2010-11 Directors

Gwen Kerr - Chair

Gwen joined the Foundation Board in January of 2009 to fulfill the term previously held by retiring Board member Sean Cheverie and proceeded to fulfill an Executive role with the Foundation as Vice-Chair. Gwen has a professional background in marketing, special event management, funds development and visual art exhibitions. While Gwen and her husband are local operators in the hospitality industry, she gives graciously of time in the capacity of an Executive member of the Zonta Club Amherst Area, as a Board member of Family & Children’s Services of Cumberland County Foundation, the Cumberland Child Advocacy Board, and is a member and contributor of the Amherst Daily News Editorial Board and actively involved in the annual hosting of the Fibre Arts Festival in Cumberland.

David Wood – Past Chair (ex-officio)

David taught Math and Physics at Amherst Regional High for 33 years before his retirement in 2005. He was a long term high school soccer coach and coached basketball at many different levels. During his university years at Mount Allison he played varsity basketball and for several years during the '80's acted as assistant basketball coach at MtA. He enjoys wilderness and white water canoeing, sailing and boating, hiking, and cycling, having biked around the Cabot Trail with his two sons, a number of times. He is a past board member of Family and Children Services and the YMCA and past president of Amherst Minor Basketball and Cumberland County United Way. His two sons, Andrew and Jeff are currently finishing their university education. Dave and his wife Jane live in Amherst, but he is puttering away building their retirement home on the Tidnish River.

Vice Chair - Diana Bacon

Diana was born in Nappan and graduated from Amherst Regional High School. After graduating from Mount Allison University she joined the Department of External Affairs in Ottawa as an Executive Assistant – with assignments to the Law of the Sea Conference in NY, Canadian Mission to the UN, and High Commission in Jamaica. Diana joined Scotiabank in 1987 as an Investment Advisor with ScotiaMcLeod, followed by Vice President ScotiaMcLeod Direct Investing, and Director of Scotia Private Client Group. Currently Diana is the Branch Manager of Scotiabank Victoria Street, Amherst. Diana (and her husband Bruce) enjoys playing golf and the family cottage in Tidnish.

Rhonda McIver, CA – Treasurer

A graduate of Mount Allison University, Rhonda worked in public practice while obtaining her Chartered Accountancy designation with Hemming Weir Casey in Halifax. In 2006, Rhonda joined the firm of KPMG in Moncton before accepting a position with McIsaac Darragh Chartered Accountants. In 2009, she chose to launch her own Chartered Accountancy practice and to begin a part-time teaching career in the business department at Mount Allison University. She brings substantial auditing experience in the not-for-profit and healthcare segments and has actually been involved in the audit of Cumberland Health Care Foundation in prior years.

Cheryl Smith - Secretary

Cheryl graduated from the Victoria General Hospital School of Nursing and started her nursing career in Cumberland County in 1981. Holding a bachelor degree in nursing from the University of New Brunswick, Master of Nursing degree and Nurse Practitioner (NP) diploma from Athabasca University she is the NP at the Advocate Primary Health Care Clinic and instructor with the Athabasca NP program.

Born and raised in Amherst, Cheryl is an active volunteer and board member for many local, provincial and national organizations. She is married to Don and they have 3 children.

Stephanie Hillson – Member at large

Stephanie is currently employed with Nova Scotia Legal Aid and is the past President of the Cumberland Barristers Association, a former Board member of the Northern AIDS Connection Society, and is currently on the Board of the Cumberland Community Alternatives Society.

Ruth Hoeg – Member at large

Ruth comes to us with many years of experience in the manufacturing, agricultural, financial, and forestry industries. She started her career at the former Canadian Assemblies plant in Amherst which later became known as Waldale Manufacturing. From there she proceeded to work with Panasonic Canada (Halifax) excelling in both level and role with the company until she returned to work in the financial industry in Amherst. She currently is the office manager in the family business of Hoeg Industries (blueberries & lumber). She has been treasurer for various sporting groups as well as being an active sportsperson herself and is a member of her local church choir.

Karen Angel – Member at large

Karen retired from the teaching profession in 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education Degrees from Mount Allison University and spent most of her 35 year teaching career at Amherst Regional High School. Karen has served as a Board Member on the Amherst United Way, Chair of Trinity St. Stephen's United Church Organ Renewal Fund, a volunteer at the Amherst Food Bank and Coordinator of the Peer Drug Program at ARHS. Travel, art appreciation and Spanish Dance are among her favorite leisure pursuits.

Todd Lawrence – Member at large

Todd attended Mount Allison University where he obtained his undergraduate degree in marketing prior to completing a Master’s in Business Administration in Marketing and International Business at Simon Fraser University. He is currently the President/CEO of Waldale Manufacturing and the Irwin Hodson Group. An active father he is also volunteers locally with the Cumberland YMCA, minor hockey, scouts, and other groups.

Bob Janes - Cumberland Health Care Auxiliary Representative

Bob has been the Cumberland Health Care Auxiliary’s representative on the Foundation Board since 2007. With the support of the Auxiliary, he has agreed to continue in this role for another term. Bob is the past President of the Auxiliary, a local business operator, an active Rotarian and is known for his decades of work with Camp Tidnish. During his most recent term on the Foundation Board, Bob has been an active member of many committees including Finance, Golf, Foundation Dinner, and Personnel Committees.

Rakesh Minocha – CHA Management Representative

Rakesh has been the Cumberland Health Authority’s representative on the Foundation Board since 2002. Rakesh is employed by the Cumberland Health Authority as the Vice-President of Operations, he is also a Professional Engineer (electrical), and an MBA graduate. Rakesh works closely with the Foundation offices, staff and Board in a collaborative relationship of ensuring that donated dollars are utilized where they are most needed within the healthcare system for Cumberland.

Dwight Gallagher - CHA Staff Representative

After attending high school in Springhill, Dwight went to Halifax to study his life-long ambition of becoming a Laboratory Technologist. Dwight and his wife Linda (also a Laboratory Technologist) worked in New Glasgow for three years before returning to Cumberland County. Dwight was involved with Scouts Canada as a Cub Leader, a member of the Friends of High Crest Auxiliary in Springhill, a member of the Rotary Club of Springhill, and is a member of Laurie Lodge #70. Dwight and Linda have one son Luke who is attending his first year at Mount Allison University in Sackville N.B. Dwight tends to be a collector and has several ' treasured collections' but presently his spare time is spent ' hooking' (rug hooking). Dwight came to work in Amherst in 2005 and really enjoys his work with the CRHCC.

Dr. Justyna Krol-Lass – CRHCC Medical representative

Dr. Krol-Lass works in partnership with Dr. Celina White in the treatment of patients suffering from chronic pain due from fibromyalgia, abdominal pain, upper and lower back pain and others. She is a member of the anesthesia team of the CRHCC – CHA.

CRHCC Nursing Representative (vacant)

Bruce Saunders - Ex-Officio Member

Bruce serves as a representative to the Board from the Cumberland Health Authority, with which he is currently chair.

Staff

Joseph Gauthier - Managing Director

Joseph obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He came to the Cumberland Health Care Foundation with a background in finance, donor and funds development and an additional background in the healthcare and bio-pharmaceutical industries.

Nini MacDonald - Development Assistant

Nini is a native of Amherst and is currently responsible for helping to coordinate Special events such as Light the Way, the Annual Golf Classic and the Annual Dinner. She worked for several years with in the insurance industry.