Dr. Charles Jago, Board Chair
Dr. Charles Jago was appointed to the Northern Health Board in September 2007. Dr. Jago was president of the University of Northern BC from 1995 to 2006. During his tenure, he provided leadership in the establishment of the Northern Medical Program, which was expressly designed to address the shortage of doctors in rural British Columbia.
Dr. Jago has been actively involved in many Northern economic development initiatives and championed the development of educational partnerships and programs for First Nations groups in Northern B.C.
Dr. Jago received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2003 and was named to the Order of Canada in 2004 for his 25 years of outstanding achievement and service to education. In 2006, he was appointed chair of the Fraser Basin Council. Dr. Jago serves on the Board of Directors of 2010 Legacies Now, Partnerships BC Inc., and chairs the board of Canfor Pulp Co. Ltd. Partnership.
Dr. Jago received his BA in Honours English and History from the University of Western Ontario. He graduated as the Honours gold medalist from Huron College with a Commonwealth Scholarship to undertake graduate studies at Cambridge University in Britain. Dr Jago graduated from Cambridge with a PhD in History in 1969.
Dr. Jago was appointed to the Northern Health Board in August 2007. His current term expires in December 2013.
Barb Caldwell
Barbara Caldwell is a self-employed consultant who has just completed a project working with a major oil company in identifying and hiring local service contractors for an oil development in Northeast BC. Previously, along with her husband, she owned and operated Action Industrial First Aid Limited which includes a trailer rental division and at one time, a manufacturing division.
Ms. Caldwell is a past Director of the Northern Association of First Aid Companies and a former Director and President of the Northern Oilfield Contractors and Service Firms (now knows as Energy Services BC).
Ms. Caldwell was appointed to the Northern Health Board in March 2008. Her current term expires in March 2014.
Sharon L. Hartwell
Sharon Hartwell is an Employment Counsellor with Community Futures of Nadina. Previously, she was mayor for the Village of Telkwa for four consecutive terms and a former town counsellor. Active in the community, she served on a variety of boards including the North Central Municipal Association (NCMA), the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. While on these boards, Ms. Hartwell served as chair of NCMA's health committee and vice chair of health for UBCM. In addition, she served as board chair for the North West Regional Hospital District.
Ms. Hartwell was appointed to the NH Board in June 2010. Her current term expires in July 2013.
Cameron McIntyre
Cameron McIntyre is the Secretary-Treasurer for School District No 52 (Prince Rupert). Previously, he held the positions of Operations Manager and Chief Financial Oficers at Ridley Terminals Inc. Within his community, he has served as book-keeper and Director at Prince Rupert Fellowship PreSchool and is a minor hockey official and minor soccer coach. Mr. McIntyre has his Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master in Business Administration from the University of Alberta. He is a chartered accountant.
Mr. McIntyre was appointed to the Northern Health Board in July 2007. His current term expires in December 2013.
Gordon Milne
Gordon Milne is the Owner and a Consultant with Delkatla Ventures. Previously, he was the Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of Schools for School District #91. Mr. Milne is a former Teacher and Principal. Within his community, he has been involved with Virtual School Society, Northern Interior Regional Health Board, Omineca Hospital Society, Ducks Unlimited, and Dawson Creek Child Development Centre. Mr. Milne has his Bachelor of Arts from the University of BC and his Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Victoria.
Mr. Milne was appointed to the Northern Health Board in March 2008. His current term expires in March 2014.
Kathleen O’Neil
Ms. O'Neil owns and operates O'Neil Communication Services which provides conference and meeting planning and promotions. Ms. O'Neil is also a freelance writer and photographer. She co-owned Look North Magazine which featured the lifestyles and industry of the Alberta and BC Peace and was editor for The Northerner and The Patch Review. As a volunteer and contractor respectively, Ms. O'Neil worked on several fundraising projects, including the Fort St. John Chamber of Commerce and Child Development Centre.
Ms. O'Neil has volunteered on several community projects and committees, including seven years as director and past president of the chamber of commerce, promotions chair for the BC Festival of the Arts, as director and chair of Northern Lights College. She is a past director for the Northern BC Winter Games 2007. Ms. O'Neil has her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary.
Ms. O'Neil was appointed to the NH Board in November 2007. Her current term expires in March 2014.
Ben A. Sander
Ben Sander is Senior Partner of Sander Rose Bone Grindle LLP Chartered Accountants. Mr. Sander is a board member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia, and a BC Institute committee representative for the Institute of Northern Development Regional Check-up, and regional representative for the regional media. He is a board member of the congregational council of Grace Lutheran Church. He is also a past director of the BC Senior Games, the BC Winter Games, and the BC Northern Winter Games. He has spent many years coaching minor ball and volleyball. In 2010, Mr. Sander was awarded the Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Alberta, and his chartered accountant designation.
Mr. Sander was appointed to the NH Board in December 2012. His current term expires in December 2015.
Deborah L. Shannon
Deborah Shannon recently retired from the position of Regional Director with Servier Canada. Prior to that she was the senior sales manager of sales and marketing for Janssen-Ortho Inc., and was the district sales manager for SmithKline Beecham Pharma. She previously served Simon Fraser University as a convocation senator, president of the Alumni Association, and a member of the Board of Governors. Ms. Shannon has her Bachelor of Arts and also completed the Professional Development Program (BC Teaching Certification) from Simon Fraser University.
Ms. Shannon was appointed to the NH Board in November 2007. Her current term expires in March 2014.
Maurice Squires
Maurice Squires is Program Director with the Nisga’a Lisims Government. Previously, he was the Social Development Officer with Gitwinksihlkw Village Government. Active in his community, Mr. Squires is the Vice President of the Aboriginal Child Care Society, and is Past President of the Caring for First Nations Children Society. He authored the publication Liberating our Children Revisited: What Did the Aboriginal Community Ask for in 1992 and What Did They Get? Mr. Squires holds his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Victoria.
Mr. Squires was appointed to the NH Board in December 2012. His current term expires in December 2015.
Gary Townsend
Gary Townsend is retired as President, Solid Wood Products with West Fraser Timber. He has held various senior positions with West Fraser Timber including Executive Vice President of Solid Wood, Senior Vice President of Solid Wood, and Vice President of Lumber Operations. Mr. Townsend has volunteered his time with various organizations including the Council of Forest Industries, and the University of Northern BC Board of Governors. He also attended the University of British Columbia in the faculty of Forestry.
Mr. Townsend was appointed to the NH Board in November 2010. His current term expires in December 2014.