Meet Our Team
Christal Earle - Chief Spokesperson / Co - Founder
Hometown - Prince Albert, SK
BIO - Christal Earle is the Co-founder of Absolute, as well as the Chief Spokesperson. Christal loves traveling to new places and meeting new people, loud parties, great accessories, and seeing lives changed! Christal travels across Canada and internationally speaking the message that each life is worth living to both corporate and youth audiences. She also facilitates the training of road teams, students, and works with Hero Holiday. Christal is married to Vaden, who thinks she is incredibly cute (mostly because she always laughs at his jokes). Go to our keynote speakers page for details on booking Christal for your event.
Charles Roberts - Director of Programs
Hometown - Gaspé, QC
BIO - Charles Roberts is the Director of Programs.Charles has 10 years experience in youth leadership and international team development. Charles is married to Tricia, God’s grace on his life, and together they have 3 boys and a baby girl: Gabriel, Micah, Isaac, and Aliyah. Charles enjoys any kind of off road vehicle experience and lighting fires with questionable items.
Ryan Wood - Chief Operating Officer
Hometown - Saskatoon, SK
BIO - Ryan Wood is our Chief Operating Officer– He is known as the brain of Absolute. Ryan has spoken to thousands of high school students across Canada, given leadership to our road teams since 2004 and along with his wife, Michelle, he is now based in Hamilton, Ontario. Ryan is known for 3 huge obsessions: his baby girl Amelia, his hang-gliding career (ask him how his last landing of 2007 went!), and raw fish with scandalous amounts of wasabi…
Diane Ciarallo - Administrative Assistant
Hometown - Toronto, ON
BIO - Diane Ciarallo is our administrative assistant, which means she is definitely in the know. Diane has been with Absolute since September 2003, and is still in love with us! Diane is a proud Italian and loves dancing, jewelery that Christal brings back to her from her trips, and most of all: high heels.
Ashley Smart - Media / Marketing Department
Hometown - Shelbrook, SK
BIO - Ashley Smart is Absolute’s Media/Marketing consultant. This is a fancy title that means he is really smart and reads all the fine print that no one else wants to. Ashley is one of the original members of the Absolute team, and has invested many years into this generation in Canada through countless road trips, high school assemblies, and bad cups of gas station coffee. Ashley is married to Erin, and they live in Kingston, the original capital of Canada (in case you were unaware).
Nettie Brown - Programs Administrator
Hometown: Cayuga, ON
BIO - Nettie Brown is our Hero Holiday Administrator. Nettie processes applications, works with our teams and students, as well as gives leadership during our Hero Holidays throughout the year. Nettie is known for her kindness, her charming personality, and great jeans. Nettie dreams of beaches and of riding their waves…that is why her and Cole have decided to be based in Hamilton, Ontario…because of our pristine beaches,our clean air, and our tropical winters…
Mandy Rousseau - School Liaison
Hometown: Simcoe, ON
BIO - Mandy Rousseau is our Booking Agent. Mandy is originally from Simcoe, Ontario. Simcoe is famous for….well…being Mandy’s hometown! Mandy loves working with Absolute for many reasons: the four flights of stairs up to our office that she needs to climb up and down countless times each day, the good-looking staff that she is surrounded by, and because she gets to chat with teachers all day on the phone. Mandy is passionate about the emerging generation and believes in the power of chocolate.
Cole Brown - Construction Manager
Hometown: York, ON
BIO - Cole Brown manages our construction work sites on our Hero Holiday projects in Dominican Republic and Haiti. Translation: he does twice as much physical labor as the rest of us, but he gets a really good tan, so we’ll consider it even. Cole and his wife Nettie live in Hamilton, Ontario, and they are the uncontested champions of the best-dressed award in our organization. Cole was in a bowling league when he was younger, and always tries to show off at staff parties.
Rose Friesen - School of Leadership Facilitator
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
BIO - Rose is excited to join the Absolute team, leaving balmy Winterpeg to live near the beach in Mexico. Rose is passionate about chocolate, photography, camping, traveling, farmers’ markets, music, and great purses. And we are ok with that - who can’t help but love a purse-toting, chocolate loving, traveling shutterbug?
