Board of Directors 2023-2024
Jennifer Wilson AALP, ICD.D
Chair of the Board
Charing Cross
Jennifer Wilson is a past director of Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation. She was the founding Board Chair for Chatham-Kent Hospice during their successful campaign to establish their 10-bed residential hospice. Jennifer was also inaugural Tri Board Chair at the Chatham Kent Health Alliance for a public hospital, a faith-based hospital, and a small rural hospital collaborative. Jennifer has served on over a dozen charitable Boards and held Chair roles for Regional Council Region 5 of the Ontario Hospital Association, YMCA across Southwestern Ontario, and the Tri-County Literacy Network. She also served on the YMCA Canada Board for two terms. Jennifer has received numerous awards for her community service including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. She has completed University of Toronto Rotman School of Management’s Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) Education Program and successfully achieved ICD.D designation.
Jennifer is also Chair of the Executive Committee and a member of the Nominating Committee.
Rosario Cartagena, MSc, JD, LLM, CIPP/C
Vice-Chair and Secretary
Toronto
Rosario is Chief Privacy and Legal Officer/Corporate Secretary at ICES. Rosario has a passion for hospice palliative care and while in private practice led the development of HPCO MAiD policies, also co-authoring studies on the capacity to consent to MAiD.
Rosario holds a Master of Science in Public Health Science-Medical Sciences from the University of Alberta, Master of Laws in Business Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, Juris Doctor (Cum laude) from the University of Ottawa and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from Brandon University. Rosario was also a post-graduate intern at the Harvard University School of Public Health, received a Certificate in Health Law from Osgoode Law School, and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Canada. Rosario is an avid speaker at conferences and is a regular lecturer at the University of Toronto School of Public Health and Osgoode Hall Law School.
Rosario is also Special Counsel at Osler’s advising on Privacy and Data Management.
Rosario Chairs the Governance Committee and is a member of the Nominating Committee and Executive Committee.
Rod Malcolm, B.Com
Past Chair
Toronto
Rod serves as Managing Partner, Toronto for DHR Global, an executive search firm, and the leader of Real Estate, Private Equity and Consumer Practices in Canada. Rod has an extensive background as a business executive including as Managing Partner at Korn/Ferry International, President of KFC Canada and Vice President of International Marketing at Pepsi-Cola.
In his current role the Managing Partner at DHR, Rod draws on his executive experience to support clients in searches for executive leadership across a range of areas including general management, marketing, sales, finance, human resources, and development.
Rod has served on a number of Boards in both the corporate and non-profit sectors.
Rod has been a Director of HPCO since the merger of the Hospice Association of Ontario (HAO) and OPCA in 2011 to 2017, and then rejoined the Board in 2018. Rod Chaired the Board’s Fundraising Committee from 2011 to 2013, served on the Audit Committee from 2011 to 2017, and on the Nominating Committee from 2015 to 2021.
Prior to the merger, Rod served on the HAO Board from 2007 until merger in 2011. During the merger negotiations, Rod represented HAO on the Joint Board Committee that guided the merger process. Rod also led the Board’s search committee for the senior leadership position in 2007 and 2009.
Rod is Chair of the Board and a member of the Nominating and Finance Committees.
Treasurer: Paul Hazzard, CPA, CGA, MBA
Bright’s Grove
Paul currently serves as General Manager, Southpoint Equipment, a company specializing in the merchandising of farm and light industrial/construction equipment. He is also a Director and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee for SWT, an agri business based in Saskatchewan, a director of IGP Coop, an ethanol production company. Prior to these positions, he held leadership roles at Sollio Agriculture, South West Ag Partners Inc. and St. Lawrence Grain and Farm Supply Ltd., and served as the President of Ontario Agri Business Association. He has extensive experience in the areas of the development of business and marketing strategies, financial analysis, and strategic planning.
He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Guelph and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Since 2008, at various times, he has been an adjunct professor at the University of Windsor, St. Clair College, and Fanshawe College, teaching business and accounting to undergraduate students.
Paul’s prior volunteer roles include President of both the Alzheimer Societies of Ontario and of Chatham-Kent, as well as Treasurer of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. In recognition of these efforts, he was a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Paul is Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Executive Committee
Carol Derbyshire
Windsor
Carol joined the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County in 1979 and served as Executive Director from 1986 to until her retirement in 2019. She is currently the Chair of the New Canadian Centre of Excellence, a Director of New Hospital Healthcare Infrastructure Investment, and a Community Advisor at Youth Embracing Today’s Youth (Y.E.T.Y). In the past she has been the Chair of the Board at Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare, University of Windsor, Windsor Regional Hospital, Windsor Regional Hospital – Joint Executive Committee for Hospital Restructuring, Victim Services (Police Services Windsor)
Carol was a Director of HPCO during the merger in 2011 to 2012. Prior to the merger, Carol was a founding member of the Hospice Association of Ontario (HAO) and served on the HAO board from 1993 to 1998 and from 2002 to 2011.
Carol is a member of the Finance Committee.
Nazira Jaffer, BSc. MHA. MBA. CHE
Thornhill
Nazira Jaffer is an international healthcare consultant supporting clients in planning palliative care and hospices services, strategic planning and providing accreditation support for governance and leadership for Aging and Medical Rehab services.
Most recently, she was the Executive Director of the Yee Hong Hospice from 2020 to 2023. She has over 25 years of experience working in senior positions within health care planning and management. She maintains excellent relationships with clinical and community peers in Canada and internationally. She builds partnerships for the highest quality compassionate care and is a strong advocate for diversity and end of life values and supports in a multicultural environment.
Nazira is a faculty member at the Global Institute of Psychosocial Palliative and End of Life Care (GIPPEC) and in addition, as an International Health Care Consultant and Executive Director at Yee Hong Hospice, Nazira brings the elements of dignity, compassion, holistic care, and client choice to ensuring optimal living for the dying. Nazira has served on numerous Boards over the past 20 years with experience in strategic planning, governance, fundraising, and finance committees.
Nazira is a member of the Audit & Risk Management Committee.
Nancy Lefebre, RN, MN
Toronto
Nancy Lefebre is the Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer for the Business of Caring at SE Health, with a broad portfolio that includes the delivery of care across all business lines in addition to the areas of professional practice, research, and education. Advocacy on behalf of Canadians most in need is important to Nancy, and under her direction, SE Health and the Saint Elizabeth Foundation has invested more than $6 million into end-of-life care catalyst projects, supporting over 200 hospices across Canada, and becoming the founding member operator of Journey Home Hospice.
Nancy is a recipient of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) Award of Merit, and the Canadian College of Health Services Executives Nursing Leadership award in recognition of her nursing leadership. She received the Sharon Carstairs Award of Excellence in Advocacy in 2020 and the Award of Excellence from the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association in 2023 for her dedication to hospice and palliative care.
Nancy is a member of the Governance Committee
Len Lifchus
Peterborough
Len Lifchus joins the HPCO Board of Directors after having completed his term as Chair and President of Hospice Peterborough. Born in Vancouver and a graduate from the University of BC, he has spent the majority of his working career in the Not-for-Profit/Voluntary sector having served as Director, Blood Donor Recruitment BC for the Red Cross Blood Program and then CEO of 3 United Ways (Kelowna, Peterborough and Hamilton/Burlington). Len has his Health Service Management Designation from CCHSE and his certification as a Donor Recruitment Manager from Virginia Polytechnic University and the Association of Donor Recruitment Professionals, an organization he served as International President. He has also served as Chair, Central East Community Care Access Centre (CCAC); Chair, Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres Chairs Council, Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce; Chair, Showplace Peterborough and Peterborough Theatre Guild, Kawartha Rotary to name but a few. For 12 years Len was a member and then chair of the City of Peterborough’s Committee of Adjustment and a member of the City’s Grants Review Team.
Len was a member of the Prime Minister’s Volunteer Awards Advisory Committee and a senior volunteer with the Pan Am/Para Pan Am Games in Toronto. Len is a trainer for both Elections Canada (Peterborough) and Elections Ontario (Peterborough). He was recognized with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his volunteer activities and was inducted into the Peterborough Pathway of Fame for his work in Community Betterment in 2018.
Len is a member of the Finance Committee
Johanna Lim, CPA, CMA, PMP, Prosci®
Toronto
Johanna has combined decades of both public and private sector experience in governance, audit, risk management, and compliance providing her with significant opportunities to define value-added solutions to advance organizational objectives.
She currently leads the internal audit function at the Canadian Red Cross and establishes the strategy intended to support the achievement of the organization’s objectives.
Johanna dedicates her personal time as a Director in a number of Board Committees allowing her to leverage her knowledge and experience to serve her community.
As a Board Director of HPCO, Johanna commits to supporting the collective efforts of the organization in enriching the lives of the people it touches everyday – and continue to be an agent of help and best represent the common interest of vulnerable individuals to make their rest of life, the best of life.
Johanna is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Committee
Angela Rea-Mahoney, B.Sc., MBA
Gananoque
Angela has over 30 years of leadership experience in the health care sector and was most recently a Project Director at Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga, Ontario. In that role she works with internal and external partners to advance innovative and often complex projects designed to improve system integration and ultimately enhance the patient experience. Previous roles have included experience in audit, clinical information systems, contract management, and clinical program operations.
Angela holds certifications in Thanatology and as an End-of-Life Doula. She has also been a volunteer in a local hospice and as a bereavement support volunteer in the community. She holds a B.Sc. Honours in Life Sciences from Queens University and an MBA (Health Services Management) from McMaster University. She is a curious and empathetic person and constantly seeks to gain new skills, knowledge, experience and relationships.
Angela is a member of the Finance Committee.
Janette Panhuis, BScN, (RN) MBA
Georgetown
Janette has extensive experience in the healthcare field having started her work career as a registered nurse with Toronto General Hospital, moving into hospital management positions before going into pharmaceutical and clinical research. Janette retired from her position as Chief Operating Officer at Population Health Research Institute (PHRI), an academic research institute affiliated with McMaster University in June 2022.
Janette is the Chair of the Board at Bethell Hospice in Inglewood, having just completed her first year as chair and served as a Director and chair of the Governance committee at Bethell for the 3 previous years. Janette places high value in contributing to her community, and so living in Georgetown, and being passionate about healthcare, serving the local hospice is a perfect fit. She is eager to continue her journey in Hospice Palliative Care and broaden her contributions by joining the HPCO board, working to ensure access to quality end-of-life care in Ontario.
Janette has more than 10 years of board experience having served on a volunteer board for a clinical research network (N2 Canada) as well.
Janette is a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee
Maria Rugg RN BScN MN CHPCN(C) CHE
Toronto
Maria Panzera-Rugg is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care. She has worked as a registered nurse for over 30 years in a variety of roles and care settings primarily focused in palliative care. Presently she works as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care at Unity Health, Toronto leading clinical care across three sites in program development, standards of practice, and clinical education in palliative care. She also holds a secondment as the Regional Co-Lead for Palliative Care in the Toronto Region at Ontario Health.
Her achievements include national certification as a certified hospice palliative care nurse (CHPCN) since 2003; being a certified facilitator and coach through Pallium Canada in palliative care education to interprofessionals since 2017; achieving certification as a trainer and facilitator of the End of Life Nursing Education Curriculum (ELNEC)© through the American Association of Colleges of Nurses in the United States in 2003; achieving certification from the Canadian College of Health Leaders as Canadian Health Executive (CHE) in 2021.
She has cross appointments as an adjunct lecturer at The University of Toronto in both the faculties of Nursing and Family and Community Medicine.
Her lifelong passion and focus of practice and research is working in areas of patient related outcomes as they relate to their palliative and end of life experience; and how to facilitate change through practice and education to improve overall well-being of patients and their families. She has worked to ensure that her areas of influence have pushed forward the patient experience throughout the life span for all persons.
In her spare time she enjoys volunteering on not for profit agency boards and learning to plan the violin.
Maria is a member of the Governance Committee and the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Lisa Sullivan, RN, MPA
Ottawa
Lisa Sullivan is the Executive Director of Hospice Care Ottawa. She led the integration of two hospices in Ottawa to form Hospice Care Ottawa in 2013. She also oversaw the build and subsequent opening of the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice in Kanata and the expansion of Francophone hospice programs in the east end of Ottawa.
Lisa works with her Board, volunteers, staff and many generous donors in Ottawa to ensure Hospice Care Ottawa offers the highest quality service including community support and residence care for people living with a life limiting illness.
Prior to the Hospice, Lisa worked as the Lead Health Services Planner for the Champlain Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN). Lisa is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelors of Nursing Science and Masters of Public Administration from Queen’s University. She has spent most of her career in public and population health. Her past experience includes work with the Canadian Population Health Initiative- CIHI and many years with Ottawa Public Health.
Lisa has personal experience with palliative care, losing her husband to ALS and her brother to cancer at early ages. She is passionate about finding ways to improve the hospice palliative care system. In her over 11 years at Hospice Care Ottawa she has learned that hospice is so much more than the services it provides. It represents a holistic philosophy of care that focuses on quality of living and dying. Perhaps most importantly she recognizes the fragility of life and the importance of every moment.
Lisa is a member of the Governance Committee and the Audit and Risk Management Committee.