Our Team
Markku Kostamo
CEO & Lead Strategist
Markku has served as an executive in the non-profit and business sectors for over 25 years and is passionate about seeing organizations grow and develop in executing their mission and impact. To enable this, Markku is a Business Made Simple Certified Coach and a 6 Levers Consultant and takes an entrepreneurial and relational approach to revenue generation, fundraising, and partnerships. Markku has raised over $40 million by working with 20 organizations. Markku is passionate about helping CEOs and Leadership Teams develop and implement an organization's strategy and operating system.
Nadia VanderKuip
Chief Growth Officer
Nadia has spent 25 years in non-profit work, from founding an inner-city youth ministry to running a global fellowship program that trained and equipped emerging leaders to launch non-profit organizations around the world. Nadia’s passion is to introduce change and tension into a system to encourage growth and development in people and organizations. She sees the world in patterns, potential, relationships and connections and loves to work collaboratively to help others find their sweet spot so that they can thrive.
Gustavo Santos
Associate
Gustavo brings over a decade of experience in strategy and operations, having worked in both corporate and nonprofit settings. As management consultant, he has successfully led projects across diverse industries and company sizes. Currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, his research focuses on the relationship between labor precarity and its implications for the field of theology. With a big-picture mindset, Gustavo excels in navigating complexity to deliver simple and actionable solutions.
Ned Abenroth
Associate
Ned has founded and led multiple businesses and non-profit organizations over the past 20+ years. He studied business and entrepreneurial studies as an undergrad, has a Master of Divinity, and was ordained in 2003. After serious cancer, he sold his last company and now focuses on empowering those who venture to make a difference in the world. Ned guides people and organizations through major transitions, developing leaders, creating healthy cultures and deeply transformative events. People often comment on his wisdom and giftings as a speaker, poet, and facilitator.
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Shauna Kostamo
Lead Grant Writer
Shauna's background is in ESL teaching and tutoring, where she enjoys working with people from other cultures and languages. More recently, she has added editing and writing at an academic level to her work experience. She thrives on making the English language interesting and is passionate about correct grammar and thoughtful articulation.
Misti Hurst
PR and Communications Specialist
Misti has been a journalist, writer and editor for over 18 years. She has in-depth experience creating and executing PR campaigns, maintaining a strong rapport with industry media outlets, and tracking current media trends. Energetic, positive, and outgoing, she can creatively source, write, edit, pitch and share stories through various media platforms.
Evan Strain
Digital Marketer
Evan is a seasoned Digital Marketer with diverse expertise in digital marketing strategies and technologies, honed over the past five years. His strength lies in his ability to spot trends and use data for informed decisions, enabling him to orchestrate campaigns that boost brand visibility and foster consumer engagement. He leads a monthly hiking club in the Greater Vancouver area, bringing together friends and strangers to explore the region's natural beauty.
Carien van Zyl
Administration Specialist
Carien is a consultant who specializes in general HR assistance and recruitment. Carien is a positive and energetic worker. This energy has revealed itself throughout her career in her upbeat attitude and ability to keep busy. She has a strong desire to help others, which has led to her past success and awakened her desire to get involved in nonprofit organizations.
Megan Delport
Junior Writer
With a background in English literature, Megan brings her passion for clear and effective communication to her work. Her creative spirit allows her to turn thoughts and ideas into well-crafted content. She is eager to learn and find her niche within the team and will assist with various projects in copywriting, content creation and grant writing.
Nate Slaco
Filmmaker
Nate Slaco is a British Columbia born and raised filmmaker whose work focuses largely on the connections between humans and their environment. Nate works closely with a variety of organizations to help tell the stories of the work they do that benefits the planet. This work has brought him into contact with a variety of compelling stories about how individuals are fighting for corners of the planet and pieces of their culture. Nate recently worked with Kaci on their film campaign for 'Thrive for Good' climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He currently is in production on 'The Tyee Club' for Telus Originals and 'Likely' for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Gillian Lo
Graphic Designer
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Gillian immigrated to Canada with her family in her teenage years. After earning an engineering degree from Simon Fraser University, she worked as a software tester, business analyst, and UI/UX designer in the high-tech sector in BC for over 15 years. Gillian is now dedicated to helping changemakers and their communities share values, passion and hopes, and creating heart-level connections between people through beautifully crafted graphic designs.Gillian enjoys connecting with friends over long walks, coffee, and good food, or cuddling with her cat with a good book and a hot cup of tea (a true #INTJ).
Joy Pagarigan
Junior Grant Writer
Joy has a background in linguistics and ESL teaching. With a lifelong passion for language, Joy has a keen interest in the seemingly mundane aspects of language such as grammar and syntax. She brings this passion for languages and effective communication to the grant writing team as a junior grant writer.