Our
Dedicated
Team
Empowering communities with passion & purpose
Who we are
Our Board of Directors
Kevin Alkenbrack
Executive Director
Kevin Alkenbrack has been the public face of Morningstar Relief Mission since 2013. Kevin felt called by God from his career in sales, to devote his life to those in poverty. Married to his wife Anne, together they have two children. Kevin is a respected Christian leader, and an advocate for the marginalised. Kevin always seeks to remind the community we can all offer a warm smile and a listening ear.
Brad Youmans
Chair
Brad Youmans joined the Board of Directors at Morningstar Mission in June 2020 and became Chair in June of 2023. He was born and raised in the Napanee area, where he lives with his wife and three children. Brad is the former owner and operater All-Risks Insurance Brokers, a full service insurance brokerage here in Greater Napanee. He has a heart for the community, especially those in need, and sees Morningstar Relief Mission as a great avenue to assist the people it serves.
Steve Martin
Past Chair
Steve Martin has served as a member of the Board since June 2017 and served as Morningstar’s Chair from June 2020 until June 2023. Steve and his wife Natalie have raised three children in the Greater Napanee area where they have lived since 2008. Steve has been employed with Continental Conveyor for 15 years. When not travelling for work, Steve enjoys spending time with his family, camping, fishing, and volunteering at Morningstar as well as being involved with his church family at Roblin Wesleyan Church.
Rick Helman
Treasurer
Rick Helman is a Chartered Professional Accountant with an Honours B. Comm from Laurentian University and has been on the Board since 2015. A former Director, Financial Planning and Budgets, for Loyalist College in Belleville, Rick is an avid community volunteer and currently serves as a Lay Reader at Christ Church, Anglican in Belleville. A once (and future) marathon runner, Rick was once voted People Magazine’s fourth-best looking man in Hastings County.
Chris Wicklam
Secretary
Chris grew up in the Napanee area where he currently lives with his wife Ronda and their two daughters. Working at the Kingston Central Ambulance Communications Centre, Chris is the Manager of Operations where he is part of a larger team who respond to 911 calls for Ambulance over a large area including Lennox and Addington. He is excited to serve on the Board and to be part of the amazing work that Morningstar continues to do everyday. When time allows, Chris enjoys helping out on the family farm, playing hockey and golf, cycling and ATV’ing.
Kelly McCutcheon
Board Member
Kelly grew up in the Napanee area, and lives here now with her husband and one of their children. They also have 3 grown children who live and work nearby. Kelly has worked as an elementary school teacher for the past 25 years. She loves working with children of all ages. She has also very much enjoyed working with both volunteers and clients at Morningstar. Kelly, Mark and their family have a love for animals, housing chickens, dogs, cats, birds and lizards on their small hobby farm. She joined the board in June of 2023, and s honoured to be a small part of the incredible ministry that Morningstar serves in the Napanee community.
David Isbester
Board Member
David and his wife Nicole have spent their lives in Napanee and are proud to call it home. David works as an Assistant Crown Attorney in the Belleville office and prior to that he was a criminal defence lawyer in Napanee. The Mission has always been a place that David could trust to be there for a client or friend in need of a helping hand or a kind word. David and his family enjoy volunteering with the Mission and he is very excited to be a part of an organisation that is so important to our community.
Brenda Vale
Board Member
Brenda Vale was added to the Board of Directors at Morningstar Mission in 2023. Brenda has worked in Picton at Anderson Equipment Sales since 2007. Brenda came to Greater Napanee in 2009 and served through Napanee and District Minor Hockey Association for a few years. She loves sports. Brenda has one son. Brenda has a heart for the marginalized. She serves the Lord through Roblin Wesleyan Church Celebrate Recovery and represents Eastern Ontario in Celebrate Recovery Canada.
Kathleen Hallam
Board Member
Doug Alkenbrack
Board Member
Doug was raised and educated in Napanee. He attended Prince Charles elementary school and NDSS. His father Douglas was a lumberman and later a Member of parliament for the area and his mother, Nan taught elementary school in Napanee for 40 years. Doug chose a career in medicine and graduated from Queens medical school in 1970. He returned to his hometown in 1972 to open a Family medicine practice. He worked as a family physician for 50 years and served as the local coroner for 42 years. He retired in 2022. He and his wife, Shelley, whom he married 53 years ago, were fortunate to have raised three children, Jennifer, Sarah, and Andrew and now are proud to have eight grandchildren. Doug and Shelley have lived in the same house in Napanee for over 50 years. His favourite interests include history, reading, multiple sports and yard work and gardening. Most of all he and Shelley enjoy watching the lives and careers of their beloved family. He is an active member of Trinity United Church in Napanee which he has attended all his life. He has always felt a need to help the marginalized members of our society and is grateful to be a volunteer at Morningstar mission as well as serve on its board.
Our Staff
Mackenzie MacPherson
Office Administrator
Mackenzie was born and raised in Fredericton, New Brunswick and is always happy to talk all things East Coast. He graduated from the University of New Brunswick with degrees in Science in Kinesiology and Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Not long after, he married in 2019 and relocated to Napanee where he lives with his wife, son, and little white Schnauzer. He has spent the past several years working in church administration and enjoys taking part in ministry at Evangel Temple in Napanee by serving on the worship team and kids ministry team. He loves playing piano and playing softball with his wife in the summer.
He feels strongly about using his time, education, and experience to better the lives of those around him. He believes our calling in Matthew 25, a calling to help the destitute and develop relationships out of a heart of servanthood, is the very floor of our Christian calling and not a ceiling out of reach. Through his work in administration, he hopes to assist clients however needed and to help facilitate the mission of Morningstar’s vision.
Rebecca Brown
Program Coordinator
Rebecca currently lives in Napanee. She has two grown children with families that include five grandchildren. She joined Morningstar Mission in October of 2022. As the daughter of missionary parents to Sudan Interior Mission (now known as Serving in Missions), Rebecca was born in Ethiopia and spent much of her childhood between Africa and Canada. Living with families experiencing extreme hardship led her to choose a long and rewarding career in nursing, from which she retired in 2022.
Although her work experience naturally raised her interest in working at Morningstar, it is the spiritual foundation of Morningstar, based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ, that drew her here. Although raised in a Christian home, it was through her own journey of faith that she moved from knowing about God to experiencing a relationship with Him as a kind, good, ever patient, heavenly Father, who through his Son, Jesus Christ demonstrated his unconditional love for all of us. Jeremiah 29:11 has become Rebecca’s guide through life’s challenges and hardships, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for good and not harm, plans to give you hope and a future”. It is that hope in Christ, she wants to share with others. Morningstar is that place of hope.
Shelley Free
Community Chef
Napanee has been my home all my life. I am the oldest of 4 siblings and I am grateful to go through life together with my partner Mike. I have two adult daughters and recently lost my step-son. When I have spare time I love gardening and crafting. I have been a Lion’s member for 8 years and find it a great way to serve my community. I love being to connect and make a difference in the lives of people who are struggling. My work at Morningstar helps me to be more humble, respectful and grateful. My work in the kitchen allows me to create meals out of all the many donations we receive. It gives me a wonderful feeling of satisfaction, and I can see with my own eyes the difference it makes. I love meals to be colourful and I am blown away by the generosity of the community to make sure we have access to so many fresh vegetables to accompany these meals.
Brittany Shelley
Placement Student
Brittany Shelley was raised in the Napanee area. Her hobbies include cricket crafts, reading mystery books, and spending time with her 3 month old son and 2 year old daughter. You can find Brittany at Morningstar Mission during her spare time. In the past Brittany has worked in the childcare, fast food, and cleaning industries. Recently she has gone back to Trillium College to complete a diploma as a Community Developmental Service Worker. It is Brittany’s greatest desire to assist individuals struggling with mental health and addictions. She is all too familiar with experiences, struggles and unhealthy lifestyles that drugs and mental health issues can lead to. Morningstar offers her the opportunity to empower one individual at a time.