Our Team

Meet the dedicated people who give bullied kids a brighter future.

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We are stronger together

Rob Benn-Frenette, O.N.B.

Rob Benn-Frenette, O.N.B.

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Rob, a resilient individual who faced relentless bullying for 11 years, co-founded BullyingCanada in 2006 at the age of 17 after finding no support from existing organisations. His unwavering dedication to creating a safe space for bullied youth led to the establishment of a groundbreaking national 24/7 helpline service. In recognition of his outstanding efforts, Rob was awarded the Order of New Brunswick at the age of 21.Hailing from Fredericton, Rob passionately handles daily administrative and fundraising tasks, recruits and trains volunteers, and continues to provide support on the helpline, ensuring that no call for help goes unanswered. As a distinguished member of the Order of New Brunswick, Rob was also honoured with The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (New Brunswick) for his exceptional contributions to the province and the lives of countless young people.

Marlena McCarthy

Marlena McCarthy

Director of Fundraising

Marlena joined BullyingCanada in 2018. She brings extensive experience in fundraising and communications, having worked directly with non-profits since 1982, and independently since 1999 in her Done Write Communications business. Marlena writes and designs all of BullyingCanada's direct mail appeals to individuals, foundations and organizations; newsletters; donor correspondence and surveys; marketing materials and assists with website text.

Lex Spencer

Lex Spencer

Executive Assistant

Lex joined BullyingCanada in 2022. Bringing her extensive experience in administration, event coordination, and sales, Lex has quickly become an integral part of our team. She manages Rob’s schedule and responsibilities, deals with quoting and suppliers, vets callers and handles volumes of administrative email, prepares and sends correspondence and fundraising appeals, maintains our donor database, handles invoices, and assists in the sourcing and recruitment of volunteers and their scheduling – all with a can-do attitude and a smile!‍

Mary Lynne Stewart

Mary Lynne Stewart

Manager, Leadership Giving

Since 2021, Mary Lynne has been responsible for approaching family foundations, individuals, and businesses for major gifts. She has brought our donor stewardship practices to a new level, and leads the way in seeking new partnerships and ways of marketing BullyingCanada. She brings with her a wealth of development and communications experience gathered in senior roles in March of Dimes Canada and Christian Children’s Fund of Canada.‍

Katie Thompson (Neu)

Katie Thompson (Neu)

Co-Founder

Katie met Rob at age 14, when she had been so badly bullied at school that her parents homeschooled her to keep her safe. She and Rob set up BullyingCanada.ca – a forum where bullied kids could lean on each other for help. She has led many of our Empowering Youth Workshops and writes reviews of many books on bullying. Katie has a certificate in Criminal Psychology and Behaviour.

Will you help us give bullied kids a brighter future?