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’re viewing the world through Tim’s eyes, you’ll see opportunities, 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. Tim serves as the National Director for Leading Influence and serves as our Ottawa chaplain.
While his primary career focus has been in 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, 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.
Blair Nielsen
Alberta
Blair was born and raised in Central Alberta. In his words, it’s ‘the best place in the world to live, raise a family, run a business and have fun!’Through serving and leading in his local church and running a small business, Blair has developed a deep passion for seeing people grow and thrive in every part of their lives.Before joining the Leading Influence Team,
Blair worked with LeaderImpact, a division of Power2Change, where he had the opportunity to work alongside business and other marketplace leaders to develop strategies to help foster growth personally, professionally, and spiritually.
Blair is married to Jessica. They are proud parents to three children. Together, they enjoy opportunities to head to the mountains or hit the lake.
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 is excelling in his new role at the BC Legislature and loves calling Victoria home.
Charlie Lyons
Ontario
Charlie Lyons was born and raised in rural Ontario, then lived for several years in one of Ontario’s major urban centres, and most recently hails from the cottage country of majestic Muskoka. He is an ordained minister and has more than 15 years experience in various pastoral and parachurch ministries.
Charlie is married to Lindsey and together they have 3 children. He is a big Web 2.0 enthusiast, loves trains (particularly model train layouts), and is an amateur sports card collector. He also thoroughly enjoys watching a good hockey game; having grown up on ‘Ontario’s West Coast’, he tends to cheer the loudest for the Detroit Red Wings.
Previous to his work with Leading Influence, he was Senior Pastor in a Fellowship Baptist church.
ANNE-CLAIRE CHARETTE & GRANT FREAKE
Quebec
Grant Freake was born and raised in Labrador City, Newfoundland & Labrador. He went to Bible college in Ontario, sensing the call of God upon his life. Having a heart for French-speaking Canada, he went to Quebec to learn French. Grant met Anne-Claire, who is Quebecoise; they married and started in together in ministry in the Maritimes. Then, they came back to Quebec City where they have been senior pastors for 21 years at Evangel Pentecostal Church, a growing, dynamic, bilingual church. They are blessed with three awesome children.
Grant and Anne-Claire have always worked as a team, preaching and serving together. Grant has been involved in community economic development, short-term military chaplaincy, and is trained in life coaching. Anne-Claire has been involved in several prayer initiatives for Quebec and Canada. Having pursued a bachelor’s degree in education, she loves to teach and inspire people.
They both have a heart for government leaders. They have joined our team with great joy and continue to serve their local church as pastors.
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. Prior to becoming Lead Pastor, he enjoyed a 30-year career as a professional engineer working primarily in the energy industry. In that capacity he managed pipeline projects, alternative energy initiatives, served on provincial and federal energy task forces and environmental initiatives.
Fred’s passion is to see people released into their full potential to serve in the ways that God has created for them. He loves to spend time with people, to be their champion, their encourager and their intercessor. He has provided volunteer chaplain services within the Regina Correctional Center, has 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 new to our team, and is excited to have an opportunity to combine his love of supporting people and his love of politics to support elected officials in Saskatchewan.
Renee Coleman
Manitoba
Renee grew up in the Eastern interlake region of Manitoba and has been living in Winnipeg since the age of 19. She is a high-energy, married mom to 5 children. Renee is a homeschooler and a business owner. After one of the snowiest winters in Winnipeg’s history, she’s also become a ‘snow removal specialist!’
Renee joined the Leading Influence team in 2018 as our Prayer Coordinator for Manitoba. In 2021, she enquired about our opening to have a Spiritual Care provider in Manitoba. When you meet Renee, you’ll immediately pick up on her heart for people and her willingness to walk with people through whatever life struggles they may be facing. She holds an associate’s degree in Biblical Studies and is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree in the same field.
Renee has been heavily involved in her local church serving in children’s ministry, bible studies, prayer and worship ministries. She is currently involved in Stephen Ministry with her local church.
Renee is married to David. They enjoy the great outdoors. Their newest hobby is ice-fishing, and she promises a celebration when she catches her first one! They also love working on their home and garden.
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 their 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, 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.