charity’s mission.

EQUIP Leadership Canada Board of Directors is comprised of five members:

Wes Boldt: Board Chair – Retired Business Owner, Author of “Authentic Leadership”, from Sherwood Park, AB

David Sissons: Vice-Chair – BC Crown Counsel, from North Saanich, BC

Marcelo Matos: Treasurer – Civil Engineer, Bi-Vocational Pastor, from Cambridge, ON

Benno Fath: Board Member – Retired Senior Manager, from Red Deer, AB

Stacie Mohandas: Board Member – Program Officer, Global Initiatives, Canadian Baptist Ministries, from North York, ON

The Board of Directors responsibilities include:

• Adherence to the mission of the charity
• The approval of the charity’s programs
• The charity’s policies, principles and practices
• The financial stability of the charity
• Evaluating the charity’s performance
• Participate in charity promotion
• The hiring and/or dismissal and ongoing evaluation of the Executive Director

In order to meet the necessary CRA requirements and maintain continuity of ongoing efforts, the board meets a minimum of two times per year (in-person) and remains in contact via virtual and electronic means to address any matters that arise between formal meetings.

Each member of the board strives to serve the ELC organization with utmost integrity and humility in order to best carry out the responsibilities placed on them to meet the God given purpose and mission of EQUIP Leadership Canada.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

Appointed by the ELC Board, the following groups of volunteers assist the staff in the fulfilment of ELC’s Global mandate.

GLOBAL ADVISORY GROUP

A team of influential Christian leaders who have served on ELC’s Board of Directors, and who understand ELC’s global strategy and curriculum. They are willing to lend their names as a reference for ELC.

Members: Mark Middleton, Sam Chan, Brian Relph, Reg Andrews, Bern Gerber

GLOBAL AMBASSADORS GROUP

A team of influential, and volunteer Christian leaders from ELC’s partner regions, authorized to represent ELC.

Members: Oswaldo Prado (Brazil), Sérgio Mota (Portugal)

GLOBAL EMERGENT GROUP

A  team of Emergent (Millennials, Gen Z) Christian leaders from ELC’s partner regions, authorized to represent ELC to the global emergent generation.

Members: Enxhis Tashi (Albania), André Prim (Portugal), Carlos D. Gomez (Mexico), Samuel Sumaoang (Philippines), Andreia Barreiro (Canada).

GLOBAL PRAYER GROUP

A team of ELC prayer supporters whose passion is to see a sustaining advance of ELC’s ministry as a global and Spirit-led movement.

Members: Pia Kaufmann (Mexico), Mary Boldt (AB), Betty-Ann Bushman (SK), Rute Pascoal (AB), Artur Simões (NS), Esther Balzer (AB), Marilyn Nasman (Washington State, US)

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