January 2009 - Association Update

Happy New Year!

Board Activities

The Executive Committee and OPHA staff are busy preparing for the first meeting of the new Board of Directors that will take place on January 29 and 30. Officers include:

  • Carol Timmings – President
  • Liz Haugh – President Elect
  • Marty Mako – Secretary
  • Monica Mitchell – Treasurer
You can download the full contact information for the 2009 Board of Directors [PDF].

Unfortunately, Sawsan Sharaf has resigned as Member-at Large due to work demands so we will be seeking a Member-at-Large to fill the position. Please join me in thanking Sawsan for her contribution to the Board last year.

Highlights of the Agenda…

  • At the January meeting all Board members will receive an orientation to their responsibilities as Board of Directors Members.
  • The OPHA Board will be reviewing the OPHA strategic plan, reflecting on our accomplishments for 2008, conducting an environmental scan of opportunities and threats and setting new objectives and activities for the year.

Special Guests

Dr. David Williams, Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Dr. Francoise Bouchard, Associate Medical Officer of Health with the Ministry of Health Promotion will be attending our Board meeting on January 30 to provide updates from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s Public Health Division.

Pre-Budget Advocacy

As in years past, OPHA will be making a pre-budget recommendations to the Minister of Finance. The recommendations, due to the Ministry on January 30, will be reviewed by the Board prior to submission.

OPHA Annual Conference and 60th Anniversary Celebration

OPHA has begun planning the OPHA 2009 Annual Conference to be held November 1-4, at the Toronto Marriott Downtown hotel. This year the conference is being planned in collaboration with OPHA’s Constituent Societies. As this is also our 60th year as the Voice of Public Health in Ontario, the conference will culminate our year of celebrating our past and building for the future. The PHRED program has been contracted to assist with program planning. We are aiming to have the Call for Abstracts released in mid-March. Stay tuned to our website for more information as it becomes available.

Upcoming Events

OPHA, through its programs and its collaborations, is involved in the planning of many workshops and events in February and March. Check our online Events Calendar to see what's new. The following are some invitation-only items of note being spearheaded by our programs:

  • the Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (OCDPA) is holding a "think-tank" on Mental Health and Chronic Disease Prevention on February 6
  • the HealthForceOntario project on Performance Management is holding a consensus workshop on February 13
  • a Public Health Ethics workshop, Building Public Health from the Ground Up: Clarifying Issues, Framing the Future, is underway for February 24
  • the Heart Health Resource Centre is busy planning a workshop in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Promotion for the provincial heart health community in mid-March.

Registration is now open for the 6th annual Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity forum hosted by the Alcohol Policy Network. This year it will be held on Thursday, March 5th at the North York Memorial Hall in Toronto. Space is limited, so register early for this popular and valuable information session and networking opportunity.