Board Member Biographies 2014–2015
RHONDA ATWELL
Rhonda Atwell is currently the Program Coordinator for the Mental Health Promotion Project at ADAM. Rhonda has
several years of experience working with non for profit organizations and communities within the Halifax Regional
Municipality and in the Greater Toronto area. She has a passion for understanding the human condition with a special
interest in transpersonal psychology and the effects of the mind - body- spirit connection and how this shapes our
environment and our life experiences. Rhonda has a diverse educational background in Health Science’s and brings with
her extensive skill sets and vast experience. She has worked/volunteered with organizations such as the Community
YMCA, Federal Public Service, CACE (Council on African Canadian Education), Dalhousie University, and Jessie’s –The
June Callwood Centre for Young Women, East Preston Daycare Centre, Canadian Red Cross, IWK Health Centre, The
Halifax Regional Police and CHABAC – Canadian HIV/AIDS Black, African & Caribbean Network. Rhonda resides in the
community of East Preston and is the mother of three beautiful and active growing children and finds herself spending
most of her “spare-time” in the dedicated roll of “soccer mom”.
MATTHEW BURKE
Matt is almost finished the first year of the MBA-CMA combined program at Saint Mary’s University, and also has a
Bachelor of Commerce Degree with majors in Accounting and Finance. He was born and raised in the Halifax-Dartmouth
area and spent a few years in Ontario before deciding to return to the Maritimes to upgrade his education. He currently
also sits on the boards of Halifax Pride and the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society and is grateful for
opportunities to make his hometown a better place to live.
BRIAN CONDRON
Brian Condran is a Master’s candidate studying Health Promotion at Dalhousie University. Brian’s research interests
include knowledge translation and exchange, research and evaluation methods, and health communications; all with a
focus on sexual health and well-being, HIV/STI prevention, and LGBTQ health. Brian is a life-long resident of the Halifax
Regional Municipality, a 2014-15 Scotia Scholar and Fellow of the CIHR Social Research Centre in HIV prevention, and
board member for the Public Health Association of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Health Promotion Clearinghouse.
MARTIN DELANEY
With an insatiable curiosity to understand the psychology of human behaviour, Martin seeks out insights that help build
brands and change behaviour. Based on the premise that the reasons we say we do things don’t fully explain why we do
things, Martin seeks out key triggers that connect with both the emotional and rational drivers of behaviour.
Originally from Australia, Martin has over 18 years’ experience on both the client and agency side. Since joining Extreme
Group in 2003, he has honed his skills, specifically in the area of strategic planning, brand building and behaviour change –
working with clients that have included the Department of Health and Wellness, The Canadian Red Cross of Nova Scotia, the
Central East Tobacco Control Area Network (CETCAN), Worker’s Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, and Nova Scotia Tourism.
CAROLE HILL-BOJARSKI
Carole was the Coordinator of the Yarmouth County Community Health Board and has always had a keen interest in
people and in building capacity for others. She has been a member of Les Clefs d’Or – “The Order of the Golden Keys”,
an international concierge organization of exclusive membership and at the time only 50 such persons existed in the US.
She was the facilitator of the Total Quality Management Training for Interstate Hotels Corporation, North East Region.
She has led or been a Project Advisory Committee Member, in the Development of the Framework of NS Best Practices
Approach to Health Promotion and the Nova Scotia Chronic Disease Strategy – Capacity Building. She worked in project
research projects for Determining the Impact of the Population Health Approach by Community Health Boards in Nova
Scotia and Sharing Strengths Community Capacity Measurement Project and was a Collaborator for the Retention of
th
Health Professionals in Rural NS. Carole was the Chair of the annual Yarmouth 250 Celebration Committee for the
Municipality of the District of Yarmouth and is the current Chair of the Yarmouth Learning Network as well as the Chair
of the Yarmouth Seafood and Wine Extravaganza.
BILL LEUDEY
Bill Luedey has been working in the Employee Benefits industry for over 18 years. Bill is co-owner and founder of
Luedey Consultants Inc. (LCI), an Employee Benefits Consulting firm located in Halifax. For eleven years LCI has been
independently advising clients on their Employee Benefits and the value of Wellness in a comprehensive Employee
Benefits plan. His clients have included private companies, unions, and public sector organizations (municipal,
provincial, agents of the crown) primarily located throughout Nova Scotia. In addition to his current employment, Bill
has worked with two national Employee Benefits consulting firms and a national insurance company. Over his career
Bill has had the fortunate opportunity to meet and work with many individuals that have now built for him a large
network of contacts at employers, unions, insurance companies, Employee and Family Assistance Program providers
and wellness providers. Bill has been a proud supporter of the Better Workplace Conference (formerly Health Work
and Wellness) and participates on the conference's presentation Selection Committee.
LISA MACDOUGALL
Lisa MacDougall is Executive Director of HEAL Cape Breton, an organization dedicated to promoting healthy eating and
active living. She is passionate about health promotion and has over twenty five years of experience in publicity,
promotions and business development. She returned to Cape Breton in 1999 after many years in Toronto and is a
dedicated community volunteer, sitting on numerous boards and committees. Lisa resides in Sydney, NS with her
husband Bert and two children, Lauren and Daniel.
KAREN MCNEIL
Karen McNeil is a Research Coordinator at the Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre and the IWK Health Centre
where she controls the day-to-day operations of a variety of research grants in different stages of development. Her main
area of research has been improving the delivery of daily oral care for older adults in continuing care settings. Other areas
of research include: improving discharge instructions in pediatric emergency care, investigating the uptake of new
diagnostic technologies by dental professionals, and enhancing collaborations between public health and primary care.
Karen holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology & Nutrition degree from Acadia University, an MSc in Health Promotion from
Queen’s University and is currently enrolled in the Masters of Public Administration (Management) program at Dalhousie
University. She is also a Certified Exercise Physiologist (CEP) with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP).
HEATHER MCNEILL
Heather McNeill, Q .C., is a Mi’kmaq lawyer graduating from the Schulich School of Law (Dalhousie) in 1994. She was called
to the Nova Scotia Barrister’s Society in 1995. Heather has a diversity of knowledge and experience in the practice of law
having worked in private practice; as the Director of Legal Services at the Native Council of Nova Scotia; and for the past 17
years as a staff lawyer at Dalhousie Legal Aid Service. Heather’s primary areas of practice are poverty law, child welfare
law, family law, youth criminal law, and human rights. Heather has been actively involved in matters affecting the
Aboriginal community, particularly in areas of justice, health and housing. Prior to Heather’s career in law, she was a
Registered Nurse working in an Intensive Care Unit at the Infirmary hospital. Heather has and continues to be affiliated
with numerous community organizations, committees and Boards in the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community, locally,
regionally and nationally. Heather’s fervor lies in ensuring that all persons are afforded equality, respect and dignity.
SHAWNA O’HEARN
Shawna O’Hearn is the Director of the Global Health Office at Dalhousie University with 15 years of experience in policy
development, adult education, social justice and engaging stakeholders in programming, strategic planning and
evaluation. Shawna has worked as an Occupational Therapist and has held leadership positions in government,
university and non-government organizations in Canada and abroad. She has worked and lived in the West Indies, India,
West and East Africa as well as Nunavut.
Shawna has developed strong facilitation skills and has taught college and university courses. While she started her
career with a focus on children’s rights and education, she quickly walked the line within the health and education
dialogue. Using a rights based and determinants of health framework, she has applied health promotion strategies
throughout her work which has helped her to understand the important connection between education, health,
community engagement and health promotion to address and reduce health inequities.
2
She holds a Master of Arts in International Development as well as Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy. In her
spare time, she has developed a fondness for urban gardening, attempting to run one marathon for each letter of the
alphabet, finding obscure travel locations and capturing the photo that expresses the moment.
KELLY THOMPSON
Kelly G Thompson is a highly regarded and well-rounded health promotion professional who has focused on enhancing the
effectiveness of models and methods that relate to best health promotion practice, as well as enhancing community
performance by taking regional diversity into consideration. Her work has integrated activities and program delivery and training
and planning, to demonstrate that health promotion works and raise the standards for effective practice for practitioners.
For 15 years, Kelly has guided and managed the design and development of wellness initiatives assisting Capital Health at
the systems and program levels, while guiding population based initiatives and strengthening capacity at the communitybased level in the Cobequid region. She recently joined Saint Mary’s University to jump start their new Healthy & Wellness
Strategic Plan. Kelly has worked for 13 years with the Community Health Boards in the Capital Health District. She
spearheaded many types of initiatives to showcase the wider community and population benefits of health promotion
actions. In 2012 she completed her IAP2 Certificate Program on Public Participation. Kelly has worked planning broad
community consultations, as well as targeted strategies for specific populations, as well as health care services.
She has a successful project management background having worked as a Project Manager for Primary Health Care team in
2011. Today she continues to consult and work on interesting and creative projects in the health and training fields. In her
spare time, Kelly has pursued her life-long passion for the sport of volleyball through coaching for the past 12 years and
playing in various women’s and co-ed leagues in Halifax.
SCOTT WHITEHEAD
Scott is a graduate of Dalhousie University in 2008 and received the Chartered Accountant designation in January 2011.
He is currently a manager at Collins Barrow Nova Scotia Inc. He has also volunteered his time with the Woodside United
Church Youth Group and Cole Harbour Minor Basketball Association.
3