Membership Profiles

The Gerontological Advisory Council is comprised of 15 members who represent many of Canada's leading authorities in the fields of aging, seniors' and Veterans' issues.

Chair:

Victor Marshall, Ph.D, is Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. and Director of the University of North Carolina's Institute on Aging. Prior to these appointments, Dr. Marshall was recognized as one of Canada's leading social gerontologists, serving as Director of the Institute for Human Development, Life Course and Aging with the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. Dr. Marshall is a noted authority on the aging of the labour force and the transition into retirement, health and long-term care issues, social theories of aging and social policy for an aging society. He also holds a commission in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve.

Council Members:

Dorothy Pringle, RN, Ph.D, is a Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. Her research and practice focus on long-term care with particular attention to the needs of institutionalized cognitively impaired elders and their family members. She led a caregiver support group for the Alzheimer Society of Canada for 12 years, and currently chairs the Institute Advisory Board for the CIHR Institute of Aging and is editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership. Dr. Pringle is also Executive Lead, Health Outcomes for Better Information and Care with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Norah Keating, Ph.D, is a Professor and co-director of Research on Aging, Policies and Practice in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of Alberta. Dr. Keating is a leading authority on caregiving to frail seniors, and frequent consultant to governments on caregiving policy. Dr. Keating is a past president of the Canadian Association on Gerontology and involved in a number of national and international collaborative research projects on caregiving, aging well and rural seniors.

François Béland, Ph.D, is a Professor in Departmental Health Administration with the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal. A noted national researcher of health, aging and long-term care in Quebec, Dr. Béland has published approximately 100 scholarly articles and is a former Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal on Aging.

Dr. Bernard Groulx is Chief of Psychiatry at Quebec's Ste. Anne's Hospital, the only remaining long-term care facility operated by Veterans Affairs Canada. He is a Professor of Psychogeriatrics in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, a Professor with the McGill Centre for Study in Aging and Editor-in-Chief of Geronto-McGill, the Centre's journal. Dr. Groulx, who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of dementia and depression, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Psychogeriatric Society and the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Douglas H. Rapelje, a consultant in Long Term Care - Gerontology, has accumulated a wealth of experience as Director of Regional Administration with the Social Services and Senior Citizens Department for the Regional Municipality of Niagara. He is a Fellow of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, a member of the National Advisory Council on Aging and Chairman of the Niagara Health Council's Long Term Care Committee.

Col. Donald M. Thompson, CD (Retired), is a veteran of the Second World War, having served six and a half years as a member of the Cameron Highlander of Ottawa. A D-Day veteran, wounded in action, Colonel Thompson has served veterans in various capacities throughout his career. He is a past Dominion Secretary of the Royal Canadian Legion and, until his retirement in 1987, served as Chairman of the War Veterans Allowance Board. He serves as co-chair of the PEI Seniors Advisory Council.

Pierre Allard first enrolled in the militia as a private with the "Régiment de Hull". He joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1964 as a pilot. Subsequently, through a thirty-five-year career in the Canadian Forces, he flew various maritime patrol aircraft culminating in a tour as Commanding Officer of 415 (MP) Squadron and Wing Commander of 14 Wing, Greenwood, Nova Scotia. He also served in Naples/Italy as Senior Canadian Liaison Officer at NATO Allied Forces Southern HQ during the Kosovo conflict. He is a graduate of the "Institut Supérieur de Défense" in Bruxelles, Belgium, received a BA in Political Science from the University of Manitoba and a Certificate in Organisational Communications from l'Université du Québec. He has recently completed an MA in War Studies at Royal Military College. Following 18 months as a Dominion Command Service Officer, Pierre Allard is the Royal Canadian Legion Service Bureau Director.

Hon. Orville H. Phillips was first elected to the House of Commons in 1957 and was twice re-elected before being appointed to the Senate in 1963. Prior to his retirement from the Senate in 1999, Mr. Phillips chaired the Senate Sub-committee on Veterans Affairs, and is, himself, a veteran of the Second World War, having served with the Royal Canadian Air Force's 426 "Thunderbird" Squadron.

Jean McMillan is the Assistant Director Administration, National Service Bureau, The War Amputations of Canada. This is a position she has held since 1991. Her major area of concentration has been health related issues. She works on behalf of clients of the War Amputations of Canada, with Veterans Affairs Canada and other organizations, to resolve Veterans’ health issues. She worked for private industry in several administrative positions prior to joining the War Amputations of Canada.

Kenneth W. Henderson joined the Canadian Army in 1961, and served in Canada with the RCR. Ken served as President of Montreal East Unit No 308 of The Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) in Canada for 4 years, then served another 4 years as the Provincial President of Quebec. After serving 5 years as Dominion Vice-President, he was recently appointed Dominion President of ANAVETS. Ken was a consultative member of the Ste. Anne's Transfer Project and is a continuing member of the Sick and Visiting Committee for Ste. Anne's Veterans Hospital. He is also a serving member of the Consultative Committee of Veterans Associations for the Montreal and Quebec region. Involved as a member of the Youth Involvement in Community Projects Initiative, Ken devotes much time to his community. Ken has recently retired after a 34-year career at Noranda Inc. For his many years of service to the Association, he has received a number of awards, such as ANAVETS Order of Service, Life Membership, Past Unit President and Past Provincial President.

Dr. Robin Poole started his research on arthritis at the Strangeways Research Laboratory and Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge, where he worked on cartilage degradation and joint inflammation. His research resulted in an invitation to start a new laboratory working on joint diseases at the Shriners Hospitals for Children at McGill University. He has been Director there since 1977. In 1981, Dr. Poole became a Professor in the Department of Surgery at McGill University. His research has involved both basic and clinical studies. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his achievements, including an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Reading University; Kappa Delta Award for Excellence in Research from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; and the Presidency of the Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society. He was a founding member of the Canadian Arthritis Network of which he is Associate Program Director. He has participated in many editorial, conference program, research and assessment review committees, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Poole is also a Consulting Editor for the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Howard Zacharias is Clinical Head of Services to Seniors for Central Regional Health Authority and Consultant Geriatrician to Southeast Regional Health Authority, Manitoba. Prior to that he was the Provincial Geriatrician for Prince Edward Island and also served as a consultant to Veterans Affairs Canada as well as Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine's Division of Geriatric Medicine at Dalhousie University. He has a long term interest in rural health care, cognitive impairment and third world health care. Dr. Zacharias has worked in a number of developing countries in an advisory capacity (Paraguay, Brazil, and Belize) and was Chief Medical Officer of Macha Hospital in Zambia.

Anne Martin-Matthews, Ph.D, was appointed the Scientific Director of the Institute of Aging on March 1, 2004 for a 4-year term. She is a Professor of Family Studies in the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia. She holds a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. and an MA and Ph.D in Sociology from McMaster University. Prior to these appointments, Dr. Martin-Matthews was on the faculty at the University of Guelph, where she was founding Director of the Gerontology Research Centre. As well, she was one of four co-Principal Investigators on The Canadian Aging Research Network. Dr. Martin-Matthews has been active in the field of gerontology, health and aging in Canada, through her professional associations and as an advisor to local, provincial and federal governments.

Marcus J. Hollander, Ph.D, is President of Hollander Analytical Services Ltd. He holds an Honours BA in Sociology, an MA in Sociology, an MSc in Health Services Planning and Administration, and a Ph.D in Human and Social Development with concentration in social and health policy, administration and finance. Dr. Hollander has over 30 years of experience in health services research, evaluation and administration. He has been the Director of Research and Planning for the Alcohol and Drug Commission of British Columbia; Visiting Research Fellow at Statistics Canada; and Director of the Health Network of the Canadian Policy Research Networks. As an administrator, he served in a number of senior administrative and policy positions in the BC Ministry of Health, including its Continuing Care Division where he was responsible for the operational management of the BC continuing care system. Dr. Hollander holds academic appointments in Gerontology at Simon Fraser University, and in Health Care and Epidemiology at the University of British Columbia.

Previous Members

Jim Rycroft joined the Canadian Army (Regular) in 1964, was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 4 years later and, after being called to the Manitoba Bar in 1981, assumed several posting in the field and in National Defence Headquarters as a legal officer in the Judge Advocate General Branch. In 1994, following his retirement from the Canadian Forces, Mr. Rycroft joined The Royal Canadian Legion as Director, Service Bureau. He brings to this position a wealth of knowledge on veterans' issues.

Peter T. Ambroziak, CD, Dominion Secretary-Treasurer of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS), is a former member of the Canadian Army (Regular). He spent 3 years with the 2nd Battalion Canadian Guards before being commissioned as a supply officer, then as an infantry officer responsible for training young officers. In 1975, Mr. Ambroziak began a 20-year career with the federal public service, applying his expertise in human resources within a number of departments including the Department of National Defence, Revenue Canada Taxation, the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Canada Labour Relations Board.

Neena L. Chappell, Ph.D, Director of the University of Victoria's Centre on Aging, is Chair of the Advisory Board and of the Evaluation Subcommittee of the National Respite Care project of the Canadian Long-term Care Association and Home Support Canada. Professor Chappell also is a member-at-large of the Behavioral and Social Science section of the Gerontological Society of America, Vice-President of the Research Committee on Aging of the International Sociological Association and will serve as Program Chair for the Research Committee when the World Congress meets in Montreal in 1999. Professor Chappell was a member of the Medical Research Council of Canada's Task Force on Health Research in 1993-94 and now sits as a member of that Council's Planning and Evaluation Committee, which is charged with implementing MRC's expanded research mandate.

Cliff Chadderton, O.C., O.Ont., DCL, LLD., is Chief Executive Officer of The War Amps and Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations in Canada. A veteran of the Second World War, Mr. Chadderton lost his right leg below the knee in 1944 while in command of a company of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles battling for the Scheldt Estuary in Belgium and the Netherlands. As a tireless advocate for Canada's veterans and amputee community for more than 30 years, Mr. Chadderton's efforts have earned him a number of prestigious awards, including the Royal Bank Award for Canadian Achievement.

Christopher MacKnight, Ph.D, is an Assistant Professor of the Geriatric Medicine Division with Dalhousie University and an Associate Director of Dalhousie University's Geriatric Research Unit. He is a Visiting Fellow of the University of Bristol's Department of Care of the Elderly and Medical Advisor for Community Mental Health within Prince Edward Island. Dr. MacKnight's research interests include the areas of dementia and frailty.

Dr. David William Molloy is a geriatrician specializing in the treatment of patients with dementia, particularly Alzheimer's Disease. He is Director of the Geriatric Research Group and Memory Clinic at the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, Henderson Division and a Professor of Medicine with McMaster University. Dr. Molloy is the author of several books on issues related to aging and dementia, including Let Me Decide, Set Me Free, Vital Choices, What are We Going to Do Now? and his latest publication, Alzheimer's Disease, co-authored with Dr. Paul Caldwell.

Evelyn Shapiro is a Senior Scholar and Professor with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba's Facility of Medicine, a member of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation and a Research Associate with the Manitoba Longitudinal Study on Aging. Professor Shapiro is an Expert Advisor with Health Canada's National Home Care Cost Effectiveness Project and Chairperson of the Review Panel Committee for the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.