Directors

David Wood - Chair
David was a teacher at Amherst Regional High School where he had taught math and physics at ARHS for the past 30 years. He was also coach of the ARHS boys basketball team. Dave has served on the Board of Family & Childrens Services, the United Way, and YMCA. His interests include outdoor pursuits. He and his wife Jane live in Amherst with their children.



Phyllis Cameron -Past Chair
Phyllis became involved with the Foundation Board during in 1998. She was the co-chair of the Major Gifts Division, as well as Vice-Chair of the Above & Beyond Campaign, which was responsible for raising $7.5 million dollars.

She retired as the Director of APSEA Resource Centre for the Hearing Impaired. Phyllis is Past President of the Rotary Club of Amherst. She presently works part-time at a local fabric/craft store where she teaches quilting and craft courses.

Phyllis and her husband Rod live in Tidnish Bridge. She has one son and three step-daughters.

Sean Cheverie - Vice Chair
Originally from Prince Edward Island, Sean is a pharmacist and operates two pharmacies in Cumberland County and has lived in Amherst with his wife and family for the past couple of decades. An active volunteer, Sean is also Chair of the Growing Care Campaign seeking to raise 2.48 million for a new operating room and updated digital imaging equipment.



Michael Hunter, CA - Treasurer
Michael Hunter has been involved with the Foundation for the past six years in the capacity of Treasurer and is also the Fiduciary Chair of the "Growing Care" campaign. Mike is employed with Jorgensen & Bickerton Chartered Accountants. Mike is involved with various community groups such as The Amherst Rotary Club, Amherst and Area Chamber of Commerce, The Amherst Curling Club, and Junior Achievement. Mike was born and raised in Amherst where he and his wife Angela currently work and live with their two children.

Gary Miller - Secretary
Gary is originally a native of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia but has resided in the Town of Amherst for the past 36 years. Academically Gary completed an undergraduate degree in English, music and education at Mount Allison University and later completed his graduate studies in educational administration at Dalhousie University and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. He retired in 2006 as the Superintendent of Schools for the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board after 35 years of service as both a teach and school and system administrator.

Janet Ripley - CRHCC Staff Representative
Janet is currently a laboratory technologist at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre and the chair of the staff component of the Growing Care Campaign at the regional hospital. She, her husband and children are all residents of Amherst.




Bob Janes - Cumberland Health Care Auxiliary Representative
Bob is currently the Chair of the Cumberland Health Care Auxiliary and serves as its representative to the Foundation Board. Originally from Saint John, New Brunswick - Bob and his family moved to Amherst just over 30 years ago where he established a local business which is still run by his family.

Rakesh Minocha - Member
Rakesh is the VP of Operations with the Cumberland Health Authority. He is on the Board of Directors of NSHOPA (Nova Scotia Health Organizations Protective Association) as well as NSAHO (Nova Scotia Association of Health Organizations) Pension Plan Committee.

He and his wife Divya have four children between the ages of 10 and 2. Rakesh was very pleased to return to Amherst and enjoys living and working in the community.

Bruce Saunders - Member
Bruce serves as a representative to the Board from the Cumberland Health Authority, with which he is currently chair. He and his wife Dianne reside in Tidnish.






Ron Wilson - Member
Ron was appointed to the Board in 2004.  He has served on various local, provincial and national professional and volunteer boards.  Currently a member of the Rotary Club of Amherst, Ron is also the Past President of the Rotary Club of Sydney.   Ron, a professional civil engineer is employed as Operations Manager at Waldale Manufacturing in Amherst.   He, wife Elspeth and three sons reside in Amherst.


Dr. Scott Bowen - Medical representative
Dr. Bowen was born and raised in Pictou,NS. He is blissfully married to Debra Bowen (MacDonald) and has 3 children who fully enjoy living and thriving in Amherst. After graduating from Pictou Academy in 1989, he received his Bachelor of Science cum lade from Acadia University in 1993. He then attended Dalhousie Medical School and graduated cum lade in 1997. He completed his training in Internal Medicine and Echocardiography from the University of Calgary in 2001, and has been enjoying an extremely busy practice in Amherst since August 2001.   Dr. Bowen has been a board member of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation since 2005. He also sits as Cochair of the Family Divsion of the Growing Care Campaing and has been a key member of the Golf Tournament Committee since 2005.

Blois Hennigar
Blois is an independent member of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the Finance Committee of the Board.

He is a Chartered Accountant and is currently Chief Financial Officer of the Bragg Group of Companies in Oxford. A native Nova Scotian and an alumnus of Mount Allison University, he relocated to Amherst six years ago after thirty-five years with companies in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. He and his wife Beverley, a Montrealer, celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary in August, 2006, with their son and two daughters and six of their eight grandchildren.

Blois also volounteers as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia Division and chairs the Audit Committee of that Board, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Trinity-St. Stephen's United Church.

Stephanie Hillson - Member
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.




Pamela Chappell - Nursing Representative
Pam is currently a staff nurse on Maternal Child at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre. She was also previously a recipient of the Cumberland Health Care Careers Bursary Program. Her past volunteer experience inlude the Holy Family Parish 9am Choir, St. Francis Xavier Development and Peace and the St. Francis Xavier University Chaplaincy.



Cheryl Smith - Member
Cheryl is currently the Nurse Practitioner for Advocate and spent 24 years in nursing at the former Highland View Regional Hospital. She is currently on the Southampton-Parrsboro-Advocate and Regions (SPAR) Community Health Board, is the volunteer Director of Fundraising for Sport Nova Scotia, President of the Nova Scotia Mixed Curling Assocation, and a canvasser for the Nova Scotia Heart & Stroke Association.

Staff
Joe Gauthier - Managing Director
A native of New Brunswick, Joe relocated to Pugwash Nova Scotia in the summer of 1996.   He attended the University of New Brunswick where he obtained his Bachelor of Office Management degree.   His past experience includes working for the provincial regulatory body for Optometry, funds development for HIV/AIDS education, prevention and support services in New Brunswick, and most recently as the Atlantic Donor Services Manager for Canadian Blood Services.   He has experience in fundraising, volunteer management, financial management, marketing, and special event administration.

An avid gardener, he and his family have an extensive garden in Pugwash and support their local Communities in Bloom event. 

Nini MacDonald - Development Assistant
Nini is a native of Amherst and is currently responsible for helping to co-ordinate 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.