About Us
About Family Services Perth-Huron
Family Services Perth-Huron (FSPH) was established in 1971, in Stratford, Ontario, as a private, non-profit, community-based registered charity. Today we provide a wide range of family counselling and support services in Perth, Huron, Grey and Bruce Counties.
FSPH is dedicated to supporting, strengthening and enriching the lives of individuals, couples and families through individualized counselling, support services, advocacy and education to meet the needs of the community. We work closely with other services within the community on your behalf to create a plan best suited to your situation. We can also, with your consent, provide information and referrals to other local community services.
Our supports and services are provided in a warm, confidential, accessible setting. Some supports can occur in your home and within the community.
Our Mission
Family Services Perth-Huron is a non-profit, community-based, family service agency dedicated to supporting, strengthening and enriching individual, couple and family life by providing individualized counselling, support, advocacy and educational services that meet the needs of the community.
In co-operation with other care providers and service deliverers, consumers, planning groups, and funding bodies, we are committed to working toward the development of co-ordinated and effective service programs to meet the changing needs of individuals, families, and communities. We are committed to inclusion, diversity and equity of the population we serve in our policies and in the services we provide.
Our Vision
Our community strengthened one person, one family at a time
Our Values
- Each client receives individualized, client-centered services based on the uniqueness of each person
- Individuals, families, and the community benefit from an improved quality of life and well being
- No person will be denied service due to insufficient income or inability to pay. Fees are applied in a standard and consistent manner with funding support from grants, contracts, and charitable donations
The Family Services Perth-Huron Team
FSPH Staff Members and Board Members are committed to developing and maintaining services that fill gaps in community social services and meet basic human needs. Our Agency believes strongly that a positive team environment is crucial to provide care, compassion and understanding for others.
Our approachable, professional team consists of counsellors at the master’s level, qualified and trained staff members, contracted service providers, and volunteers. All are committed to empowering individuals, couples and families to improve their quality of life. As a learning environment, we support bachelor and master of social work university student placements.
FSPH is accredited through the Canadian Centre for Accreditation and the Hospice Association of Ontario. We undergo rigorous evaluation to meet or surpass required quality standards to ensure that we are a highly reputable agency.
We are funded through a variety of government and community organizations, client fees and private donations. Many fully funded services can be provided free of charge; some services may require a fee based on the funding we receive. This is reviewed during the initial appointment to ensure this is workable. We welcome all inquiries.
Our Board, staff and clients are truly appreciative of our generous funders.
2022 - 2023 Board of Directors
Don Campbell
President
With an education background in rural communities, once Don retired in 2016, he and his wife moved to Stratford looking to settle in and be an active part of the community. He currently works as an usher at the Stratford Festival. Don was an elementary school teacher for 22 years and an elementary school principal for 10.5 years. He also shares his wealth of knowledge and experiences from his previous term with the Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society Board of Directors. Don feels that as people and families are strong, they have more success and the community as a whole can benefit.
Alice Mainland
Vice-President
Alice joined our board in 2022. She is retired and her passion has been giving back and she has served on numerous community boards.
The majority of her career was spent at various automotive manufacturing facilities in Stratford and in the Cambridge area where she held management roles in Quality, Logistics, Production, Engineering and Plant Management. Alice grew up and raised her family in Perth County. As a parent of an adult with a developmental disability she brings a unique perspective to ensure services are in place that support families with children and adults with special needs.
Sarah Colman
Secretary
Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Law from Queen’s University and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature as well as a Practical French Certification from the University of Western Ontario. Sarah practiced law for 24 years and brings strengths in education law, policy work, labour law, human resources and workplace investigations. Recently, Sarah has retired from her work as a lawyer and is choosing work that connects her to her community, including teaching a writing course at Conestoga College, serving as an usher at the Stratford Festival, and working for Elections Canada as the Poll Operations Manager for Perth-Wellington.
Sarah joined our Board in 2024 and has a strong desire to give back to the community, contribute to the Agency and our clients. She is a fierce advocate, persuasive writer, careful editor, thoughtful teacher, eager learner, and tries her best to be a kind human. She has many published articles around education law and wrote a book on workplace harassment. Sarah volunteers for the Bruce Trail Conservancy and recently hiked the Salkantay trail to see the mountains of Peru and the wonders of Machu Picchu. Sarah is a mom to three amazing children and loves travel, theatre, music, hiking, reading, and playing pickleball.
Charles Swartwood
Board Member
Charles joined our Board in 2018. He has been a senior pastor for over 40 years. His board experience includes internal governance, committee work while serving on The Council of Churches Executive, the Stratford Concert Band Executive as well as serving Teen Challenge Canada and the Huron Perth Centre for Youth Board of Directors. Charles and his wife raised 2 sons in Stratford, while serving his church community, supporting the community of Stratford and area. Charles is a passionate and strong advocate to ensure services are in place for vulnerable persons living within the community.
Marg Van Herk-Paradis
Board Member
Marg has over twenty-five years of professional experience in the not-for-profit and faith-based sector, of which seventeen years were in a leadership position. Currently, Marg is the Co-founder and President for Credence & Co. and works as a Senior Consultant in the areas of organizational health and conflict transformation. She has a BA in Applied Social Science from Concordia University in Montreal and a Master of Theological Studies from Conrad Grebel University College, affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Marg is a Qualified Mediator with the ADR Institute of Canada and a member of the ADR Institute of Ontario and an Adjunct Professor at Conrad Grebel. Marg is passionate and deeply committed to the health and well-being of all people, especially for children and those who are on the margins, and feels privileged to serve on the board of Family Services Perth-Huron.
Terry Daum
Board Member
Terry joined our board in 2023. He is a lifelong resident of Stratford with his wife, Carmel. He has many years as a plant manager in manufacturing and has covered all aspects of manufacturing. Terry is also a board member of South Easthope United Church as well as volunteering his time to PCC (this group takes donations of used computers, he restores them, and they are given out to groups, ODSB, City of Stratford (social services), United Way Perth-Huron and other low-income folks.
Lori Gansevles
Board Member
Lori Gansevles brings years of commercial banking experience and local connections to RBC as a commercial account manager. Lori has a broad banking background, spanning from Financial Advisor, Mortgage Specialist and Commercial banking advisor over her 25-year banking career. As a local girl who grew up in the community, her understanding of the market, coupled with her experience provides a solid foundation from which to build business banking recommendations and enables her to adapt to a variety of business banking needs from cash management to lending solutions that are best suited for her clients. Lori, together with her team, work together to provide exceptional full-service support for their clients. When Lori isn’t working , her and her husband Kevin love to travel. Otherwise, she can be found playing baseball, volleyball and pickleball. She keeps busy with her 4 kids and 2 dogs.
Paula Robinson
Board Member
As a longtime resident of Stratford, Paula recognizes community and the impacts that FSPH has on the areas we serve. Graduating from Queen’s with a Bachelor of Education (Hons) and later from the University of Western Ontario with her Master’s of Education, Paula served her community having over 30 years in education as a teacher and administrator with the Avon Maitland District School Board. She saw first hand the needs of the youth and their families in Huron and Perth Counties.
Leadership Team
Leadership Team
Kate Aarssen
Interim Executive Director
Steve Malcho
Business Administrator
Steve was born and raised in Stratford and lives with his wife in Perth County. With a strong accounting background and affection for numbers, Steve been an integral core part of the Agency and always ensures that things are running smoothly. FSPH has been lucky to have Steve as a Business Administrator since 2003.
Ange Huehnegard
Executive Assistant
Ange was born and raised in Stratford and lives with her two sons. She has worked for Family Services Perth-Huron in different capacities since2003. She started out in Reception and over the years has also worked as the Credit Counselling Assistant and Administration and is now the Executive Assistant. Ange enjoys the connection she feels at FSPH with staff, clients, and our community.Kate Aarssen
Clinical Supervisor
Kate grew up on a farm in Southern Ontario. Kate is passionate about serving community through a trauma informed lens and values the connections and changes made possible through rural community social service programming. She has 25+ years of experience working with diverse client populations. Kate holds her Master’s Degree with a specialization in individual and family systems counselling. She is a Registered Couple/Family Therapist and a Registered Psychotherapist. Kate is a trained mediator, hypnotherapist and life coach and has her certification in Clinical Supervision. Kate has also served on nonprofit community Boards and taught at the post-secondary level.
Robyn Horst
Family Support Supervisor
Robyn brings over ten years of experience in the developmental sector, along with a diverse background in counselling and psychotherapy, mental health and addictions. She is passionate about finding innovative approaches to support for those who fall between the gaps in service, and the power of intentional relationships.
Megan Hopper
Familyhome Program Supervisor
Megan grew up in Listowel and currently resides in Huron County with her husband and two daughters. She has worked with Family Services Perth-Huron since 2017, starting with a role as a caseworker with the Familyhome Program. Megan has worked in the Developmental Service sector for 15 years, with a background in working with individuals and their families and program coordination. Megan puts a strong emphasis on community and family, and the important role they play in helping individuals succeed.
