MCC names first female director

Arli Klassen

Arli Klassen, executive director of MCC Ontario, has been chosen as the next executive director of Mennonite Central Committee.

She will be the first woman to lead the 87-year-old relief, development, and peace-building organization. Her appointment was announced Sept. 14.

“I’m very excited for MCC with the hiring of Arli,” said Ron Dueck, MCC’s board chair. “Her work in Ontario has shown her to be an excellent administrator, forging strong links with the churches and developing leadership in visioning and guiding MCC in its mission.”

Klassen’s appointment follows 16 years of service with MCC in Africa, the United States, and Canada. She first served with MCC in Lesotho and was country representative there from 91–94. She then worked in MCC’s Akron office as a Connecting Peoples resource person and an assistant director of Africa programs before becoming executive director of MCC Ontario. She served eight years in that position.

Klassen and her husband, Keith Regehr, are members of Breslau (Ont.) Mennonite Church. They have two daughters who are both university students in Ontario.

Klassen earned a master of social work degree from the University of Toronto and a bachelor of arts in sociology and religious studies at Mennonite Brethren Bible College and the University of Winnipeg.

As a candidate for executive director, Klassen emphasized the importance of MCC’s relationship to its constituency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches.

“My vision for MCC is that we remain focused on our identity as a Mennonite–BIC ministry, while inviting others in to support and partner with us in whatever work the churches are asking us to do,” Klassen wrote in a letter to the search committee.

After accepting the executive director position, Klassen said, “MCC is a strong ministry facing new changes and challenges, and I am eagerly anticipating walking with the whole of MCC – all the churches locally and globally, partners, donors, volunteers, and staff – in moving into the future.”

She is expected to replace interim director Bert Lobe by next spring. Lobe took over leadership after the resignation on Oct. 23, 2006, of Robb Davis, who served about 18 months.

—MCC release