Announcing Abundance Canada’s New CEO

April 17, 2025 — In January, it was announced that after 26 years at Abundance Canada, Darren Pries-Klassen would be stepping down as CEO in June 2025. Over Darren’s career, Abundance Canada has increased its assets under management by 700% from $38 million in 1998 to $267 million in 2024. In the foundation’s 50-year history, it has disbursed over $400 million to registered charities across Canada. Darren has overseen tremendous positive change in Abundance Canada concurrent with the constant evolution of the charitable sector. His personal integrity, commitment to values, and his ability to nurture deep, meaningful relationships have been pivotal in forming significant partnerships with donors and the philanthropic sector as a whole.

In February, a formal Canada-wide executive search, facilitated by KCI, was conducted by the Board of Directors. Today, on behalf of the Board of Abundance Canada, I am pleased to announce the appointment of our new CEO, Alan Goddard, effective May 30, 2025.

Alan Goddard, MPA, MBA, CPA, CMA joined Abundance Canada in October 2024 as Executive Director, Generosity and Impact, supporting the efforts of our Gift Planning Consultants and contributing as a member of Abundance Canada’s leadership team.

Alan is a seasoned leader with a deep commitment to community service and the pursuit of the common good. His career has been characterized by progressive leadership roles where he has consistently initiated change and growth across various sectors.

Alan’s approach to leadership is built on inspiring, motivating, and empowering others, and he is recognized for his thoughtful and ethical leadership that fosters high-performing and impactful teams within psychologically safe work environments. His ability to understand systems, develop a shared vision, and support others in achieving their potential has made a lasting impact on the communities he serves.

Prior to joining Abundance Canada, Alan spent over a decade working with public foundations across Canada, culminating in his most recent role as Vice-President of Capacity Building Programs at The Winnipeg Foundation. In this role, his work involved leading strategic planning processes, developing good governance practices, managing donor relationships, and engaging with community-serving organizations to enhance their impact. All skills that will be invaluable to Abundance Canada as we build toward our future.

Alan and his family currently reside in Winnipeg. He has shared that he is grateful and humbled for the opportunity to lead Abundance Canada and serve our community partners.

Please join me in welcoming Alan Goddard as the new Chief Executive Officer of Abundance Canada.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Thompson
Board Chair, Abundance Canada
 
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For inquiries, please reach out to: 
Shelly Wilcoxson 
Director of Operations
204-488-1986
swilcoxson@abundance.ca