Health PEI Board Members

Chair and Board Member

Diane resides in Stratford and represented Prince Edward Island in the Senate of Canada from 2016 until 2022. She has served on and chaired, many local, regional, and national boards and committees over an extended career.

Diane has worked at all three levels of government, serving as a provincial deputy minister and, for 10 years, as a councillor for the Town of Stratford. 

A recipient of the Governor General’s Conservation Award and the Order of PEI, Diane is known across the country as an environmental and conservation activist. She worked with the Prince Edward Island Nature Trust, was the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s program manager for PEI, and served on national boards and advisory groups such as Nature Canada. She is currently UPEI's Chancellor-Elect. 

Diane was appointed to the Health PEI board in January 2023 and serves as Chair of the Board of Directors.  

Board Member / Chair of Community Health Engagement Committee – Eastern Region

Helen Flynn is a Registered Nurse (retired) who also holds a Masters Degree in Adult Education. In Health, she has held leadership roles in corrections, addictions, corporate services (health) and retired as Manager of Health Programs at Holland College. Since then, she has been self- employed doing contract work for a number of organizations. 

Helen has been a board member with Heart and Stroke PEI and Canada for many years, serving two terms as Provincial President. She represented registered nurses in PEI on the Board of the Canadian Nurses Association while serving as Provincial President for the Association of Nurses of PEI. She has held leadership positions with AIDS PEI and Pat and The Elephant. 

In 2012, Helen was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Distinguished Service Award from Heart and Stroke Canada. 

She and her husband Donnie have two adult children both of whom have a health background; as well as twin grandsons with whom Helen is quite involved.

Colleen Parker

Board Member / Chair of Community Health Engagement Committee – Western Region

Colleen Parker has been the Executive Director of Enriched Residential Care Concepts at Phillips Residence, Community Care Facility in Alberton for the past 10 years. Previously, she worked for 17 years at Kids West Inc. as coordinator of the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program and Family Services Coordinator. Prior to that, Colleen worked for 15 years for the Department of Health and Social Services.  

Colleen is a graduate of UPEI. She has extensive multi-sector experience having served on many local, provincial and national committees and boards. Colleen served as a trustee with the English Language School Board and served on the UPEI Alumni Board of Directors and UPEI Senate. 

Colleen resides in Mill River East. She has one daughter, two stepsons and three delightful grandchildren. She is keenly interested in the health care system and how we can encourage the citizens of PEI to approach wellness from an early age. She is chair of the Western Community Health Engagement Committee.

Megan Cheverie

Board Member

Megan is originally from Prince Edward Island and moved home in 2013, and along with her husband, opened Souris Remedy's Rx pharmacy and Seaside Medical Center. Since 2018 they have also owned Red Point Apple Orchard.

Megan qualified as a pharmacist in 2009 and was the recipient of the Magnum Opus Award for PEI in 2015, this award specifically recognizes pharmacists who have completed advanced training or education and have successfully expanded their practice as a result.

As well as a Board-Certified Geriatric Pharmacist (BCGP) and a certified diabetic educator (CDE), Megan currently is a board member of Souris Credit union (since 2014).

Megan is very passionate about improving healthcare and rural healthcare. She has 3 small children who are full of energy and they keep her active and keep her grounded.

Ouma Cuniah

Board Member

Ouma Cuniah works as the University Auditor and Risk Management Auditor at UPEI. She’s a Certified Internal Auditor and qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant during her employment as an external auditor at Deloitte. She has a master’s degree in commerce and finance from Delhi University and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of London.

She has worked in senior leadership roles in finance, governance, risk, and controls for almost 20 years. During her time as Director of the Internal Audit of Ontario’s twelve French School Boards, she provided solid insight into provincial public sector functioning. 

Ouma has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, overseeing operations in Europe and Africa. Along with her education, she brings an international lens to the board. She also has extensive board member and board chair experience.

Ouma is very involved in the local community as a Rotarian, a member of 100 Women Who Care PEI, and a yoga instructor in Charlottetown. 

She grew up in Mauritius and as an islander, understands and connects deeply to small island life.  

Jennifer Evans

Board Member

Jennifer Evans is the Director of Operations for Stingray Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, overseeing 11 radio stations and digital platforms across the region. She is a graduate of the journalism program at the University of King’s College in Halifax along with certificates in management development and small business counselling.

Jennifer is a strong community supporter as chair of the Junior Achievement Board of Governors, co-Chair of the Holland College Golf Tournament, secretary of the Gold Cup Parade, past president of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, and past board member of Holland College Foundation.

Jennifer lives in Sherwood with her husband Lee Drake and their two children Laurel and John.

 

Peter MacDonald

Board Member

Peter MacDonald is President and CEO of four auto dealerships in Prince Edward Island. Mr. MacDonald started his career in public accounting, quickly moving into management in the private sector. He moved back to his home town of Summerside in 1984 to work and buy the family Ford dealership. In 2006, he added a second and third Ford dealership in Charlottetown and Montague. In 2011, he opened a Hyundai dealership in Summerside with his brother Neil.

Mr. MacDonald is a Board member and Treasurer of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation (2016-2021).

Mr. MacDonald is a past President of the FDRA (Ford Dealer Roundtable Association of Canada), past Chair of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and a past President of the PEIADA (Prince Edward Island Automobile Dealers Association). Peter is also a past Chair and part owner of the Charlottetown Islanders Hockey club of the QMJHL. Mr. MacDonald has served on many other community and industry boards over his career.

Mr. MacDonald was an avid curler, is a member of the PEI Curling Hall of Fame and in 2018 was inducted into the PEI Sports Hall of Fame. In 2020, he received Junior Achievement PEI Business Hall of Fame award.

Peter and his wife Karen reside in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

William Montelpare

Board Member

William Montelpare is a senior professor and holds the Margaret and Wallace McCain Chair in Human Development and Health at the University of Prince Edward Island. He has been a professor for more than 35 years teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Health, human physiology, research methods and design, biostatistics, and epidemiology, at Brock University, Lakehead University, and the University of Leeds. He continues to pursue research issues in health and in that capacity has managed several research projects.

 

 

 

Matthew Vaughan

Board Member

Matthew Vaughan is a graduate of Dalhousie, a CPA and the Manager of Finance for the City of Summerside. He has over 15 years of financial accounting, analytical and audit experience in private industry, healthcare, public accounting and civil service.  

As a member of the board Matthew looks to help guide the health system to optimize the resources available to improve care for all islanders. 

Matthew and his wife Jennifer reside in Summerside with their two sons where he is an active volunteer with youth sports in Summerside.

Dr. Richard Wedge

Board Member

Dr. Richard Wedge is a Family Physician who has worked extensively in the PEI Health system as a Family Physician, the Medical Director for PEI and as CEO for Health PEI until his retirement in 2016. He has a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Island Communities from the University of Prince Edward Island.

Dr Wedge has served as President of the Medical Society of PEI and has been a Board member of the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH), the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), and HealthcareCAN.

He is married to Maureen and has two grown children. He remains very interested in team based care quality improvement in healthcare.

Dr. Wedge was appointed to the Health PEI board in January 2020 and serves as Vice Chair.