Chair 

Patrick Kenny

Director of Marketing and Communications-InvestOttawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.

A strategic trusted senior leader, Patrick is a marketer for leading organizations, associations,multi-media campaigns, proactive economic agencies and international events. Withover 20 years of marketing and communications consultation, and a unique blend of public relations, stakeholder relations and partnership servicing expertise, Patrick has supported diverse objectives for world-renowned sports celebrities, IPO CEOs, Board of Directors and Canadian and international media around the world.

Having joined Invest Ottawa in 2018, Patrick is currently the Director of Marketing and Communications for Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O, having moved into the position in 2019. Patrick also currently lends his expertise to various marketing and communications advisory committees, including acting as Chair for the Marketing and Communications Advisory Committee for Wrestling Canada as well as being named Communications Lead for Team Canada for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Previous roles have included Director of Marketing and Communications for the Canada Games Council, member of the Team Canada communications team for past Commonwealth, Pan-Am and Olympic Games and public relations consultant for some of Ottawa and the country's largest firms.

 

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Vice Chair 

Shauna Almas
Shauna Almas is a purpose-motivated Business Development professional.  She has
been driving revenue growth and profitability across commercial, public and not-for-profit industries for 13 years and counting.  

As a student, Shauna put herself through her undergraduate degree as an
entrepreneur. During her MBA she worked in East Africa to address the
need for better rural access to quality health care. In the early days of her
career in the pharmaceutical industry she was involved with one of the most
successful Canadian launches of a new pharmaceutical product in its class.  
Specializing in fostering innovative relationships and identifying new business
opportunities, Shauna is inspired by a favourite African proverb – “Alone, we go faster.  Together, we go further.”  
Currently, Shauna is establishing a new Business Development department as a member of the Leadership Team at the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.  

Shauna lives in Carleton place with her family and in her spare time she likes to be outdoors gardening, taking on sizeable DIY projects at home, and experimenting in the kitchen - sporadically successful at best, but certainly a lot of fun.  

  Treasurer / Secretary

Directors     

Linda McGreevy
Linda has been a resident of Carleton Place for over 25 years and a passionate advocate for quality health care and the value of community hospitals. Linda is a fundraising specialist with a career that spans 30 years. She believes strongly that successful fundraising is dependent on an organization’s ability to inspire others to invest through a compelling marketing and communications strategy.    

                                                         
Linda is the former Executive Director of three hospital Foundations, including the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre Foundation and the Sudbury Memorial Hospital Foundation, as well as Interim Executive Director of the Winchester and District Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Linda has vast knowledge in all aspects of fundraising including capital campaigns, event planning, annual and planned giving programs, direct mail, as well as communications and marketing. She honed her direct mail expertise as the National Director of Direct Mail Fundraising for the Liberal Party of Canada. Linda’s background in health care fundraising also includes two national organizations, the Canadian Paraplegic Association and Independent Living Canada. These positions involved spearheading a national corporate campaign as well as creating the tools and training for grassroots fundraising programs. Linda is also experienced in strategic planning, operational assessments, board development, and feasibility studies.
Following retirement from full-time work in 2008, Linda worked as a fundraising consultant with a wide variety of organizations, including the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Almonte General Hospital and Fairview Manor Foundation and the Toy Counsel of Canada. Linda retired from consulting in January 2017 but has remained active in her community. A lifetime volunteer, Linda has been on the board of directors of ten organizations, primarily in the area of healthcare.

Matthew Henley 

Matthew Henley is the Chief Operating Officer of ai talos, a health technology company
using artificial intelligence to identify early stage cancers.

Prior to joining ai talos, Matthew served as Managing Partner of a North American
public affairs firm, providing counsel and advisory services to businesses and
not-for-profits from across Canada. He served as a government relations
consultant to ALS Canada during the Ice Bucket Challenge campaign, successfully
advocating for changes to the Compassionate Care Benefit for people living with
ALS. His work with ALS Canada ignited a passion advocating for health care
initiatives and improved patient outcomes.

Matthew began his career in politics, working on Parliament Hill specializing in strategic communications and policy research. He holds an MBA with a specialization in Finance and in 2022 was recognized for Outstanding Service and Contribution to the Community to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen.

Dr. Esmail Merani

Esmail is an executive with over forty years’ experience who is no stranger to the health care field. He is the co-owner with his pharmacist son Karim Merani, of the IDA Carleton Place Drug Mart Ltd. in addition to owning IDA pharmacies in Stittsville, Richmond and Greenbank Hunt Club. His vast cumulative experience extends to pharmacy, drug and the healthcare business and he has practical experience leading project management and business development initiatives, as well as human resources, finance and change management. He also has a wealth of experience with board governance after serving on a variety of boards including: the President Ontario College of Pharmacists (2015); the Ottawa Carleton Pharmacists Association; Peace Camp Ottawa; Lions Club of Stittsville; Ashbury College; Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital as Board Trustee; Nipissing University; Somerset West Community Health Centre; and Green Shield Canada.

Esmail is extremely community-focused and has been has been the proud recipient of many awards like the Bowl of Hygiea (1985) which all speak to and highlight his “outstanding community service.” Loyally committed to our beloved hospital since moving to the area more than 20-years ago, he spearheaded a matching gift campaign for the hospital with his staff at the Carleton Place IDA. Each year, payroll deductions from staff members are matched dollar-for-dollar by IDA co-owners. To date, over $63,000 has been raised through this initiative for the hospital with Esmail and his staff continuing to renew their pledges each year!

“Joining the Foundation Board is a singular honour to give back to the community for a project near and dear to me.”

Peter Schaffer

Peter Schaffer joined the Military at the age of 17 and spent 29 years in service to his Country. Peter joined as an Infantryman and served with the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Canadian Airborne Regiment for the first 12 years of his career. He chose to further challenge himself and after completing selection, he became a member of Joint Task Force Two, Canada’s Elite Counter Terrorist Unit where he spent another 17 years until he retired as the Senior Sergeant Major of this Unit, which now falls under Canadian Special Operations Command.

Throughout his military career Peter was deployed in multiple tours overseas including, Somalia, Bosnia - Yugoslavia, Eritrea - Ethiopia and Afghanistan. Peter became a member of the Executive of the Royal Canadian Legion-Captain A. Roy Brown Branch 192 in 2015 assuming the role of Sgt. At Arms until 2017 when he was elected to his current position of Branch President. Peter is also a proud Life Member of the Branch.

Peter has lived in Carleton Place for the last 24 years and since his retirement from the military he felt motivated to become further involved within his community. Joining the Foundation Board provided that opportunity as the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation has been involved with veterans since its inception. As President of Branch 192, Peter feels that this partnership with the Carleton Place Catch the Ace fundraiser and his position on the board will serve to further maintain and strengthen this relationship. Facta, Non Verba- “Deeds, not words.”

Melanie Adams

Melanie Adams is an experienced leader in the philanthropic sector with over twenty years of progressive executive level experience, Melanie has earned her reputation as a poised and highly collaborative, innovative thinker and influencer.

Melanie has enjoyed a successful 20-year career as an executive in the not-for-profit sector with a focus in healthcare fundraising. Developing strategy, cultivating boards, attaining goals, and building teams, and inspired by donors, Melanie has raised in excess of $100 million supporting vital healthcare needs and ground-breaking research in the Ottawa region. She has successfully led and completed multiple multimillion-dollar capital campaigns which have resulted in transformational physical redevelopment, the acquisition of cutting-edge healthcare technology, increased capacity and ground breaking research, and the build of new and renovated long term care homes. Successful campaigns and annual programs are a result of outstanding passionate staff and volunteers - Melanie is proud to have worked with, and learned from the best over the past two decades.

With her core belief that credibility is built through accountability and transparency, Melanie led the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation through the process of the Imagine Canada’s Standards Program resulting in the achievement of Accreditation, the first healthcare organization in Ottawa to achieve this coveted demonstration of governance excellence.

Melanie is focused on supporting organizations and leaders in identifying and reducing organizational risk, building strategy and plans, improving operational and governance practices, and sometimes just lending an ear to leaders who need to process through challenges and opportunities.

Melanie finds inspiration and motivation in helping others maximize their personal and professional success through professional coaching, working with clients in a thought provoking and creative coaching exchange. Melanie is committed to partnering with clients who have a sincere desire to remove barriers or propel toward goals and is working toward her International Coaching Federation Certification – the gold standard in ethical and professional standard in coaching.

Melanie is committed to all aspects of her community and family life. Melanie is a volunteer with the Melanoma Network of Canada as a Peer Support Coach, serves as a Director on the board of the Ottawa Art Gallery and is Vice President and Director of Kindness Canada Genereaux, mentors within the charitable sector and through public speaking she delivers a message with humour, sincerity, and vulnerability.

Rob Probert  

Dilhari Fernando 

Dilhari Fernando is a sustainability/ESG professional with a 25-year career that includes leadership roles in the public, not-for-profit and commercial sectors.

During her public service career, Dilhari contributed to strategic policy in over six federal government departments and agencies, primary focusing on the environment. She also served as the Executive Director of the Invasive Species Centre, a non-profit nature-based organization. Being passionate about helping businesses to become more environmentally and socially aware, Dilhari joined Canada Post where she led the organization’s environmental, climate and accessibility strategies. She then joined the PSP Investment Board to contribute to its climate and sustainable finance strategies, and to embed sustainability and ESG into the firm’s brand and corporate communications. Dilhari is the current founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Sitka Group, a boutique consultancy that helps companies to develop and execute sustainability and ESG strategies and communications.

Dilhari holds degrees from Western University, University of New Brunswick and the Telfer School of Management (University of Ottawa), in addition to graduate certificates in sustainability and a Board designation in ESG. Dilhari has previously served on the Boards of the Bateman Foundation and the Rideau Trail Association.

Dilhari has lived in Ottawa for over 25 years, primarily in Kanata and Stitsville, where she and her husband raised three wonderful children and a beautiful Golden Retriever.

MRHA President & CEO

Brad Harrington