Meet Our Board
Anita Trusler
BSC, MPH
Supervisor, Health Promotion
Lambton Public Health
Chair, Board of Directors
Industry Specialization
Public Health, Community Development, Health System Planning
Professional Background
Anita is a public health professional with over 13 years’ service in the municipal sector. Her areas of expertise include community development, health system planning and partnership/collaboration. Anita’s commitment to age-friendly community planning has evolved into opportunities to support Sarnia Lambton Ontario Health Team Planning and create an Older Adult Care Pathway in partnership with local service providers.
Community Involvement
As a long-time Sarnia-Lambton resident, Anita is committed to helping create a healthy community. She is one of the founding committee members of the Bluewater International Granfondo (BIGF) and a dedicated committee member with Noelle's Gift. Anita was named to the Mayor's Honour List in 2017 by Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley for being a passionate advocate for safe cycling. In the same year she also received the Mid-Career Award from Health Promotion Canada for her contributions to the field of Health Promotion.
Additional Interests & Hobbies
Anita’s proudest achievement to date is her family. When she’s not working, she loves to spend time biking, hiking and exploring the great outdoors.
Sarah Milner
Executive Director RN, CPMHN (c)
Central Lambton Family Health Team
Board Member
Industry Specialization
Primary Care, Mental Health
Professional Background
With over 26 years of experience in healthcare, Sarah brings specialized knowledge of primary care, mental health and system navigation. As the Executive Director of Central Lambton Family Health Team in Petrolia, she has a passion for developing community partnerships and expanding services out to the county. Growing up in rural Lambton, Sarah has a solid understanding of challenges facing those in more isolated areas with limited access to resources. Sarah’s knowledge of the larger healthcare system is an asset to her role as a board member and finance committee member.
Community Involvement
Sarah has volunteered for many years on numerous committees such as the L.C.D.S. Rights Review Counsel, Community Policing and most recently the Petrolia Community Foundation. She got her start volunteering in high school as a candy stripper at C.E.E. Hospital.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
When not working, Sarah enjoys spending time with family, friends and her pets. She is a novice snow boarder who enjoys being active but would trade in the cold weather in a heartbeat for time lounging on a beach.
Sharon McKay
Chair, Governance & Human Resources Committee, Board Member
Industry Specialization
Human Resource Management and Governance, Adherence to HR compliance processes, provincial and federal legislation.
Professional Background
Sharon has over 40 years experience working in Human Resource Management. In her capacity Sharon provided guidance and leadership to senior and mid-level management on the effective and efficient management of people to maximize employee performance in service of achieving the organizations strategic objectives.
A Certified Human Resource Professional Leader (CHRL) (1987), she attended numerous Executive Education programs through Queens University, the Rotman School of Business and HRPAO. Sharon graduated with her diploma in Personnel and Administration from Centennial College. (1984)
Prior to her retirement in 2018 Sharon focused her attention on unification project between the YMCA’s across Southwestern Ontario and Western Ontario. Since her retirement, Sharon has provided HR Consulting to several local non-profit, small businesses, specializing in workplace harassment investigations.
Community Involvement
Sharon joined the Board of Directors for LEO in 2019. She chairs the HR and Governance Committee and sits on the Nomination Committee.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
Sharon likes to play golf, hang out with her four grandchildren and her dogs Bernie and Winston.
April Williams
Vice President, Human Resources & Governance, Mainstreet Credit Union
Chair, Human Resources Governance, Board Member
Industry Specialization
Certified Human Resources Leader with CHRL Designation
Professional Background
April has worked for Mainstreet Credit Union as Vice President of Human Resources and Governance since 2005. In her Human Resource role, she supports the vision, mission, and corporate culture of the organization through recruitment and employee development, salary administration, and design of benefit and wellness programs. In addition to this, she is the Corporate Secretary for the Board of Directors. The key components of her governance role is to ensure the Board meets their regulatory requirements, to advise on governance trends which includes succession planning, director development, and to liaise with regulators.
Community Involvement
Since being on the LEO Board since 2016, including the role of Chair and Chair of Governance & HR Committee, her proudest accomplishment has been setting up the board governance structure for accreditation. She previously served on the HRPA Sarnia Chapter Board of Directors for 15 years. Through Credit Union System, she has been able to participate in the Ontario working group to develop a framework for Board competencies, assessments, and orientation. Her expertise has led to her involvement with the National working group to develop a Market Conduct Code for Canadian Credit Unions.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
April enjoys spending time with her growing family as she is going to be a new grandmother this year. She loves travelling to the Caribbean and hopes to travel to Europe soon. Reading also brings her great joy!
Cathy Howes
HBComm, Owner Catherine Howes Bookkeeping and Taxes
Board Member
Industry Specialization
Accounting, Bookkeeping, Income Tax, Financial Advice for sole proprietors, businesses, and corporations.
Professional Background
Cathy has owned and operated her own financial business since 2007 offering a wide-range of unique services based on her education and skills, including finance and accounting. Cathy also taught Finance and Accounting at Lambton College for six years. Being the chair of the Finance Committee and a Board Member at LEO allows her to contribute to a team environment to review financial policies and procedures in order to grow the organization. Working with a wide range of professional experiences and knowledge allows the committee to provide guidance and oversight to streamline health systems to prioritize older adult care.
Community Involvement
Growing up in Sarnia-Lambton, Cathy has been dedicated to community action initiatives since her teenage years, including work in suicide and prevention. For the past five years as a Board member with LEO, she has been able to provide expertise in finances which is the foundation of much organizational work and progress. Learning about social and health care system planning and advocacy for older adults was an area of growth for her she highly values.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
Cathy is a grandmother to a beautiful grandson and a mother to two successful daughters! Through her many travels, she has built empathy for the challenges people may face in their lives. This has motivated her to understand the human experience personally and professionally. Cathy also loves literature and learning.
Debra McKeown
Retired RN & Seniors' Housing Manager
Board Member
Industry Specialization
Long -Term Care Nursing, Mental Health and Business Management
Professional Background
Debra comes to LEO, with over 30 years health-care experience and on-going education and experience in psychiatry, geriatrics and business and client services. She is most proud of her work as an Administrator of an Assisted Living facilty, as well as management of seniors’ housing apartments. This work involved budget development, strategic planning and government and community liaisons, as well as, human resource management. Debra has a special interest in the mental health of the senior population, as well as memory care. She has worked with Alzheimer’s clients both through employment and as a family care giver. She has work experience with CMHA, particularly in the area of group home management.
Community Involvement
As an avid spokesperson for seniors and those in need of supportive care, Debra has been part of a seniors’ resource group, community planning for Long-Term Care and the planning and building of a shelter for the homeless. Although Debra has worked in several communities in Canada, Lambton County holds a special place in her heart. She hopes to now use this past work and personal experience to help contribute to advance the care of seniors throughout Lambton County.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
Her family and grandchildren are the joy of Debra’s life, and she spends as much time as possible with them. She enjoys music, and frequently her recreational time is spent dancing with the local clogging group.
Hani Dajani
Executive Director Family Counselling Centre
Board Member
Industry Specialization
Private Equity, Humanitarian Intervention, Social Services
Professional Background
Hani has over 25 years of both national and international experience in executive management. He held positions as a Director and Managing Director of several organizations and trusts that provide humanitarian support and invest in small industry and public private partnerships focused on strengthening local economic development in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region. Prior to joining the Family Counselling Centre, Hani lead numerous international and domestic missions for both the United Nations and the Canadian Red Cross and other field-based interlocutors, providing life-saving emergency response for natural and human made disasters. In his current role as Executive Director at FCC, Hani is focusing on introducing new community-based programs, reducing dependency on ministerial funding while exploring new opportunities and establishing new diversified partnerships and synergies with organizations within the social services sector in Sarnia-Lambton.
Community Involvement
Hani is a Board member of the Rotary Club of Sarnia and holds the position of Head of the Community Services for the club. As a board member for LEO, Hani hopes to ensure the success and growth of the Age-Friendly Initiative and help in creating partnerships within the different organizations in support of our elderly community.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
Outside of the office, Hani volunteers for the Sarnia Sturgeons Football Club where his two boys have been playing since moving to Sarnia in 2020.
Bob DeRaad
Director, Rural Health and In-patient Medicine, Bluewater Health
Board Member
Industry Specialization
Bob’s attention to detail and ability to relationship build helps him build trust with his coworkers both internally and externally.
Professional Background
Bob has spent over 30 years as a registered nurse, in both frontline and leadership roles. Currently, he is the Director of Rural Health and In-patient Medicine at Bluewater Health. In this role, he’s most proud of leading the medicine departments through the pandemic and working with community partners to develop COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites across Lambton County. Bob has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Laurentian University and his Masters of Health Studies from Athabasca University. He is currently enrolled in the Rotman School of Business Advanced Leadership Certificate program.
Community Involvement
As a board member for LEO, Bob wants to help ensure older adults can live independently and with dignity. As the primary caregiver for his elderly parents, this cause has a special place in Bob’s heart.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
Outside of the office, Bob spends his summers at his boat in Grand Bend with his wife and four daughters.
Mark Jamieson
Owner, Operator, Pro Tax Petrolia
Board Member
Industry Specialization
Income tax, financial advice for personal budgeting and finances.
Professional Background
Mark has recently retired from Nova Chemicals after 39 years. Mark is experienced in various departments of Nova including operations, purchasing and supply, property services and production maintenance coordination. Mark and his wife Joanne have been running an income tax business for over 18 years in Petrolia. Mark has dealt with many seniors in his business and understands the needs that can be required for seniors.
Community Involvement
As a Board member of LEO, Mark wants to ensure older adults can get the services they need to lead independent lives.
Additional Interests and Hobbies
Mark is currently enjoying his retirement from Nova. He is an avid reader of political and biography books. Mark enjoys time with his family and friends around his pool. When time permits, he loves to travel.