Our Board is made up of 6-12 members from our community plus a past chair. The Board meets monthly (except July, August and December). Since 2001, our Board has used the Consensus Model of Decision Making – both at committee and board meetings.
Currently, our Board has five standing committees. Terms of Reference for each committee are reviewed and approved annually – click on the links below to access the Terms of Reference for each committee.
ConnectWell Community Health reports to the Board through:
ConnectWell Community Health Accreditation Final Report 2023
ConnectWell Community Health Strategic Plan Report 2023
Originally from Guelph and then Simcoe, Mary Lou graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Pharmacy.
She moved to Carleton Place in 1978 and worked as the pharmacist at both the Perth and Carleton Place Hospitals. She changed course in 1999 and took a position as pharmacist and manager of the Rexall Drug Store in Perth until her retirement in 2019.
Mary Lou has also been an active volunteer, serving on the board of directors of Open Doors for Lanark County Children and Youth for a total of 12 years. During this time, she was a member of several committees as well as board chair for three years. She also worked on the board and working committee of the Cancer Society Relay for Life in Smiths Falls for three years, focusing on finance and recruitment.
She is a firm believer in the importance of community health care being vital to the future of our healthcare system.
Now retired, she is happy to continue her work and interest in community health care as a volunteer. She also enjoys other activities, including golfing, gardening, yoga, playing bridge, and curling.
Shari is a seasoned health care leader and educator with over 35 years of experience in nursing and primary health care, she brings extensive expertise in service delivery, strategic leadership, and interdisciplinary team facilitation. Her work has spanned rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada, where she has led initiatives in public health, pharmacy, urgent care, and community wellness.
She holds multiple graduate degrees, including a Master of Science in Nursing and a Master of Arts in Leadership, and has served in senior roles with Indigenous Services Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. She has contributed to national standards in nursing practice and education and has a strong history of mentoring primary health care students and employees and colleagues.
A lifelong advocate for equity in health, she is known for her thoughtful leadership, critical thinking, and commitment to inclusive, holistic community care.
Bruce was born and educated in Toronto, attending York University. After spending nine years in the private sector as a computer analyst, he joined the Ontario Public Service, where he spent the next 32 years working in a variety of positions in the Ontario Courts, primarily designing and developing computer applications to administer justice and financial accountability in all levels of the court system. For the final five years of his career, he was appointed as a Regional Assessment Officer in the Superior Court; although now “retired,” he has agreed to continue to perform this function on a part-time basis.
When Bruce and his wife retired, they wanted to be closer to their son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, who live in Beckwith. They found a home in the Lanark area that they both loved and made the move to rural life. They believe being on the edge of the village provides the perfect combination of access to community and country.
Having been an active volunteer in a variety of organizations such as Scouts Canada, church youth groups, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, and most recently, the Lanark Highlands Food Pantry, volunteering is in Bruce’s blood. He is excited to be joining the Board and looks forward to actively supporting the ConnectWell team as we move forward, continuing to deliver the excellent whole health services he has had the pleasure of observing firsthand.
Jean grew up in Montreal but moved to Ottawa in 1972 and began frequent visits to Lanark Highlands in the late 1970’s. In 2005, she and her husband retired and moved to build their home in Watson’s Corners.
Jean is a nurse by training and practiced in paediatric critical care for 16 years before heading to the University of Ottawa to complete a BScN, followed by an MScN from the University of Toronto and finally a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. The remainder of her career was as a Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Her main research focus was the impact of childhood illness on families.
Jean believes in volunteerism and the impact volunteers make to building community capacity. She first served on the board of MERA and then joined the Board of Lanark Health and Community Services (LHCS) in 2007. Most recently, she completed two terms, one as President, of the Perth and District Community Foundation.
Since first joining LHCS, she has witnessed many changes and a great deal of growth in the organization, which is now known as ConnectWell Community Health. She has served as Vice Chair, Chair, Past Chair and has continued her connection as a Community member of the Governance, Nominating, and Joint Planning Committees. This is an important time of significant changes in health care service delivery in Ontario and she is delighted to be a part of the next phase of the organization.
Finally, on a personal note, she believes rural living is a wonderful experience that has provided her with easy access and opportunities to fill any spare moments following her cherished pursuits of painting, gardening, cycling and cross-country skiing.
Wayne Stryde lives near Clydesville in Lanark Highlands with his partner Maryse Desrochers, who is a certified fitness instructor with the ConnectWell health promotion program, and their wonderful Golden Retriever, Lola.
Wayne is a retired public servant, having spent forty-plus years working at the federal level in a number of different ministries, including the Treasury Board and the Privy Council Office. Most of this career he worked for programs with social development mandates, most particularly in public health/health promotion and crime prevention. These work experiences gave him a good appreciation of the world of non-profit community-based organizations and of the important nexus where the volunteer non-profit sector meets government.
Wayne is a fan and avid supporter of any effort that tries to make our community stronger, healthier, and more resilient. In his view, ConnectWell is surely an outstanding example of such an effort.
Now retired, Wayne and Maryse spend their days in outdoor sports activities, gardening, tending to their still-growing family, volunteering in the community and generally trying to make the most of their glorious and ample leisure time.
Lesley spent her childhood in Ottawa cottaging with her parents on Crosby Lake. She went to Guelph University and interned at Sunnybrook Medical Centre to become a registered dietitian. After several years working at Chedoke/McMaster Hospitals she started her own consulting business teaching and promoting evidenced-based nutrition information to the public.
After a move back to Ottawa, she worked for a multi-national food company (pharmaceutical division) in senior management and as head of medical and scientific affairs. While there, she built strategic alliances and partnerships with health organizations to design and deliver programs to healthcare professionals and their clients.
Following this, Lesley worked as a senior business analyst in the development of provincial and national electronic health records and then as a clinical educator for an umbilical cord blood stem cell company.
Lesley and her family bought a piece of lake front property near Lanark in 1997 and proceeded to slowly develop the land and build a cottage. In 2016 the cottage became their home! Since retiring. Lesley has become a busy gramma and volunteers on the Carebridge board of directors. She learned a lot through chairing governance (revising by-laws and policies), participating in a small working group to form an Alliance with Community Living Association Lanark and subsequently developing a new strategic plan and yet another new set of by-laws and policies.
Lesley is looking forward to continuing her board work with the dedicated individuals at ConnectWell, while learning more about the primary care aspect of this impressive multiservice organization as it faces significant changes in our provincial health care delivery services.
Lesley has been a lifelong Masters and lake swimmer and enjoys most sports, including kayaking, hiking, biking, snowshoeing and even playing golf poorly!
Jasmin Patel is a finance professional, entrepreneur, and community-minded leader with over a decade of experience in accounting, financial strategy, and education. He holds a Master of Commerce in Accounting and Finance, along with qualifications in education, disaster management, and financial services. His expertise includes financial reporting, budgeting, tax compliance, audits, and supporting strategic decision-making.
Jasmin began his career in 2013 as an accounting instructor in his hometown of Himatnagar, India, where he developed a passion for teaching and mentoring. He later established his own accounting services and expanded into travel services and government e-service operations. Through his accounting and consulting work, he has helped clients improve financial processes, strengthen compliance, and identify opportunities for growth.
In December 2023, Jasmin moved to Canada, where he gained further experience working as an accountant while continuing his freelance financial consulting practice.
His commitment to community service is inspired by his grandfather, Jethabhai Patel, who was involved in more than 15 nonprofit organizations, and his late father, whose work combined accounting with community support. Their values of integrity and service continue to guide his approach.
As a Board Director, Jasmin brings financial expertise, entrepreneurial experience, and a commitment to transparency, responsible stewardship, and community well-being.