Tim Schindel
President & National Director
Tim Schindel is a determined and proven leader who lives life as an adventure! He loves to cast vision, build teams, set goals, and reach them while having a lot of fun along the way. If you view the world through Tim’s eyes, you’ll see opportunities and possibilities and experience the magnetic pull that a fresh challenge brings.
Seeing the need and an opportunity to serve, Tim founded Leading Influence in 2006 to fulfill the vision of providing excellence in pastoral care to politicians across Canada. Under his leadership, Leading Influence has grown to a national ministry with a chaplain team that reaches from Victoria, BC, to Quebec City, QC. Tim serves as the National Director for Leading Influence and serves as team leader for our chaplains in Ottawa.
While his primary career focus has been faith-based ministry, his experience also includes community leadership, life and business coaching, and sales. In the summer of 2020, ‘just for fun,’ he envisioned and led ‘The Big Spend’ campaign to support locally owned businesses seeking to recover after the initial COVID lockdown. The project generated nearly $90 million in economic activity across Canada and attracted national news attention.
He is happily married to Barb and a proud dad to Brittany, Zack, and Tyler. He is part owner of Maverick, who knows how to ‘play dead’ when he wants to. Tim and Barb live in Victoria, BC.
In his free time, Tim loves to cycle and enjoy ‘road therapy’ on his Harley.
Heather Prendergast
National Prayer Director
Heather Prendergast was born in Edmonton and raised in Red Deer. She has travelled coast to coast in Canada several times throughout her life, enjoying the many people she has met and the personal stories they have shared. Heather is an ordained minister invested in marketplace ministry. She also has experience in other sectors: oil and gas, hospitality and services, and education. A lifetime of learning has helped Heather to bridge a variety of cultures as she meets with neighbours, making friends wherever she goes.
Heather is also a Gallup Clifton’s StrengthsFinder coach and mentor, enjoying the affirmative process of people growing their top talents into strengths they can rely upon in their personal and professional lives. Heather and her husband, Steve, live near their extended families in Central Alberta after a sojourn on Vancouver Island for thirteen years.
Jason Goertzen
British Columbia
Jason Goertzen was born and raised in Abbotsford, BC. He brings with him a diverse background, including working as an educator, pastor, and coach. Jason has over 20 years of pastoral experience, including 13 years at Lifetree Church in Victoria. He joined the Leading Influence team part-time in July 2015 and transitioned to full-time in January 2017.
Jason has a proven commitment to community involvement and service as both a Sr. Boys High Basketball Coach and Business Manager for the Victoria Eagles Premier Baseball team.
Jason is married to Christine, and they have 3 adult children. He loves calling Victoria home.
cindy manohararaj
Ontario
Rick Hamilton
Alberta
Raised on the prairies near Alix, Alberta, Rick Hamilton forged his early years in the trades as a welder before turning to higher education. He holds a B.Sc. with a minor in Theology and a degree in Adult Education, blending practical grit with academic insight.
Rick’s ministry and teaching have carried him far beyond Alberta. He lived seven years among the Cree and Métis in northern Manitoba, spent months in Haiti working in community development, and joined mission teams across Eastern Europe. With Youth With A Mission, he managed ships delivering medical care to remote villages in Papua New Guinea and later trained young leaders in community development and alternative energy while based in Hawaii.
From farm fields to ship decks, classrooms to cross-cultural teams, Rick’s path has been woven through education, faith, and service. He is passionate about mentoring, pastoral care, and empowering people across cultures and walks of life.
Michel Robillard
Quebec
Michel Robillard is a retired physician since 2020. He has worked as an emergency physician and a family doctor. In 1989 and 1990, he worked within a multidisciplinary committee created by the Ministry de la Main-d’œuvre et de la Sécurité du revenu of Quebec Province.
Since the beginning of his practice, he has also devoted some of his time to psychotherapy. Over the past 15 years, he has developed a pastoral approach to counseling that combines prayer and dialogue.
Michel is also a part-time pastor and a spiritual care partner (chaplain) in the workplace with the organization Market Place.
Michel also enjoys meeting new people on golf courses. His wife, Diane, is often his partner as a caregiver in inner healing. Finally, Michel and Diane enjoy and have much fun with their eight grandchildren.
ANNE-CLAIRE CHARETTE & GRANT FREAKE
Ottawa
Meet Grant Freake and Anne-Claire Charette. Grant hails from Labrador City, Newfoundland & Labrador, while Anne-Claire is from the beautiful province of Quebec. Married for 30 years, they have served as senior pastors in a bilingual church in Quebec City for the past 25 years. They are blessed with three incredible children.
Grant has a heart for community development and has been actively involved in various projects. He has also served as a military chaplain and is trained in life coaching. On the other hand, Anne-Claire has pursued a bachelor’s degree in education and is an accomplished author, speaker, and life coach. Grant and Anne-Claire are passionate about serving government leaders and have been actively involved in this area. They serve in Ottawa, using their expertise and experience to help those who lead our nation.
If you’re looking for a dynamic duo making a difference in people’s lives, look no further than Grant and Anne-Claire.
FRED HILL
Saskatchewan
Fred Hill has served his home church of Celebration (Regina) in one capacity or another for over 35 years, including five years as Lead Pastor. Before becoming Lead Pastor, he enjoyed a 30-year career as a professional engineer working primarily in the energy industry. He managed pipeline projects and alternative energy initiatives in that capacity and served on provincial and federal energy task forces and environmental initiatives.
Fred’s passion is to see people released to their full potential to serve in the ways God has created for them. He loves to spend time with people, to be their champion, encourager, and intercessor. He has provided volunteer chaplain services within the Regina Correctional Center, exercised his love of motorcycles through the Christian Motorcyclists Association, and had many opportunities to combine his love of travel with mission work in Mexico, South America, India and Africa.
Fred and his best friend, Helene, have been married for over 30 years. They have two grown boys and two exciting grandsons.
Fred is excited to serve on our team of chaplains by combining his love of supporting people and his love of politics to support elected officials in Saskatchewan.
PHIL tAYLOR
Prince Edward Island
Phil Taylor brings 45 years of ministry experience most recently serving Lead Pastor at Calvary Church Charlottetown. He has held various ministry roles through out his career, including four Pastoral charges, pastoral training in Southeast Asia and leadership within the Maritime Provinces. Phil has contributed to numerous local and national executive committees. With a deep passion for people, he has extensive pastoral counselling experience and is a Certified Life Coach.
Now as a member of the Leading Influence team, Phil aims to offer spiritual and emotional support to elected leaders, leveraging his experience and compassionate approach.
Phil has been married to Kim for 40 years and together they have three married children and four grandchildren who reside in Prince Edward Island. You can find him at the hockey cheering on his grandkids in a leisure time or enjoying the sunset over the Hillsborough River from his deck.
Natasha Dantiste
Nova Scotia