Jim Zeilstra - President

With his father as one of the founding members of Shalem and his mother a former resident, Jim Zeilstra has long been connected and familiar with Shalem.  Now, as a Chartered Professional Accountant with a Master’s in Business Administration, Jim is employed with Brookfield Properties in the Finance and Accounting group.  Jim has served on the Board of multiple Resident Associations in his role at Brookfield as well has been a Board member of various not-for-profit entities and joined Shalem’s Board in 2021.  Jim is married with three grown daughters.
 

David Konynenbelt - Vice - President

With a lifelong connection to Calgary Christian School as well as Shalem, where his grandparents lived for many years, David Konynenbelt joined the Shalem Board in 2021 with the recognition of the increasingly vital role that Shalem plays in providing a Christian living environment for seniors. David is Director of Information Technology at Shell Canada, where he has worked for over 20 years and is an active member of Bethel Reformed Church having served on various committees over the years.  David is married with four children.




 

Maarten Buth - Secretary

Maarten Buth moved to Calgary in 1997 when his employment as a marine professional with a large oil company led him to Canada from the Netherlands. Maarten sees the need for a Christian senior’s home in Calgary and has served on the Board of Directors since 2014.  Now retired, Maarten is at Shalem frequently and finds it satisfying contributing to the well-being of the residents. Maarten’s two children and four grandchildren live in the Netherlands. He enjoys biking and skiing during his free time.
 
 

John Spronk - Treasurer

Now retired, John Spronk worked for almost 50 years serving as the Chief Financial Officer for a variety of companies, mostly in Calgary, but also overseas and in the United States.  As a Chartered Professional Accountant, John also earned his Master’s in Business Administration and joined the Board in 2020.  Having enjoyed working with the Board, he agreed to a second three-year term as a director. John is married with four children and six grandchildren. 

 

Joanne Bouma - Director

As a Registered Nurse for over 30 years working primarily in acute care, Joanne has spent years caring for seniors and their families during vulnerable times. She is grateful to have joined the Board in 2022 to bring her healthcare background and support aging from a wellness perspective. In addition, having had the experience of her aging parents, she values supporting the families of residents. Having earned her Master’s degree in Nursing, for the past 15 years, Joanne has been a faculty member in the Bachelor of Nursing Program at Mount Royal University while continuing to work in Intensive Care Services. Joanne has two daughters and is a member of River Park CRC.


 

Sandra Hea - Director

Sandra has spent over 35 years serving in both the corporate financial world as well as the not-for-profit sector in a senior management capacity. With over 20 of those years as a professional fundraiser, she has the passion to see organizations thrive, expand their vision, and fulfill their mission, while meeting their organizational goals and becoming ‘best in class’. Sandra shares her extensive experience by providing coaching and mentorship to individuals in leadership and organizational development within the charitable sector. Sandra joined the Board in 2023 and has greatly enjoyed her interactions with residents of Shalem during her many visits.


 

Joel Wiens - Director

With an undergraduate degree in Finance, Joel is now a member of the Law Society of Alberta and currently works as Legal Counsel at Shell Canada. His previous roles included supporting the corporate governance at Shaw Communications and serving on his condominium board. Joel joined the Board in 2023 and was drawn to serve on the Shalem Board because it represented a great opportunity to serve a fantastic cause. The complexity and sophistication of Shalem is so clearly underwritten by a strong community and a desire among all to serve. Joel shares this desire and believes his skills set can add value to the Board and further support the worthy mission of the Society. Joel is an active member at Bethel Reformed Church and is a married father of two young children.

​

 

Dorothy de Vuyst - Executive Director

Dorothy de Vuyst has over 25 years of progressive experience in the not-for-profit sector, focused in international humanitarian aid.   Her years working in and serving some of the world’s most underdeveloped communities developed and solidified in her a passion for caring for others.  It is this passion that Dorothy brings as she serves in the role of Executive Director of Shalem.  Having earned her Master’s in Business Administration in 2015 Dorothy is motivated to build on Shalem’s vision of enhancing the well-being of seniors in our community and working together with the Board to ensure Shalem Residents enjoy a quality of life that will provide comfort and peace through the various challenges of aging.