Interim director appointed to Department of Philanthropy

Vianney (Sam) Carriere has been appointed interim director of the Department of Philanthropy, the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada has announced.

Carriere, director of General Synod’s Communications and Information Resources, will have “delegate oversight” of Department of Philanthropy staff, said the General Secretary, Archdeacon Michael Pollesel. The position of director of philanthropy was left vacant following the resignation on May 28 of its former director, Holland Hendrix. Carriere’s interim appointment will be "a litte open-ended at this point," said Pollesel. "It may well be another year before we have another director of philanthropy."

Carriere recently completed an appointment as acting general secretary when Pollesel was on leave following a car accident in December 2009.

“I am certainly not a fundraiser. But the Department of Philanthropy has staff who are expert at that,” said Carriere. “My tasks as interim director will be to support them in their work and at the management level, and to help them strategize, build relationships and communicate with the wider church.”

Archdeacon John Robertson, national gift planning officer, will assume the title of senior management officer and assist Carriere.

Carriere will remain as director of communications and information resources.

Created in 2007, the Department of Philanthropy has a mission to “create a more professional and productive resource development program that will enable the church and its people to fulfill God’s mission.” It is also mandated to “enhance the coordination of fundraising activities within the Anglican Church of Canada including General Synod (its governing body), its national partners, dioceses and parishes.”