GRAVENHURST RESIDENT AMONG 4 NEW WOMEN ON HOSPITALS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MUSKOKA — A Gravenhurst health professional is among four new women board of directors of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC).
They replace four other board members who are leaving management of the two local hospitals in Bracebridge (SMMH) and Huntsville (HDMH).
Marsha Barnes was approved last week at the annual virtual general meeting last Monday, Aug. 23.
“Following a spring recruitment drive, we received the highest number of applications in our history at 17 incredibly strong candidates,” said board chair Cameron Renwick. “So many of the applicants possessed the skills and experience that would enhance our skills-based board in a variety of areas.”
Barnes, who grew up in Gravenhurst and went to GHS before a career most recently as an Ontario civil servant, is a health care executive currently working as CEO for a health care consulting firm.
She retired before the pandemic and moved fulltime to south Gravenhurst.
She was appointed for a three-year term ending June 2024.
According to a MAHC release today, during her career Barnes held several executive positions with the Government of Ontario, including 20-plus years in various leadership roles with the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care.
She helped with the development of the Muskoka and Area Ontario Health Team.
- Sally Ashton, a resident of Bracebridge, was appointed for a two-year term ending June 2023.
She began her professional life as a clinical music therapist. After hospital and teaching placements, she obtained both her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in law.
Ashton was senior counsel to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General for more than 20 years, including with the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee, and ultimately as Team Lead on Indigenous issues related to lands and resources.
She has extensive experience with community outreach and her board experience varies, including most recently as senior counsel, strategic issues, with the board and CEO of the Law Society of Ontario where she provided leadership on access to justice and equity, and diversity issues among others.
- Evelyn Bailey, a global managing director and business transformation professional at IBM — and a relatively new resident of Port Carling — was appointed for a three-year term ending June 2024.
Bailey brings enterprise risk management, innovation and transformation skills to the board in addition to a decade of board and community experience.
- Carla Clarkson-Ladd, of Minett, is a 30-plus year municipal civil servant, was appointed for a three-year term ending June 2024.
Clarkson-Ladd has worked as CAO in Kitchener and Barrie, and holds a Masters of Science in urban planning.
She brings board experience and community participation and has a strong background in governance and policy development.
“On behalf of the board, I am pleased to welcome these four women to their respective volunteer roles,” says Renwick. “Each brings fundamental knowledge and essential skills, and I am looking forward to working with each of them.
I would also like to recognize the commitment of Michael Walters, Bob Manning, Kathy Newby and Peter Deane and thank them for their service as they leave the board.”
The board of directors are volunteers and MAHC says they “play a key leadership role in setting policies and visioning for MAHC, and ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality health care in the communities that we serve.
For more information about who is also on the board, see their website.
