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As a bilingual and inclusive Council, we bring together representatives of older adult groups, community partners, government organizations, the business community, and individuals whose diverse backgrounds, extensive experience and expertise enable our Council to undertake quality strategic thinking on older adult issues.
Our board and committees are comprised of a minimum of 50% older adults and 20% francophone. We welcome interest from all who are representative of the population we serve.
Board of Directors
Trèva Cousineau
President
A former teacher and dietitian, Trèva Cousineau has devoted herself to the advancement and protection of the” francophonie” at the local, provincial, national and even international levels for more than 50 years. She has served as counsel, coordinator and director of many franco-ontarien and French Canadian organizations, such as President of the provincial ACFO, Chair of the Ontario School Trustees’ Council and Executive Director of the National Federation of the French language school boards (FNCSF). While Vice-President of Richelieu International and Administrator of the local district, she was responsible for the sponsorship of the six first Monuments de la francophonie d’Ottawa. She was President of the Committee for the Monument at Ottawa University, her alma mater. She is Vice-President of the Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, President of MIFO and President of Dialogue Canada since 2011.
Treva Cousineau
President
Alex Roussakis
Past President
Alex is a retired federal public service employee. For the majority of his tenure with the Federal Government he was responsible for various training programs, including managing a national learning program in the National Capital Region that had a focus on improving labour management relations.
Alex, served as Vice President of the Centretown Community Health Centre Board. In addition, as a Board member for nine (9) years he worked on various initiatives that impacted the diverse community of Centretown and greater Ottawa.
He holds, on MA in Human Systems Intervention from Concordia University, a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University and a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology from the Flourishing Center of New York.
Alex Roussakis
Past President
Chandra Hapuarachchi
Treasurer
Chandra is a CPA, CGA, and holds a B.Comm (Hons) degree in Public Policy and Public Finance Management from the University of Ottawa and also a B.Comm (Hons) degree in Accounting. Chandra has been a dedicated volunteer since she came to Canada from the UK in 1981. She has volunteered preparing income tax returns for seniors, students, newcomers, and those with low income. Chandra has held several board positions and has acted as treasurer and volunteer auditor for numerous organizations. She has served on the selection committees for the Prime Ministers’ Award for Teaching Excellence and the Carol Thompson Memorial Fund Scholarship for students with learning disabilities. She is a founding director of the Sri Lanka Association of Manitoba and the Association for New Canadians in St. John’s. More recently, she is a founding organizer of the seniors’ group providing services to Sri Lankan Canadian seniors which is supported by the Social Planning Council of Ottawa. Chandra has worked in the charitable sector as a controller and director of finance and for two crown corporations as an internal auditor. She was the winner of the 2019 Seniors Volunteer Ottawa – VOscar award which was presented by Volunteer Ottawa to a senior citizen who made a meaningful impact on the community with outstanding volunteer efforts
Chandra Hapuarachchi
Treasurer
Chantal Tessier
Secretary
Chantal is a highly motivated healthcare professional with a strong background in public health, serving vulnerable populations. She brings over 20 years of experience as a dental hygienist, including teaching at La Cité Collégiale. Chantal has recently completed her bachelor’s degree in health administration, propelling her career toward long-term care administration. Having recently accepted the position of Manager of Mental Health Promotion and Volunteers with the Canadian Mental Health Association Champlain East, she eagerly looks forward to applying her skills to further promote health in her community and to contribute to the efforts of the COA Board. In her leisure time, she is an avid traveler, an independent contractor of her own travel agency, and a proud mother of two teenage children.
Chantal Tessier
Secretary
Jenny Murphy
Education
Before spending ten years as the Science Policy Advisor for various levels of federal government including the Minister of Natural Resources, Jenny Murphy was a scientist specializing in Earth Observation. After retirement, she took the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) course and taught a one-month English communications course to female trainee Trekking Guides in Nepal for nine years. In June 2023, she completed six years of study at Carleton University, graduating with a Bachelor of Humanities degree. As a volunteer, she has been a Big Sister, and she read and recorded newspapers for the blind with Voiceprint (now AMI). She is the Founding Member of a registered Canadian charity providing scholarships to geomatics students in Nepal. She wrote her memoirs in 2016 and continues writing stories as part of a Memoir Writing Group. She was a competitive rower and kayaker for fifty years and she has been a member of Toastmasters International since 2021.
Jenny Murphy
Education
Yves Leduc
Engagement
Yves Leduc graduated from the University of Montreal. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics (M.Sc.) specializing in public finance and international trade. Yves is a dynamic, engaged, and dedicated senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in the associative world/lobbying promoting and defending the interests of farmers, notably the Dairy Farmers of Canada. His expertise and experience in facilitating, advocating and influencing the development of acceptable consensus in a highly politicized and complex environment, both domestically and internationally, represent a strong asset for the Council on Aging. Yves also has extensive experience working with a multidisciplinary staff, and has developed strong relationships with elected officials, senior officials and political staff. Yves lives in the downtown area with his wife Pascale and their young daughter LiCan-Marie.
Yves Leduc
Engagement
Miriam Fry
Committee Development
Miriam Fry has recently left her position after 6 years as the executive director of Families Matter Co-operative, a family support organization for those supporting loved ones with developmental disabilities. Appropriate supported housing is one of the key concerns of these families. Miriam was one of the authors of “Ending the Wait” which led to the province’s Innovative Housing Task Force. Before that, Miriam spent over 25 years at the CBC, as a journalist and a journalistic manager.
Miriam is the president of Ottawa Carleton Lifeskills, an organization that provides housing and support for adults with disabilities. She sits on the advisory committee of Doors Open Ottawa and has been a long-time volunteer English language tutor for newcomers.
Miriam Fry
Committee Development
Mike Powers
Community Engagement
Michael (Mike) Powers joins The Council on Aging after 40+ years of business development successes in the Financial Services, Economic Development, and Not-for-profit sectors. A creative-thinking executive, Mike has introduced new clients and established new markets across Canada and the UK. Mike is an accomplished networker, developing opportunities in widely diverse sectors as needed for the organization’s success. His 30+ year involvement in the volunteer sector has seen Mike serving as a board member/event organizer/treasurer with after-school programs, single parents, tennis community, young offenders programs, municipal parks, recreation, and hospitals, and as a volunteer sports coach. He is a Dad to three amazing daughters and grandfather to the four delights of his senior life. Dubbed urban explorer, he loves to explore cities and wander rural areas. It is with notable enthusiasm that he joins the COA Board!
Mike Powers
Community Engagement
Brian Tardif
Fund Development
Brian Tardif’s career experience in community service organisations, spanning 38 years, has been broad and exceptionally varied. Over the years, he has developed superior skills in the areas of leadership, financial and human resources management, administration, governance, fund-raising, communicating, negotiating, networking and facilitating. Committed to excellence, he has embraced change and worked closely with Boards of Directors to effectively manage the operations of high calibre community service organizations. Brian has done consultancy work for over 25 local, national and international community service organisations. He is the winner of numerous awards, and holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Carleton University.
Brian Tardif
Fund Development
Patrick Curran
Director at Large
Brian Tardif’s career experience in community service organisations, spanning 38 years, has been broad and exceptionally varied. Over the years, he has developed superior skills in the areas of leadership, financial and human resources management, administration, governance, fund-raising, communicating, negotiating, networking and facilitating. Committed to excellence, he has embraced change and worked closely with Boards of Directors to effectively manage the operations of high calibre community service organizations. Brian has done consultancy work for over 25 local, national and international community service organisations. He is the winner of numerous awards, and holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Carleton University.
Patrick Curran
Director at Large
Émilie Roy
Director at Large
Émilie’s law practice focuses on litigation in the health sector, including representing public hospitals and their employees in medical malpractice litigation. She appears in court and before administrative tribunals, including:• Small Claims Court;
• Superior Court of Justice;
• Divisional Court;
• Consent and Capacity Board;
• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario; and
• Coroner’s Inquests in Ontario
Émilie works directly with healthcare professionals and organizations on risk management issues related to mental health law, responding to adverse events, issues involving substitute decision-makers, discharge planning, and regulatory issues.
Fluent in English and French, she practises in both official languages. Émilie articled with BLG before joining as an associate. During her studies, she was a research fellow with the Global Strategy Lab and worked at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canadian Medical Association.
Émilie Roy
Director at Large
Our Committee Leaders
Grace Welch
Co-Chair, Age-Friendly Housing Committee
Grace Welch
Co-Chair, Age-Friendly Housing Committee
Audrey Jacques
Co-Chair, Age-Friendly Housing Committee
Audrey Jacques
Lead, Home and Community Care Working Group
Jenny Brooks
Co-Chair, Age-Friendly Housing Committee
Jenny Brooks was a Critical Care and Emergency Nurse for many years, before becoming a full-time professor at Algonquin College teaching these same specialties. She returned to university in 2000 to earn her Nurse Practitioner credential. Jenny worked in several First Nation communities in Nunavut and Northern Ontario before accepting a full-time Nurse Practitioner position in Family Medicine at The Ottawa Hospital. Her clinical practice included all age groups with a special focus on and interest in older adults. Upon retirement in 2016, she joined the COA Age-Friendly Housing Committee to continue her work of improving the health of Ottawa seniors by advocating for socially inclusive, supportive, and innovative housing options. Jenny is also the Lead of the NORC- SSP (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities-Supportive Service Program) Working Group.Jenny Brooks
Co-Chair, Age-Friendly Housing Committee
Valerie Wright
Lead, Housing Advocacy Working Group
Valerie Wright is a retired teacher/principal from the Ottawa Catholic School Board. She is a member of the Council on Aging’s Age Friendly Housing Committee, in which she has played a key role in the last two year. She advocates for education in development with the Grandmother’s Advocacy Network and for newcomers/refugees to Ottawa.Valerie Wright
Lead, Housing Advocacy Working Group
Bob Baldwin
Chair, Income Security Expert Panel
Bob Baldwin is an Ottawa based consultant who has worked on pension issues for more than 30 years. He worked for the Canadian Labour Congress for all but three years from 1976 to 2005 – the last 10 as the Director of Social and Economic Policy.Baldwin was a member of the expert panel that advised the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions and he prepared a research report for the Government of Ontario on the retirement income prospects of Canadians as part of the federal, provincial and territorial dialogue among Ministers of Finance on this issue.
Baldwin is a Director of Addenda Capital and Tradex Management Incorporated, he chairs the Board of Trustees of the Canada Wide Industrial Pension Plan, he is an advisor to the National Pension Hub of the Global Risk Institute, he is Chair of the C.D. Howe Institute’s Pension Policy Council and has been a member of the Expert Panel on Income Security of the Ottawa Council on Aging for many years.
Bob Baldwin
Chair, Income Security Expert Panel
Mary Haller
Co-Chair, Pedestrian Safety and Walkability
Mary has been a Physiotherapist for over 35 years in a variety of areas and has extensive experience in geriatrics. She helped get the Champlain Falls Assessment Streamlined Treatment (CFAST) Clinic up and running as their first physiotherapist.She is passionate about fall prevention, prevention of deconditioning in older adults, and helping seniors maintain their independence. She has had the opportunity to do many presentations on fall prevention to community groups and looks forward to using her background experiences while working with the COA’s Pedestrian Safety and Walkability sub-committee.
Mary Haller
Co-Chair, Pedestrian Safety and Walkability
Ken Holmes
Chair, Rural Transportation Sub-Committee
Ken lives near Fitzroy Harbour in West Carleton ward. He retired in 1992 after a 30-year career in the Canadian Forces as a senior Military Engineering officer who served in command and staff appointments in Operations, Training, and Equipment and Construction Project Management.Ken graduated as a Chemical Engineer from the University of New Brunswick and completed post-graduate work with the US Army and the Royal Military College of Science. He commanded Canada’s combat engineering regiment in Germany and served with NATO’s Central Army Group Headquarters in Heidelberg. Ken was a member of the Directing Staff of the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College and commanded the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering.
Since retirement, Ken has pursued his interest in Canadian military history and has published several books on military engineering history and heritage. He also assists aspiring authors with their research and writing. He is the Past President of the Canadian Military Engineers Association and has been on their national executive for 30 years.
Ken has been involved in municipal affairs for more than two decades. He focuses on Rural Affairs, Seniors, Transportation, and Communication. Ken has worked to improve a wide variety of the City of Ottawa’s activities – particularly through the Community Budget Advisory Team and the Rural Summits. He is a member of the Seniors Round Table, Council on Aging, Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee, Making Voices Count/Citizens Engagement Table, West Carleton Advisory Committee, the Rural Transportation Solutions project, and the city’s Master Plans Ambassadors Working Group.
Ken Holmes
Chair, Rural Transportation Sub-Committee
Louise Brunelle
Chair, Older Drivers Sub-Committee
Soon after attending a Council on Aging seminar titled Shifting Gears, organized by the Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee (OSTC) in 2014, Louise joined this active volunteer committee.
OSTC was divided into several sub-committees that represented different areas of interest to Ottawa seniors including; Rural Transportation, Public Transit, Hospital Parking, Pedestrian Safety, Older Drivers and Community Information. Representatives from several city and community organizations volunteered their time to advocate for positive change to transportation issues affecting seniors and those with mobility challenges.
As a bilingual occupational therapist, Louise brought important knowledge, professionalism and a keen interest in reaching out to the senior community across Ottawa. Her special interest has been in promoting practical programs, and providing important information to improve driving safety. With an aging demographic and driving as the major form of transportation for many older adults, she found an important niche and created an excellent program.
She agreed to chair the Older Drivers sub-committee in 2015. Since that time, she has worked hard to bring the 55-Alive program to many seniors and has become the first person to be certified to provide this program in French in the Ottawa area. Her passion was instrumental to the launching of the local CarFit initiative which has been active for the past two years. Louise has become well known in the community for her ability to collaborate with a wide range of city and community organizations and is greatly respected amongst volunteers because of her caring and supporting nature and her ability to organize and lead events. These relationships have been a tremendous asset in bringing current information and practical driving tips to older drivers across Ottawa through brochures, a series of driving tips for older adults and numerous community educational events.
Over the past number of years, Louise has made an incredible contribution to the community in the field of road safety for older adults. The Council on Aging is delighted to name Louise Brunelle as the recipient of the 2020 Margaret Griffiths Award.
Louise Brunelle
Chair, Older Drivers Sub-Committee
Hugh Nelson
Co-Chair, Smart Aging Committee
Hugh Nelson
Co-Chair, Smart Aging Committee
Min Ku
Co-Chair, Pedestrian Safety and Walkability Sub-Committee
Min grew up in Ottawa and recently returned after many years of living abroad. She has previously worked in mental health outreach for a non-profit organization in Japan and volunteered for their English language TELL Lifeline. Min believes strongly in the many physical, mental, social (and financial!) benefits of walking, and is excited to work on Pedestrian Safety and Walkability to help people from “all walks of life”. She is a caregiver to her parents and remembers the frustrations of pushing a baby stroller in winter, so she is excited to join CoA and find solutions that benefit everyone.
Min Ku
Co-Chair, Pedestrian Safety and Walkability Sub-Committee
Raynald Marchand
Co-Chair, Transportation Committee
Raynald was the General Manager of Programs (2006 to 2020) for the Canada Safety Council (CSC) in Ottawa. He was responsible for the curriculum development and management of the Council’s training programs, national awareness campaigns, CSC collision review committee, media interviews, and public speaking. Raynald sat on many national safety committees as a committee member and chair or Co-Chair.
After he received a two-year diploma in Human Sciences from CEGEP, he pursued his studies in Psychology at the University of Victoria, BC where he received his BA with a major in Psychology. Behavioral psychology has been his passion learning how he could modify human behavior in order to improve safety and prevent injuries and deaths. Raynald also received a certificate in management studies from Algonquin College.
Raynald has been living in Ottawa South for the past 32 years where he and his wife Brenda raised their two children.
Raynald Marchand
Co-Chair, Transportation Committee
John Joanisse
Co-Chair, Health Issues Committee
John’s clinical, academic, and research career as a family physician saw him practicing in both rural and remote Ontario as well as in Ottawa. Before he retired from active medical practice in 2021, John held a variety of clinical leadership roles including Medical Director of Résidence St. Louis (1994-2000); attending physician at three retirement residences (1987-2000); and at Hôpital Monfort Hospital, Director of Geriatric Services and Geriatric Teaching (2000-2015), Chief of Staff (1994-2000), co-founder of the Short-Term Rehabilitation Unit (1998). His research interests include interprofessional care, falls prevention, deprescribing, orthogeriatrics, pre-admission orthopaedics, clinical frailty evaluation, and review of the needs of clinicians working in nursing home and residences. John remains active on the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine Admissions Committee interviewing student candidates.
John Joanisse
Co-Chair, Health Issues Committee
Brian Malcolmson
Co-Chair, Health Issues Committee
Brian’s career in health administration spans managing hospitals and other health care organizations, leading the University of Ottawa Master of Health Administration program and Academic Affairs at Hôpital Montfort Hospital, along with the Ministries of Health of Ontario and Manitoba. Now retired, he is consulting in the development of a new Masters program. He has previously had other assignments in areas such as health and housing for seniors. His volunteer activities include five years recently with Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa.Brian Malcolmson
Co-Chair, Health Issues Committee
Janet Luloff
Co-Chair, Health Issues Committee
Janet is retired after over 35 years of management and consulting work in the transportation sector. She started her career at Transport Canada in airport operations and among other positions she was Special Advisor to Transport Canada’s Aviation Security Regulatory Review and Manager of Security Planning and Legislation. At the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, Janet was the General Manager Regulatory Affairs and Procedures, and General Manager Strategic Operations. Janet has chaired national and trilateral (Canada, U.S., Mexico) working groups and headed joint projects with stakeholders. In addition to policy and regulatory development, her experience includes stakeholder management, risk management, compliance oversight, and project management. She holds a BA from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, with a major in Urban Geography.
Since 2016, Janet has been involved in the long-term care sector in projects, committees, a regional Community of Practice Network, and the Champlain Region Family Council Network, supporting family councils in long-term care homes and advocating for improvements to residents quality of life and care. Janet was a caregiver for her parents, is sensitive to the needs of older adults, and is a past Chair of the COA’s Pedestrian Safety and Walkability Sub-committee.
Janet Luloff
Co-Chair, Transportation Committee
Rosa Venuta
Co-Chair, Smart Aging Committee
Rosa Venuta is a retired federal public servant whose expertise spans across stakeholder and public engagement, public sector governance, and in the area of older adults policy development. Before working in government Rosa was employed in the community support sector for many years delivering services to older adults through programs that allowed individuals to live independently at home. Rosa is an alumni of Concordia University and the University of Ottawa. Her volunteer activities include Meals on Wheels, Caldwell Family Centre, and the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
Rosa Venuta
Co-Chair, Smart Aging Committee
Our Staff
Sarah Bercier
Executive Director
Sarah has been with the Council on Aging since 2014. She brings with her 30+ years of experience in the fields of aging and later life. She has worked in the fields of elder abuse and seniors’ community housing, has spent eight years in management roles with the Canadian Association on Gerontology, and has spent the last 20 years as a consultant, speaking and writing on the lifestyle aspects of retirement and aging. Sarah has a BA in Psychology and an MA in Clinical Counselling, both with a focus on later life issues. Sarah has a passion for aging issues and enjoys working with and for seniors in Ottawa in identifying the ongoing opportunities available to improve the lives of seniors in the community and make Ottawa a more age-friendly city.Sarah Bercier
Executive Director
Bonnie Schroeder
Director, Age-Friendly Ottawa
Bonnie Schroeder, MSW, RSW: Bonnie is a registered social worker with over 25 years of experience working with seniors and their caregivers in the mental health, home and community care, and public health sectors.Before joining the Council on Aging in 2016, Bonnie was the National Director of the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health (2013-2016) and spent over twelve years at VON Canada in a variety of management roles including the last five years as the Director of Caregiving. Bonnie is a Part-time Professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Social Work (Minor in Aging Studies) and at Carleton University, School of Social Work.
Bonnie Schroeder
Director, Age-Friendly Ottawa
Roch Pilon
Director, Community Development
Roch is a bilingual professional who has 30 years’ experience working with numerous national non-profit membership-based organizations in sports, education, tourism and government. He has a varied background having worked in membership and customer service, sponsorship and partnership development as well as, marketing and communications positions. He has worked hand in hand with volunteers, staff and Board members to deliver program and initiatives to a variety of stakeholders and publics. Before joining the Council on Aging, Roch served as Program Coordinator, Alumni Benefits and Services with the uOttawa Alumni Association. During this time, he developed an interest in fundraising which led him to positions with the Montfort Foundation and most recently the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. He is currently enrolled in the Fundraising Management certificate program at Algonquin College.Roch Pilon
Director, Community Development
Tom Kelly
Director, Education
Tom Kelly joined the Council on Aging of Ottawa (COA) in January 2023 as the Director of Education. Prior to joining the COA, Tom was the Training Administrator for Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa (PSO). He brings more than 20 years of experience working with diverse age groups in the mental health and addictions systems of care.
Throughout his career, Tom has had the opportunity to work with many CEO’s, Senior Management staff, front-line staff, community members and other stakeholders.
As the Director of Education, Tom will focus primarily on the development, organization, and delivery of the Smart Aging Program as well as providing support to other educational and advocacy events. Such programming will be directed to older adults throughout the city of Ottawa including isolated older adults and other older adults at risk in both official languages.
With over 20 years of experience in the public mental health and addictions field and having worked with private companies and government agencies, Tom was responsible for providing technical assistance to different agencies and organizations across different systems of care. His experience includes coaching and training staff in the use of strength-based and person-centered planning principles.
He has designed and developed training and presentations for national, regional and local conferences on topics including mental health, wellness, suicide prevention, peer support, resiliency, recovery and trauma informed care speaking to over 500 audiences across North America reaching more than 15,000 people.
Tom is a Certified Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Trainer and a Certified Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator.
Tom Kelly
Director, Education
Donna Mcleod
Administration
Molly Jones
Project Officer