The Provincial Government continues to move forward with the establishment of a single Provincial Health Authority on April 1, 2023. Today, government announced 13 appointments to the Provincial Health Authority Board of Trustees.

Appointed for three-year terms, the members include:

• Robert B. Andrews, KC (chairperson);
• Michelle Baikie;
• Catherine Bradbury;
• Janet Bradshaw;
• Sharon Forsey;
• Edward Goudie;
• Colleen Hanrahan;
• Tara Laing;
• David Oxford;
• David Peddle;
• David Sutherland;
• David Thornhill; and
• Lloyd Walters.

These appointments were recommended through the merit-based Independent Appointments Commission process. Members of the public interested in opportunities to serve on provincial agencies, boards and commissions are encouraged to complete an application at www.iacnl.ca.

Announced as part of Budget 2022, the Provincial Government began the process of integrating the existing four health authorities and the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information into one entity, with a view to streamlining programs and services, as well as associated corporate services such as human resources, payroll and finance.

The creation of a single health authority will maintain a focus on specific regional issues through the creation of Regional Health Councils. The councils will be responsible for advising the Provincial Health Authority on the particular needs of various areas of the province to deliver health care at the regional level. Once established, a representative from each Regional Health Council will be appointed to the Provincial Health Authority Board of Trustees. The number and locations of Regional Health Councils will be determined in the coming months.

Quotes
“The establishment of the Provincial Health Authority Board of Trustees will allow for greater consistency and efficiency in the health care system in Newfoundland and Labrador. I welcome the 13 members to the Board, and congratulate Mr. Andrews on his appointment as chairperson. The combined members will help provide strong governance as we strive to improve health care for individuals throughout the province.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

“I welcome these appointments to the new Provincial Health Authority Board of Trustees. Each of these individuals brings expertise, experience and a valuable perspective that will be important to providing strong governance as we move this new health organization forward. I congratulate them on their appointments and commend them for their commitment to health care. I also Iook forward to their contributions on identifying new strategic priorities for the organization and working together within the new provincial health authority to transform and enhance health care for residents across the province.”
David Diamond
Chief Executive Officer, Provincial Health Authority Board

“At this pivotal point in health care delivery across Canada, it is an honor to be asked to be further involved in this province. The composition of the Executive Team and the Board is very reassuring as to what lies ahead, as is the quality of our health care workers throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Robert Andrews
Chairperson, Provincial Health Authority Board of Trustees

-30-

Learn more
Follow us on Twitter @GovNL and @HCS_GovNL

BACKGROUNDER

Provincial Health Authority Board of Trustees Biographies

Robert B. Andrews, KC (chairperson)
Mr. Andrews has been involved with voluntary health related entities in Newfoundland and Labrador in excess of 30 years. Prior to his current appointment, he was President of the Canadian Mental Health Association, both national and provincial, Chair of the Waterford Hospital, Finance Chair of the Health Care Corporation of St. John’s, Vice Chair of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and also recently served as Chair of the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada, among others,.

Other community involvement has been as President, Avalon Minor Hockey Association and as President and current member of the Rotary Club of St. John’s.

Mr. Andrews has practiced law in St. John’s, currently as Counsel with McInnes Cooper. He is a King’s Counsel and a Master of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Originally from Corner Brook, Mr. Andrews and his wife Diana, reside in St. John’s and have four children and eight grandchildren.

Michelle Baikie
Ms. Baikie is a Nunatsiavut beneficiary and a Labrador Inuk educator and photographer.  She holds a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) from Memorial University, a Master of Education (Literacy) from Mount Saint Vincent University, and a Master of Philosophy (Educational Research) from the University of Cambridge. She also holds a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Photographic Communications) from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Ms. Baikie is currently a Grade Four teacher teaching in Sheshatshiu Innu School. Her career has included positions as cultural/counsellor, school administrator, ophthalmic photographer, at the Toronto Hospital – Western Division, and a telemedicine co-ordinator for the Labrador-Grenfell Health. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (England).

Ms. Baikie has volunteered on numerous boards and committees, including the Grenfell Foundation, Them Days, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (Happy Valley-Goose Bay Chapter). She is re-appointed member of the Memorial University Board of Regents, where she serves on the Governance Committee. Ms. Baikie is also a member of the Board of Directors for The Rooms Corporation and a board member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Panel of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Ms. Baikie was the former Chair of the Governance Committee with Labrador-Grenfell Health and a former Councillor with the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Dr. Catherine Bradbury
Dr. Bradbury began her career in family medicine, where she served her patients for 30 years. A keen interest in the management and administration of public health systems led her to obtain a Diploma in Health Service Management from the Canadian Hospital Association. With the completion of her MBA (honours), Dr. Bradbury migrated towards medical administration, spending 25 years as a medical consultant and Associate Deputy Minister with the Department of Health and Community Services.

Dr. Bradbury is respected as a credible voice in decision making, and has an extensive background in negotiations, mediation and arbitration. She has served on the Atlantic Provinces’ peer review program of physicians, the Disciplinary Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Newfoundland and Labrador, and has been a provincial representative on several national committees including the National Medical Consultants Committee, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, and the Government of British Columbia’s representative for a physician arbitration process.

For the past two years Dr. Bradbury has been a trustee of the Board at Eastern Health.

Janet Bradshaw
Ms. Bradshaw (P. Eng., FEC, ICD.D) is a professional engineer who graduated from Memorial University in 1981 with degrees in Science (Mathematics) and Civil Engineering. In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the engineering profession in Canada, she was bestowed the designation Fellow of Engineers Canada by the national association in 2015. Ms. Bradshaw is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds the ICD.D designation.

Ms. Bradshaw’s organizational leadership roles have included CEO and Registrar of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador, General Manager of the St. John’s Transportation Commission (Metrobus) and General Manager Greater Vernon Services Commission, where she led the Water Utility, Economic Development and Parks, Recreation and Culture Departments in Vernon, British Columbia.  She is a trained facilitator and mediator, having served as a Civil Mediator in the British Columbia Provincial Court System.

Always an active volunteer, Ms. Bradshaw has served locally as Director on the St. John’s Board of Trade, St. John’s Folk Arts Council, Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador and City of St. John’s Local Board of Appeal. Regionally, she was the founding Chair of Atlantic Infrastructure Management Network and nationally, Vice-Chair of the Canadian Urban Transit Association. Ms. Bradshaw currently serves on the Board of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Newfoundland and Labrador and on the Human Resources Committee of Engineers Canada.

Sharon Forsey
Ms. Forsey (FCPA, FCA, ICD.D) 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. Ms. Forsey is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and received the ICD.D designation in March 2017. 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 has served as a Board Trustee with Eastern Health from 2015 and as Chair of the Finance Committee since 2017.

Ms. Forsey’s career has included positions with various multi-national and national corporations. She was Director of Taxation with Inmarsat, a multinational satellite telecommunications company where she was 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.

Ms. Forsey 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 and Labrador, 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.

Edward Goudie
Mr. Goudie is a retired Administrator with the Federal Government, residing in St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador, since 1971. His time is occupied with family, travel and voluntary work, just recently serving on the International Grenfell Association for over 27 years.

Colleen Hanrahan, PhD
Dr. Hanrahan is a public policy specialist in human services. Dr. Hanrahan has degrees in Public Policy and Administration, Law, Social Work, and Political Science. In 1998, she established a private consulting firm and conducted reviews and evaluations on a wide array of topics including health care, mental health, housing and homelessness and court services. She has worked throughout the province and nationally. Further, Dr. Hanrahan has lectured at Memorial University’s School of Social Work and Department of Political Science. Combining her knowledge of health care and legal systems, her doctoral research informed the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s decision to transfer responsibility of health services from the prison administration to the health care system. Dr. Hanrahan resides in Witless Bay, where she is an active member of the Witless Bay Heritage Committee and enjoys reading and travel.

Tara Laing
Ms. Laing has over 25 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 Director of Corporate Communications 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, Ms. Laing held 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.

Ms. Laing holds a Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University, a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate in Public Administration from Memorial University, and a Project Management Professional (PMP) designation. Ms. Laing joined the Board of Trustees for Eastern Health in 2017 and also held the position of Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee responsible for overseeing the quality of care provided throughout the organization, including patient and staff safety. She also volunteered with Waypoints, a not-for-profit multiservice agency offering a variety of programs to youth and families at risk including residential, youth employment, outreach, and family support in a variety of roles on their Board of Directors including chair, vice-chair and member.

David Oxford
Mr. Oxford has been a registered social worker in Newfoundland and Labrador since October 2003. He has worked in child protection, foster care, adoptions and youth corrections and currently works as a social worker within the Department of Education – Child Care Services. He is also a Commissioner of the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission, an appeal board member with the Department of Municipal Affairs, a Lions Club of Grand Falls-Windsor member and Kiwanis Club of Grand Falls-Windsor member and former Central Health Trustee. However, his most prized achievement is being married to Natasha and being a parent to Faith, Noah and Josee.

David Peddle
Mr. Peddle resides in Gander. He is a retired Judge, having served 33 years on the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador and 10 years on the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. He also served as a Deputy Judge of the Territorial Court in the Northwest Territories.

David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Memorial University and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University.

Dr. David Sutherland
Dr. Sutherland grew up in Grand Falls-Windsor. After completing high school, he spent 14 years in Nova Scotia, completing a B.Sc. at Acadia University, then medical school and specialty training at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Sutherland returned home to Grand Falls-Windsor in 1990, and practiced general urology for 30 years until he retired in 2020. His practice covered the entire former region of Central Health. Along with patient care, he enjoyed teaching medical students, and served time in the medical staff executive, and as Chief of Surgery. More recently, Dr. Sutherland has been studying the Health Accord as a volunteer member of the Grand Falls-Windsor Healthcare Coalition.

Dr. Sutherland and his wife, Joan, a retired nurse, raised four successful children, and now also has two grandchildren. David and Joan travel and enjoy golf, camping, hiking, running and pickleball.

David Thornhill
Mr. Thornhill has over 28 years’ of experience in the IT industry. In his current role as Senior Vice-President, Group IT with Inmarsat, David leads a global IT team that delivers strategic and innovative solutions for Inmarsat internally and its international customer base. Prior to joining Inmarsat, David worked with Bell Aliant and Xwave, where he established and led an ERP consulting practice and was the Managing Director for Xwave Ireland before returning to St. John’s to join Inmarsat.

Mr. Thornhill holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Masters of Business Administration from Memorial University. He has also achieved the ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors. David is an Executive member of the ICD Newfoundland Chapter and a previous Board Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Center of Health Information.

Lloyd Walters
Mr. Walters is a retired educator with over thirty-five years’ experience in the K-12 school system of Newfoundland and Labrador. He has been a teacher, principal, program development and implementation specialist and an Assistant Director-Personnel in several school districts in Western Newfoundland and Labrador. He has studied education, leadership and curriculum development and implementation at Memorial University as well as McGill University, Vanderbilt University and Colorado State University. Mr. Walters served as a councillor and Mayor, Town of Burgeo and was the founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Burgeo Broadcasting System. He is a past secretary, past treasurer and Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mount Patricia Cemetery Association. He served six years as treasurer and two as president of the Long Range Shrine Club, Corner Brook and was selected Shriner of the Year for Newfoundland and Labrador for 2016. He is a Past District Grand Master – Western and a Past Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is the current chair of the West Newfoundland Regional Appeal Board.

Mr. Walters has served on the Board of Trustees of the Western Regional Health Authority for the past six years, where he was a member of the Finance, Credentials and Privileges and Executive Committees and chair of the Quality Assessment and Strategic Planning Committee. He was acting chair of the Western Regional Health Authority at its dissolution.