Bluewater Health - Board Members

The Board of Directors welcomes input from members of the public. Individuals who have questions about the Board or wish to communicate with the Board should contact Christine Murphy, Special Projects Administrator, at 519-464-4467 or by email cmurphy@bluewaterhealth.ca

General correspondence for the Board may be sent to:

Administration
Bluewater Health
89 Norman Street
Sarnia, Ontario N7T 6S3
Telephone: 519-464-4400, Ext. 4459
Fax: 519-464-4407

Bluewater Health Board of Directors Membership

Stephane Thiffeault

Chair

Stephane is currently Senior Corporate Counsel for LANXESS Inc., Sarnia. Prior to working at LANXESS, he was the General Manager, Corporate Services, Solicitor and County Clerk with The Corporation of the County of Lambton. In that capacity, Stephane oversaw the County's legal, human resources, information technology and records management departments. Prior to joining the County in 2007, Stephane was Director, Human Resources (North America) at a large multinational corporation and a Partner at McMillan LLP, one of Canada's leading business law firms located in Toronto, Ontario.

Stephane is a graduate of the University of Ottawa and holds an LL.B. and B.Soc.Sc.

Stephane joined the Board in June 2008. He is a member on the Governance and Nominating Committee and served as a member and Chair of the Resource Utilization and Audit. He is also a community representative on the Investment Management committee of the Bluewater Health Foundation.

Originally from northern Ontario, Stephane now lives in Sarnia with his spouse, Laura, and their two children.

Jim Elliott
Vice-Chair

Jim is currently the Director, Office of Quality Assurance and Institutional Research, at Lambton College. He has held several positions at the local college over the past 35 years, including: Dean, School of Business and Sports Administration, School of Liberal Studies Director of Learning Technology and Information Systems, Research Project Manager, and Professor.

Jim has been very active in community groups and organizations, often in leadership roles. He served as Chair, Sarnia Police Services Board, Vice-Chair, Lambton District Health Council as well as being a founding member of the Community Care Access Centre Board. Other volunteer work includes Bright’s Grove School Council, Home and School Association and with the Sarnia-Lambton NDP Riding Association.

He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in Higher Education, Finance and Administration and two degrees in Economics: Master of Arts from McMaster University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Brock University.

Jim joined the Board in February 2008. He is a member on the Governance and Nominating Committee and the Quality Committee and served as Board Chair from 2008-2010.

Jim and his wife, Joan, have lived in Sarnia for the past 34 years and reside in Bright’s Grove. They have two adult sons. Jim was born and raised in Strathroy.

Wayne Pease
Treasurer and Chair, Resource Utilization and Audit Committee

Wayne currently works for the Royal Bank of Canada as a Financial Planner. Wayne became involved with the Bluewater Health when he was appointed as a non-director committee member on the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee in 2009. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of Bluewater Health in June 2010 and continues to serve on the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee and is currently the Committee Chair.

Wayne holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Guelph and a Business Administration Diploma from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Wayne was born in Wingham, Ontario and raised in Yuma, Arizona. Wayne and his wife have 4 children and live in Sarnia. In his leisure time, he enjoys this vegetable garden and fruit trees which are his passion. He also enjoys biking on the nature trail and observing the natural beauty found in Lambton County.

Lorri Kerrigan
Director and Chair, Governance and Nominating Committee

Lorri was born and raised in Amherstburg. She has lived in the Sarnia area for the past 20 years. Lorri and her husband have three children.

Lorri has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from York University.

Her community volunteer work includes Human Resources Professionals, Sarnia & District; Ontario Municipal Social Service Association, Zone One; Community Homeless Initiatives Network; Lambton Breakfast Partners Network, and Lambton County Going Green Committee.

Lorri has held a number of positions in the social services sector. Lorri worked as an Insurance Officer and Client Service Representative for Human Resources Development Canada for 11 years and was an Employment Support Caseworker for the County. Since 2002, Lorri has been a Social Planner in the Social and Health Services Division, County of Lambton.

Lorri joined the Board in February 2008. Lorri has served on the Governance and Nominating Committee since 2008 and is currently the Committee Chair. Lorri also served on the Bluewater Health Governance Renewal Task Team.

Robert McKinley
Director and Chair, Quality Committee

Bob retired from a stellar 31-year career with the St. Clair Catholic District School Board and its predecessor boards. When he retired in 2007, Bob was Principal at St. Christopher Catholic Secondary School. During his career, he also held the same position at St. Patrick’s Catholic Secondary School, and St. Michael’s Elementary School as well as being Board Coordinator: Computers, Technology.

Bob joined the Board in February 2008. He is currently the Chair of the Quality Committee and is a member of the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee.

He was born and raised in Brantford. Bob moved to Sarnia 32 years ago to begin his career in education.

Bob and his wife, Joanie, have two adult children and reside in Bright’s Grove.

Rick Charlebois
Director
Rick Charlebois was recently appointed as the Director of Corporate Services/Treasurer for the Town of Petrolia. Prior to this appointment, Rick worked the Federal Public Service as Vice President of the Corporate Management Branch and Chief Financial Officer of the Public Service Commission Canada. Rick spent 30 years in the Canadian Forces retiring as a Colonel. He has lived and/or worked in every province and territory in Canada. Rick spent a year in Syria on a UN Peackeeping Mission during the 911 Crisis.

Rick is a Certified Managmenet Accountant and has his Masters of Business Administration. He is enthusiastically engaged with community activities - Junior Achievement, Big Brother In-School Mentoring Program, and is the community chair of the Bluewater Community Advisory Panel. Rick was appointment Director in November 2012 and currently serves on the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee.

Rick and his wife, Barb, reside in Sarnia and have two daughters.

Mark Kzyonsek
Director

Second only to his passion for golf, Mark has a vested interest in the on-going sustainable top tier health provision for the Sarnia community.

Born in Sarnia and a lifelong resident, Mark has worked locally as a Professional Engineer for the last 20 years. Currently Mark is a senior manager for the Sarnia office of the global engineering firm WorleyParsons, moonlighting as a soccer coach for both his daughters soccer teams, 8 year old Emily and 5 year old Alexa.

Bridging his work experience with cross functional teams in an operations environment with his community volunteer activities, Mark transitioned as a non-director committee member on the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee in August 2011 to his appointment to the Bluewater Health Board of Directors in June 2012.

Mark’s previous and current local volunteer work includes activities with The United Way of Sarnia-Lambton, Canadian Cancer Society and the Sarnia Girls Soccer Club.

He has a Masters in Engineering and MBA, and resides in Sarnia with his wife Amy, and two daughters.

Terry McNally

Director

Terry became involved with Bluewater Health when he was appointed as a non-director committee on the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee in August 2010. He served in that capacity until his appointment to the Board of Directors in June 2011. Terry is currently a member of the Quality Committee.

Terry is a Professional Engineer. He has been spent the past 10 years working at Enbridge Pipelines Inc. in Sarnia. Prior to that, he spent 12 years working for Union Gas Limited in Chatham and London.

Terry is a former Junior Achievement Business Advisor in Sarnia and a former Municipal Councillor for the Village of Oil Springs.

Terry was born in Petrolia and currently resides in Oil Springs. He has an 18 year old son and a 17 year old daughter.

Richard Newton-Smith
Director

Richard was appointed to the Board of Directors of Bluewater Health in June 2008. He is currently a member on the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee and has served as a member and Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee. He also served on the Bluewater Health Governance Renewal Task Team.

Richard, who has a Master of Social Work degree, recently retired as the Executive Director of the Sarnia Lambton Children’s Aid Society since 1984. Prior to moving to Sarnia, Richard was the Executive Director of Family and Children’s Services for the District of Timiskaming for five years.

In June 2009 Richard completed the second of two three year terms representing the Windsor/Essex Children’s Aid Society and the Sarnia Lambton Children’s Aid Society on the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies’ Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Best Start/Lambton Children’s Services Planning Network.

Richard was born in Barrie and raised in Richmond Hill and Perth, Ontario. Richard and his wife, Sheila, have two adult children and one grandchild.

Scott Palko

Director

Scott Palko was born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario.

Scott is a 2003 graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a dual degree in Business and Theology. He is the Owner and President of CCI Studios – a Marketing firm that has a strong presence in Sarnia, Toronto and Indiana. Scott co-founded Sarnia Connects, a local networking group that links 18-35 year old career-driven professionals and Get The Ball Rolling - a yearly Testicular Cancer Awareness Event.

Scott's volunteer service includes serving as Vice-President of both the Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton Board of Directors and The WorkPlace Group Board of Directors. Additionally, Scott is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Sarnia Gives, sits on the Board of Directors of the Imperial Theatre and the Sarnia Police Services.

Scott joined the Board in June 2011. He has served a member of the Quality Committee and is currently a member on the Governance and Nominating Committee.

Pasquale Rossi
Director

Pasquale was appointed to the Board of Directors of Bluewater Health in December 2009, since which he has served as a member of the Resource Utilization and Audit Committee.

Pasquale is a Professional Engineer and holds a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Toronto and currently is the Director of Product Development for Woodbridge Foam Corporation.

Pasquale was born and raised in Mississauga. Pasquale and his wife live in Sarnia with their two children.

Cindy Thayer

Director

Cindy became involved with Bluewater Health when she was appointed as a non-director committee member on the Resource Utilization Committee and Audit Committee in 2005. She served in that capacity for four years prior to her appointment as a Board Director in December 2009. Cindy is currently a member of the Quality Committee of the Board.

Cindy is the former General Manager of Community Services for the County of Lambton and previously the Business Administrator for the Lambton Health Unit. Cindy is a past volunteer for the Canadian Girl Guides Association, Parent's Association for Bright's Grove Public School and the Gallery Lambton Advisory Committee.

Cindy is a Certified Management Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo.

Cindy was born and raised in Ingersoll. Cindy and her husband have two children and live in Petrolia.

Ex-Officio Directors

Sue Denomy

President and Chief Executive Officer

Sue Denomy became President and CEO of Bluewater Health in 2008. She began her healthcare career as a Registered Nurse having earned a diploma in nursing from St. Clair College. Later, she earned an Honours Bachelor of Commerce and MBA from the University of Windsor; and in 2010 achieved a chartered directorship from The Directors College at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business. She has been working in the healthcare field for more than 35 years. Prior to joining Bluewater Health Sue held leadership positions at two large community hospitals with responsibility for clinical, corporate and operational areas.

Since joining Bluewater Health, her responsibilities include directing and overseeing the operations of the hospitals in Sarnia and Petrolia. Sue focuses her efforts on improving quality and safe patient care, creating a healthy workplace founded on the principles of respect, and developing a sound financial base for the organization. Sue’s strategy has been to focus on continuous quality improvement, negotiation, conflict resolution, strategic orientation, and building relationships inside and outside of the organization.

Dr. Mark Taylor

Chief of Professional Staff and
Vice President Medical Affairs, Chief Quality, Patient Safety and Risk Management

Dr. Taylor joined the Bluewater Health team in January 2011 as VP Medical Affairs, Chief Quality, Patient Safety and Risk Management, and was appointed Chief of Professional Staff in February 2013. A surgeon by training, Dr. Taylor has an extensive clinical, administrative and academic background spanning more than 30 years. Before coming to Bluewater Health he was the VP of Medical and Academic Affairs at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, Ontario. Prior to that he ran the Department of Surgery at St. Boniface General Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he was also the Patient Safety & Quality of Care Officer. He was an Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba, and was on the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety.

Dr. Taylor served in the Canadian Forces for 16 years, retiring as a Major. He has volunteered with the Red Cross in Haiti, and was the President of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada for 10 years.

In addition to his Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Toronto, he holds Masters Degrees from U of T and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Barb O'Neil

Chief Nursing Executive

Barb O’Neil joined the Bluewater Health team in 2008 and holds the position of Chief Nursing Executive. She received her RN education from the Public General Hospital School of Nursing (Chatham); her BSCN from University of Windsor and her Master of Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, Nova Scotia). Barb has worked in clinical specialties of Emergency, Operating Room and earned the designation of CPN(C) though the Canadian Nursing Association (CNA). She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honour Society for Nursing and has served on the Jurisdictional Review panel for the College of Nurses of Ontario. She represented the province of Ontario for the CNA creation of the national examination for Registered Practical Nurses.

Barb was born in Sarnia. She resided and worked in Chatham for many years, holding such leadership positions as Director of Mission and Organizational Development. Barb’s leadership interests include specialties in Appreciative Inquiry, MBTI and most recently Deep Democracy

Barb currently resides in Port Lambton with her husband Mike. They have three daughters and four (beautiful) grandchildren.

Dr. Joy Singh,
President, Professional Staff Association (Elected)

Dr. Firas Al-Dhaher,

Vice President, Professional Staff - Rural Health
Dr. Firas Al-Dhaher was appointed to the Board in December 2012 and serves as the VP, Professional Staff - Rural Health. Dr. Al-Dhaher grew up in a rural township south of London, Ontario. He obtained his medical degree in 2005 from the University of Western Ontario, and completed his training in rural family medicine at London as well. His practice interests include emergency and sports medicine. He currently lives in Petrolia, Ontario with his wife and two young boys.