Board of Directors

creditation Canada's Board of Directors is our governing body which comprises 14 voting members and two government observers. Meeting four times a year, the board provides leadership, sets policy, and oversees the organization's long term planning.

	Maria Barrados was confirmed as President of the Public Service Commission of Canada effective May 21, 2004. In 1975, Maria began her career as a Lecturer and later a Research Project Supervisor at Carleton University. In March 1985, she joined the Office of the Auditor General, where she held positions of increasing responsibility. She became the Assistant Auditor General, Audit Operations, at the Office of the Auditor General of Canada in December 1993. Maria chaired executive committees on value-for-money and professional practices, representing the Office of the Auditor General at parliamentary hearings and meetings with ministers and senior officials. She is also Chair of the Ethics and Quality Care Committee at the Ottawa Grace Manor, and a member of the Ottawa Grace Manor Board. Maria Barrados has a B.A. with high honours in Sociology from the University of Saskatchewan, an M.A. in Sociology from McGill University, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Carleton University.

	June Bergman is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine with the University of Calgary. She is also Chair of the Foothills Primary Care Physician Corporation and co-Chair of the Foothills Primary Care Network (a network of 180 primary care physicians). June has been involved in primary care renewal for many years. She was instrumental in the development of Shared care programs in the Calgary health region for psychiatry and many chronic diseases. She also developed new program models for hospitalists, free standing 24/7 clinics and participated in low-risk maternity models. Currently she manages a family medicine practice that trains family medicine residents. June has also been very involved in the development of quality in primary care through the national evaluation project that developed primary care domains and indicators as well as tools for Canada, and the Towards Optimal Practice committee that supports community doctors in quality practices and local quality initiatives.

	Christopher Carruthers, an orthopaedic surgeon and consultant in health care, is the previous Chief of Staff of The Ottawa Hospital. He has held a number of senior medical executive positions, including Chief of Staff, Vice President of Medical Affairs, President of the Medical Staff, and acting CEO, at the former Ottawa Civic Hospital. He is a graduate of Carleton University (BSc.), the University of Ottawa (MD), and Concordia University’s Executive MBA program. He is a Certified Health Care Executive, a past surveyor for Accreditation Canada, and a member of the Canadian Medical Association’s Physician Manager Institute’s faculty, lecturing to physicians and other health care professionals. He is a founder and the first president of The Canadian Society of Physician Executives. Dr. Carruthers has recently completed the Directors Education Program sponsored by the Institute of Corporate Directors at the Rotman School of Management and is a certified director of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

	Brenda Carter is the Regional Vice President for Cancer Services, South East Regional Cancer Program. Over the last 14 years, Brenda has held a variety of senior leadership positions in cancer care in Newfoundland and Ontario. She has considerable experience in cancer system planning, improvement and development, aimed at enhancing the quality of cancer services in Southwestern Ontario. Brenda holds a Master of Health Sciences, Health Administration from the University of Toronto as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario. She is a member of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives.

	Lynda Cranston is President and CEO of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), one of six health authorities established by the government of British Columbia in 2001. The PHSA is the only health authority in Canada focused solely on planning and delivering highly specialized provincial health services to the entire province. Her prior experience includes being the first CEO of the Canadian Blood Services. Lynda is Chair of the Canadian Healthcare Association, and serves on the board of Comprehensive Care International, Canadian Genetics Disease Network, and Healthcare Benefit Trust. She was awarded the 2008 Board Chair Award of Excellence by the HealthCare Leaders’ Association of BC. In 2007, she was inducted into Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100™ Hall of Fame, and was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Lynda is a recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Commemorative Medal for community contributions, and Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for contribution to Canada and community.

	Louis Hugo Francescutti is a Professor at the University of Alberta's School of Public Health and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Louis completed his combined MD/PhD degrees from the University of Alberta and has a Masters of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He also works as an emergency physician in the Emergency Departments of both the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the Northeast Community Health Centre in Edmonton. Louis is the Director Emeritus of the Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research and lectures around the world on injury related topics. He is a member of the Governing Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and a member of the Board of Directors of the Alberta Public Health Association. Recently, he was selected as one of Alberta's 100 Physicians of the Century.

	Alice Kennedy has had an extensive and progressive career for the past twenty-five years in the health system, holding a number of senior positions at the regional and provincial level. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer–Long Term Care, Community Living and Supportive Services, Rehabilitation, Continuing and Palliative Care at the Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Alice holds a Bachelor of Nursing and a Masters of Business Administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador as well as Certificates in Health Services Management and Nursing Unit Management from the Canadian Hospital Association (CHA). She is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian Council of Health Services Executives (CCHSE) and is active with the NL Chapter. Alice is involved at the national level as well and is the Atlantic Representative on the Board of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). In addition to serving on Accreditation Canada’s Board of Directors, Alice is also a surveyor.

	Mary Marshall has practised primarily in health law and has advised regional health authorities, provincial / federal / territorial governments, professional regulatory bodies, and others throughout her career. She is a frequent speaker and has published extensively on health law matters. As well, Mary has served on the Boards of a number of voluntary organizations, including the Canadian Nurses Association and organizations providing supportive housing for persons with disabilities. In 2009, Mary was the recipient of the University of Alberta, Faculty of Extension award for a “Leader in Lifelong Learning” for outstanding research and scholarship. In 2004, she was the recipient of the Canadian Mental Health Association National Office award for a legal counsel or law firm which has provided extraordinary leadership in advocacy. Mary has her Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Toronto (1980) and her Master of Law from the University of Cambridge (1994).

	Murray Martin is one of Canada’s longest serving health care executives, with more than 38 years of health care leadership experience. He joined Hamilton Health Sciences in 2001 as President and CEO. Previously, Mr. Martin served as the President and CEO of Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre. He has held a number of other senior management positions including Executive Vice President and COO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Administrator of the Pasqua Hospital, Regina, Saskatchewan, and Assistant Administrator, Swift Current Union Hospital, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Mr. Martin is a native of Saskatchewan and holds a Bachelor of Administration degree from the University of Saskatchewan and is a graduate of the health administration program from University of Toronto. He is also a board member of the Hospital Insurance Reciprocal of Canada and numerous other regional and provincial health care committees. He is a frequent speaker at health care conferences and has authored a number of publications.

	Danielle McCann has extensive experience as a professional and manager in all types of health and social service centres. With a BA in Social Work from McGill University and a Masters in Business Administration from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales, Danielle has served as CEO for nearly three years in CLSC and CHSLD (Long-Term Care Centres). From 2002 to 2004, she was Chief Executive Officer at the Richelieu CLSC and Rouville CHSLD, with concurrent functions at the CLSC and CHSLD Champagnat de la Vallée des Forts. Danielle has also worked for many years in the university hospital domain, in addition to serving on several boards of directors for community or inter-sectorial organizations — notably in employment and economic development — as well as being President of several committees and a member of the Comité de la Santé mentale du Québec. Since November 2004, she has been Chief Executive Officer of the Centre de santé et de services sociaux du Sud-Ouest–Verdun, which comprises eleven facilities, including a hospital, three CLSC and seven Long-Term Care Centres. Recently, the Conseil des ministres du Québec appointed Danielle McCann to the board of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec.

	Helen McElroy is Manager, Health Care Professionals, Health Human Resources Division, Health Canada. She has extensive experience in providing strategic policy advice to senior management officials in both government and non government organizations in health and social issues. Helen has played a key federal role in the development of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, the Internationally Educated Healthcare Professionals Initiative, and various initiatives related to recruitment and retention within the Pan Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy. She has also worked extensively in the area of child and family health with a focus on early child development, and health promotion, with an emphasis on tobacco use reduction. During her career, Helen was worked in the health, social service and education sectors at federal, provincial and local levels, as well as with non governmental organizations. Helen holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Consumer Studies from St. Francis Xavier University and a Masters of Science with a concentration in family therapy from the University of Guelph.

	Dwight Nelson is President & Chief Executive Officer of Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region, a post held since 2001. During the previous seven years, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Headwaters Health Authority in Alberta. His health career also includes terms as a Vice-President of the Alberta Children’s Hospital and as an Assistant Executive Director at the Stony Plain Municipal Hospital. Dwight is a Certified Health Executive (CHE) and has served on a number of provincial and national boards, committees and task forces over his 23 years in health care, including the Council of CEOs in Alberta, the Labour Relations Advisory Committee, the Board of the Association of Canadian Academic Health Organizations (ACAHO), and the Board of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives (CCHSE) for both Alberta and Saskatchewan. Strongly committed to his community, Nelson’s local involvements include the United Way of Regina Campaign Cabinet, the board of the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the board of the University of Regina.Most recently, Dwight received the 2008 Regent’s Award for Senior Health Leadership in Canada from the American College of Health Care Executives. In 2006, he was named Canada’s top health care collaborator by Canadian Healthcare Manager magazine. A graduate of the University of Calgary (Bachelor of Arts), Dwight also holds the professional designation of Chartered Accountant.

	Kaaren Neufeld is the Chief Quality Officer at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Before this appointment, she served as Executive Director and Chief Nursing Officer at St. Boniface General Hospital in Winnipeg from 1997 to 2007. She is a Registered Nurse and holds Baccalaureate and Master of Nursing Degrees from the University of Manitoba. Kaaren holds an appointment of Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba Faculty of Nursing. Prior to 1997, she served in the roles of Director of Education and Research, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Educator and Staff Nurse at St. Boniface General Hospital. Her career path includes experience in management, education, research and clinical practice. Kaaren is currently President of the Canadian Nurses Association and a proud member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.

	John Schram joined the Board of Directors for We Care Health Services in March 1996 and subsequently assumed the role of President and CEO of We Care in 1999. Prior to joining We Care on a full time basis, John held a number of senior executive positions in the publishing industry, both in Canada and in the United States. Throughout his tenure at We Care, John has strived to bring the concerns and issues of the home health care sector into the forefront for governments across the country. John championed We Care’s drive to accreditation with the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation in 2000. We Care piloted their new program Qmemtum. Mr. Schram holds an Honours Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.

	Joshua Tepper is a family physician and an Assistant Deputy Minister at Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Human Resources Strategy Division. As the Assistant Deputy Minister he leads the HealthForceOntario health human resources strategy. In this role, he also reports to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. He reports to the Premier on the “Family Health Care for All” health results table. With a degree in Public Policy from Duke University he has been involved in health policy and research relating to health human resources at both the provincial and national level. He was a senior medical officer for Health Canada, an adjunct scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and a research consultant for the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI). He completed his Masters of Public Health at Harvard University in 2005.

	Peter W. Vaughan is Vice-President Medicine, South Shore Health District in Nova Scotia, and Vice-Chair of the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation’s Research Advisory Committee. He is a health policy and health systems expert specializing in health care strategies, health human resources research, and public health policy and planning. Dr. Vaughan completed his Doctor of Medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and his Master of Public Health degree at The John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. He regularly appears as a keynote speaker to health research organizations, universities, governments—local, regional, provincial, and federal health planners across Canada. He has a unique background in philosophy, journalism, medicine, health policy, and applied health services research, and holds several adjunct faculty appoints. Dr. Vaughan has been a senior executive in both the private and public health sectors and has served on the boards of many organizations and growing companies.

	Rosa Walker is a member of Peguis First Nation of Manitoba. She is currently the Founder and Executive Director of the Aboriginal Leadership Institute, Inc. in Manitoba and was formally the Founder and Executive Director of Taking Charge! Inc. – a Federal and Provincial initiative that assists single parents on social assistance enter the workforce. She was also employed at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in the capacity of Managing Director, Workplace Diversity. Rosa worked with the Bank of Montreal in the capacity of Manager, Workplace Equality for Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Rosa received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Winnipeg, and is a graduate of the Social Work Diploma Program at Confederation College, Thunder Bay, Ontario. She was formally a Board Member of the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board, the Aboriginal Training and Employment Services, National Aboriginal Youth Association, Inc., and a Member of Inter-provincial Association on native Employment, Manitoba Chapter. Rosa is currently a member of the Faculty of Business and Economic Alumni Committee of the University of Winnipeg and the Global College Advisory Council also of the University of Winnipeg. Rosa is the recipient of the YM-YWCA Women of Distinction Award for 1999.

	Colonel David Weger joined the Canadian Forces in 1980 and has spent the past 23 years working within the military health care system. He is currently Director Health Services Delivery for the Canadian Forces, with system wide responsibility for a diverse portfolio that includes quality improvement, performance measurement, health human resources contracting, infrastructure, procurement and health informatics. Prior to assuming his current position, he served the Canadian Forces Health Services as a health care administrator and health services operations executive in six different provinces and overseas in Germany and the Middle East. Career highlights include his participation in relief efforts during the 1997 Manitoba Flood and the 1998 Eastern Ontario Ice Storm, commanding a 200-member mobile health services delivery unit and serving as the primary strategic level health services planner for the establishment of the Canadian led multinational hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Colonel Weger holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the University of Alberta, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Strategic Medical Leadership Program and the U.S. Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives. He is a Certified Healthcare Executive and sits on the Board of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives.