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Association Update |
OPHA Board Meeting
The inaugural meeting of OPHA's new Board of Directors was held on January 24 and 25 at the North York Civic Centre in Toronto. Board members received orientation to the new by-laws and policies. The board also reviewed OPHA's new "Our Voice in Action" manual which is designed to orient OPHA members to the principles and practice of advocacy. In addition it provides advice on how to use OPHA's various communication tools and vehicles to make our voice effective to politicians and policy makers at various levels of the health system, and to make our issues appeal to other public health stakeholders and to the public.
OPHA Board of Directors - 2008
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Front Row (l-r): Peter Gauthier, Constituent Society Representative, Association of Supervisors of Public Health Inspectors(ASPHI-O); Lynn Garrison, Constituent Society Representative, Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health (OSNPPH); Fran Gelder, Constituent Society Representative, Canadian Institute of Public health Inspectors, Ontario Branch (CIPHI-O); Denise DePape, OPHA Secretary and Membership Committee Chair; Larry Stinson, OPHA Treasurer and Audit Committee Chair; Carol Timmings, OPHA President; Liz Haugh, OPHA Vice President and Advocacy Committee Chair; Connie Uetrecht, OPHA Executive Director; Carol Yandreski, Constituent Society Representative, Community Health Nurses Initiatives Group (RNAO); Elena Gold, Constituent Society Representative, Ontario Public Health Librarians Associations, (OPHLA); Marg Hedley, Constituent Society Representative, Association of Ontario Health Centres (AOHC).
Back Row (l-r): Monica Mitchell, Constituent Society Representative, Public Health Nursing Management (ANDSOOHA); Dr. Joyce Sinton, Ex-Officio, Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) Representative; Camille Burnett, OPHA Member-at-Large, Faculty, University of Western Ontario; Christina Mills, OPHA Member-at-Large, University of Waterloo; Inge Roosendaal, Constituent Society Representative, Health Promotion Ontario (HPO.ph); Charlene Beynon, Constituent Society Representative, Public Health Research, Education and Development Programs (PHRED); Theresa Schumilas, OPHA Member-at-Large; Alanna Leffley, Constituent Society Representative, Association of Public Health Epidemiologists (APHEO); Louise LePage, OPHA Member-at-Large.
Absent: Lisa Ashley, OPHA Member-at-Large, Canadian Nurses Association; Sawsan Sharaf, OPHA Member-at-Large, Health Canada; Dr. Robert Hawkins, Constituent Society Representative, Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry (OAPHD); Dr. Gary Aslanyan, OPHA Past-President; Kate O'Connor, Constituent Society Representative (PHRED). |
Health Inequities
The Board of Directors focused considerable attention on strategies and tactics that OPHA could follow to reduce health inequities, using the social determinants of health as a framework. Among the strategies mentioned is the need to enhance OPHA's efforts to build more strategic partnerships in its advocacy efforts and to create professional development opportunities around the issues of health inequities.
Other items on the agenda at the January meeting included the updating of the Strategic Action Plan — an assessment of recent accomplishments, a scan of opportunities on the horizon, and an assignment of actions/next steps required to move closer to fulfilling our objectives in various areas.
Flashflood News
OPHA's offices were flooded recently. Water damage was fortunately restricted to the carpet and walls of the offices (and sparing our computer equipment!) Minor repair work will be undertaken in the coming weeks to restore the office to peak condition.
Staffing
Longstanding OPHA stalwart Anne Lessio — Manager of the Heart Health Resource Centre and Manager of TEIP — has left OPHA after 11 years to become a Senior Planner in the Central Local Health Integration Network. Anne has made many valued contributions to OPHA over the years. An article about Anne and the legacy of accomplishment at OPHA will be published in a new OPHA printed magazine — Public Health Today — to be launched in the coming weeks. If you would like copies of this publication, please contact our Communications and Public Relations Officer.
OPHA has also bid fond farewell to Christine Herrera, a placement student at the Heart Health Resource Centre; Khalilah Bruzual, OPHA Project Assistant; and Andrea Bodkin, Program Co-ordinator at the Heart Health Resource Centre, who is leaving us to finish her Masters in Public Health in the land Down Under — Melbourne, Australia.
Best wishes to all… |
