Meet Our Team
Aide Grossesse Quebec will establish a multi-location network of pregnancy care centres across the province of Quebec, supported by an executive team, wherever the need and community capacity is identified.
Executive Team
Chelsea Henman
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Chelsea, a native Montrealer, joined Aide Grossesse as its Executive Director in July of 2023. Her previous work experience and education include her role as the Financial Coordinator for a reputable Orthodontic Clinic in Westmount and running her own business in the field of home organization and design for 8 years.
Having experienced an unplanned Pregnancy at the age 17, she also possesses the compassion and understanding to know what someone facing an unexpected pregnancy is going through, remembering her own need for support and resources when she was pregnant at 17. She employs her creative abilities as well as her entrepreneurial spirit to carry out this role. It is her personal mission to ensure the success of this project - to build a network of pregnancy centres across the Region of Quebec so that Aide Grossesse can fulfill their mandate of “No one left alone when facing unexpected pregnancy and its effects”.
Chelsea is married with two children. Her husband Alex Degrasse, who works for the RCMP also gives of his time and energy at Speaking Engagements with Chelsea and is on Aide Grossesse’s fund development committee. Chelsea and her husband and younger son Philippe are followers of Christ. They attend Church 21 in Delson, on the South Shore of Montreal, where they enjoy the rich blessings of an amazing Church community that is united by faith.
St-Hyacinthe Team
Johanne Patenaude
client care facilitator
Johanne has been retired since 2020, and for her, Aide Grossesse represents an excellent opportunity to serve the Lord in the community. As a single mother, she had the privilege of receiving her parents' help on numerous occasions. This support allowed her to bounce back more quickly after her divorce, and to accept professional opportunities and challenges.
Additionally, as a teacher, she was very engaged with young adults, both in their academic success and personal development. The trust she built with her students encouraged their commitment, perseverance, and success. Today, she aspires to make a difference for mothers who often face an unexpected pregnancy alone. She is truly happy to be able to present them with options and resources.
Manon
Picard
client care facilitator
Manon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a focus on psychosocial intervention, complemented by several related trainings. She has gained experience in various settings, including the educational and community sectors.
Through the challenges she has faced in life, Manon has developed heightened sensitivity, empathy, and compassion for the suffering that people may experience and the diverse needs they encounter daily.
Having personally faced an unexpected pregnancy with her first child and the negative pressures surrounding her, she chose to continue her pregnancy with the help she received. After the birth of her second child, she found herself alone without any support from the father’s side. This has given her a deep understanding of the challenges single mothers can face. It was her faith in God and the love within her that allowed her to overcome these trials.
Manon’s heartfelt desire is to convey the message that we are never truly alone and that there will always be a helping hand extended to us, no matter the circumstances. This is why it is so important for her to make a difference, to help in various ways, to provide support, and to sow seeds of hope. For her, there is always a solution. It may not always be immediately visible, but it is there. Faith and the support around us make it possible to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Myriam
Primeau
client care facilitator
Myriam has always been dedicated to helping others and supporting those in need. She is the mother of two now-adult children, a 22-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old son. She is currently overjoyed because she will soon become a grandmother through her eldest daughter.
Myriam had a difficult childhood, and adulthood did not bring much ease. She was a single mother for most of her adult life, caring for a child with special needs (autism). She also faced the pressure of an unexpected pregnancy and made the decision to have an abortion. These events left deep scars.
However, these challenges cultivated in her a passion for helping others. She even changed her professional field to support people in more practical ways. Today, she works as an attendant at the Centre d’Entraide Maskoutain, an organization that assists those in need. Aide Grossesse is a ministry close to her heart because of her own experiences. Myriam desires to provide practical help to women facing difficult situations, bringing them hope.
In recent years, her life has also been marked by spiritual growth through her faith in Jesus Christ. When she learned about God’s love for her and His desire for a personal relationship with her, her life was completely transformed for the better. Today, she attends the Carrefour Chrétien des Maskoutains Church with her future husband, where she serves as a children’s ministry teacher. Knowing the comforting presence of God and being surrounded by loving people, she desires to offer others what she herself has received.
Board of Directors
MARCY AMENDT, BOARD CHAIR
Marcy and her family moved from British Columbia in 2013, feeling called by God to serve in pregnancy care in Quebec. Though Marcy is the director of a pregnancy centre for youth in Chateauguay, she felt strongly that a new organization needed to be created to serve individuals facing unexpected pregnancy at any age. Since 2017, Marcy has passionately pursued the vision of a network of pregnancy centres, supported by an executive team, so that no one in Quebec would be left alone when facing unexpected pregnancy and its effects.
ASHLEIGH DECLET, VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY
Ashleigh and her family moved to Quebec from Colorado in August of 2017. Ashleigh originally came to Montreal to work with survivors of sex trafficking and then felt God calling her to work with women faced with unintended pregnancies. Having planned an adoption when she was 18, she wants to work with women facing the same difficult choices she has had to make in her life. She has a passion to help and encourage those around her to help people become their best selves.
As well as working with Aide Grossesse, Ashleigh works with the transition home Abriter as a program coordinator, and is a team leader for the Montreal City Team within her missions organization.
GARY CROFT, TREASURER
Gary is the Director of Operations for Montreal Youth Unlimited, and since 2017, has served in a leadership role with MYU’s resource and pregnancy centre for youth in Chateauguay. It is with a vision to serve women who are outside of that centre’s demographical reach that Gary now sits on the BOD of Aide Grossesse, in order to give his expertise to this new startup project that he knows is so needed in Montreal. Gary is excited to work with other like-minded pregnancy care leaders, and establish a strong board that will oversee the new ministry growth of Aide Grossesse.
DONALD RODIER, DIRECTOR
Donald was pastor of Église Évangélique Baptiste de St-Hyacinthe for some 20 years, and is now chaplaincy coordinator in Quebec for the Fellowship and AEBEQ (Association d'Églises Baptistes Évangéliques au Québec). After 8 years as foster parents, Donald and his wife had the joy of adopting their 5th child in December 2023. Donald has long been keen to begin a ministry to help women and families facing unexpected pregnancy. With the support of his local church, he was working to develop such a ministry in St-Hyacinthe when he learned that a group in Montreal was doing the same. Seeing God's direction, Donald joined this group for the privilege of participating in the early days of Aide Grossesse Québec.
NATASHA LAPPOS, DIRECTOR
Natasha has many years of experience in the administration of various community and charitable organizations. She has volunteered as an event coordinator for the West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped; four years as an administrator for her church's youth group; over six years of broadcast ministry experience with WCHP Radio Champlain; and has served on the board of Revive Nations, an international ministry that plans and organizes conferences around the world. After a friend faced difficult circumstances related to an unexpected pregnancy, Natasha dreamed of opening a center that would help those similarly affected. Natasha believes that women must have access to resources, community support and unfailing love rather than turning the issue of unexpected pregnancy into a political debate or demonstration.
CÉCILE AUBUCHON, DIRECTOR
Cécile has several years of experience as treasurer and accounting technician within churches, charitable organizations, and SMEs. She also experienced an unplanned pregnancy in her early twenties, which she felt was a calling from God during a presentation of the AGQ ministry at her church. She now holds the position of accounting technician within the organization.
Cécile is a mother and stepmother to 6 children, one of whom passed away from muscular dystrophy at the age of 21. In 2010, they adopted a 5-year-old girl from Vietnam. Her husband is now retired. They attend the Église Évangélique Baptiste de St-Hyacinthe where they serve as disciples of Jesus Christ. They are also involved with the food bank at the Centre d’Entraide Maskoutain in St-Hyacinthe.
Cécile believes that this AGQ ministry will bear much fruit in Quebec for the glory of God.
Special Acknowledgements
CEM
The St-Hyacinthe church has long been committed to helping those in need. In fact, through its members, it started a charitable organization called the Centre d'Entraide Maskoutain (CEM). Recognized since 2007, this organization, which includes a food bank and a community store, is now well established in the city and contributes to the well-being of its community. This is where Aide Grossesse set up its head office and first center.
