Our Board of Directors

Cathy has extensive experience and a passion for health and social services. She joined the Board of Directors because she wants to support ARH in minimizing the challenges and maximizing the opportunities to best serve the health of people living in Arnprior and the surrounding communities.

Over the course of Cathy’s career, she has worked with community hospitals, community health and resource centres, Public Health, VON, St. Elizabeth Health Care, Rideau Valley DHC and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and as an independent consultant.  Cathy was also the Executive Director of the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre – a position she held for 14 years.

Cathy and her husband have two children and three grandchildren and live in Calabogie.

Erin strives to build community partnerships while tackling ongoing health human resource challenges. As Academic Chair of the Allied Health Department at Algonquin College, Erin oversees a programming mix that includes both general and cardiac ultrasound, med rad technician, respiratory therapy and cardiovascular tech.

Following undergraduate studies in biochemistry (majoring in physiology), Erin completed her doctoral studies with the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine.  Her research at Ottawa’s Kidney Research Centre focused on gene-targeted approaches to slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease. More recently, she completed an Executive MBA with Queen’s University.

Erin provides our Board of Directors with a critical connection to educational advances and innovative practices that serve as an important driver of healthcare change.  She lives in McNab-Braeside with her husband Graham and daughter Violet where she enjoys Wednesday night ladies golf and Sunday night lob ball.

Jenny Buckley has more than twenty years of health policy experience, examining issues and challenges across the continuum of health care. She is currently a Senior Improvement Lead with the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement helping improve health and care for everyone in Canada.

Jenny is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (MA History), the University of London (MSc Public Policy and Management) and is a PhD Candidate in Public Policy at Carleton University.

Jenny’s desire to serve on the Board stems from her great appreciation for the work and approach of community hospitals. Growing up in the Niagara region, four generations of her family have been well served by a community hospital. In addition, Jenny led the Canadian Medical Association’s work on the social determinants of health and health equity and is looking forward to utilizing those learnings to support Arnprior Regional Health’s work on improving the health of the community.

In her spare time, Jenny is an avid scuba diver spending as much time as she can exploring the underwater world of the St. Lawrence River; and whenever possible the ocean blue. Her dogs Dempsey and Keller make sure to keep her on her toes.

Beth was born and raised in Ottawa. Growing up in a medical family, becoming a physiotherapist was a natural fit. Beth has worked most of her career in acute care, but also worked in private practice and now is a member of the leadership team in a long term care home.

Having walked the patient journey herself, she is a fierce advocate for the patient voice in all things. She is the Vice Chair of the Patient and Family Advisory Council for the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. She has been published in health information management publications as well as breast cancer publications.

She is the proud wife, Mother to two great kids and a new puppy named Marty McFly.

In her new role she hopes to uplift person-directed care and act as a voice of marginalized and racialized communities as a First Nations woman herself.

Oliver takes pride in serving his community. Since December 2018, Oliver has served as one of the youngest municipal councillors in the history of the Township of McNab/Braeside.

As a young community leader and advocate for youth involvement in politics, Oliver brings proven leadership experience through both professional and volunteer roles including the Chair of the Acadia University Students’ Union, a Youth Facilitator with the Ontario Ministry of Education and the inaugural Co-Chair of the Renfrew County Youth Network. Responsible, dedicated and hard-working, Oliver also brings a wealth of knowledge about governance and leadership as a result of employment with the Town of Arnprior and as a former member of the Town of Wolfville’s Planning Advisory Committee.

Most recently, Oliver was also selected to participate as a Rural Change Maker under a pilot project of the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) focusing on community development and citizen engagement in his community.

Oliver’s commitment to serve on the ARH Board is driven by his desire to contribute his experience in community engagement and communications to help further support his community.

Colleen MacPhee is a registered nurse with extensive experience in mental health and addictions.  Colleen has worked in a variety of roles and settings including acute care, outpatient care, community agency service, and previously worked with the Department of National Defense under the Mental Health Directorate.

She has been recognized as a leader in program planning and development with a history of successful and sustained change. She is extremely passionate about high-quality, efficient and effective care for patients and has a great understanding of how the social determinants impact the health and well-being of patients.

Colleen does not shy away from any initiatives or work that helps improve outcomes for those in need of care. Colleen is also recognized for her ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with others for the greater good.

Colleen is currently the Director of Addictions and Mental Health Services at Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services.

Bob McGaraughty has been an active and engaged community volunteer within the West Carleton and Lanark communities for many years. Most recently, Bob worked on the Board of Carebridge for several years before taking on the role of Board Chair. He has also served as Board Chair of Nepean Seniors Support and the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre.

Having lived in West Carleton for over 30 years (first in Kinburn and now in Dunrobin), Bob understands and appreciates the role of quality health care in rural communities, especially as it applies to seniors and those with developmental disabilities. He has also worked as a soccer, hockey and baseball coach, Big Brother and he was an active member of Parent Council when his children were in the school system. He prides himself on giving back to the community where he can. His style of leadership is reflected in the mantra from the private school that he attended – “a man for others.”

Bob’s top skills and experience fall into the areas of governance, systems-thinking, change management, service integration and collaboration, and finance and accounting.

Curtis McGrath is currently completing his CPA designation and has more than five years experience in public and private enterprise accounting.

For six years, Curtis was highly involved as a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society – Relay for Life. He was motivated to continue giving back to his community through volunteer work by joining the ARH Board of Directors as a way to leverage his leadership financial knowledge to benefit an organization that has provided his family with high-quality care.

Curtis and his fiancé, Jessica, grew up in Arnprior and have settled in the community. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, kayaking, helping with the community garden at Galilee, cross country skiing and camping.

Robin, her husband and children moved from Montreal to rural West Carleton in 1982. It was Robin’s experience as a cancer patient that inspired her to join the board as it made her keenly aware of the importance of empowering patients and listening to their voices as key health system stakeholders. With her new appreciation of our health care system and the medical profession, she is currently in remission and enthusiastic about using her energy and skills to contribute back to the health care system.

In addition to her valuable patient perspective, Robin also brings a range of expertise in the areas of legal/regulatory issues, government relations, public policy development, strategic planning, program planning/evaluation, governance/risk management, not-for-profit or charity leadership as well as eagerness to learn.

Robin is most proud of her wonderful, engaged children and also her work with difference-makers in their communities supporting economic, social and political rights and advancing the rights of the marginalized. Robin herself has long worked as a champion of human rights and social justice. She was Director of International Development for the Canadian Bar Association from 1994 to 2013, where she managed projects in over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Central and Eastern Europe. She sat on the Rule of Law and Access to Justice Working Group for the UN Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor. In 2013 she received the inaugural Commonwealth Lawyers Association Rule of Law Award and in 2014 the Walter S. Tarnopolsky award for Human Rights.

Robin serves as the co-chair of the Ottawa-Gatineau Multiple Myeloma Support Group, is a member of the Ottawa-Gatineau Myeloma March Committee and the chair of the Ontario Advocacy Committee for Multiple Myeloma. She also sits on the board of the International Commission of Jurists and is past chair and advisor to the Pro Bono Committee of the International Bar Association.

Robin enjoys an active lifestyle. Living on a farm on Galetta Side Road gives her the opportunity to enjoy her horses and gardening. She also cycles, cross-country skis, walks and sails.