Eastern Health - Board of Trustees

Annual General Meeting 2018-19

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Board of Trustees

Leslie O’Reilly, Chair
Robert Andrews, Vice-Chair
Marilyn Butland
Amanda Cull
Dr. Peter R. Ford
Sharon Forsey
Tara Laing
James (Jim) Miller
Alastair O'Rielly
Scott Tessier
Dr. Marilyn Thompson
Lynn Marie Wade

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Leslie O’Reilly, Chair
Leslie O’Reilly has served as a member of the Eastern Health Board of Trustees since October 2013, having served on the Finance, Quality and Safety, and Credentials and Privileges committees. He is also a current member of the Board of Directors for the Health Care Foundation. Mr. O’Reilly has over 30 years of experience in leadership in health care, marine communications and safety and emergency and ocean technology. He is currently the president and principal consultant with O’Reilly and Associates, a professional services consultancy focused on sector strategy and business development. He has previously served as executive director and CEO of Marine Institute of Memorial University and executive director of Oceans Advance Inc., the Newfoundland and Labrador Ocean technology Innovation Cluster where he strengthened alignment across research, institutions and industry and built consensus for a collaborative strategic agenda. Throughout his career, he has chaired and participated in numerous boards, advisory councils, and partnered on various projects in education, training and research. Accomplishments include national and international strategic initiatives in advanced training and applied research centers in marine communications, marine simulation, marine safety and emergency and ocean technology. He also led “Vision 2020”, the strategic agenda which continues to guide the long-term development plan of the Marine Institute of Memorial University. [Top]
Mr. Robert B. Andrews, Vice-Chair
Bob Andrews has practiced law in St. John’s since 1974. A Dalhousie University Law Graduate, Bob also received a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Memorial University in 1971. He has been appointed as Queen’s Counsel and a Master of the Supreme Court. Business is the focus of his practice, specifically in areas of Corporate/ Commercial Law, Real Estate Development and Financing, Labour and Employment and Business, Construction and Labour Litigation. Bob has been very active in community service as a past president of several organizations including the Rotary Club of St. John’s and the Canadian Mental Health Association (National and Provincial) and as a member and supporter of other community and professional organizations. He has about 16 years of prior health board service with the Waterford Hospital (Chair) and the Healthcare Corporation of St. John’s. In 2012, Bob was a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his community service. [Top]
Marilyn Butland
Marilyn Butland is the principal consultant of Butland Communications. She has been steering her business consulting and communications practice for seven years, following 13 years in agency management and partnership and 14 years with the provincial government. Building on her MUN Bachelor of Commerce and MBA work, along with certifications in management consulting, public participation, and partnership brokering, she is a strategic, results-focused, professional team player. Marilyn has a proven reputation for developing solid relationships in complex situations: in business leadership guiding firms; entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations through planning, awareness campaigns, issue management and growth; in mine-related projects from start-up plans for Vale’s Long Harbour Processing Plant to owner interests in re-opening Wabush mine; indigenous relations; and sectors that impact rural Newfoundland and Labrador from aquaculture to tourism. Marilyn is active in several professional and industry associations and within the community. [Top]


Amanda Cull
Amanda Cull is a Red Seal Electrician and a NunatuKavut woman, who is originally from Labrador and now resides in Bonavista. In 2018, she completed a Construction Project Management Diploma. Amanda serves or has served on various boards and committees. She currently sits on the Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board. She has served on the Central Labrador Economic Development Board, FINALY - Futures in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Youth, and the Youth Advisory Panel that guided the development of the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy. She has also volunteered extensively with the Labrador Winter Games as Chair of the Registration Committee; with GUSTO, Girls Understanding Skilled Trades Opportunities; and often mentors for Woman in Trades events such as Skills Canada, or the Office to Advance Woman Apprentices. Amanda is a driven, passionate individual with a high attention to detail. She leads an active lifestyle and spends her free time with her farm animals. [Top]
Dr. Peter R. Ford
Dr. Peter R. Ford is the owner/pharmacist of Ford's Family Pharmacy and Wellness Centre in Moncton, NB. Ford’s is a family owned full service pharmacy offering traditional, compounded and full consulting services. Dr. Ford is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy where he obtained his Bachelor of Pharmacy as well as his Certificate in Radiopharmacy in 1982. He obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA in 2006. Professionally, he was the past President of the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (1987-1988) and the New Brunswick Pharmaceutical Society (1989 - 1991). Most recently, he was involved in the development of the new Pharmacy Act of New Brunswick (2011). Locally, Dr. Ford was a member of Moncton City Council from 1988-2002. He has also been a member of various community groups throughout the Greater Moncton area including Ability Transit, Resurgo, Action 2000 and the Moncton Rotary Club. [Top]
Sharon Forsey, FCPA, FCA, ICD.D
Sharon Forsey is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador. She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Honors (Co-operative) in 1982, and received her Chartered Accountant (CA) designation in 1984. In recognition of her dedicated service to the Institute, the profession and the community she was appointed a Fellow of the Institute in 2013. Ms. Forsey is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and received the ICD.D designation in March 2017. Ms. Forsey's most recent position was Director of Taxation with Inmarsat, a multinational satellite telecommunications company where she is responsible for tax compliance and planning for the worldwide organization. Prior to her position with Inmarsat, she was Director of Tax for CHC Helicopter Corporation. Ms. Forsey also held a variety of positions with Bell Aliant predecessor companies in Newfoundland (both NewTel Enterprises and Newfoundland Telephone). She articled with Deloitte and was a Partner in the Tax practice prior to leaving to pursue her career in industry. Sharon has been very active as a volunteer having served as Chair of the CA Education Foundation and as a Director of the Board of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland as well as Chair of several other committees of the Institute of CA’s. She has also volunteered extensively with school and sports committees and in a variety of roles in her church community. [Top]
Tara Laing
Tara Laing has over 20 years of professional communications experience in areas such as strategic planning, issues and crisis communications management and stakeholder relations. She holds a senior leadership role at Marine Atlantic as the corporate communications manager and leads the team responsible for the strategic development, planning and execution of employee and external communications for the federal Crown Corporation. Prior to joining Marine Atlantic in 2002, Tara worked in various public relations positions within the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Her service included roles in Executive Council, Mines and Energy, Tourism Culture and Recreation and Industry. Tara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University, a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate in Public Administration from Memorial University, and a Project Management Professional Designation. Tara is also the chair of Waypoints, a not-for-profit agency that provides residential and support services to youth and their families, and has been a member of the International Association of Business Communicators since 1993. [Top]
James (Jim) Miller, B.A., C.F.M
Originally from New Bonaventure and now residing in Trinity, NL. Jim Miller has worked for the Trinity Historical Society since 2000 as project coordinator/ archivist, where he is responsible for the administration of all projects of the Society - fundraising, proposal writing, research and the general day-to-day operation of the not-for-profit organization. Jim became a co-owner of Sherwood Suites accommodations in Port Rexton in 2015. He also spends a great deal of his time volunteering in various roles on the Bonavista Peninsula, including his position as mayor of the Town of Trinity since 2005; chairperson of Cape Random Trust/Random Passage Site in New Bonaventure; chairperson of the Discovery Regional Services Board; and is a member of various other committees in the Bonavista Peninsula region. In recognition of his work in relation to supporting partnerships and regional tourism initiatives, he was awarded the Doug Wheeler Award, Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2010 and the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2012 in recognition of his community service. Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a concentration in Newfoundland and Labrador history, and a Certificate in Fund Raising Management from the College of the North Atlantic. [Top]


Alastair O’Rielly
Alastair O’Rielly retired from his position as deputy minister of the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development in 2016. Throughout his career in the public service, he served in a number of other executive positions with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, including having been deputy minister and assistant deputy minister with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. While serving in these roles, Mr. O’Rielly led departmental engagement in several extensive negotiations - in particular, the province’s role in international and national trade negotiations, including the Canada-EU Comprehensive Trade Agreement, Trans Pacific Partnership and the Agreement on Internal Trade. In addition, Mr. O’Rielly led negotiations on a multi-million dollar fisheries development agreement between the province and the Government of Canada. Mr. O’Rielly has held a number of senior positions in the private sector, including positions with Argosy Seafoods Limited and Clearwater Fine Foods, Inc. He worked as an independent fisheries development consultant prior to joining the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation as Managing Director and later as chair of the Board of Directors. He has also served as the president of the Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (FANL) from 1997 to 2003, during which time he was the lead negotiator in price agreements between seafood processors and harvesters, agreements which had cumulative values of $500-600 million annually. Mr. O’Rielly holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has served on numerous committees/boards in various sectors. [Top]

Scott Tessier
Scott Tessier is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB). Before joining the C-NLOPB in 2013, Scott was an advisor in the petroleum industry on legislative and regulatory matters in Alberta. He has also served in a number of senior positions with several government departments with regulatory mandates. This includes a career with the federal public service that spans 15 years - 12 years at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and three years in the health sector. Scott started his career with the St. John's Harbour Atlantic Coastal Action Program and has also worked with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Scott has been active on a number of volunteer and regulatory boards in the province. He has been a member of the Eastern Health Board of Trustees since 2019; Board Chair of the C-NLOPB from 2013 -2019; and a member of the Board of Directors of the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network, also known as MEOPAR, since 2014. In his capacity as CEO of the C-NLOPB, Scott is also an observer on the Board of One Ocean. Scott was born and raised in St. John’s and holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Memorial University. He volunteers as an elementary school basketball coach, and he and his wife have three young children. [Top]
Dr. Marilyn Thompson

Dr. Marilyn Thompson is associate provost, Human Resources at the University of Waterloo where she oversees the administration and long-term planning of all university human resources, organizational and human development, and total compensation activities and programs. As a senior executive officer of the university, Marilyn plays a key role in strategic planning and decisions affecting the employees of the university and provides vision for university-wide initiatives and human resources leadership. Before joining uWaterloo, Marilyn was a vice president of the Eastern Regional Health Authority. Having started her career as a nurse, she has held executive and senior leadership experience in health care, government, education, and private business sector. Her community activities include serving on the boards of the Community Services Council and as spokesperson for the Cabot Habitat for Humanity Women Build Project as well as president of the St. John’s Board of Trade and the Newfoundland and Labrador Chambers of Commerce. Marilyn received an RN diploma from the SA Grace General Hospital School of Nursing and holds a Bachelor of Nursing (MUN), Master of Education (Toronto) and Doctor of Philosophy (Toronto). Marilyn also holds appointments with the Association of Commonwealth Universities, HR Network; Excellence Canada; Lean Higher Education; and Network for Change and Continuous Innovation. [Top]


Lynn Wade
Lynn Wade retired in September 2013 as director of Laboratory Medicine, Eastern Health following a 37-year career as a medical laboratory technologist and several progressive laboratory management positions. Throughout her career, she served on various provincial committees, including the Provincial Laboratory Workload Measurement (chair), Provincial Laboratory Dictionary, Workforce Planning, and Provincial Working Group for implementation of Recommendations of the Cameron Inquiry into Hormone Receptor Testing. Lynn directed the implementation of the Eastern Health regional laboratory quality management system and the subsequent accreditation of all Eastern Health laboratories to ISO15189 standards. Lynn holds a Bachelor of Technology (MUN), Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (CNA) and a Certificate in Laboratory Quality Management (UBC). [Top]

Updated Mar 11, 2020

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