by Jane Adams
The newest members of the Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) Board of Directors say they want to learn and contribute to local health care. Andrea Jewell and Tamara Williams are ready to get to work!
Andrea Jewell says that joining the WDMH Board is bringing her back to her rural roots. She was born and raised in Shawville and spent the first ten years of her career at Shawville Community Hospital. She is a Registered Nurse who has also worked in Pembroke and more recently at The Ottawa Hospital and Bruyère. She served two terms on the Board of the College of Nurses of Ontario and says she’s at the point in her career where she wants to give back.
“I saw the recruitment ad online, noting that WDMH was looking for a new member with a healthcare background,” she says. “I didn’t know a lot about Winchester Hospital but everyone I talked to said ‘you have to go and see it ‑ it’s amazing!’. So I did. It felt like coming home.”
Andrea, her husband and dog Abby live in the south end of Ottawa. She loves to travel, read and dabble in acrylic painting.
Tamara Williams likes talking about data and quality. She began her healthcare career in 1999 as a Physiotherapist at a community clinic and The Ottawa Hospital and moved into a role implementing data collection procedures for the regional joint replacement registry. From there, she worked at the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. “I enjoy looking at system data and quality indicators,” says Tamara. “It’s all about the patient experience and making it the best it can be.”
Tamara has used WDMH’s Emergency Department since she moved to Metcalfe more than 20 years ago. When her husband suffered a significant head injury, Tamara saw first‑hand how important it was to help patients navigate the health system. “It’s good to know our community hospital is there. The service has always been great.”
Tamara and her husband live in Metcalfe. She has a health coaching business and volunteers with the Russell Running Club and the Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre. She is also an avid knitter.
Two other Board members have completed their full terms on the WDMH Board. Thank you to Renee Belhumeur and James Pitruniak for their commitment to local health care. For the 2023/24 fiscal year, the Board will be led by Chair Bruce Millar, Vice Chair Jennifer Milburn and Treasurer Annik Blanchard.
WDMH is governed by a Board of Directors made up of volunteers from local communities. Board members share their time and expertise and are responsible for the oversight and accountability for the Hospital’s mission, vision and values, quality and performance monitoring, strategic planning, financial stewardship and relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
“Thank you to all the Board members who share their time and expertise and bring diverse skills to the table,” notes WDMH CEO Cholly Boland. “They help us fulfill our commitment to compassionate excellence.”
If you would like to provide comments or suggestions about hospital services, please contact Cholly Boland, President and CEO, Winchester District Memorial Hospital at 613.774.1049 or by email at cboland@wdmh.on.ca.
