Board Of Directors

Rosemary Boulton

Background

Rosemary has held senior executive positions with large multinational companies and successful entrepreneurial firms during 30 years in the global energy industry. She worked with diverse community and business partners, various levels of government, including the First Nations, by taking an active role in the community consultation process, to build collaborative and supportive relationships with all parties. As a leader, Rosemary places high value on corporate integrity, innovation, and sustainability of employees, the community, and the environment.

Rosemary’s volunteer roles include Co-chair of the Women's Initiative for the United Way of Calgary, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Board, and Treasurer of the Canmore Golf Ladies League.

“I honestly believe that the end of life can be a time of great love and peace. Having a palliative care facility located in the shadows of our beautiful mountains will provide all families in the Bow Valley with a place of comfort and care for both the patient and their family, during this time of transition. And importantly, having a stand-alone hospice here in Canmore, people will not need to travel back and forth to Calgary or beyond to access such a facility during end-of-life palliative care.”

Martin Buckley

Background

Martin has a 37-year career in municipal administration, holding management/leadership positions in municipalities in Alberta and BC, and retiring from his position as the Chief Administrative Officer with the Municipal District of Bighorn at the end of 2018. He is a two time graduate of the University of Lethbridge, holding a B.A. with a major in political science (1979) and a Bachelor of Management degree (1988).

Martin is a keen volunteer, involved with the local high school football team, and an appointed member of both the Town of Canmore and the M.D. of Bighorn Assessment Review Boards. Martin is also the Club Secretary for the Rotary Club of Canmore. He has held (still has) several important roles with the PCSBV: he sits on the Governance Committee, the Finance & Audit Committee, and chairs the Operations Committee; he is currently the Board’s Vice-Chair, and acts as Recording Secretary at Board meetings.

“The palliative care/end of life care/hospice situation is one that has hit home within the past number of years, with the passage of my parents (in 2009 and 2016) and younger brother (in 2021; all three in Drumheller), and the environments in which they spent their final months/days. I believe there are better, more comforting surroundings for a person’s final years, than those my late parents and brother were in.”

Jane Saly

Background

Jane is retired after a career in accounting – first with QCTV in Edmonton and then as an academic at University of Minnesota and University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. Her focus in accounting (work, teaching & research) has always been on the managerial side – collecting information for use in decision making. This means a focus on budgeting and reporting information. She is accomplished with a BSc in Math from Queens University, a MBA UofA, and also has a PHD in accounting from UBC.

Jane is currently a board member of the Friends of the Canmore Library, Treasurer of the Bow Valley Line Dance Club and volunteers at Canmore General Hospital and Meals on Wheels. She was also Treasurer of Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota from 2006-2011 then President from 2011-12.

“Since making Canmore my home in 2014, I have met many people and heard of the sad stories of spouses and other loved ones separated because 1 person needs care that isn’t provided in the valley. The added stress of travel to Calgary means that visits are limited and both parties suffer even more. While providing more beds for palliative care would be a great help to the Bow Valley, this society is planning so much more. I am very excited to join in this work.”

Donna McKown

Background

"What excites me about the work of the PCSBV is the dream of building a hospice home for all Bow Valley residents and getting to a stage where the PCSBV's programs are known to all who need them across the Valley and, ultimately, to see the positive impacts of these programs for people."

Dr. H. Penney Gaul

Background

Penney received her BSc Honours degree at Acadia University in Nova Scotia in 1980, followed by an MD degree from the at University of Ottawa in 1985. She moved to Calgary in 1985 to begin a Family Medicine Residency at the former Holy Cross Hospital. She practiced Family Medicine in Calgary for 5 years then went on to do a Diagnostic Imaging residency at the University of Calgary from 1991-1996. After practising Adult Diagnostic Imaging in Calgary for 4 years, she did a Pediatric Imaging fellowship at University of Calgary and Toronto. She practiced Adult and Pediatric diagnostic imaging in Calgary and Vancouver for the next 23 years. Her volunteer experience includes over 15 years with the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association in Calgary, and she has volunteered on the Board of Directors for the Lake O'Hara Trails Club since 2018.

“I think it is really important to educate our community about the meaning of Palliative Care and how it can improve the quality of life of both the patient and their families. Terminal illness are frightening and a tremendous cause of stress, anxiety and grief. The PCSBV programs will be able to help and support patients and their families as they go through this journey.”

Belinda Boleantu

Background

My lifelong career in health spanned a broad range of roles from clinician at Alberta Children's Hospital to senior leadership role in Alberta Health Services. My career highlight was leading the clinical transformational for the largest multi-hospital system implementation in Canada at that time. Now retired from paid work, I have been on the board member of several not-for-profit organizations; Alberta Literacy (now disbanded); Father Lacombe Society Board, (long term care) and most recently Policywise for Children and Families. I have an active role in our family businesses as director and am engaged in fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities.

I have the gift of living in the same location as our 2 daughters and their families including 4 grandchildren so spend much time enjoying the richness of extended family. My best moments in life are shared with my husband; especially breakfast on the deck in Canmore, standing on top of a mountain top, my grandchildren, playing tennis at Lions Park on a sunny day, sharing an interesting book with friends. It is my privilege to serve.

“It is my passion to enable cross-continuum care coordination that allows individuals to make choices about staying at home and at the same time having a wonderful place to spend their last days in the splendor of the Bow Valley. Given the demographics of the Bow Valley population, I believe that PCSBV has a role to play in design for rural populations that supplements the excellent work of the existing AHS Palliative Teams. I hope I can give back to the community some of the expertise acquired through my career with health.”

Dene Cooper

Background

Dene’s 34-year career was in Alberta's Public Schools - teacher, guidance councillor, department head, principal, and ATA negotiator. His professional accreditation is Alberta Permanent Professional Educator and he studied biology and psychology at the U of A. Having retired from teaching, he was elected as a Bighorn Municipal Councillor for 17 years and was appointed Reeve by Council for 15 of those years. Dene is very familiar with governance in public systems and officially retired one year ago.

"My schooling taught me how to learn, my students taught me how to teach, my life relationships taught me how to care, and nature taught me how to wonder."

"Loving kindness is an essential ingredient to all stages of life's journey - birth to death. I became a member of PCSBV to join with many others and work towards inclusively and realistically increasing our local capacity to meet the diverse needs within full-spectrum end of life care.”

Dr. Andrew Kirk

Background

Andrew was born and raised in Sydney Australia and Moved to Canada in 2010. After completing his Science Degree at the University of Sydney, he went on to obtain a Medical Degree in London England. His post graduate family physician training included a 6-month post in palliative care training with Pilgrims Hospice in Canterbury, England where he said, “it was an amazing experience to work with a dedicated palliative care team.”

Since 2010 he worked as a family physician in Canmore and from 2022 to present, he has been working solely with the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. Andy is married with two daughters and recently became a Canadian Citizen.

“I am thrilled to think of holistic palliative care services in a hospice setting serving the Bow Valley and surrounding regions. I appreciate the significant amount of work already done over the past several years and I feel honoured to have the opportunity to participate on the board of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley.”

Brian Pickering

Background

Brian has a Masters in Theological Studies through St. Stephens U of A campus and a BA in Pastoral Care and Counselling. He was the first Spiritual Care Provider for the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital after the Sisters of Saint Martha retired from providing their services. During his time at Banff Mineral Springs, he also was the Community Counsellor and Interagency Liaison for Banff’s Family and Community Support Services.

In the early 2000’s Brian decided to pursue a full-time career as a hospital based Spiritual Care Provider and received his certification with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care. While obtaining this certification, he was involved in the various departments at all four Calgary hospitals. Later in his carrier, he was full time grief support where he also facilitated various support groups at Rockyview hospital.

While working on his Masters in Theological Studies, his thesis was titled: “The Language of Grace in the Kaleidoscope of Personal Experience”. Interestingly, he attended a short course in 2005 with the Association for Death Education and counselling titled “Clinical and Practical Uses of Extraordinary Experiences (EE’s). He believes it is nice to have a context for those “coincidental” moments that occur so regularly in End-of-Life care.

“I believe Dame Cicely Sunders sums up perfectly why Palliative Care is so important with this quote:

The dying need “friendship of the heart” - its qualities of care, acceptance and vulnerability, but they also need “skills of the mind”- the most sophisticated treatment that medicine has to offer. On its own, neither is enough."

Leslie McDaniel

Background

Leslie is a born and raised Calgarian and is grateful to have the Bow Valley as her recreational backyard. After graduating from the University of Denver she kept the Rocky Mountains in sight and returned to Alberta to pursue a career in the earth sciences.

Leslie has volunteered for the Calgary Children’s Milk Fund, which is still in operation under the food bank umbrella, in various capacities, primarily assisting in coordinating the annual celebrity fundraising dinner and auction. In the past, she served for 8 years on the Ladies Executive at a Calgary Golf Course, which lead to the Presidency of the Ladies Section for a further 2 years.

Overall, Leslie loves the outdoors and all that it offers!

“I believe that those who choose to live in the Bow Valley should be able to say goodbye in their own way; and it is my honour to serve on the Board and help facilitate an environment to make that happen.”

Gordon Rathbone

Background

A retired lawyer, Gord practiced in Banff from 1975 to 2018 and found himself serving three or four generations of some clients’ families by the end of his career. A small-town practice requires versatility, and Gord was engaged in a wide range of legal areas – criminal, family, corporate, estate planning and real estate – with an emphasis on business law, which fit well with his background in economics. He enjoys the occasional opportunity to assist former clients who continue to rely on his memory.

To compliment Gord’s professional experience and designations he also has a diverse amount of volunteer experience including, work on the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital Board, Banff-Lake Louise Chamber of Commerce, and the Alpine Club of Canada.

Gord was born in PEI and raised in Calgary. He and his wife Leslie have two grown children and a history of Labradors.

“More info coming soon."

Board Of Directors

Rosemary Boulton

Martin Buckley

Jane Saly

Donna McKown

Dr. H. Penney Gaul

Belinda Boleantu

Dene Cooper

Dr. Andrew Kirk

Brian Pickering

Leslie McDaniel

Gordon Rathbone

Join Our Board

We are always looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Directors. If you are interested in getting involved