Board of Directors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Elliott, Chair,  is a Registered Nurse and has a passion for working with people who face barriers in our community. Heather previously worked in primary care at a Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, where she learned first-hand about the social determinants of health, and she pursued her Master of Public Health in order to learn how to improve health at the population level using upstream approaches. After this, she worked at the Region of Waterloo Public Health in Harm Reduction, Sexual Health, and Infectious Diseases. She played a key role in the planning and implementation of the Consumption and Treatment Services site in Kitchener, and later worked as the Manager of the Infectious Disease and Tuberculosis team. She decided to get back into a patient-facing role and now works as a Patient Experience Lead at Cambridge Memorial Hospital where she focuses on patient relations and improving the patient experience in the hospital. Heather looks forward to using her passion and diverse professional background to improve the health of our community. Heather serves on the Executive and Governance Committees.

 

Karen Quigley-Hobbs, Vice Chair, is a dedicated healthcare executive with 20+ years of experience mitigating health risks to the community through specialized clinic services, nursing practice leadership, community outreach, and health promotion and disease prevention strategies.  Karen looks forward to lending her robust business acumen and clinical best practices to drive impactful change through shared program purpose, unified interdisciplinary teams, and flexible and adaptable operational frameworks.  Karen serves on the Executive and Finance and Audit Committees.

 

 

 

 

Louis Reidel, Treasurer, is an experienced senior leader with over 45 years in healthcare. For fifteen of those years, he was a hospital VP and CFO responsible for finance and corporate services, including Freeport Hospital prior to it joining Grand River Hospital. Lou also spent 22 years at the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) as a key figure for provincial advocacy of hospital financial health. With further responsibilities for the integration of the health system, Lou promoted the advocacy position at provincial committees of moving hospital funding to community and primary care settings to improve system efficiency and more importantly, client/patient outcomes and experiences. He just completed 2 years at the KW4 OHT as Director, Finance and Corporate Affairs. Lou has lived in Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge for over 60 years and is now retired. Lou serves as Board Treasurer and attends the Executive and Finance and Audit Committees.

 

 

April Postnikoff, Secretary, for the past 20 years April has practiced in the KW area in the areas of family law, criminal defense (as Duty Counsel) and civil litigation.  Before moving to the area, she served on the Board of Directors of Ballet Creole in Toronto, a local dance company.  She has also served on the Board of Directors of Our Place, Ontario Early Years Centre.  April holds a JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and a Masters of Science in Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University.  April serves on the Finance and Audit Committee. 

 

 

 

 

Lynn Schulze, Director, is in her fourth year as a Board member and is excited to see the continuation of the Health Centre's integration journey.  She is a retired high school teacher and department head for newcomers to Canada in the WRDSB.  Lynn began her 31-year career teaching in Collin's Bay Penitentiary where she learned from the diverse group of inmates that theirs was not a level playing field. She has taught and facilitated teacher training in Haiti and taught in Peru at the Universidad de Piura. These experiences have fueled her resolve to help to level the playing field for marginalized individuals and groups in KW.  She is excited to be part of a dynamic team that ensures dignified access to healthcare and wellness for all.  Lynn serves on the Finance and Audit Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

Donna Valerie Jones, Director, serves on the Finance and Audit Committee. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Veerasammy, Director, is a passionate educator and obtained her B.A. and M.Ed. through Sir Wilfrid Laurier University and B.Ed. through Nipissing University.  Lauren is an advocate for children and families, especially in the areas of special needs, mental health, and reconciliation.  Lauren is a proud mother to her two curious and beloved Guyanese-Trinidadian-Canadian sons.  She is a champion of advocacy and equitable provision of support for babies to adults, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.  Lauren has a special place in her heart for new-to-English Language populaces and has worked both locally in the Waterloo Region and abroad in Bradford, UK.  She believes in a community where members feel valued and worthy and where their individual strengths add to the fabric of a diverse society. Lauren serves on the Governance Committee.   

 

 

 

 

Lubna Riaz, Director, is a medical doctor with a specialization in OBGYN. Lubna has worked in obstetrics and gynecology for more then 25 years, in both Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Lubna is an experienced educator teaching both undergraduate and post graduate students at a medical school as a Professor of OBGYN. She has served as a member of the Academic Council and Chair of Literary Society and Head of the Clinical Unit.  Lubna serves on the Governance Committee. 

 

 

 

 

Reanne Amadio, Director,  has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Victoria with a specialty in Social Policy. She currently works for the Region of Waterloo in the Community Services department as a Social Planning Associate, and previously worked for Housing Services on the Homelessness and Supportive Housing team. Reanne has seven years of experience in the non-profit and social services sector in British Columbia, working in community development and community investment roles for United Way BC and Special Olympics BC. She is passionate about the social determinants of health and connecting them across different sectors and spaces, and helping build an equitable community where everyone can thrive. Reanne serves on the Governance Committee. 

 

 

 

Bethany Jones, Director,  is a Human Resources and People & Culture leader with over 25 years of leadership experience supporting healthcare, community service, and non-profit organizations. She specializes in partnering with organizations that support vulnerable populations, helping them build strong teams, develop effective leaders, and create environments where both people and communities can thrive.

As an independent HR consultant, she partners with organizations wherever they are in their people journey - whether navigating growth, change, leadership challenges, culture development, or organizational transformation. She is passionate about coaching, teaching, and investing in others, and is known for helping organizations create practical systems, clear processes, and strong people practices. Beth is particularly aligned with leaders who seek to build workplaces rooted in dignity, respect, accountability, and care. She is honoured to contribute her experience, perspective, and commitment to service through her board involvement. Beth serves on the Governance Committee.

 

Maura Quish, Director,  is a retired human resources professional with 25 years of experience in Ontario’s public education sector, working in complex multi-union environments. Beginning her career as a court reporter and legal assistant specializing in labour law, she later obtained her Human Resources certification. Throughout her career, she led collective bargaining negotiations, conducted disciplinary and harassment investigations, implemented Ministry of Education-directed procedural and recruitment changes, and developed the first attendance management program in Ontario’s public education sector.

A resident of the Region of Waterloo for nearly 40 years, Maura and her partner raised two daughters and now enjoy spending time with their five grandchildren. She is passionate about outdoor activities, including hiking, canoeing, and kayaking with family and friends. An active volunteer, she has supported programs such as Literacy, Strong Start, Pride Stables, and the Friendly Visiting Program in Cambridge. Maura looks forward to contributing as a productive and supportive member of Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo. Maura serves on the Governance Committee.