Staff

Executive Director

Rev. Ken MacLaren
B.A., M.Div., Th.M.
In May 2003, Rev. Ken MacLaren became the Executive Director of Ottawa Innercity Ministries.

Ken has a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario (1979), a M.Div. from the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon (1983), and a Th.M. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois (1984). Following his formal education, Ken was the Senior Pastor of three churches in three provinces with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (1986-91). He was a member of the National Social Concerns Committee of the P.A.O.C. and initiated and developed a National Capital Men’s Ministry Network in Ottawa in 2001. Ken has been married for 30 years, and has three grown children and two grandchildren.
Ken is a member of the EFC’s Roundtable on Poverty and Homelessness and part of the steering committee for Street Level 2012.

Managing Director

Dr. Jelica Zdero
B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

After volunteering with OIM in 2007/2008, Jelica responded to God’s call to join the team in October 2008. She is honoured to be working alongside the caring staff and volunteers of OIM who joyfully give of themselves to tend to the needs and nurture the dreams of our street friends. Jelica brings with her a skill-set that includes university teaching, research, and writing as well as a variety of volunteer experiences in her church and community.

Youth Outreach Worker

Rev. Jason Pino
B.A.

With the support of his wife and two children, Jason has been working with OIM as its Youth Outreach Worker since March 2008. While working towards his Social Work degree, Jason has been making significant inroads among Ottawa’s street-engaged youth through his street outreach work and weekly art group. Jason believes that if we can help youth discover their God-given passions, they can learn to redefine themselves by their strengths instead of their weaknesses.

Pastoral Care

Lloyd Eyamie

Lloyd began volunteering with O.I.M. in 2003 while taking a college ministry course. He continues to volunteer with O.I.M. in the Pastoral Care ministry among our street friends and is a trusted advisor and counselor to O.I.M. staff. Lloyd does so as he responds to the call of Matthew 25:35, 36 on his life to serve others in a practical ministry of caring and sharing the gospel to help others understand how much God loves them.

Front Line Receptionist

Erin Persaud

Erin is O.I.M.’s newest staff member, starting with us in September 2009. After being a stay-at-home Mom, raising her two sons for the past thirteen years, she felt strongly God’s hand in leading her towards O.I.M. and has been happy to answer that call. She brings with her a varied skill-set learned through her Accounting/Administration past and many years of volunteer work with her church, community and children’s schools. Erin is O.I.M.’s Frontline Receptionist and enjoys immensely her time with the many friends and volunteers who visit the office or drop-in.

Accountant

Carole Loewan
BFA