MEET OUR BOARD
The Board’s role is to provide direction to the Centre on behalf of the community. Board members provide leadership and support the Centre to ensure it meets its goals. They oversee the organization and work with the Executive Director who performs operational duties. The Board extends its support for collaboration by working in partnership with staff and the community to carry out the Centre’s mission.
Geneviève Cimon, Chair
Genevieve is a passionate advocate for youth, social justice, and community partnerships. For twenty years, she worked at the National Arts Centre as their Senior Director of Learning and Community Engagement where she helped increase access to the arts for countless youth living in rural and remote communities across Canada and in the far north. She is now a consultant for arts organizations and is the Interim Executive Director for Propeller Dance.
Killian McCormick, Co-Vice Chair
Killian has been working in social policy for 3 years and developed expertise in discussing and developing policy. A main focus of her current position is working with stakeholders, and one of her biggest strengths is bridging the gap between policy makers and those with the lived experience.
Paul Galipeau, Co-Vice Chair
Paul joins CCHC’s Board of Directors with over 15 years of experience in communications and advocacy within the federal public service and with international NGOs. Paul has led advocacy campaigns and mobilized volunteers on a range of global health and social issues including girls education, equitable vaccine access as well as services and treatment for people living with HIV.
Deborah Cummings, Secretary
Deborah is a registered social worker, agile advocate and stakeholder engagement professional with 15+ years’ experience in Canadian healthcare and non-profit sectors. As a proven operations director, critical analyst yet, creative innovator utilizing a solution- focused, client centered practice Deborah responds to complex human, societal and business needs with transparency and authenticity.
Brent Leonard, Treasurer
Brent Leonard is
passionate about improving the experience of those navigating the health system and health services, Brent has completed a Master of Health Administration degree and works with not-for-profits to support service delivery, strategy, and fundraising initiatives.
Mike Bulthuis, Director
Mike engages daily in social policy, currently as an Analyst with the federal public service, on a team addressing homelessness in Canada. He also serves on the Board of the provincial Alliance for Healthier Communities, and as a volunteer with Bruce House. He has lived in Ottawa – in a number of downtown neighbourhoods – since 1999, after growing up in Hamilton, Ontario.
André Blondel Tonleu Mendou, Director
André is a graduate of the University of Ottawa Law School, the University of Moncton, and the University of Montreal. André is also an excellent communicator, a finalist in the World Public Speaking and Parliamentary Debate Competition at Paris Sorbonne University. He taught law at Louis Riel College in Winnipeg and worked as an assistant professor at Victoria University. His interest in the French language led him to serve as a Francophone ambassador to the Saanich School District in British Columbia.
Meseret Haileyesus, Director
Meseret is a social entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of both the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment and Maternity Today. With a background in midwifery, economics, and public health, she drives social change by advocating for high-quality and accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare for women on a global scale, with a goal of ending gender-based violence.
Charlie Thompson, Director
Charlie has worked in several roles related to public policy and public health in both political and non-partisan roles. Most recently, he has worked in healthcare advocacy and policy at HealthCareCAN. In a previous life, he held positions at the Ontario Legislature and at Canada’s parliament in roles closely connected to the health portfolio at federal and provincial levels.
Ray Burrage-Goodwin, Director
Ray is a trans/nonbinary person of settler descent from unceded Wampanoag territory in Massachusetts, United States. They currently work as a program coordinator for Indigenous Clean Energy and help support youth teams advancing renewables projects across the country. During the Covid-19 pandemic they worked in multiple roles in health clinics in Newfoundland and Ontario. Their personal experience as a trans youth from the US brings a unique perspective on community access to health supports. They have served previously on the Board of Directors for the St. John's Rowing Club, working to increase equitable access to recreation for youth in Newfoundland.
Alexandre Mayer, Staff Representative
Alex is a fluently bilingual (EN/FR) staff member who has been supporting the Centre’s planning and evaluation functions as Health Analyst for just over 5 years. He is a graduate of the Queen’s School of Policy Studies where he obtained a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) specializing in Health Policy.
Carol Geller, Staff Representative
Since 1998, Dr. Geller has worked as at Centretown Community Health Centre with a major focus on her practice on working with people who are marginalized secondary to reasons such as homelessness, poverty, mental health and addiction issues and refugee issues.