Team Bios
Allan Gallant - Executive Director
Allan has been in the pastorate for 33 years, serving in many capacities. He is married to his teenage sweetheart for over 40 years.Together they have five adult children and now eight grandchildren. Allan and Bonnie live in the Niagara Region in Ontario and love being so close to many cities and vineland country. They love their local church and feel so privileged to be a part of the kingdom building community. After suffering a stroke in 2017, and a severe mental health breakdown, he and Bonnie, after Allan started to recover, founded and began to lead Agora Network Ministries. As founders they are amazed and humbled by what God is doing in the lives of people and church congregation. Allan with his wife Bonnie have the privilege to speak and share Agora with many pastors and ministry leaders across Canada and the United States.
Sue Montgomery - Chair
Sue is the Chair of Agora and has lead Prayer Counseling Ministries at West Highland Church in Hamilton and is a graduate of Warner University in Christian education. She has continued more recently with courses of interest at Redeemer University. She is an instructor with the Women’s Ministries Institute (FEB Central), an avid reader and enjoys most sports. Sue is passionate about seeing people find Jesus as Savior and to know true freedom in Christ, through encountering truth in God’s word and through practical experiences in prayer. She has been married to Scott for 32 years and they have two adult children.
Barry Doan - Treasurer
Barry is a Chartered Professional Accountant, is the Chartered Director of McMaster University and the University of Waterloo. He is the Chief Financial Officer of the First Ontario Credit Union Ltd and the Board of Director Chair of Audit and Risk Committee for the Central 1 Trust Company. He has served as Treasurer and Board Member of West Highland Church in Hamilton. Barry has been married 33 years to Kim and they have three adult children.
Lorraine Skuse - Bookkeeper
Lorraine retired in 2019 and has been supporting Agora Network Ministries in a part-time capacity shortly after that. She worked as a manager in the fast-food industry for many years. As a second career, she worked at Mohawk College, supporting students in several different capacities. In churches, she had leadership roles with the preteens, adult ministries, and church boards. She has two children, two grandchildren, and two grand puppies. Lorraine, “I believe wholeheartedly about the importance of Agora and the changes it could make and feel blessed that I get to be part of this dynamic and growing ministry.”
Ali Labelle - Operations Manager
Ali was born and raised in the beautiful Niagara Region. She went to Niagara College and received her Office Administration - Executive Diploma in 2005. From there she's worked in Health and Homecare offices, Hospitals environments and the Family Health Division for the Niagara Region in an Administrative role. Looking for a more in depth and hands-on approach into the prevention and promotion of healthcare and movement for the body she went back to school at the National Academy of Health and Business to receive her diploma as a Physiotherapist Assistant in 2009.
Always continuing to educate herself, Ali loves all things to do with organization in her personal and professional life. As her hobby grew with multiple companies asking for her assistance in organizing their business she decided to complete a course at the International Association of Professions Career College receiving a certificate as a Professional Organizer in 2021. If she's not volunteering as an Event Coordinator at Northend Church you can find her enjoying good food/music in fellowship with friends and family, the outdoors hiking, swimming and snowboarding or travelling as often as life allows. Through all of the education, knowledge and experience she has gained through her, the one thing in common is her love for problem solving, creating ideas and seeing results.
Bart Campbell - Support Staff
First and foremost, Bart is a child of God, a follower of Jesus, a husband of 40 years, a father of four, and a grandfather of six. Bart started pastoring over 25 years ago at Hamilton North Christian Centre, a very diverse congregation composed predominantly of souls on the fringe, struggling with poverty, addictions, mental health and in need of love and acceptance. He has worked at Christian Horizon’s supporting aggressive men with developmental challenges, Good Shepherd Barrett Centre for Crisis Support and St.Joseph’s COAST Program for people at risk of Suicide, Self Harm and Addiction. He is presently the Pastor (2017) of Potter’s Clay Ministries, a small but very vibrant, spirit-led church. He is trained in ASIST- (Suicide Prevention), and Mental Health First Aid. He is presently working at St Joseph’s Hospital COAST program assessing risk for those in a crisis who may be considering suicide or self-harm as a solution to their situation. Bart is the Agora Christian Support Line and Church Support Coordinator at Agora Network Ministries. Bart facilitates groups/presentations on Self-esteem, Suicide Awareness, Making the church Mental Health Friendly, Leadership Self Care, Ways to Engage, Boundaries and building awareness regarding Mental Health. Bart provides practical insight, equipping the church to support individuals and families experiencing challenges regarding mental health.
Allen Kleine Deters - Podcast Host
Allen Kleine Deters is the pastor of Congregational Life at Northend Church in St. Catharines.
Having gone through his own journey with mental health crisis, he particularly cares about pastors and their mental wellness. Allen is married and between him and Karen they have six children and 5 grandchildren. Besides being a musician who loves the blues, he is an avid motorcycle enthusiast. Allen enjoys the great outdoors and touring together with his wife. Allen has been instrumental in creating and managing Agora's website.
Catherine is a trauma informed International Coaching Federation Professional Life Coach who is a certified Mental Health Coach and Master Coach. She is currently completing specialists in Crisis Response and Trauma Care, Grief and Loss as well as in Chemical and Behavioural Addiction and Recovery. She is a Master Facilitator with the Trauma Healing Institute and also trained in Rapha/ Sozo and in Healing Care/Formational Prayer Ministry. Catherine has her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education in child and youth studies and served as a teacher with the school board as well as a children's pastor for several decades. Catherine’s greatest joy is in creating spaces to equip and empower people to process and find freedom from the mental, spiritual, emotional and relational effects of pain and trauma. Catherine serves on the board of Agora and her heart is aligned with the mission of helping the church become a safe place for the wounded to break free from lies, shame, guilt, pain and fear to find victory, freedom and purpose. She is the Trauma Healing Ministry Lead for Agora and facilitates the Agora Academy Trauma Healing Course where healing groups are provided that incorporate best mental health practices with a biblical pathway and tools for those processing heart wounds. She also provides training, equipping and certification for leaders who demonstrate necessary skills to help traumatized people and who are wishing to begin Trauma Healing Ministry in their church or organization.
Steve has lived a life devoted to Christ and felt a calling to pastoral ministry at 11 years old, which would not be applied until much later in life. He has been living with mental illness since his teenage years, though had not received any long–term mental illness diagnoses until his 30s. In 2019 a mental health crisis temporarily pulled him out of a high-level IT career at B4 Networks in Fonthill and he permanently left a position as an Instructor at Niagara College. He left the IT field in 2020 when he was labeled as “completely disabled” due to the symptoms shown at the time. In late 2021 he experienced significant relief from his symptoms thanks to intervention by the Holy Spirit in a home church operated by WAY Niagara. He began pastoring as a volunteer with WAY the next January and set his focus on mental health and supporting those with mental illness. Steve has multiple diagnosed mental illnesses and strives to educate others on topics that can help limit the stigma. His pastoral ministry allows him to walk alongside those that struggle with similar mental illnesses, with an experiential understanding of some of these illnesses.