Deborah E. Ritchie, President
Deb started volunteering with the Caledon Parent-Child Centre in Ontario in 1987 and joined their Board soon after. During the next eight years, she was on the Board and was the Chair for the last three of those years. Her family moved to Annapolis, Maryland for the following six years where she did volunteering and substitute teaching at her children’s school. Upon return to Kelowna in 2001, having grown up here, Deb started volunteering with the Ogopogo Summer Swim Club. She eventually joined the Board of Directors ending as the President of the club for three years with an additional year as Past President. Deb’s children are now university students. She and her husband, Mike, are thrilled to be living in Kelowna where she grew up. Deb continues to enjoy volunteering on the Hospice board, now as Secretary this year.
Roy Sinden, Vice-President
Roy has over 25 years experience in business management having owned and operated a business as well as managing a company for a large corporation. He has been actively involved in volunteer work for over 15 years in amateur sport and community service. Roy brings to Hospice a wide ranging experience and a commitment to the values and goals of COHA. Roy was born in Victoria, lived in Vancouver and moved to Kelowna in 1995. He and his wife, Kirsti, have two grown sons and enjoy an active Okanagan lifestyle.
Robert MacDonald, Treasurer
Robert Macdonald joined the COHA Board in January 2005. He is a typographer by trade and operates publishing and software companies in Toronto and Kelowna. He also teaches graduate courses and is a writer. Robert is involved in many aspects of Hospice including writing, website design, marketer as well as enjoys spending time working with clients in the community. Robert is married to Debbie and both are enthusiasts of books and publishing!
Cassandra Tompkins, Secretary
Born in Kelowna, Cassandra returned 23 years ago to stay, raising 2 boys while developing her legal documentation preparation service. After 15 years as owner/founder of the conveyancing/search business, she purchased The Woman's Place Fitness Group. She is passionate about providing a welcoming, non-intimidating facility for women to achieve their health and fitness goals. Cassandra and her husband, Rob, share 4 grown children, 3 grandchildren and a dog, Max.
Henny Breen, Director
Henny Breen is an Assistant Professor of Nursing with Hawaii Pacific University. She is originally from Ontario and moved to Hawaii in 1994. Wanting to return to Canada, she moved to West Kelowna with her husband in 2007. Henny has been a RN since 1974 and has held several different positions as a nurse. She has a great deal of experience working with families going through a variety of different traumatic experiences. She has two married daughters and two grandsons. She continues her teaching responsibilities with Hawaii Pacific University mostly by teaching online and traveling back to Hawaii to teach in the classroom.
Lorna Gunn, Director
Lorna works for the City of Kelowna as their Grants Manager and it is these skills she brings into her volunteer work. Prior to joining the City, Lorna held Executive Director and Associate Director Roles with two local non-profit organizations for eighteen years. An active volunteer, Lorna has been involved with a variety of local and provincial organizations where she held positions including President of Business Improvement Areas of BC, Director on the board for Kelowna’s Campaign for Cancer Care, elected member of The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, elected member of the Board of Directors of The Rotary Centre for the Arts and Director on the national Creative City Network of Canada.
Christopher R. Penty, Director
Christopher was born in Kamloops and moved to Kelowna in 1958. He is married to Tamera and has a teenage daughter. Christopher attended UBC in Vancouver, graduating with an LLB. Following Articles in Vancouver Chris returned to practice in Kelowna in 1983. He has been with the same firm since 1985. He has argued in all court levels including the Supreme Court of Canada. Christopher was a Director and Past President of ARC (now Living Positive Resources), a previous Director of Kelowna Home Support, Past President of the Kelowna Bar Association and Director and Past President of Kelowna Morningside Rotary Club – has been an active member for nine years. He enjoys golfing, skiing, travel, reading and family activities.
Mark Revie, Director
With close to 20 years of caring for families after a loss, Mark understands the importance of the need for Hospice. Mark is currently the General Manager of Valleyview Funeral Home and First Memorial Funeral Services has worked in all areas of funeral and cemetery service and strives to provide the best level of care available. Mark was born in Creston, BC and spent most of his life in the Kootenay’s.
Larry Stranaghan, Director
Born and raised in Rutland, Larry is a local businessman and has been the owner of Okanagan Car Care for almost 30 years. He and his wife Debra have two children...son Brayden and daughter Taylor. Together they enjoy an active lifestyle which includes traveling, skiing, soccer and golf. Larry has been actively involved in volunteer work with youth soccer in Kelowna. He is passionate about his commitment to help others and is dedicated to the goals and values of the Central Okanagan Hospice Association.
R.J. Williamson, Director
R.J. Williamson is a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where he was an executive member of the UBC pre-medicine group. He currently works for Connect Communities, a transition residency for people living with brain injuries in Lake Country. His passion for the medical sciences, and keen interest in helping people at end of life was what attracted R.J. to become a one on one hospice volunteer in 2008. In the fall of the same year R.J. was asked to bring his enthusiasm to the board as a youth representative. Now, just recently married to Stephanie, R.J. is ready and excited to begin a new role with C.O.H.A. as a member of its Board of Directors.
Shirley Jensen, Honorary Director
Shirley Jensen has been with COHA since its inception in 1981. Today she is the convener of the Vigil program, and has served on the COHA board for the past five years. Shirley is involved with special projects and fundraising for Hospice and helps out wherever needed. Shirley was a Care Aide for many years working at Stillwaters Care Centre before retiring in 2004. She is the recipient of a provincial award “Volunteer of the Year” through the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association. Shirley gives 110% of herself to Vigil services and supports and works diligently to ensure that all 29 Vigil volunteers stay engaged in the program and receive the supports necessary to ensure that they remain healthy as volunteers.