We Are Looking For Board Members!

The Grand River Council on Aging is currently recruiting volunteers to join our 15-member Board of Directors.

Are you passionate about improving the lives of older adults? Are you committed to community development? Join our Board! We seek dedicated individuals with 15+ hours a month to contribute. Responsibilities include strategic oversight, financial stewardship, governance and accountability, organizational development, community engagement and fundraising.

If you are interested in learning more about this position, we’d love to speak with you!

Contact us at example@grcoa.ca or visit our contact page.

BOARD MEMBER BIOS

The Board of Directors is made up of 15 members – nine residents (of which four must be 55+) and 6 representatives of partner agencies providing services to all ages.

Michael Bastian – Community Agency Representative

Michael is the Administrator at the John Noble Home in Brantford. Michael has held various leadership positions in Long Term Care and Retirement Living over the last 20 years. Prior to his career in long term care, Michael has held senior leadership positions in the restaurant and hotel sectors in Toronto’s entertainment district. Michael takes great pride in his role as the John Noble Home’s administrator and works hard to ensure that residents receive the best care. Michael understands the importance of resident centred care as he utilizes his positive influence to encourage others to learn and grow together and succeed. Michael values meaningful relations in the community he serves and is an advocate for life-long learning.

Magdalena Bentia – Community Agency Representative 

Magdalena is an Acting Program Manager for the Community Health Team at Grand River Community Health Centre in Brantford. Magdalena has worked in health promotion related roles in a variety of settings including McMaster Wellness Centre, National Institute on Ageing, Mohawk College School of Health and University of Waterloo Campus Wellness. Her interests and passions include working with community and partners to address the social determinants of health and to improve the social inclusivity of equity-deserving populations.

Holly Gibbs – Community Agency Representative

At Wilfrid Laurier University,  Holly Gibbs is the Manager of Teaching Excellence and Innovation and teaches in the Sociology and Political Science Departments.  In over 15 years as post-secondary educator, Holly has prioritized the development of accessible and equitable learning environments as a way to support inclusive success and community building in academia and society more broadly.  Holly is an advocate for universal design principles to reduce barriers to participation and encourage thriving in learning and community environments.  Holly was born and raised in Brantford and through her family learned the value of intergenerational relationships in her life, work, and community.

Madelaine Douglas – Community Agency Representative

Maddie is an associate lawyer at Waterous Holden Amey Hitchon LLP, where she practices in corporation and not-for-profit law, as well as real estate and estate planning. While originally from Northern Ontario, Maddie completed her undergraduate and law degree at the University of Western Ontario. Since moving to Brantford, she has been interested in finding new ways to engage with the community and actively participate in all the city has to offer. Her interests involve community engagement, active living, and spending time with her family and friends.

Colleen Goupil – Resident Member (55+)

After working several years in the Court system, Colleen opened her business NBT Legal Transcripts and Reporting Services in Brantford.  Not only does she run her business, but is also active with various volunteer positions in the city. As well, she has experience in Board governance as well as finances.  Colleen has a B.A. in business and earned degrees in Communication and Economics. Colleen has extensive volunteer experience with several organizations, all aimed at the betterment of the community.

Stephanie Hill – Resident Member (55+)

Stephanie Hill is from the Six Nations of the Grand River and is  the owner/founder of the Aboriginal Senior Wish program.  With a degree in Gerontology & Sociology, and a designation as an Elder Planner Counsellor, she has 40+ years of working with the aging population.  Her volunteer, education and work experience in the in the health and social services field has facilitated her work in both rural and urban settings.   Stephanie has been active with the Elder Abuse Awareness Committee since its inception and is currently the Seniors Life Long Care Worker with the Brantford Region Indigenous Support Centre.

Jean Kincade – Resident Member (55+)

In 2006, Jean retired and moved home to Canada from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  At the University, Jean worked as a Research Professor in the Aging and Health Program in the School of Medicine.   As well, she was a Research Fellow at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.  Although she could have lived anywhere, she chose Brantford because it was a medium sized city with all the services she was looking for and felt like a cohesive  and friendly place to live.  Jean was one of the founding members of the Grand River Council on Aging and served on the original board of directors.  After several years absence, she is pleased to return to the board.  Jean also volunteers at St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre and  the Emergency Department at BCHS.

Mary-Lou Mackie – Retired – Resident Member (55+)

Mary-Lou retired from her career in education, having served in many capacities in the Calgary School Board, Grand Erie District School Board, the Waterloo Region District School Board, and Brock University – as secondary school teacher, school and system leader, and instructor/practicum advisor.  Awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award by the Ontario Public Supervisory Officials’ Association, Mary-Lou was elected to the Governing Council of the Ontario College of Teachers by her peers, where she contributed to the strategic leadership and governance framework of the organization responsible for licensing, governing, and regulating the teaching profession in Ontario.  Mary-Lou is a long-time resident of Brantford and since retiring, has most recently volunteered as a Board member of the Brant Skills Centre.  She is now actively involved with the GRCOA as a member of the Communications/Community at Home committee, and the Housing committee.

Maryellen Maclellan – Resident Member (55+)

Maryellen has over 40 years of experience in the social housing industry.  She began her front-line career with the then provincial body of the Brant and Brantford Housing Authority.   In 1990, she joined the Ministry of Municipal Housing as the Southern Regional Coordinator in charge of quality-of-life program development and program implementation in Housing Authorities across southern Ontario.   In 1995, she accepted a position with the Niagara Housing Corporation as Manager of Community Programs responsible for the region’s social housing waiting list, community development and eviction prevention strategies.   At the point of downloading of social housing to the municipal governments, Maryellen joined Niagara Regional Housing as Community Services Manager, followed by Operations Manager and General Manager.   In 2014, Maryellen joined the City of Brantford as Director of Housing until her retirement in 2019.   In this role, Maryellen and her team successfully developed Brantford ‘s first self-sustaining energy efficient and mixed income 57 unit building for older persons over the age of 60.   Located on the John Noble Home lands, the building offers accessible design that allows for aging in place.

John Maynard – Retired – Resident Member (55+)
John retired with a 40 year career in sales, marketing and management positions in pump and water treatment companies, woodworking factories and even a machine shop.  In retirement he has been driving the wheelchair accessible bus for the Canadian Red Cross and become involved in a myriad of volunteer activities.  In addition to the GRCOA Board, John is a board member for his church, volunteers for the Habitat for Humanity Restore, is a member of the ad hoc Brantford-Brant Men’s Shed and the Probus Men’s Club of Brantford, and is a Freemason.   John is a follower of the unknown author of “if you cannot laugh at yourself, then you cannot laugh at others”.

Annette Minutillo – Retired – Resident Member (55+)

Annette’s many years of work experience in strategic leadership and administrative positions have taken her from Executive Director of Braemar House School through to a Professional Development Consultant and finally into Real Estate, specializing in housing options for age 50+ adults.  As well, she has experience in Board governance, community relations, fundraising and stewardship.  Always aware of the changes in the workplace, Annette led Braemar House School to create and integrate advancements in technology, receiving the Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award in Technology.

Nina Okopien – Community Agency Representative

Nina is a Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant and Team Leader for the Alzheimer Society of Brant.  Nina’s nursing career has provided 24 years in long term care as a nurse, manager and associate director.  Nina is passionate in her philosophy, “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, to be able to think like they think, feel what they feel, and understand why they are who and where they are….every step is about empathy!”

David Prang – Community Agency Representative

David is the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant, and represents the Chamber and business on the GRCOA. David has lived in the County of Brant and City of Brantford. He enjoys being active with his two sons (go-go!), and receiving from and giving support to his parents, who are “slow-go”. He has been an active volunteer throughout his career, serving as Chair of the Downtown Brantford Business Improvement Area for six years, and serving on several City of Brantford committees, and regularly participating in community activities.

DeAnna Renn – Community Agency Representative

DeAnna is a Public Health Nurse with over 20 years at the Brant County Health Unit. With experience in health promotion, smoking cessation, healthy eating, early cancer detection, mental health and family health, DeAnna is well qualified for her current role as the lead of the Healthy Aging Program.  DeAnna is passionate about healthy aging and is dedicated to educating residents about healthy lifestyles and prevention of injury and abuse.  In addition to the GRCOA, DeAnna is active with the local Seniors Safety Group and the Brant Elder Abuse Awareness Committee.

James (Jim) Steele – Resident Member (55+)

Jim has 36 years of experience in the municipal supply of power… 16 years with Brantford Power and 20 years as CEO of Kinetiq Canada, a software developer for Ontario municipalities.  The 36 years also includes active membership in Kiwanis through to District Secretary of Eastern Canada & the Caribbean.  His board experience is vast and includes Past Chair of the Brant Community Foundation, Participation Support Services, Brant Community Healthcare System and the Brant Community Healthcare System Foundation.

Abu Noman Tarek – Resident Member

Shaykh Abu Noman Tarek has been serving as an Imam, Teacher, Chaplain, Educator and Consultant in Canada for 15 years.  He currently holds three Bachelor Degrees and two Master’s degrees that he earned starting in Bangladesh, and has been continuing in Canada.  Currently, he is the Imam-Director of Religious Affairs of the Muslim Association of Brantford, serves as a psychotherapist at Help2Heal and Syeda Khadija Centre, teaches at Wilfrid Laurier University and serves as Chaplain at different correctional services and hospitals.  Under his leadership, 83 refugee families have come to Canada and settled in 15 cities.

Lucy Marco – Executive Director

Lucy has 57 years of experience in manufacturing, marketing, human resources, administration and management positions, combined with 50 years of volunteer service in over 40 community boards, advisory committees and service clubs.  A recipient of many awards, Lucy is most proud of her federal Citation for Citizenship, YMCA Peacemaker Medal, Rotary Sunrise Paul Harris Fellow Award, Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Business Achievement Award and the naming of Lucy Marco Place, first as a Wilfrid Laurier University student residence and now a City of Brantford apartment building.