Leadership

Douglas Flemmens

Director of the Collaboratory

dflemmens@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ext. 6810

Doug earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Penn State followed by a Masters of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Lehigh University. Doug's professional background is in manufacturing in both the electronics and packaging industries. During his career he has served in engineering, operations leadership, project management, international supplier relations, technical procurement, international sourcing and trade compliance roles. Doug has lived in York County, Pennsylvania for most of his life. Doug married his high school sweetheart, Joanne, and has two daughters. He is an active member of his local church serving at various times as a teacher, Elder, and Governing Board member. He and his family have served the deaf community in Jamaica, traveling there over a dozen times to participate in and co-lead service trips at several deaf communities. He enjoys staying active by biking, camping, swimming, volleyball, or some combination thereof. Doug is honored to have joined the Collaboratory team in 2016. He looks forward to doing the good works in which God has prepared in advance for the team to do. (Eph 2:10)

Dereck Plante

Engineering Projects Manager of the Collaboratory

dplante@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ext. 3004

Dereck Plante joined the Collaboratory as Engineering Projects Manager in 2016. A Massachusetts native, he has lived in the Worcester, Cape Cod, and Boston areas. He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Eastern Nazarene College and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. He also holds a certificate in Biblical Studies from University of the Nations. His career has been divided between industry, academia, and missions work. After first having spent a month working with abandoned children in Romania as a college student, his worldview was changed forever. Post-graduation, he returned to Romania with his wife, Lea, to serve with Veritas Romania in both a technical role and in direct support to abandoned and disabled children in the Transylvania region. More recently, Dereck, Lea, and their two children have studied and served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Hawai’i and Cambodia.

Lori Zimmerman

Program Manager of the Collaboratory

lzimmerman@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ext 7226

Lori has worked at Messiah College since 2007 and moved into the Collaboratory Program Manager role in 2017 just two days after graduating with her B.S. in Business Administration from Messiah. Her previous position in the School of Science, Engineering and Health as support staff gave her the opportunity to become familiar with the good work of the Collaboratory. Before joining the Messiah community, Lori and her husband Tim (who is a volunteer with the Collaboratory), along with their two children, lived in Honduras and worked for Brethren in Christ World Missions for over five years. In Honduras, they developed and managed a short-term mission internship program. Before living in Central America, Lori worked at Messiah Village as Communications Coordinator, and served in short-term missions in various locations over the years. In her new position, she is pleased to serve closely with faculty, students, partners and volunteers in the good work of the Collaboratory.

Shannon Walker

Administrative Assistant and Logistics Advisor of the Collaboratory

swalker@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ext. 5216

Shannon joined the Collaboratory team in 2013. In addition to serving as the Administrative Assistant to the Collaboratory office, she also works as the Collaboratory logistics advisor where she oversees the coordination and fundraising efforts of Collaboratory site team trips. Shannon perpetuates a life of service at the Collaboratory. Ministering as a music evangelist with her husband Kris for 15 years in the U.S. and abroad, the Walkers partnered with Worldserve International drilling wells in Africa, raising awareness of water deprivation, and encouraging churches to assist with well-drilling. They also assisted African communities through building projects, such as churches and health facilities. 

Jessica Kline

Student Director of the Collaboratory

collaboratory@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ex. 7226

Jessica is a senior electrical and computer engineering major from Delmont, Pennsylvania. In June 2011 she had the opportunity to go on a short-term mission trip to an orphanage in Mexico.

It was here that her eyes were opened for the first time to the reality of poverty and she began to be interested in mission and development work. When a return trip was diverted at the last minute, she ended up meeting a missionary serving on an Apache reservation in Arizona, who gave her the unforgettable advice that “people can be your passion”. This idea was the catalyst to her pursuit of a major where she could help those in need, and God eventually led her into engineering. With her heart set on helping people and a brain wired towards problem solving, the Collaboratory’s vision became hard to pass up. She therefore found herself at Messiah College, where she joined the Solar PV project September of her freshman year. Through this project, she was given the opportunity to go on a site team trip in May 2015 and help the team implement a solar panel system at the Theological College of Zimbabwe. Since, she has continued to be inspired by the Collaboratory and feels blessed to have the opportunity to join in the work God is doing through it. When she is not doing Collaboratory work, she enjoys doing various art projects (especially drawing), reading, working with kids at her church, and beating her brothers in board games.

Wei Yee Ng

Student Program Manager of the Collaboratory

Collabadvancement@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ext. 7226

Wei Yee is a junior International Business major from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She joined the Collaboratory in the spring of 2017. Even before arriving at Messiah College, Wei was drawn to the idea of service through vocation as the Collaboratory encourages. Despite joining the organization just recently, she has enjoyed the fellowship with other members at a recent prayer breakfast and the weekly Discipleship Community meetings. During her free time, Wei likes to socialize with friends as well as relax by the creek.