Leadership Council

“Riding my bike, hiking and cross-country skiing are integral parts of my life. With an increasing focus on healthy lifestyles, I have found that communities across Canada (and beyond) are building the infrastructure - notably trails - to enable residents and visitors to participate in these activities. I want to make a contribution to our Headwaters Community in creating a trails infrastructure here for all to enjoy.”

Health Services -- Bob recently retired as President and CEO, Headwaters Health Care Centre. Bob completed a Master's degree in Business Administration with a specialty in health services management in December 1983. His work experience has included several years working at teaching hospitals including Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals and the Hospital for Sick Children from 1981 through 1991. This was followed by a switch to community hospitals beginning at York Finch (now part of Humber River Regional) and then Southlake Regional as Senior VP prior to coming to Headwaters in 2001.

Education - Prior to entering health care Bob graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Psychology from the University of Guelph (1973) and a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University (1975) and then spent 5 years teaching including 2 years with CUSO in Papua, New Guinea.

Bob is a retired elementary school principal who is currently in his 4th term as Chair of the Upper Grand District School Board. Appointed first in 2001, he was re-elected in 2003 and 2006 to represent the public school ratepayers of the Town of Orangeville.

A 30+ year resident of Orangeville, Bob has been actively involved in his community. "I believe that it is every citizen's responsibility to contribute in whatever way possible to growth and health of your own community." As such, Bob was part of Little League baseball, the Optimist Club, the Achill Choral Society and is currently involved in the music and leadership of Westminster United Church. His work with the Headwaters Community in Action Steering Committee is a natural extension of his desire to make his community a better place in which to live.

As Executive Director for Community Living Dufferin, Sheryl Chandler continues a legacy of her agency's support for HCIA. As a sponsoring agency for HCIA, Sheryl sees the achievement of HCIA's vision as a win for her agency. "Social prosperity, facilitating opportunities to work together and engaging people sounds very similar to our vision for communities. If we can truly motivate our Headwaters community to buy into the HCIA vision and make it a reality, then CLD's vision becomes a reality - what a celebration that would be!"

On the Steering Committee, Sheryl works to ensure that people with disabilities are visible in all aspects of community life and bring various views from her community partners to the table. Sheryl has lived in Orangeville for the past 25 years. She and her husband John are active volunteers in local sports activities and believe in giving back to the community.

Kerry is the Health and Wellness Director at ACTS, overseeing fitness and health programming at the new Wellness Centre. Kerry brings 16 years executive and board level experience to HCIA. Kerry owned her own business in the fitness/health industry for 15 years, and currently is working towards a Master of Public Health. Kerry will be co-chairing the Quality of Life Report Card Working Group with Margaret Long.

About her reasons for joining the Steering Committee, Kerry says, "I have lived in this area for 8 years and have witnessed the need for a cohesive multi-dimensional plan to bring all of the sectors and populations of this vast and beautiful area together. I wanted to not only be part of something that would make a difference but wanted to work with others in an environment where I could learn more about this community and the processes involved in community evaluation and change. HCIA is a good fit."

Leesa is an Associate Professor at York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies. Her interdisciplinary, feminist research on human-animal relationships crosses over between environmental and sustainability education and ethics, human ecology, and biological conservation.  She has co-authored two books, numerous articles and is a member of WWF’s scientific advisory committee on the Endangered Species Recovery Fund. 

She and her family live beside the Nottawasaga River and the Niagara Escarpment--surely, one of the most beautiful places in the world!  Leesa has been a Mono Township resident for over two decades, actively involved in sustainable agriculture for over three decades, and was a community volunteer with Orangeville's Family Transition Place.  She is dedicated to proactive community involvement that honours social and environmental justice issues and was drawn to HCIA because of their interest in the flourishing of all members of the Headwaters communities and their dynamic leadership model based on trust and responsibility.

Gord Gallaugher has been involved with his local municipal government for the past 18 years, serving as councilor, deputy mayor, and then mayor for the past 6 years in the Township of Mulmur.  He also served as a member of Dufferin County Council for 9 years, during which time he chaired several committees, as well as spending one year as warden in 2003.  He was one of 55 participants at the inaugural meeting on Headwaters Communities in Action in November, 2004.

Gord’s strong commitment to community service is reflected in his service on many local boards.  He is currently a member of the Board of the Central West Community Care Access Centre and has also served as a board member of the Headwaters Health Care Corporation, the former Waterloo Wellington Dufferin District Health Council, and the Wellington Guelph Dufferin Health Unit

In private life, he recently sold his beef cow calf farm in Mulmur, although he continues to live on a farm in Mulmur with his wife and 2 grown children, one of whom now does the farming. He has also been involved along with his wife in owning and operating travel agencies in Orangeville and Shelburne, and worked previously in agribusiness.  Gord recently left his position as the Facility Manager for the Orangeville Agricultural Society and Fairgrounds to assume a new position as finance manager of The Gibson Centre for Community Arts and Culture a not-profit community and cultural centre housed in a beautifully restored factory building, whose aim is to foster entertainment, education and enlightenment to people of all ages located in Alliston, Ontario.

Dave is the currently the Managing Director of Lord Dufferin Centre and President of Stellar Health Care Solutions Inc. (Consulting Firm). He has been in Seniors Care and Service Sector for over 25 years. Along with his partner Donna, Dave is very excited to be involved in the planning and development of One Elizabeth Street Adult Lifestyle Community, adjacent to Lord Dufferin Centre.

Dave has been a resident of Orangeville for over 36 years. He has been happily married for over 26 years to Donna, with 2 amazing children, Nathan and Elyse. “I have always felt that we have a social responsibility to be involved and give back to our community, in some way or another. For me, it was very apparent that HCIA affords an opportunity to do just that. I fully support the mandate, and have enjoyed being a committee member for the past couple of years.”

Fred is an avid cross-country ski enthusiast who gives lessons at the Mansfield Outdoors Centre. His other passions include, cycling, hiking and traveling by car and trailer with his wife Carolyn across Ontario and Canada. Both Fred and Carolyn have a love of 'natural, native' gardening to attract butterflies and birds.

Before retiring, Fred was an emergency responder with Mississauga Fire & Emergency Services. At work he witnessed too many incidents between cyclists and motorists as the popularity of cycling increased. This has given him a very keen interest in ensuring that “safe” cycling corridors exist throughout the headwaters – either on paved road shoulders or dedicated cycling/hiking trails. He believes this is imperative as part of promoting a healthy safe lifestyle and encouraging people to exercise in the beautiful countryside of the Headwaters. “I want my grand children to be able to experience the natural beauty of our area out of a motor vehicle.”

Fred served one term on Shelburne Council which was he found to be a very valuable learning experience. Fred has been a member of the Shelburne Rotary Club since 1994 – serving as the local president and Assistant District Governor for two years.

Upon retiring, Fred was appointed to the Headwaters Hospital Board where he served as Secretary for 2 years. Having joined the Headwaters Communities in Action and being appointed the Chair of the Trails Working Group, Fred decided to not seek a second term on the Hospital Board to devote more time to cycling/trails issues and allow more free time to indulge in traveling with fewer restrictions on his time.

Katy Leighton works for the Eaton family in Caledon overseeing their Holding Company and Foundation (as well as a plethora of out of the ordinary tasks). She has a business background, primarily in marketing/advertising in the apparel industry but shifted her focus in order to both live and work in the Headwaters area and avoid the commute into the city. Katy has resided around Orangeville for almost 15 years and has enjoyed raising two children (and a husband) in the area.

"We moved to this area for the quality of life we thought we could find here and we were not disappointed. This region has so many natural and human resources and is truly a wonderful place in which to live. I am excited to work with the Headwaters Communities in Action Communications working group to "spread the word" of the enhanced quality of life that can be generated through the interaction of the numerous interest groups in the region, and to help collect input from local residents in order to determine what visions they have for the area's future."

Margaret Long is a Mono resident who telecommutes from a home office. She is a Global Program Manager for Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co. and brings a wealth of practical experience in project management, business planning, group facilitation, and data analysis to the HCIA Steering Committee. Marg will be co-chairing the Quality of Life Report Card Working Group with Kerry Braniff. She has volunteered with HCIA since October 2005, contributing her time and talents to the community consultation process and our Fund Raising and Communications Committee.

Marg's reasons for getting involved, "I care about the preservation and sustainability of our environment while also wanting to ensure an appropriate technology infrastructure is available to all residents in the Headwaters region to make our communities easier places to live and do business. I've lived in Mono for 8 years, and look forward to contributing to my community in a meaningful and enduring way. I want to be involved in something that will truly make a difference and I believe HCIA is effectively positioned to help move the community forward."

Ron is the owner/operator of Munro’s Country Gardens, a greenhouse and garden centre located in Grand Valley that he started after a successful 25 year career in the publishing industry. Ron is also the Chair of the Greater Dufferin Area Chamber of Commerce, an organization that that for more than a century has served as the “knot that ties the business community together” by providing a forum where members from businesses big and small work together to enhance the local economy and form a network of support for local business members.

Ron believes that there is real synergy between the aims of HCIA and the overall mission of the Chamber, which is to improve all aspects of life in the area, and to make the County a prosperous place for business.

Ken is a long time resident of Dufferin, enjoying all of the benefits of country living with his wife, Martha, on their farm in Mulmur (kids have fled the nest and return occasionally for country quiet). He is president of Croft Builders, a building and development company that has been active in the Dufferin and Georgian Bay area for many years. The company is Energy Star rated, and has built many R2000 units. Ken received a B.A. from the University of Toronto, and studied in the Masters program at the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University before deciding that entrepreneurship held more interest.

Ken’s community involvement includes past president of the Greater Dufferin Home Builders Association, past board member of Family Transition Place, past president of Theatre Orangeville and current member of the Advisory Board, member of the Building Dreams building committee for Community Living Dufferin, plus on-going participation in the Headwaters Communities in Action Quality of Life Report Card Working Group. “We are very fortunate to live in such a terrific community- one that has always treasured and encouraged community involvement. HCIA has identified the importance of grass roots involvement in retaining and enhancing all of the characteristics of this community that make it such a special place to live. HCIA’s goal of doing this by working in concert with other community partners makes it a cornerstone in the next phase of building this community.”

Cynthia is administrator of Orangeville Salt & Soil Supply - a family-owned retail and wholesale provider of salt & soil products. She is a lifetime resident of Dufferin County with a strong history of volunteerism and community service. In addition to being an active member of the Rotary Club, Cynthia is the Chair of the Orangeville Police Services Board who is committed to ensuring that citizens play an active role in crime prevention and whose beliefs include:

• We believe in working in partnership with, and being accountable to, the community;
• We believe in maintaining a good rapport and open lines of communication with the community
• We believe in maintaining high standards of service; and
• We believe in building on the strengths of our staff

Sylvia and her colleague Holly Greenwood are co-founders of Mandala Associates, a coaching and consulting practice that help individuals, organizations, and communities realize their potential and put it into action in the world. They have been project consultants to Headwaters Communities in Action since 2005.

In addition to her work with HCIA, Sylvia also works with Tamarack: An Institute for Community Engagement, assisting in the design and delivery of learning opportunities that profile and share the resources, tools and experiences of Vibrant Communities Canada and others engaged in comprehensive, community-based initiatives.  In this role she’s also responsible for editing and developing content for Tamarack’s e-magazine Engage!, which is distributed monthly to more than 7000 subscribers across Canada and beyond. 

“What I love about my work with HCIA is the opportunity to work together with others on projects aimed at making my own community strong for the future.  When I read and write about so many amazing things being accomplished in communities across Canada, it is very rewarding to know I’m part of such an initiative like this in my own community.”  An active volunteer, Sylvia has been a Board Member of Community Living Dufferin since 2004 and was awarded their Extraordinary Commitment award in 2008-09. Sylvia lives in Caledon with her husband John Graham and their three young children: Gabriella, Garrett and Sean.

A co-founder of Mandala Associates with Sylvia Cheuy, Holly has served as a project consultant to Headwaters Communities in Action since the Fall of 2005.  She brings more than 15 years experience building individual and community capacity through her work in public health, individual counselling and personal coaching.  In addition to HCIA, Holly and Sylvia have guided numerous not for profit organizations and coalitions throughout Southern and Central Ontario to strengthen their capacity to make effective change within their communities.

Holly is raising 2 children in Caledon with her husband, John.  She enjoys volunteering as a soccer coach, and with her local school council.

“What I really appreciate about my work with HCIA is that I am making a contribution to improve the community where I am raising my young family.  As a relative newcomer to the area, involvement with HCIA has connected me to so many interesting people in the community that I might not have otherwise met.”