Each issue Foundation Magazine provides a mini-profile of five people whose work and commitment make Canada a more liveable country. We thank them for their service.
Heather Norris has been the President and CEO of the Ottawa Network for Education since 2019. Last year, the Ottawa Network for Education invested more than $4 million in programs that provide targeted learning support, improve student well-being, and help secondary students make informed choices and transition successfully to post-secondary studies and fulfilling careers. Heather was previously CEO of Northumberland United Way in Cobourg, Ontario, but returned to her hometown of Ottawa and to join and lead ONFE. With 20 years of experience in the healthcare and non-profit sectors, Heather has vast expertise in operations management, fundraising, government relations, human resources and volunteer management, board governance and public speaking. She holds a Master of Philanthropy and Non-profit Leadership Degree from Carleton University. Heather’s high energy and experience working with leaders across the public, private and non-profit sectors has been a welcome addition to ONFE. Heather has been working had to build on the incredible foundation in place at the Ottawa Network for Education and leading the organization to future success.
Marlow Gingerich is a Gift Planning Consultant with Abundance Canada. Located in the Waterloo, Ontario office, as a seasoned gift planning consultant, Marlow brings creative ideas and solutions for clients to consider when constructing a strategic Generosity Plan™. He enjoys his front-row seat on local charitable giving activities as well as the privilege of inspiring donors who want to make a positive difference in the world. Serving his community is paramount to Marlow, as such he volunteers with the Tavistock Tornadoes Soccer Club and serves as a board member with the Waterloo Wellington Fundraising Executives. He is affiliated with the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors, the Centre for Family Business, Waterloo Wellington Estate Planning Council and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. Marlow is also an avid gardener, with harvest time being the highlight of his year.
Chantal Dompierre is Director of Major and Planned Gifts for The Gatineau Health Foundation. Her mission is to raise funds to have an impact on the well-being and health of the Outaouais community in partnership with the Outaouais Integrated Health and Social Services Center. Her considerable experience includes senior roles at Fulbright Canada, CHEO Foundation, Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (OCTC) Foundation, Physiotherapy Foundation of Canada and the University of Ottawa. The Outaouais region is prized just as much for its sprawling parks, rivers and lakes as for its thriving population and its quality of life that is the envy of many regions. This idyllic backdrop is also home to another, grimmer reality, according to GHF: the continuing legacy of historic underfunding in health and social services. In recent years, the Outaouais region has lagged far behind in terms of public funding for health care, which has had an alarming impact on the quality of life of its population: long waiting times, limited access to specialist services, obsolete infrastructure, demotivated staff, not to mention the difficulty of meeting the growing needs of an ageing population.
Marjorie Joly is Hospice Renfrew’s Executive Director, located in Renfrew, Ontario. Marjorie also has a Northern Ontario connection, but has lived in the Valley the last twenty-five years. One of the challenges Joly faced almost immediately when she took the position in 2020 was the bite COVID-19 had taken out of fundraising opportunities. While the key Hike for Hospice was cancelled earlier that year, Marjorie and her team pulled together their annual Edward Jones Hospice Classic Golf Tournament. In 2022, Hospice Renfrew successfully achieved Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO) Accreditation for its Hospice Residence Program with an impressive score of 92.8 per cent. More recently, Hospice Renfrew has been looking for volunteers to join their Board of Directors. Hospice Renfrew looks for help to provide high quality palliative care close to home. Joly said they’ve taken in applicants from all walks of life in the past. She adds that expertise in healthcare, governance, finance, or fundraising will go a long way to earning a spot on the board but isn’t a must-have.
Anna Nelson is a Consulting CFO at Humanity Financial Management, in West Vancouver, BC. Humanity Financial fights for social justice, environmental sustainability, and economic inclusion and equity. The firm is the first accounting firm in Canada to become a Benefit Company. Nelson offers Consulting CFO services to non-profit and social purpose organizations, specializing in business reorganizations and transformations, capital redevelopment, and government fund development. She is an accomplished financial executive with a proven track record of strategic leadership in complex environments undergoing transformation. As Chartered Professional Accountant with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, she is a board member and Treasurer of Herowork Canada, and is a former board member and Chair of the Board of Directors of Distress Centre Calgary.
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