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.

Volunteer and Events Coordinator

Kim Milam
B.A.

Kim was called to OIM after volunteering as a street outreach worker over the summer of 2010. With a B.A. in Sociology, and a background in volunteer management and event planning, the position at OIM gives her the opportunity to combine her skills and education with her passion for the marginalized in our society.

Youth Outreach Worker

Moira Davis
BASc

Moira joined the OIM team in August 2011. She has a BASc in Child, Youth and Family Studies from the University of Guelph.  For the past several years, Moira has worked with high-risk youth in the criminal justice system. She also has experience in visual art and music, and she believes that the arts can be a powerful tool when it comes to working with youth. She continues to build relationships with Ottawa’s street engaged youth by doing street outreach and by facilitating the weekly Passion 4 Youth art program.

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.

Office Manager

Erin Persaud

Erin started 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 Office Manager and enjoys immensely her time with the many friends and volunteers who visit the office or drop-in.

Accountant

Carole Loewan
BFA