Our Team

DARREN LEBLANC
President, Co-Founder
Darren is our grand storyteller and dreamer. He is incredibly passionate about all things AoH. Along with his wife Misty, he was suddenly plunged into a life of hospitals, surgeries and medications after she had been diagnosed with brain cancer. These things ultimately transformed them both into people who not only had a story, but people who care intimately about anyone going through illness. Most people would be called crazy to start a non-profit organization just weeks after the loss of a spouse, but Darren is special. It is said that the only test of leadership is that somebody follows. Darren has never had a shortage of followers. An electrical engineer by trade (but artist at heart) he has the uncanny ability of enabling people to not only understand his vision, but also feel that they have a place within it. Anthem of Hope is no exception. Since the day he began telling the world about Misty's battle with cancer, we were hooked. But Darren is more than just vision - he's a talented speaker, musician, "dark chocoholic," and self-taught photographer as well (he took the staff pictures!). His heart beats for people of all ages, nationalities and religions, not the least of whom is his daughter Olivia who inspires him daily. >> Follow Darren on Facebook, Twitter or his blog

COLLEEN DENTE
Chief Operations Officer
If there were an AoH “addict,” it would be Colleen. In fact, we are pretty sure the only thing she is more passionate about is Wednesday nights with a large mug of well steeped hot tea and a new episode of LOST (or perhaps washing her hands - she does that about 20 times a day). If there is something going on in our world, Colleen is undoubtedly involved. She is enviably gifted in all things art (painting, drawing, design, etc) and is a pretty stellar wordsmith. A world traveler by 17, she has seen quite a bit of suffering in this world and brings that experience with her. Beyond her talent and experience, there is love. About our mission, Colleen says, “I want people to feel loved again by God.” We will likely lose her one day in the future when she ships off to Africa as a missionary/nurse, but till then we are quite happy to have her. Who are we kidding?…When she leaves, we will just launch our first office in Africa!
>> Read Colleen's blog, or follow her on Twitter or Facebook

SCOTT PARKER
Chief Financial Officer
Scott is a pretty cool guy. Easy to please, some might say. He could die a happy man after eating his wife Ann's penne bolognese with a spinach salad, crescents, and a Coke. As a lifetime resident of New Jersey, Scott is also Darren's best friend. Whether playing in their band together, marrying their high school sweethearts (who were also best friends with each other), or having their first kids a month apart from each other, he's been around for all the major milestones. So when Darren asked Scott (who has a B.A. in Mathematics) to handle the numbers, he couldn't imagine not being involved. Being an actuary comes naturally to Scott: as a kid he dreamed of being a statistical consultant to the Boston Red Sox and sometimes he likes to balance the mortgage for fun. But don't be fooled - he isn't all about the numbers. He also enjoys baseball, watching Prison Break and The Office, and is a wonderful father to two beautiful daughters.

NICOLE LAPOINTE
Director of Marketing
As the Events Manager for Crain's Detroit Business, Nicole is perpetually consumed with the fast-paced world of event planning. Her passion for marketing and uncanny networking skills made her a no-brainer addition to the AoH team. What makes her an even more incredible asset is her passion to help people who are hurting. Nicole herself has dealt with serious illness for years: a pseudo-tumor which has been the cause of surgeries, loss of vision, and many spinal taps."It was the scariest time in my life. Having something like Anthem of Hope would have helped. When I think of AoH, it is personal." She is a fighter, but instead of letting people know when she is struggling, Nicole prefers to serve and put others first. When she isn't obsessed with booking fundraising tours or getting grocery stores to sell Anthem of Hope brand energy drink, Nicole is running (marathons!), swimming, or playing a mean game of walleyball (yes, with a "w"). She found the team through Misty's story; it's doubtful we'll let her go any time soon.
>> Learn more about nicole on her blog

JESIAH DWZONEK
Creative Director
This guy loves what he does and does it well. When asked what he would rather be doing than his current job of web developer and music producer extraordinaire, Jesiah said, "Nothing... life is perfect." It is this spirit of contentedness that makes Jesiah so great to work with. He speaks deliberately and with passion; if you're not paying attention, you’ll either miss something a) profound, or b) completely hilarious. A longtime New Jerseyite who now produces for bands, designs t-shirts, and runs UpcastMagazine.com from Portland, most projects to which he puts his hand turn to gold. He is an integral part of the AoH team as web designer/developer, composer, and overall consultant to the artistic process. Quality design is Jesiah's M.O., but it's not just quality for its own sake. He says, "The whole goal for me is to have God impact peoples lives through Anthem of Hope: encouraging them, changing hearts, bringing comfort, and helping their faith in Jesus grow leaps and bounds through adversity."
>> Jesiah owns his name - Jesiah.com. You can also follow him on Twitter.

JOE DEEVES
Product Distribution Manager
Joe is a man who knows how to get things done. That's good news for anyone who wants to wear one of our t-shirts because this is the guy who makes sure they leave the warehouse (i.e. his garage). Don't be fooled by the fancy job title though - Joe enjoys all things quirky and is always up for a good time. He found his soul mate young and has been married for 18 years (with 3 kids!), is a die hard hockey fan (but doesn't mind the occasional episode of LOST or Life either...), and would retire to Walt Disney World if he could. Joe is always listening for the voice of God in his life, and he finds answers in unconventional places: his kids often teach him more about himself than he teaches them, and he feels that God has spoken to him more through music then any other vehicle. Nicknamed "Devious" by Darren, he was immediately drawn to AoH: "I want people to know 'The Presence of the Lord.' There is no greater source of calm and peace then knowing you are never alone and He is in control; the Lord has been my greatest source of solace through the toughest times of my life." >> Follow Joe on Twitter

GENEVIEVE LEBLANC
Executive Editor
We call her Jenny from the Block because of her uncanny ability to break out the ebonics when the mood strikes (a talent which is both ironic and hilarious considering she has an English degree from the College of New Jersey). Gen loves learning - both inside the classroom and out - especially when it comes to Jesus. An avid reader, Gen is also our resident researcher (who had a large part in writing the Encouragement Disc script) and "prayer warrior." Anthem of Hope is especially personal to Gen: Misty was her sister-in-law, and just two years prior, she watched as her father died from the same type of brain cancer. Through it all, she has become stronger, and she hopes to help others do the same: "It is my desire that people come to a place of child-like trust, dependence and faith in God regardless of their physical state." Fortunately, Gen thrives on the spontaneous. Whether spending a day in New York City, sipping tea with friends, cleaning the house while blasting Stevie Wonder, or paying a visit to her native Jersey Shore, Gen is someone you want to have around.
>> Follow Genevieve on Facebook

JUSTIN LEBLANC
Director of Audio Productions
One could safely assume that Justin has three loves in his life. First, when it comes to musical equipment, there are few people more knowledgeable than Justin. Over the years as a band mate, worship leader, or studio engineer, he has amassed a large collection of his own amps, mixing boards, mics, and countless other items which often escape or hopelessly confuse the untrained eye. Not to be outdone, the great outdoors have appealed to Justin since he was old enough to accompany his dad and brother on weekend adventures. Whether camping, hiking, or mountain biking in a Darth Vader helmet down a hill while being shot at with paintballs, he's content so long as he can say he was "roughing it." Third, the pursuit which is admittedly most dear to his heart: building a solid and loving marriage with his awesome wife Gen through that age-old practice of interior decoration. Aided by HGTV and a wicked sense for all things modern, nothing can stop this renaissance man. Although his experience and knowledge make him uniquely qualified to be our Music Director, it is his loyalty as a brother, friend and husband which make him a desired teammate. >>Find Justin on Facebook

DAN DIFELICE
Director of Video Productions
Dan grew up wanting to be G.I. Joe ("a real American hero"), but instead ended up going to school for finance. Now he's a freelance designer (and a really good one at that) who owns a ridiculous amount of cool video gear, which works out really nicely for us. Connected to Anthem of Hope through his friendship with Darren, Dan has his own amazing story of illness and recovery: he is a thyroid cancer survivor who was diagnosed at just 21. The cancer has only served to focus his life and drive him to surround himself with things he loves: surfing, collaborating on creative stuff (although web design is not his most favorite thing to do), and of course, the trifecta for television - LOST, Heroes, and the Office. Most importantly, Dan will be married to his fiance, the lovely Melissa, this coming year.
>> View Dan's work on thecampagn.com or follow him on Twitter

WENDY WILLARD
Senior Design Consultant
Wendy literally wrote the book on HTML (you can read all about it in HTML: A Beginnner's Guide). Although her family says she should pursue acting ("to get paid for what I already do at home!"), Wendy has been a godsend to the Anthem of Hope team as a graphic designer. Her background in illustration and keen eye for design added hugely to the look and completion of the AoH website. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Wendy is a dedicated mother of two and wife to her husband Wyeth. Casting Crowns and Laura Story are in regular rotation on Wendy's iPod; she loves to read Ted Dekker and Karen Kingsbury; and she recently celebrated her birthday with her favorite meal: a Baltimore sushi roll, mango shrimp, and chocolate chip cookie cheesecake. Living the good life in Baltimore...
>>Visit Wendywillard.com or Follow her on Twitter

TIM BARBER
Staff Biblical Advisor
Tim is not your grandmother's reverend. Despite his OCD, ADHD, addictive tendencies, and penchant towards watching whole seasons of Project Runway in a single sitting ("don't judge me!"), Tim's heart lies in church planting. A self-described army-brat and ontologist who studied theology and pastoral ministry, few people know the transforming power of God like Tim. Ask him about it sometime while walking the boardwalk at night ("It makes it easier to talk about life and all it's many ups and downs"). When he's not reading, writing poetry, or taking pictures at the Jersey shore, Tim is the man who keeps us holy as our Staff Biblical Advisor. He says, "The world sometimes feels like a lonely place, I hope that Anthem of Hope shows people not only that they are not alone, but they are passionately loved by their Creator." We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
>> Find Tim on Flickr or follow him on Twitter

DAVID SANKEY
Senior Illustrator
David graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in graphic design and enjoys art-making of all kinds. He pays the bills as a freelance illustrator and designer, which suits us pretty well. Having grown up without TV to influence his young imagination, David's art is pure and fantastical, and despite being colorblind, he produces work that is not only color-coordinated but subtly moving as well. Like many of those involved with Anthem of Hope, David connected with Darren through his blog: after reading about our need for designers, he felt compelled to help, and since signing on has been influential in bringing about the look and feel of our website. Some other things he enjoys are raiding local thrift stores, playing guitar and banjo, and making sandwiches.
>> See some of his work on davidsankey.net or follow him on Twitter

CHRIS RENDA
Technology Consultant
Known as "Splenda Renda" to the Anthem of Hope team, Chris adds humor and insight to just about everything we do. This is not surprising as he thinks AoH is "the best idea ever." (So do we, Splenda, so do we.) In addition to being our tech consultant, Chris possesses a unique combination of wisdom, humility, and gravity that is enviable. He has a heart that beats for the hurting: "I want to see hopeful and peaceful people, sick or not." Chris applies this pragmatism and sincerity to his writing which he hopes to one day see published in the New Yorker. He says regarding his current unemployed status, "I would rather be writing or doing something else that makes people laugh while changing the way they think." When he's not reading (i.e. absorbing) political magazines or typing a thousand words per minute on his ever-present mini laptop, Chris is trying to decide on a major. It's been narrowed to PoliSci, Psych/Philosophy, or Journalism; suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>> Read Chris on SplendaRenda.com or follow him on Twitter

GRANT REITZEL
Composer & Worship Leader
Grant is a very talented and well-rounded individual. As he recently described, "I love coffee, I love art, I love great music, I try to love people, and I just got a new iMac!" Grant's involvement with Anthem of Hope is primarily musical in nature, although he is tied to its mission through Darren and Justin; all three have been involved with playing worship together for years. Grant's life is about pursuing his passions (he also loves photography and says that reading is essential) while using them to point people towards God. To that end, he's slightly obsessed with getting better at everything he does. Regarding AoH's mission, he says, "There are hurting people everywhere. I want them to understand the endless hope and love that is pouring out from a God that is pursuing their hearts."
>> Find Grant on his blog and on Myspace