Board of Directors
President - Brent Nicolle
Brent has been a member of FirstU since 2004, together with his wife Alison Harvey. They have two children, Patrick (16) and Tristan (13).
Brent has volunteered at the church for over 10 years working on the Religious Exploration programme for kids of various ages, as well as on the Stewardship Committee and the Pledge campaign. Professionally, Brent is a self-employed software quality consultant, and has a B.A.Sc. in Computer Engineering. In his free time, Brent enjoys playing soccer and bridge.
Send an email to the President
Brent has been a member of FirstU since 2004, together with his wife Alison Harvey. They have two children, Patrick (16) and Tristan (13).
Brent has volunteered at the church for over 10 years working on the Religious Exploration programme for kids of various ages, as well as on the Stewardship Committee and the Pledge campaign. Professionally, Brent is a self-employed software quality consultant, and has a B.A.Sc. in Computer Engineering. In his free time, Brent enjoys playing soccer and bridge.
Send an email to the President
Vice-President - Mary Ella Keblusek
Mary Ella and her husband Andrew Drake began attending FirstU in late 2018 and became members in spring 2019. She has served on the Finance Committee, the Ajashki Project Team, Ministerial Search Committee, Committee on Shared Ministry and the Communications and Outreach Committee. During COVID, she focused on helping the congregation make a rapid and successful transition to the Zoom platform, which led her to co-create FirstU’s Zoom Trivia night.
Mary Ella has a B.S. in Computer Science / Mathematics from Vanderbilt University (Nashville TN), a Master’s degree in International Service from American University (Washington DC) and an MA in Conflict Studies from Saint Paul University (Ottawa ON). Her professional career has been varied and eclectic, and she has worked in Nashville, Tampa, and Seattle. She currently works at Initiatives of Change Canada, a non-profit organization.
Mary Ella and her husband Andrew Drake began attending FirstU in late 2018 and became members in spring 2019. She has served on the Finance Committee, the Ajashki Project Team, Ministerial Search Committee, Committee on Shared Ministry and the Communications and Outreach Committee. During COVID, she focused on helping the congregation make a rapid and successful transition to the Zoom platform, which led her to co-create FirstU’s Zoom Trivia night.
Mary Ella has a B.S. in Computer Science / Mathematics from Vanderbilt University (Nashville TN), a Master’s degree in International Service from American University (Washington DC) and an MA in Conflict Studies from Saint Paul University (Ottawa ON). Her professional career has been varied and eclectic, and she has worked in Nashville, Tampa, and Seattle. She currently works at Initiatives of Change Canada, a non-profit organization.
Secretary - Carl Sonnen
Carl works as an Application Developer at the House of Commons. He is the former Executive Director of Job Quest of Metropolitan in Toronto--a self-help initiative to assist individuals with mental health challenges obtain meaningful employment. Raised Anglican, Carl switched to United, and then became a self-aware UU in his early 20s. He is well versed in religious texts of major world religions.
Carl has volunteered with the Canadian Institute of Child Health, the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Group, and the Ancoura Mental Health Residence Initiative. At FirstU, Carl has participated in the Sound Team, OWL, the Nominating Committee, and the UU Web Working Group. Carl currently chairs the Communications and Outreach Committee.
Carl works as an Application Developer at the House of Commons. He is the former Executive Director of Job Quest of Metropolitan in Toronto--a self-help initiative to assist individuals with mental health challenges obtain meaningful employment. Raised Anglican, Carl switched to United, and then became a self-aware UU in his early 20s. He is well versed in religious texts of major world religions.
Carl has volunteered with the Canadian Institute of Child Health, the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Care Group, and the Ancoura Mental Health Residence Initiative. At FirstU, Carl has participated in the Sound Team, OWL, the Nominating Committee, and the UU Web Working Group. Carl currently chairs the Communications and Outreach Committee.
Treasurer - Phil Nagy
Phil Nagy has been a Unitarian for about thirty years, and has attended this congregation since moving to Ottawa in 2002.
He and his wife, Anne, have two children and five grandchildren.
Phil has been the Chair of the pledge campaign at the London (ON) Fellowship, and President of the Board at Toronto First. Here in Ottawa, he has been involved in refugee settlement and has served as Chair of the social justice committee. He has been a worship associate and a greeter, and has been on a number of search committees.
Apart from Unitarian Universalism, he has served on the board of several non-profits. He is retired from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Phil Nagy has been a Unitarian for about thirty years, and has attended this congregation since moving to Ottawa in 2002.
He and his wife, Anne, have two children and five grandchildren.
Phil has been the Chair of the pledge campaign at the London (ON) Fellowship, and President of the Board at Toronto First. Here in Ottawa, he has been involved in refugee settlement and has served as Chair of the social justice committee. He has been a worship associate and a greeter, and has been on a number of search committees.
Apart from Unitarian Universalism, he has served on the board of several non-profits. He is retired from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Member-at-Large - Amy Berube
Amy Berube has been a Unitarian Universalist for twenty years. After growing up in a secular household, she was amazed to find out there a religion without a specific dogma on an unrelated internet forum. She looked up UUism in Ottawa, and the rest is history. Currently, she greets, does sound for services and is a member of the Personnel Committee. Last year, Amy was on the search committee. In the past, Amy describes having done a little bit of everything: RE, youth group, choir, OWL and was a member of the young adults. She even sometimes plays with the UU bridge club, but is very rusty.
Amy Berube has been a Unitarian Universalist for twenty years. After growing up in a secular household, she was amazed to find out there a religion without a specific dogma on an unrelated internet forum. She looked up UUism in Ottawa, and the rest is history. Currently, she greets, does sound for services and is a member of the Personnel Committee. Last year, Amy was on the search committee. In the past, Amy describes having done a little bit of everything: RE, youth group, choir, OWL and was a member of the young adults. She even sometimes plays with the UU bridge club, but is very rusty.
Member-at-Large - Guy Belleperche
Guy Belleperche (Member-at-Large). Guy is an engineer by education, a pragmatic idealist by temperament, a husband, father, retired public servant, resident of Ottawa since 1989, and a part of the FirstU community since 2004. He is a Lay Chaplain of the Congregation, and has volunteered as an OWL Facilitator, Youth Advisor, Worship Associate, member of various committees, teams and task forces, and has previously served on the board of directors from 2014-2021.
Guy Belleperche (Member-at-Large). Guy is an engineer by education, a pragmatic idealist by temperament, a husband, father, retired public servant, resident of Ottawa since 1989, and a part of the FirstU community since 2004. He is a Lay Chaplain of the Congregation, and has volunteered as an OWL Facilitator, Youth Advisor, Worship Associate, member of various committees, teams and task forces, and has previously served on the board of directors from 2014-2021.
Member-at-Large - Carmen Contreras
After having attended FirstU "off and on" for years, Carmen Conteras (Member-at-Large) moved to the FirstU neighbourhood in 2018, and felt drawn to rekindle the connection and started attending Sunday Services. The Principles and Spiritual Sources spoke to, and answered, many of her questions, concerns, and quandaries with regards to her individual journey, as well as her role in the community, and the greater good. She has gradually become more involved in the life of the Congregation, and she deeply appreciates the opportunity to do so.
After having attended FirstU "off and on" for years, Carmen Conteras (Member-at-Large) moved to the FirstU neighbourhood in 2018, and felt drawn to rekindle the connection and started attending Sunday Services. The Principles and Spiritual Sources spoke to, and answered, many of her questions, concerns, and quandaries with regards to her individual journey, as well as her role in the community, and the greater good. She has gradually become more involved in the life of the Congregation, and she deeply appreciates the opportunity to do so.
