OANHSS Leadership Award Winners

OANHSS Leadership Award Recipients

John Colangeli - 2008
Lutherwood

John is the Chief Executive Officer of Lutherwood, a non-profit organization that provides a wide range of programs in the areas of children’s mental health, family counseling, homelessness, employment and self-employment and retirement services to seniors. The organization serves more 16,000 clients annually in Waterloo Region, Wellington County and surrounding areas.

Lutherwood owns and operates Luther Village on the Park, a continuum of care retirement community with approximately 500 residents. The Village is a $70 million development with 226 life lease units and 148 assisted living suites. The campus continues to expand with the development of a second life lease building, which will bring the resident population to over 650.

John has over two decades of senior-level experience in non-profits, hospitals and government, has been a policy advisor to two provincial ministers of health and continues to serve on a variety of task forces and non-profit boards.

He earned a Master of Social Work degree at Carleton University in Ottawa and he also earned a Master of Public Administration at Queen’s University where he received the R.S. MacLaughlin Fellowship. In addition, John holds a non-profit management certificate from Harvard University Business School.

John first became involved with OANHSS in 2002, assisting to resolve the Land Transfer Tax issue for life lease housing. In 2003 he was invited to sit on the OANHSS Life Lease Task Force and in June 2004, he was appointed to the OANHSS Board of Directors where he has helped to profile the seniors’ housing and life lease housing perspectives. His most recent position on the OANHSS Board was as Housing Sector Representative.

Over the years of his involvement with OANHSS, John has always been willing, as a member, a board director and a presenter at many Association sessions, to share his expertise on housing issues and his passion to create a better solution through innovative exploration. He has been very gracious with his time, hosting meetings with groups from other jurisdictions, referred to him by OANHSS, looking to learn more about the practices of leading seniors’ housing providers in Ontario.

In his role at Lutherwood, John promotes an organizational culture of innovation, outcomes, values and teamwork to ensure superior customer service. He is passionate in his belief that “satisfied staff equals satisfied customers.” To this end, he has invested in an agency-wide customer service training committee that writes program specific curriculum and delivers innovative training sessions for both new and seasoned frontline staff.

John’s successful use of rewards and recognition to motivate staff has contributed to Lutherwood’s ability to exceed expectations and maintain an outstanding reputation of professional service to clients.

This belief and investment in recognizing staff has produced outstanding results. During John’s tenure, Lutherwood has twice been named in the Top 10 Best Employers in Canada study conducted by The Globe and Mail and Queen’s University. This success speaks to the management philosophy within his organization and to the high standard John expects from all of the organization’s leaders.

What stands out for many members who have met with John or heard him speak is his strong belief in social entrepreneurism. One of his key management principles is “values and mission-driven activities can co-exist with enterprise. He often speaks of taking the successes of the private sector and applying them to the non-profit sector. He teaches that where a for-profit is market-driven and mission sensitive, not-for-profits are mission driven and market sensitive. This approach, combined with John’s focus on serving future generations has kept Lutherwood’s operations robust and contributed to its revenue growth and responsiveness to the needs of the individuals, families and communities it serves.

John, we congratulate you on your accomplishments and thank you for your contributions, your visionary leadership, your dedication to advancing the not-for-profit delivery model and your commitment to OANHSS.

Dominic Ventresca - 2007
Regional Municipality of Niagara

Dominic oversees 957 beds in eight long term care homes, nine adult day services including a dedicated dementia care program, supportive housing, respite companion program, client intervention and assistance, overnight respite, and an elder abuse prevention program.

Previously, Dominic was the Administrator at Linhaven in St. Catherines for 19 years prior to his obtaining the position of Director. He walked the talk by knowing every resident and staff, as well as their families, and would roam the hallways daily talking with the customers he served. He was always willing to participate in activities, cook for appreciation events, and attend social functions to support the staff. His resident focus was exemplary and his enthusiasm contagious. Linhaven thrived under his direction.

During his time at Linhaven, he led the re-construction of the facility from 326 to 226 beds, which no doubt prepared him for the redevelopment that the Niagara Region has faced in the past few years. He has guided the redevelopment of 412 long term care beds in three homes, steering the process and communicating and motivating Regional Council and staff to share in and achieve this vision.

Dominic has also established the T. Roy Adams Regional Centre for Dementia Care, comprised of two distinct components, a respite care centre that meets identified community needs by providing a small and secure residential-style home for up to eight individuals, and a complex care centre that offers assessment and treatment for up to seventeen residents, with the goal of returning the resident with appropriate supports to their original local community or facility setting. As the individual accountable and responsible for this project, and many other projects under his direction, Dominic uses his skill and expertise to keep these projects moving forward successfully.

Currently, Dominic provides strong support and involvement to OANHSS as chair of the administrator’s section in Region 2 and was a member of the OANHSS task force on Bill 140. On behalf the region he is also a member of the committee responsible for the formation of the Geriatric Network for Hamilton/Niagara/Haldimand/Brant LHIN. For the past three years, Dominic has represented OANHSS on the Provincial Alzheimer Group, which is the Advisory Committee for dementia strategy for the Senior Secretariat and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

In addition to all of this, while in his current position Dominic was appointed as Acting Commissioner of Community Services for the Regional Municipality of Niagara between 2004 and 2005.

Dominic, we congratulate you on your accomplishments and thank you for your contributions, your strong leadership and your dedication to long term care and to OANHSS.

Kevin Queen - 2006
Pinecrest Home

For the past 21 years Kevin has been in the role of Administrator and over that time the District’s long term care program has grown to three homes. Now, acting as Administrator for three homes is a big job in itself, but when you consider the distance between the homes, “big job” takes on a whole new meaning.

Pinecrest Home is the head office and it is located in Kenora. Princess Court is in Dryden, a 290 kilometer round trip from Kenora! Northwood Lodge, in Red Lake, is a 550 kilometer round trip! On top of this, the community support programs that Kevin was instrumental in setting up in Kenora and Red Lake recently expanded to Sioux Lookout, a 482 kilometer round trip! Kevin manages most times to travel these trips in one day once per week!

Construction and renovation is very familiar terrain for Kevin. He spearheaded the building of Princess Court in June 2000 and then oversaw the expansion of the home from 65 to 97 beds from 2004 to 2006.He was involved in adding a 22-bed LTC home onto Red Lake Hospital, which then expanded to the current 32-bed Northwood Lodge.The addition of these two new homes was a monumental decision for the District. It meant that citizens could be cared for in their own communities. To add to this, Kevin led the rebuilding of Pinecrest Home. This meant a reduction from 161 to 116 beds which required skillful planning and wise economic decisions, including union negotiations, staff changes and a change in purchasing procedures. Kevin is highly regarded by all nine municipalities in the Kenora district when it comes to fiscal restraint, budgets and creative cost-saving measures.

On top of traveling around Kenora District to maintain an active presence in each of his homes, Kevin finds time to participate in the Rotary Club and successfully earned his Certified General Accountant Diploma, by correspondence no less! (This was something that really caught the eye of some selection committee members who know how rigorous the program is!).

Kevin has demonstrated continued commitment to OANHSS and support for the value of an association. Despite the great distance, he has never missed an annual Convention and has always encouraged staff and Board members to attend as well. Over the years he has taken on various roles including Region 9 representative, IT committee member and has taken on the task of planning regional meetings and conferences. Kevin is also a graduate of the Administrator Certification Program.

Kevin, you clearly exemplify the spirit of the Leadership Award and we thank you for your contributions, strong leadership and dedication to long term care.

Shawn Turner - 2005
York Region LTC and Seniors Branch

Throughout his career in the seniors' services sector, Shawn has shown an unwavering commitment to the strength and values of the not-for-profit sector and a true belief in empowering staff to achieve their best and provide compassionate and quality care to those they serve.

In his role as General Manager of the York Region Long Term Care and Seniors Branch, Shawn is responsible for 232 long term care beds, five day centre programs and six supportive housing programs. Shawn’s proactive vision and leadership have created a comprehensive continuum of long term care services for the residents of York Region. He directed the redevelopment of the Newmarket Health Centre to accommodate 132 residents and provide additional clinical and support services. The second phase of these renovations included seniors’ apartments and supportive housing. During the same period, he oversaw the building of the Maple Health Centre, a 100 bed home that also houses day programs, clinic space and support for the Whitby Mental Health Centre Memory Clinic. This collaboration with the Whitby Clinic ensures access to critical assessment services that otherwise would not be available to residents locally.

From a municipal perspective, Shawn has demonstrated tremendous leadership for the sector by generating support from Council not just for current programs but also for the expansion of service delivery to extend their reach further into the community.

Through his direction, the slogan “Is there anything else I can do for you? I have the time” was incorporated in the Long Term Care Branch’s philosophy and everyday dealings with clients. He fosters a learning environment for his staff and continually challenges them to seek improvements in all aspects of their programs.

Shawn extends his reach out into the community as well, initiating numerous partnerships with health and long term care planning organizations and with many community agencies to expand and enhance services. He is known by the service community as an individual who will support initiatives that improve services to the residents of York Region.

Shawn has also been the co-chair of the Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative Long Term Care Expert Panel from 2001 to the present. The focus of this body is to identify benchmarks and best practices and to develop appropriate long term care specific performance measures.

During the SARS outbreak, Shawn coordinated the response of the long term care centres throughout York Region to ensure a unified, safe response.

Shawn has also brought his passion and commitment to his work with the Association, as a tireless advocate of the capacity and strength of the not-for-profit sector. He makes himself available to lend his expertise and give his time in support of OANHSS initiatives. Shawn has served as a Director on the OANHSS Board for the last five years and in 2004 alone, he chaired the OANHSS Municipal Advisory Taskforce, and participated on the OANHSS MOHLTC External Stakeholders Working Group, Labour Relations Taskforce, the MOHLTC Liaison Committee, Human Resources Committee, Capital Issues Taskforce and has recently taken on the role of Chair of Region 4.

Clearly Shawn, you exemplify the spirit of the Leadership Award and we thank you for your contributions, dedication, strong leadership and for sharing your vision for the future of long term care.

Janet Chènè - 2004

Janet has been a leader like few others. She has been committed to long term care since beginning her nursing career at Island Lodge in Ottawa. She rose to the top and became administrator, and always working to ensure that the facility was one step ahead with innovations in the field that would benefit residents. As an example, many organizations are just now emphasizing restorative care and Janet championed a therapy department at Island Lodge decades ago. At Mount Hope, Janet lead the drive for a “wellness centre” with multiple therapies and facilities which are to be featured at the International Conference on Activity and Aging. She was miles ahead in instituting programs aimed at worker retention such as a staff fitness centre and a discreet onsite literacy program, improving the worklife and quality of life of her staff.

She contributed to the advancement of long term care as a whole through her many years as surveyor for the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation, ensuring the sector maintained and improved its high quality of care.

She has been an active member of OANHSS for many years and was instrumental in founding the nursing committee. She chaired both Region 7 and Region 1 and has been a valued presenter for several years as part of the OANHSS Certification Program and in her last few weeks at Mount Hope, Janet found the time to represent the Association in stakeholder meetings around the new standards for long term care.

To those nominating her, Janet was recognized for her ability to lead rather than manage, and support and empower those she worked with. We thank you Janet for your tireless efforts on behalf of seniors and your dedication to long term care.

Cathy Renwick - 2003
Castleview Wychwood Towers

Cathy is familiar to us all as a tireless supporter of OANHSS and a passionate advocate for the not-for-profit long term care sector. Over the last few years, she embraced the challenge of running a large, inner city facility and was still able to find the time and energy to make a significant contribution to the important work of the Association. On both fronts she has left her mark as a committed and inspired leader.

Cathy was a municipal representative on the OANHSS Board of Directors from 1995 to 1999. During her tenure she played a key role in forging stronger links between the municipal and charitable sectors. She participated in numerous Association committees and task groups, represented OANHSS in meetings with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, was actively involved at the regional level and contributed to important sector related work including examining the use of MDS and the level of service study. Most recently, Cathy lent her support, experience and enthusiasm to the OANHSS Administrator Certification Program as a presenter, speaking on the administrator’s role in the provision of care.

Cathy played an instrumental role in two innovative initiatives of importance for both Castleview Wychwood and the sector. The first was the creation of a younger adult unit. Recognizing that younger, cognitively intact residents require a unique environment in order to thrive in a long term care setting, Cathy and her team took a leadership role in responding to this changing demographic and have willingly shared their experiences with others, to the benefit of the entire sector. The second was the partnership she forged with Momiji Health Care Society to provide ethnic-specific long term care in a municipal facility to Japanese seniors.

We thank you Cathy for helping to raise the bar in not-for-profit long term care!

Carol Shaw - 2002

Anyone who knows Carol, would be quick to say that the first words that come to mind are kind and caring – two simple words, but ones that mean everything when your job is running an organization that seniors call “home.”

Carol’s strength is that she has been able to combine her personal touch and kindheartedness with true leadership qualities. She encourages independence of action with those she works with, while giving support and guidance as needed. She has been a vocal and passionate advocate of seniors’ issues – the most telling example of this is her weekly column that appeared in the Cobourg Daily Star.

Carol has used her experience and expertise to champion the cause of not-for-profit long term care. There is much we can say about the important work Carol has been part of on behalf of the sector and the Association - she was President of OANHSS in 1995/96, a member of the OANHSS/Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Liaison Committee, the Program Standards Committee, part of the Mental Health/Long Term Care Training Project Working Group, Chair of Region 6, and chaired and participated in many association committees and task forces.

One key activity of particular note was that Carol chaired the OANHSS Governance Review Task Force and was instrumental in setting up our new organizational structure under a policy governance model. This work included streamlining the board structure and setting the framework of how the Association would do its work in the future. This was an extremely significant step in our evolution as an organization – Carol led this work for a number of years and OANHSS will be the beneficiary of her efforts for many more to come.

If you asked Carol, she would say all of this was just part of doing what she loves – supporting, enabling and empowering seniors to live life to the fullest!

Reg Crawford - 2001
Belvedere Heights

Reg has been involved in the provision of services for seniors since 1984 when he joined IOOF Senior Citizen Homes in Barrie. His career has encompassed homes for the aged, seniors housing and the community support sector, with a consistent emphasis on improving the quality of life for seniors. Most recently Reg used his energy, enthusiasm and expertise to successfully tackle the enforcement issues facing Belvedere Heights - he created a stellar management team, took the facility out of enforced restructure, and recently won approval from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and six of eight municipalities for a unique financing alternative to support capital redevelopment.

Reg has been similarly committed to OANHSS and the not-for-profit sector. In 1997 he was presented with the Norma Rudy Award, largely for his leadership, vision and belief in the critical importance of information technology in the delivery of care and services. His involvement in the early days enabled OANHSS to grow and become a leader in this area. Reg’s IT knowledge continues to be a rich resource for the sector and the Association through his ongoing involvement in the Information Technology Advisory Group. At the regional level Reg is actively involved in the administrator’s group and willingly shares his experiences and expertise, particularly in IT and developing requests for proposals.

Reg has remained an advocate of the not-for-profit sector and championed the unique strengths of homes for the aged at the municipal and provincial levels.

Reg Paul - 1999
Toronto Homes for the Aged

Reg Paul has been an untiring champion of OANHSS and Association causes for many years. He has committed his time and expertise to ongoing activities such as sitting as Treasurer on the Board of Directors, participating on the Executive, Chairing the Finance Committee, and important initiatives, such as the Price Differentials Task Force and ORDS.

Furthermore, many times we have called on him with a day’s notice (or less) to attend Ministry meetings, review reports and to provide expert advice. In each and every instance, Reg has willingly and enthusiastically made himself available and has given 100%. Thoroughness and due diligence are truly Reg’s hallmarks – you can always be sure that all background materials will be reviewed fully and meticulously!

Much of Reg’s work for the long term care sector goes on behind the scenes. We have all benefitted from the financial expertise and leadership he has brought to our facility funding, social contract, and high fund discussions and negotiations with the Ministry of Health. Reg is truly committed to advocating for high quality, appropriately funded housing and long term care programs and services.

List of Previous Winners (1992-1998)

Questions?
For more information on the OANHSS Awards Program, contact Sharon Clark-Koufis at 905-851-8821 ext 237.

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