Dr. Stephen Cooper, based in Little Current at the Northeastern Manitoulin Family Health Team (NEMFHT), has 30 years of experience as a rural clinical and ER physician on Manitoulin Island. Over the years, he has applied his knowledge to a number of groups including the following: Chief of Staff at the Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) for fourteen years now, Rural and District Chair with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), Associate Professor and Medical Director of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSM U), and most recently as the Primary Care Clinical Regional Lead with Ontario Health North East.
Dr. Cooper remains committed to using his knowledge of regional health care challenges across the north to support his community and the many visitors to Manitoulin Island.
Dr. Reade is a rural family physician, educator and health care leader based in Mindemoya. Following medical school at the University of Alberta and an early career in western Canada, she has made Manitoulin Island her home since 2001. Dr. Reade is a member of several collaborative teams providing patient care at MHC, at the Manitoulin Central Family Health Team and at the M’Chigeeng Health Centre.
Dr. Reade is an Associate Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and loves to share her passion for rural medicine with medical learners. In addition to her usual clinical practice, she is interested in emergency preparedness, point of care ultrasound and working with Debajehmujig Storytellers on medical education projects. Dr. Reade received a Certificate of Special Competence (Emergency Medicine) in 2012 and the Physician Leadership Institute Certificate in 2019.
Dennis McGregor was appointed to the Board in 2015 and was elected Chair of the Board in June 2021. Previous to becoming Chair of the Board, Dennis held the position of Vice-Chair for two years. During his tenure, Dennis has also held the position of Chair and Vice-Chair for the Resource, Nominating and Executive committees, as well as serving on the Strategic Planning and Governance Committees.
He worked as a Marketing Manager for a major Insurance company in Toronto for 15 years, before returning to his home community of Whitefish River First Nation (Birch Island) in 1992, where he went on to work as the Band Economic Development Officer for another 17 years until semi-retirement in 2010. Dennis has served on numerous community boards including: Mnidoo Mnising Employment & Training, Whitefish River Development Corporation, Waubetek Business Development Corporation, and the Great Spirit Circle Trail. Dennis recently retired from Cambrian Insurance in Little Current and brings a strong business, economics, and insurance background to his Board role.
Dennis and his partner, Georgina, enjoy travelling, camping, and volunteer work in their community.
Doug Nadorozny was appointed to the Board of Directors in November 2023. He is currently a member of the Governance Committee.
Doug was an entrepreneur until 1997 when his technology businesses were purchased by a publicly traded company. He has been the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Town of Aurora since January 2016. Prior to that, in 2000 he joined the City of Greater Sudbury, holding the roles General Manager of Growth and Development and then CAO.
Doug has always been actively involved in the community, having served on many boards. He achieved an MBA from Laurentian University and has a designation (ICD.D) from the Institute of Corporate Directors having completed the Director Education Program at the University of Toronto. He was awarded a Doctorate of Sacred Letters (h.c.) from Thorneloe University, where he served as a Director for over 20 years. Doug is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and past Chair of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce.
Born and raised in Sudbury, Doug and his family have owned their cottage on Manitoulin Island since 1997. Doug and Sharon have recently made Providence Bay their permanent home to facilitate more boating and beach days with their grandchildren.
After a long and fulfilling career as Senior Executive in International Construction, Thomas took early retirement in 2010 to realize a lifelong dream of going ‘to sea’. After graduating with an Advanced Diploma in Marine Technologies from Georgian College and obtaining his Transport Canada credentials, he spent the following years as Navigational Officer with responsibility for the Safe Passage of a Polar Expedition Vessel in some of the most remote places on the planet.
In 2018 Georgian College asked Thomas to return as Director to lead the Centre for Marine Training and Research (CMTR), one of Canada’s premier marine schools. During the Canada-wide Covid lock-down CMTR remained open as the only fully operational Canadian Marine Training Institution, insuring our Mariners continued to furnish Canadians with urgently needed supplies.
During his tenure at CMTR Thomas also served as Chair of the Board for the Canadian Marine Industry Foundation and as Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Association of Marine Training Institutions. Since his retirement from CMTR in 2022 Thomas keeps busy with building projects, co-chairing the Board of the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium and occasionally going back on ship.
Ahnee, my name is Roger Beaudin, just recently retired in June 2023 as Department Manager of M’Chigeeng Health Services. I was the Department Manager for M’Chigeeng Health Services since August 2002. In July 2023, I started my own business providing consulting and professional services in Health and Strategic Planning. Here is a little bit about my background:
On the personal side, I am married and we have two boys and 4 grandchildren. We moved back to M’Chigeeng from Ottawa in May 1990 to raise our children in a place where we grew up, a place we have always called “home”. At that time, I was employed in Ottawa by the Assembly of First Nations, where I worked there for just over three years in various capacities. When we moved home, I accepted the position of Job Developer with M’Chigeeng First Nation. I worked in this position from May 1990 until I accepted the Department Manager of M’Chigeeng Health Services in 2002. Overall, I was employed for M’Chigeeng First Nation for over 33 years.
In February 2023, I graduated with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Institute of Business (AIB). I am also a Certified First Nation Health Manager, receiving my certification through the First Nation Health Managers Association.
Kimberley has spent most of her summers over the past 40 years on Lake Manitou at her family’s cottage. Recently, she and her husband Wes moved from London, Ontario to Manitoulin and decided to become involved as a volunteer in the local community. A graduate from Western University, Kimberley is the founder and president of Prime Management Group Inc., Executive Search and Recruitment.
Kimberley has many years of experience serving on various boards including St Joseph’s Healthcare, St Joseph’s Hospice, Pathways Skills and Development, NPA Worldwide and The London Chamber of Commerce. As an avid traveler, for both business and pleasure Kimberley has enjoyed learning about the different cultures throughout the world and is always thankful to call Canada her home.
Over the winter months, she and Wes and their black lab Tommy, enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren in Victoria, British Columbia.
Chris currently acts as the Senior Partner at Veracity Real Estate Solutions, a full-service real estate valuation and advisory consultancy that serves the Province of Ontario. After spending a year at Conestoga College, he attended McMaster University where he graduated with an honours degree in Ancient History with an Interdisciplinary Minor in Native Archaeology. He then pursed a post graduate degree in Real Estate at the University of British Columbia where he earned his AACI designation with the Appraisal Institute of Canada.
Prior to joining the Manitoulin Health Centre Board of Directors, Chris has served on a number of non-for-profit organizations and charitable organizations, holding such positions as President of Chapter 29 of the International Right-of-Way Association and of the Ontario Association of Municipal Real Estate Administrators. He is also a founding board member of Ayr Charity BBQ and the Veracity Helping Hands Foundation, both charitable organizations that provide support for community projects and charitable organizations across the Province of Ontario.
He and his family have been part of the Manitoulin community since the early 1980s, and in 2019 Chris finally called the shores of Mudge Bay (Kagawong) home. In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, reading, boating and fishing.
Heather Hall (Best) graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1990 with Bachelor of Business Administration (Co-op Option).
She worked in Toronto at an advertising/marketing firm for a few years until moving north back to her hometown of Gore Bay. Over the next few years she worked for Manitoulin Transport in the accounting and traffic departments. Heather has been an independent contractor as a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) for the last 20 years.
Heather & her husband, Dave, own several successful businesses including Manitoulin Self Storage, DH Electrical, and Best Bookkeeping & Accounting Services. They have 2 grown children and live in Sheguiandah with their 2 cats and 1 dog. In her spare time, Heather enjoys snowmobiling, curling bonspiels, boating, golfing and cottage life..
Jim was born and raised on Manitoulin Island in Little Current and recently returned to the Island after a 32 years.
During his time away he graduated from Carleton University with a degree in Law and Psychology. Jim spent many years in the Casino industry at sites across Ontario, travelled Canada and the United States as a Senior Project Manager with an Industrial Auction Company, and worked with the Ontario Provincial Police in Toronto. Jim finally found his way back to the Island and is currently working with the Wikwemikong Tribal Police.
Jim is an avid outdoorsman enjoying his time on the water in a kayak or canoe, backcountry hiking, biking.
Jim and his wife have a combined family of too many kids to list and are appreciating all the quiet, tranquility, and awesomeness that Manitoulin is famous for..
Jane was elected to the Board of Directors in June 2016. During her tenure on the Board, Jane has served as the Vice-Chair of the Board, Chair and Vice-Chair of Quality Assurance as well as a member of the Audit, Strategic Planning, Governance, Executive and Resource Committees.
Jane has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and graduate degrees in Epidemiology and Statistics. She has over 20 years of experience in the health care system in Ontario, both in the public health and Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) sectors as an epidemiologist and decision support specialist.
Jane and her husband, Randy, have lived in the Municipality of Gordon/Barrie Island since 2008.
Andrea was born on Manitoulin Island but lived the first 10 years of her life in a small community in Northern Ontario. She and her family returned to the Island every summer to spend time at their family cottage. Andrea and her family moved back to Manitoulin in 1988, and after a small stint living in Sudbury pursuing her education, she has resided on the Island ever since.
Throughout her children’s childhood, Andrea sat on Skate Canada Manitoulin’s Board for 10 years and was a key lead on many of the group’s fundraising initiatives. She held the position of Team Manager for 5 years with the Gore Bay Bruins house league hockey team.
Andrea is currently the Executive Director for Gore Bay Child Care Centre, a position she has held for the past 16 years.
Andrea is married and has two grown children. She enjoys gardening, reading and the beach.
Dawn is a recent addition to the Board of Directors, joining in September of 2023 as the Manitoulin Health Centre- Little Current Auxiliary representative.
Dawn was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She left home to pursue her post-secondary education, attending the Universities of Toronto, Guelph, Western, and Nipissing. She achieved a degree in sociology, a bachelor’s degree of education, and her certifications in guidance counseling and special needs education.
In 1971, she moved to Manitoulin Island to begin her teaching career at Manitoulin Secondary School as a guidance counsellor and special needs teacher.
After 33 years of teaching, Dawn retired and joined several local clubs and organizations, including the MHC-Little Current Auxiliary, of which she is currently acting as president. She is also serving on the Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands Council for her 5th consecutive term as a representative of Ward 4.
Dawn loves to travel, both throughout Canada and overseas, with family and friends. However, what she likes most is to spend her down-time relaxing at her home in Sheguiandah, where she enjoys the country life and her ever-expanding collection of mystery novels.
Dianne is a recently retired nurse with 43 years of varied clinical experience working in hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes, community health and palliative care as a staff nurse, administrator and educator.
A published poet, hand drummer and singer, writer, and former theatre instructor and performer, Dianne enjoys reading, working with children and elders in small groups, being in nature and helping others find balance in their lives and work. Dianne is a member of the Whitefish River First Nation in Birch Island and has a strong commitment to doing Pastoral Care for St. Gabriel Lallemant Parish in Birch Island.
Dianne’s motto can be summed up as “listen attentively, care with compassion, speak wisely, love unconditionally, smile often, and walk softly on the earth."
Debby Turner was elected to the Board of Directors in June 2012 and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Board.
Debby was born and raised on Manitoulin and has spent most of her life here. Debby owns and operates a 5th generation family business which has been serving Manitoulin for over 134 years.
Debby has been active in the Community through years of volunteering with the Little Current Figure Skating Club, the Ski Club, Community Service Advisory Committee, Downtown BIA, Classic School of Dance, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Downtown Beautification, and Centennial Bridge Committee.
Debby is married with 2 daughters and 2 grandchildren. She enjoys skiing, sailing, gardening and time spent at their cottage.
Sheryl joined the Board of Directors in September 2022. She is currently a member of the Audit, Fundraising and Resource Committees.
Having been raised in the community of Wiikwemkoong, Sheryl is intimately familiar with the benefits and trials of living in rural Ontario. Her family later moved to Little Current, where she has remained to establish and grow her career, and to raise her family.
Sheryl has enjoyed a 35 year career in the field of public service, and has extensive experience dealing with the public. She is also a strong believer in life-long learning and holds several diplomas in Municipal Governance and Municipal Finance. She has broad experience in the Accounting Field which ultimately lead to her 18 year role as the Treasurer for the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands.
Sheryl has a strong family focus and takes great pride in the three children she and her husband Ian raised in Little Current while building their respective careers. She relishes the time she can spend with her two young grandchildren and is determined to work towards building a better world in which they can live and grow.
Some of her favourite things to do include photography, cycling, running, and spending time with family.