Executive Team
Matthew Marquardt
Executive Director
Having served as a police officer in Texas, an aerospace engineer with the Boeing Company, and as a business lawyer in two countries, Matthew was inspired to found Catholic Conscience by an assignment he received as part of a lay formation program offered at the Archdiocese of Toronto during the episcopate of Cardinal Thomas Collins. The course led Matthew to reflect on ways in which society might benefit from an infusion of the Church’s social teachings. From the start, his goal has been to bring Catholics and the Gospel together at the heart of civic discourse. In addition to his work with Catholic Conscience, Matthew serves as a member of several secular and religious boards, including the boards of the Canadian Catholic News, Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys FertilityCare, the Southdown Institute, and the Newman and Neumann Foundations. He is a member of St Patrick’s Parish and the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, a contributor the the B.C. Catholic and other newspapers, and a Lay Associate of the Redemptorists.
Matthew has practiced law for more than 26 years, having been licensed in the States of Washington and New York, the District of Columbia, and the Province of Ontario.
Matthew@CatholicConscience.org
Dominic Chan
COO/CTO
Dominic Chan is a rare individual: a talented designer and technician, with a firm commitment to the creative use of technology for the improvement of society rather than the replacement of workforces. He is a gift to the mission of Catholic Conscience.
Dominic’s technology career started in high school. Having been invited to revamp his school’s outdated newspaper and yearbook designs, he was able to overhaul the entire production process of each while he was at it. Among other things, the experience brought out an extraordinary flair for photography and video production.
Having originated the office of webmaster for his graduate school during his time at Willamette University, Dominic continued building extensive experience in both design and technology through service in technical support, product engineering, and head of technology for many organizations, as both employee and service provider in such diverse industries as dot-com ecommerce, automotive, real estate, banking and financial services, entertainment and news, and many others. With his photographic and video production skills, Dominic also ventured into content production work, including contract and freelance work in photography, videography, design, and commercial printing production.
Dominic currently runs his own consulting and production company, providing technology, photography/videography, design and commercial printing services for clients from various industry. Along the way he has found time for public service as a teacher and board member.
A technology professional with a strong creative mind.
Dominic@CatholicConscience.org
Brendan Steven
Animator & Executive Director Emeritus
During a professional political career that included speechwriting for Canada’s Finance Minister, as well as other Government ministers and officials and exposure to inner party politics, Brendan found himself growing concerned for the tone and nature of political discourse in Canada. A conversation with Matthew, which showed that Matthew shared those concerns, proved Providential: with his political experience and sharp intellect, Brendan immediately began to spout ideas that have transformed Catholic Conscience and its mission in ways that have already impacted Canadian politics, and set an exciting course for the future. A graduate of McGill University and now chief writer with a large Canadian charity, Brendan was a 2019 fellow of CivicAction’s DiverseCity Fellowship Program and is actively involved with several Catholic organizations and ministries in Toronto. Brendan is a parishioner at St. Basil’s Catholic Church.
Following several years of service as our inaugural Executive Director, Brendan continues to devote his rare skills to the animation of webcasts and seminars.
Brendan@CatholicConscience.org
Peter Copeland
Animator
Peter Copeland is a husband, son, brother, Ontarian and Canadian. After pursuing graduate school in philosophy, he entered politics and public policy, where he now works as a policy advisor. His background is in business, political theory and philosophy, which he tries to weave into his work as a writer, contributor to think tanks, and Animator at Catholic Conscience. Much of his life has been spent in Southwestern Ontario, though he’s called Vancouver and Montreal home for multiple years. His travels have taken him to Denmark for studies, and Korea to teach english. He enjoys the riches and novelty of different cultures, though Canada will always be home.
Peter.Copeland@CatholicConscience.org