Board of Directors

Rob Howe, from Lora Bay is a seasoned international Financial Services Executive with over 25 years of experience specializing in Senior Level Management Consulting in the Asset Finance Sector and Corporate Turnaround. Throughout his career, Howe has contributed to restructuring or building and managing operations across five continents.

Howe carries Canadian Public Market Director experience where he recently founded and served on the Board of Commerce Acquisitions Corp and completed a 3 year Directorship engagement with Axis Auto Finance.  During his tenure at AXIS, the company was taken from private to public.

Between 2011 and 2015, Howe was an active Member of Botza Association and the Verbier Institute – philanthropic organizations focused on formulating and actioning Sustainability initiatives into Communal and Cantonal planning.

Joelle Adelson is a Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator, and President of the Ontario Association of Collaborative Professionals. Before her move to Meaford in 2016, Joelle lived and worked in Oakville, where she raised her two children, ran her law practice and was Chair of the Peel Halton Collaborative Practice Group.

Joelle’s professional experience includes tax and estate planning law, investment advising including financial planner and life insurance designations, Mediation and Collaborative Family Law.

Joelle is proud to be a member of the Board of the Meaford Hospital Foundation. She brings the benefit of experience in numerous community organizations, including Director on the Board of the Halton Children’s Aid Society, Ethics Committee at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and the Planned Giving Committee at United Way of Halton.

Brian was born and raised in Toronto. He graduated from Queen’s University with a Civil Engineering Degree. He was hired by Air Canada as a pilot in 1973. His flying career spanned 35 years, flying 12 different aircraft types. Brian retired from flying in 2008 as a Boeing 777 Captain.

Shortly after retirement Air Canada Flight Operations requested his continued association with the airline as an aviation consultant and help with Air Canada’s initiative of reducing its carbon footprint. He was asked to take a leadership role and modernize the Canadian Airspace and reduce the carbon footprint associated with commercial jets.

His flying career did not allow much time for active community involvement. After retiring the second time, he joined service clubs and community organizations. He is a past President and Treasurer of the Rotary Club of Thornbury-Clarksburg, sits on the Board of the Blue Mountains Ratepayers Association and is presently Chairman and President of the North East Grey Health Clinics, which owns and operates two community sponsored medical health clinics in Meaford (Bumstead Clinic) and Thornbury (The Blue Mountains Community Clinic).

Wally spent 39 years in the financial service industry, of which 19 were spent with BMO Financial Group, culminating in his being Executive VP & Director Head of Sales & Distribution Private Client Group and Inter Group Development BMO Financial Group.

Wally played Professional Football in the CFL from 1966 to 1973.

Education – University of Michigan- BA June 1966 Pre- Law Teachers Certificate
University of Western Ontario Advanced Management Program 1983

Directorships –  Nesbitt Thomson, Rumball Foundation, Lost City Golf Club
Charities – Bob Rumball Camp for the Deaf, United Way,Kids Help, People Fund BMO, Atlantic Salmon Federation
Interests –  Conservation, Farming, Fly Fishing, Golf, Travelling

Wally and his wife Carole bought their farm in 1988 and has enjoyed many years of family in Beaver Valley. They moved up permanently in 2007. Preservation and conservation of the land is very important to them and driving forces in their lives. They love the people and the valley.

Born & raised in Sudbury, Ontario

Education: Graduate of the University of Toronto 1987,
Honours B.A.Languages (French & Italian)

Work Experience: Alzheimer Society of Canada, Toronto – Event Manager, Yearly National Fundraising Event, Save the Children Canada, Toronto –Corporate Fundraiser/Event Co-ordination, Intrawest, Village at Blue, Collingwood – Real Estate Sales Representative

Volunteer Experience: Georgian Triangle Humane Society, Collingwood. Volunteer Fundraiser 2010 – present

Lora Bay Golf Club
Ladies/Member Guest Committee member
Lora Bay Home and Home Charity Events
Co-Chair – 2016-2018

Nathalie was born on the South Shore of Montreal to a French Canadian family.

Against a lot of odds including a language barrier, Nathalie persevered in school, successfully completing Under Graduate studies in Cell Biology and Graduate Studies in Molecular Biology at McGill, culminating in her MD degree at Queen’s University in 1996.

She went on to choose the youngest rural family medicine program in Ontario, which was located in Sudbury (previously affiliated with U. of Ottawa, but now having its own name of NOSM) and was Resident Chief.

Nathalie then set up Practice in Thornbury and has served in various functions at Meaford Hospital – since the Fall of 1998.  She is currently the Chief of Staff and is involved in the Physician and Nurse Practitioner Council Group and the Grey Bruce OHT Planning Committee.

She enjoys volunteering as Volunteer Physician in local fundraising or sports events when they can occur (pre and during COVID).  She very much enjoys walking, hiking, kayaking and spending time with family.

Dianne Hilliard, who resides in Meaford, is a Brand Loyalty and Marketing Specialist working with many of Canada’s largest sports organizations and events such as the CFL Grey Cup, Pan Am Games, Canadian Olympic Foundation, NHL Winter Classics, and Invictus Games. 

Dianne is outgoing and determined and takes a personal approach to maximizing partnerships and strengthening loyalties, which was an asset in her 10-year term at the City of Toronto in Council Offices as Chief of Staff.  Specializing in donor recognition and stewardship, Dianne takes initiative and has a “get things done” attitude that makes her a great fit for the Meaford Hospital Board and our Meaford Community.

Chuck was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie and left The Sault in 1959 to join the RCMP. After training in Regina, he was posted in Ottawa and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

In 1963 Chuck began a career in the food industry that spanned 40 years. Chuck’s concentration was on the Food Service side of the business and he held senior management positions in General Foods, General Bakeries and the Campbell Soup Company.

In 1970 Chuck and his wife Cecille and family moved to Toronto. In 1988 Chuck and Cecile moved to the Campbell Soup head office in Camden New Jersey to spearhead expansion of the foodservice in North America. Chuck returned to Toronto as VP Sales for Campbell and retired in 1991 but continued in the food brokerage business until 2000.

In 2019, following the passing of his wife, Chuck moved to Meaford to be closer to his son and family who were living in Clarksburg at the time. He has become a Volunteer at Meaford Hospital and a member of the Hospital Garden Committee. In 2021 joined the Meaford Curling Club.

From Wasaga Beach, Amelda is a graduate of Humber College’s post graduate Fundraising and Volunteer Management program and brings a wealth of experience to the foundation.

Amelda interned at Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in the role of Development Coordinator, Leadership Giving, and has worked at Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation in Community & Corporate Giving.

She has also held positions fundraising at My Friend’s House in Collingwood, Oxfam and Osler Bluff Ski Club.

Tony joins the Foundation with more than 25 years’ experience in senior finance positions and an MBA in Finance from York University.

He welcomes the opportunity to utilize his finance, accounting and treasury skills on behalf of the Foundation.

He is proud to join the team that so dedicatedly supports the funding for healthcare excellence at Meaford Hospital..

Graham was born in Mississauga and moved to Meaford at four years of age. He graduated from Laurentian University with a BScN in nursing in 2003 and worked in critical care for 3 years in Toronto while obtaining a critical care nursing certificate from Seneca College. He returned to Meaford in 2006 and started working at Grey Bruce Health Services (GBHS) Owen Sound in the Emergency Department.

In 2011, Graham became the Clinical Nurse Educator for GBHS’s six Emergency Departments and also completed a Masters of Health Studies Leadership with a teaching focus from Athabasca University. In 2013 he accepted the interim Manager position for the Owen Sound Emergency department and in 2015 accepted the Manager position for the Owen Sound Emergency and Dialysis departments.

In addition to his current roles, he has been the Manager for the Covid Assessment Center since its inception in March 2020.

In April 2021, Graham accepted the Manager position for the Meaford Hospital.

Willard promotes legacy giving to The Meaford Hospital Foundation and assists donors in planning will bequests and other special gifts in support of Bruce Peninsula Health Services Foundation and other GBHS hospitals in Centre  Grey, Owen Sound, Southampton, and Bruce Peninsula.

He has more than 25 years experience in the charitable sector and in estate and gift planning. Willard has a BA in Business Administration from McMaster University and Redeemer College. He is a long time member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners.

If you have been thinking about making a special gift to support your Hospital, Willard is available to help you. Call him at (519)376-2121 ext. 2736.

Email:  Willard Vanderploeg, Charitable Gifting Advisor