Meet our staff
The heart of Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre are this group of core staff, and others on the team, who together make your time at the Centre special.
Michael Shapcott
Executive Director
The Rev'd Michael Shapcott joined the staff of the Sorrento Centre in 2018. By simple math, as the Sorrento Centre is joyfully celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023, Michael will celebrate his fifth year in the glorious Secwépemc’ulucw – the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc First Nation. Michael is never far from his camera (the “eye of his heart”), where he seeks to visualize the deep wisdom of the words of Hildegard of Bingen: “there is the music of heaven in all things”. He is grateful to work with a dedicated staff team, a hard-working Board of Directors and many volunteers to manage the day-to-day operations and finances of the Centre. He is active in the life of the Shuswap region and beyond, working on a variety of initiatives locally, provincially, across Canada and internationally. Ordained as a Deacon in the Anglican Church of Canada, Michael is well-known for a life-time of social and economic justice work focusing on housing, health and human rights, as well as human dignity and equity. In his work, Michael has managed national youth employment programs for Prince's Charities Canada, the Canadian charitable office of the then-HRH The Prince of Wales; led the housing and innovation practice at the Wellesley Institute think tank; co-ordinated community and university research partnerships for the University of Toronto's Centre for Urban and Community Studies; managed the development of hundreds of units of affordable housing through the innovative Rupert pilot project; and worked at street-level with adults who were homeless as a Community Development Worker at the Toronto Christian Resource Centre. He spent ten years as a newspaper journalist – working as a reporter, editor and columnist at several Canadian newspapers. His post-secondary education includes the Faculty of General Studies at the University of Calgary, the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, the summer programme of the London School of Economics and the Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Michael seeks to live deeply into the words of the 14th-century English mystic Julian of Norwich: “Be a gardener, dig a ditch, toil and sweat, and turn the earth upside down and seek the deepness and water the plants in time. Continue this labour and make sweet goods to run and noble and abundant fruits to spring. Take this food and drink and carry it to God as your true worship.” He lives on the campus of the Sorrento Centre with the delightful Phoebe, our Branch Manager, who teaches Michael how to slow down and smell all the delightful smells that our world has to offer. He is the proud father of the talented and beautiful Nicole and Malcolm. Michael knows how to play the accordion and concertina, and attempts to do so as much as he is able.
Kathie MacDuff
Associate Director
Kathie MacDuff is an artist, graphic designer and journalist who captures her artistic passions within her signature program, Creative Journaling. For the past 26 years, she has been teaching creative journaling as well as courses in watercolour, mixed media and a wide assortment of paper arts including book binding. She is the Expressive Arts Team Lead at Wellspring Calgary where she’s been a regular facilitator offering many and varied courses over the past fourteen years in person and on Zoom. She was a forerunner instructor with the Tom Baker Cancer Center leading to the establishment of their Medicine in Art initiative and was involved with a year-long research program with the Primary Care Network Pain Clinic studying the effects of creativity on pain and depression. She facilitated classes at the Good Shepherd Art Studio in Calgary since its inception in 2006 to 2022 and is a regular guest instructor and speaker at many retreat and conference centres throughout Alberta and British Columbia. Most recently, she relocated to British Columbia where she works as Associate Director of the Sorrento Conference and Retreat Centre overseeing Expressive Arts programming amongst other things. Her vision is to facilitate creative experiences that encourage connections, validate emotions, and nourish the soul. She finds fulfillment of these goals thanks to the wonderful people she gets to hang out with!
Maryann Baker
Financial Administrator / Shuswap CRN Coordinator
Maryann joined the front office team at Sorrento Centre in March 2022 and is currently now in our accounting department. She is also the Network Coordinator for the Shuswap Community Response Network, a cherished organization the Centre is partnered with. Prior to joining us Maryann has had management, accounting, administration, and communications experience. She loves to spend her spare time outdoors with her fur babies and, one of her greatest passions, and what she calls therapy, is her love for cooking. She is an animal lover, foodie, health enthusiast, and loves to travel. She wants you to know that the Centre feels like a second home and is sure you'll love it here too.
Eileen Kuchta
Retreat Coordinator
When you walk in the front door to the office, Eileen’s smiling face and warm personality will greet you. As Retreat Coordinator, nothing makes her happier than making you happy!
Norma James-Athay
Housekeeping Manager
Stacie Matthews
Communications Administrator, Certified Yoga Practitioner
Stacie fell in love with the Centre while camping on the grounds in 2021 and she expressed to the universe that she might like to spend her days here. The universe obliged! In 2022 she started assisting in the kitchen, and shortly after, in the communications department as her background in administration is extensive. Stacie also guides our summer guests in Yoga practice. The Communications Department Manager has since gone on a new adventure and Stacie accepted the opportunity to continue to learn and grow in the department and she will continue to share Yoga practice with our summer guests. "I cannot express how grateful I am to spend my days in this beautiful environment with so many big-hearted, generous, playful, dedicated souls."
Lori Mountain
Guest Services Specialist
While being the “newby” at the Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre, I have loved being the first voice guests or potential guests hear when they call, as well as the face that greets them when they arrive on site. The stories I have heard from people that have been at previous programs or gatherings warms my heart. Helping with their registrations, payment or answering any questions, I am always available to assist. The Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre has such a calm and relaxing environment, it is a real pleasure to work here.
Daniel Grass
Grounds and Maintenance Manager
Daniel comes to us with 14 years of experience in renovations, construction, and maintenance. Daniel's work ethics, extensive hands-on knowledge, creativity, and high standards in everything he does will serve the Centre well.