Margot McCurry
Chair
Margot has had a lifelong passion for literacy. As an educator and as a volunteer, she has experienced the joys and rewards of assisting students become confident readers and writers. She is a graduate of University of Waterloo, Carleton and Western and continues to be a “life long learner”. She has participated in many boards and volunteer associations including Soroptimists International. As a board member, Margot seeks to support the work of the team at The Literacy Group. She enjoys many outdoor activities, especially those involving water.
Jack Rehder
Vice Chair
Jack joined the Literacy Group as a tutor in 2012, and has worked with learners ranging from age 25 to 65. He is a firm advocate of life-long learning for everyone, and believes that this learning can take many forms beyond traditional academics – acquiring new life skills, developing physical skills, and embarking on a journey of self-reflection can all contribute to the learning and growth of the individual. Jack works as the Executive Officer at the University of Waterloo overseeing budget, human resources and infrastructure for the Faculty of Mathematics. He enjoys travel, especially to locations where he has an opportunity to dive.
April Souwand
Secretary
April has been a volunteer tutor for The Literacy Group for almost two decades. She has recently retired from her career as a professional land use planner, and now dedicates some of her free time to helping out on The Literacy Group board of directors, in addition to being a one-on-one tutor. With her experience and education as a municipal land use planner, some of her key skills include communication and policy development. She is very passionate about the importance of literacy in our society, which she feels has become even more important in the digital age. Some of her other pursuits include golf, dog agility, horseback riding and travel. She is pictured here with her miniature schnauzer “Louie” who she competes with in dog agility trials.
Julie Chretien
Director
Julie has been in recruitment and selection for over 20 years. She has become a trusted advisor for workforce planning to many levels of leadership across Southwestern Ontario in a variety of industries. In 2021, she finished the Human Resources Management Graduate Program at Conestoga College to supplement a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration. In addition, she gained her CHRP through HRPAO and is completing the requirements for the leadership level of certification.
Julie has volunteered for literacy programs since she was in high school. Growing up in a small town in the southern U.S. gave her insight into how low literacy touches every part of person’s life. She began volunteering for The Literacy Group in 2019 and continues to see how important literacy is in finding meaningful work and dignity as a human being.
Meghan Hovey
Director
Meghan is a born and raised local resident of our community. Meghan is passionate about solving problems that make impactable and measurable differences. She brings a strong business-focused educational background and experience to our TLG Board of Directors. She is an alumnus of Conestoga College, Lakehead University, and Wilfrid Laurier University. She believes in the value of education regardless of background or stature; everyone deserves an opportunity to recognize their worth and fulfill their learning potential. As a board member, Meghan is committed to fostering the continuous development of knowledge and skills for our students and strengthening our organizational success within our community. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys traveling abroad to explore and experience new places to broaden her horizons, introduce new perspectives, and enhance her knowledge about other cultures firsthand.
Ariel Wyse
Director
Ariel is a tutor at The Literacy Group of Waterloo Region and she also sits on the organization’s Board of Directors. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and a Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor. Her family has lived in Kitchener for multiple generations, and she is proud to call the city home. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and exploring Kitchener-Waterloo’s many restaurants and shops.
Diana Elkin
Director
Diana is a career intelligence and security professional and the founder of Method Intelligence, a threat intelligence and strategic security analysis organization. Previously, she has occupied a variety of positions throughout her career and has worked with the Department of National Defense, Halton Regional Police Service, and Research in Motion. Diana has always been passionate about promoting literacy and seeks to apply her project management and fundraising experience to help others. She regularly provides resume building services in the community in order to help individuals obtain gainful employment. In her spare time, Diana enjoys arts and writing.
Jennifer Tuck
Director
Jennifer Tuck is new to Waterloo Region but is a long time Ontario resident having grown up in Windsor and living for over 20 years in Toronto. Jennifer is the Assistant Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs with Potentia Renewables. Jennifer joined Potentia in early 2023 following almost two decades working in the natural resource, environment and energy sectors. Prior to joining Potentia, Jennifer led the Maritimes Energy Association, a not-for-profit trade association representing the energy industry in Atlantic Canada.
Jennifer also spent more than a decade with the Ontario Government where she served as a Senior Policy Advisor in several portfolios including Energy, Natural Resources and Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Jennifer lives in Waterloo region with her partner, Andrew, her daughter Kasia and their dogs. In addition to animal welfare, she is passionate about reading and words. She has a B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from Western University in London, and a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University.
Rahul Desai
Director
Rahul is an undergraduate, Health Science student at the University of Waterloo. Rahul is an aspiring physician who has a passion for improving the lives of others. He advocates for better access to care and for reducing inequalities that exist in the healthcare system. Furthermore, Rahul is involved in learning the different aspects of care through his co-ops and volunteering experience at University Health Network, Sunnybrook Health Science Center and Scarborough Health Network. He believes that through his experience in patient care, he would be able to help those who were not given the same opportunities to read and write. He is particularly interested in health literacy and education to empower individuals to make healthier choices for their health. Besides his passion for learning and helping others, Rahul loves connecting with nature by visiting trails, parks and open spaces throughout the city, province and country.
Rick Shanahan
Officer. Treasurer
Rick is a retired CPA who has been a volunteer tutor with us since 2018 . In addition to assisting TLG learners achieve their goals , Rick is also an active member of KW’s Oldtimers Hockey league and an occasional golfer .