Donna Rutz
Communications and Administrative Support, Shining Waters Regional Council
Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 6145
Email: drutz@united-church.ca
Serves in: Shining Waters Regional Council
Location: Teleworks and works in the Toronto Office. Please call ahead to ensure the office is open.
Donna provides administrative support to the region as a whole including communications, record-keeping, event planning, office management, and reception. Contact Donna about: General Inquiries; Community Events; Covenanting Services; General Inquiries; Records Management; Regional Events; Updating Contact/Subscription Information; Website.
Responsibilities
Donna is a part of the administrative hub that supports the region as a whole and often has multiple balls in the air. Although her job involves lots of juggling sometimes it feels more like herding cats!
Donna is one of our front-line workers, responding to inquiries and requests for information, sending out email campaigns and maintaining the website. She enjoys connecting people to the resources that they need.
Donna enjoys the creative opportunities in her job including working on the website or putting something visual together in support of a program. She believes that the visual language of communication is an important part of getting a message across.
Donna supports the administrative side of the pastoral relations processes in the region including the Pastoral Relations Commission. She will also provide support to the emerging Intercultural Diversity Commission.
Donna Rutz (she/her) Experience and Biography
Donna was raised in the Lutheran Church that was a part of her German family background. Her involvement with the United Church was sparked by an interest in going to hear a new minister friend preach a sermon. It wasn’t long before she was volunteering to help with the kid’s program, creating craft projects and Vacation Bible Camp resources. She has been ‘playing’ in the United Church ever since. Her professional artistic background and her creative side continues to find an outlet in her faith community at Northlea United Church.
Born and raised in a rural area of the Ottawa Valley, Donna maintains she was a city girl trapped in the country. Moving to the big city, she graduated from the classical animation program at Sheridan College in Oakville. Donna went on to pursue a successful career in animation, working on television, feature films, and at Walt Disney Animation Canada. In 2001, Donna made a career change, shifting to membership and administrative support in the private club industry, enjoying her time at both The B&R and The Cricket Club.
Donna joined the regional staff team through Toronto Conference where she was the administrative assistant for South West Presbytery. Donna is pleased to bring her focus on gold standard customer service and her creative energy to Shining Waters Regional Council.
Donna lives in Toronto with her partner Jo and their two cats, Sam and Ella.
An important part of my work is listening. I try to remember that when I’m dealing with people looking for help, they are often involved with something really hard going on with them or their church. Sometimes my role is to take the time to simply hear what that means to them before making sure they are connected with the right info or person.