OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Born in St. John’s, NL, Dr. O’Brien received his medical degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland and received his Plastic Surgery certification from the Royal College in 1985 having completed residency at the University of Toronto.

In 2009 Dr. O’Brien was appointed special advisor for Medical Research with New Brunswick’s Horizon Health Network was soon appointed as Vice President Health Research and Innovation. Dr. O’Brien was a founding member of the NB Provincial Medical Education Steering Committee and also served as an advisor to the Deputy Minister post-secondary education on the management committee of the Dalhousie Medical Education Program project which led to the establishment of the Dalhousie Medicine NB Campus in 2010. Dr. O’Brien has completed an EXTRA fellowship under the auspices of the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and in the past has also served as a plastic surgery examiner for the Royal College. At the present time Dr. O’Brien holds faculty appointments at Dalhousie University and Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dr. O’Brien has served on the council of the Royal College since 2010 and has served on many committees at the Royal College. Most recently he was appointed Director of Faculty and Alumni Engagement – NB for the Faculty of Medicine Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is currently a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Dr. Michael Simon

Director & Executive Member at Large

Dr. Michael Simon is a practicing physician, and Past President of the Saint John Medical Society, Medical Staff Organization and the New Brunswick Medical Society, General Practice Section. After studying at Saint Francis Xavier University and Dalhousie Medical School, he returned to Saint John in 1989 to open a Family Practice. Michael also serves as the Undergraduate Clerkship Coordinator for Family Medicine at both Dalhousie and Memorial Medical Schools, and as the weekly Medical Columnist for CBC.

Dr. Thomas J. Barry

Director

Thomas Barry was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, the fifth of eight children. He attended Saint John Schools before attending Dalhousie University where he graduated from Medicine in 1974. That same year he married Dr. Carolyn O’Connor and later they worked together for two years in a Catholic Mission Hospital in Papua ,New Guinea. They returned to Canada where they developed a Family Practice for the last 40 years in Fredericton, New Brunswick. They have raised 6 children and over the years Dr. Barry’s practice included 22 years of Family Practice Obstetrics and 30 years of Emergency Room work. Dr. Barry continues to practice with his longtime partner Dr. Paul Kerr.

In 2005 he accepted a position as Chief of Family Practice in River Valley Health and in September 2008 he accepted the position as Chief of Staff of the new Horizon Health Network which was the amalgamation of 4 health regions in New Brunswick including Miramichi, Moncton, Fredericton, Upper River Valley and Saint John areas.

Dr. Barry has served in many positions within the medical/political structure including being President of the Chalmers Hospital Medical Staff, stints as Chair of Education Committees of NBMS, Government Relations Committee, President of the New Brunswick Medical Society and served on the Board of the Canadian Medical Association from 2002 - 2006. He still maintained a Family Practice while performing the duties of Chief of Staff of Horizon Health Network and is still involved in teaching medical students in his practice.

Dr. Barry recently stepped down as Regional Chief of Staff of Horizon and serves as Advisor to CEO in Horizon and continues to practice family medicine.

Ron Outerbridge

Director

Ron Outerbridge is a Chartered Professional Accountant, and the President and CEO of Coast Tire & Auto Services Ltd. He is also the Chair of the Board of Regents at Mount Allison University and a Director of the Symphony New Brunswick Foundation. Ron has volunteered on a number of other Foundations and Not for Profits over the years. He has been on the Board of the NB Medical Education Foundation Inc for 3 years and strongly supports its mission. NB Medical Education Foundation Inc’s commitment to supporting New Brunswick Medical students to stay home and serve their province’s citizens medical needs is a great cause.

Jason Downey

Co-Chair

Vice-President Atlantic Canada & Vice-President Private Wealth Management with Investors Group Financial Services has worked within the Financial Services Industry for 25 Years.

Committed to his community and the financial services industry, Jason is the Past Board Chair of the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation, Vice Chair of the Atlantic MFDA Regional Council, and Board Member of the Saint John Vito’s Major Midget AAA Hockey Team.

Photo of Dr. Marr new Chairman September 2017[2197].jpg

Dr. David Marr

Past Chair & Executive Member at Large

Dr. Marr is a well-known Cardiologist in Saint John who was instrumental in the establishment of the N.B. Heart Centre in 1991. As well as being a former Chief of Internal Medicine, he is currently the Medical Director for Horizon Health Network, Saint John Area. Dr. Marr has been a strong advocate for physician recruitment and retention as evidenced by his affiliation with the scholarship program since 2010. He recognizes the importance of having a strong physician base to draw from as our existing physicians show signs of retiring or relocating out of the Province.

Dr. James O'Brien

Co-Chair

Bernadette Fernandes

Director

Bernadette is an immigrant by birth and a New Brunswicker by choice. Besides immigration, she views the greatest gift her parents gave her as education, sending her to Portugal in grade school to ensure she maintained her mother tongue. She went on to obtain her bachelors on a full-tuition scholarship, during which she also did a semester in Spain.

After fulfilling a 19-year career at NBTel/Aliant, during which time she raised her twins and returned to Spain for a semester, she worked on contract with Irving Oil before heading to work in Guatemala, El Salvador, Ireland, New York, Trinidad & Tobago, and finally back home to New Brunswick. In 2011, she became an entrepreneur, her company headquartered in Saint John, and is now known as a global connector of people, ideas, and communities. She works with the public sector on attracting and retaining investment and talent to communities; and with the private sector on developing ideas and business in new markets.

Bernadette embraces diversity and inclusion in helping communities thrive and grow together, having helped settle five Syrian families in Saint John, and hosted Siyabulela Mandela in New Brunswick on his inspirational journey of continuing Nelson Mandela's legacy. She is committed to giving back to the newcomer community and retains her permanent resident status to remind herself of sacrifices made and challenges overcome.

In addition to the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation, she serves on the boards of the Saint John Learning Exchange, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of NB, and Africa Trade & Investment Global Services.

Bernadette is grateful for her three grandchildren, and her little cabin in the woods.

Dr. Allison Thomas Kennedy

Director

Allison Kennedy is a family doctor in Perth-Andover. As part of a group practise, he has provided a full range of clinical services to that community for over 30 years. His medical training occurred in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British Columbia. He has been involved in many aspects of clinical, professional and community leadership over the course of his medical career, including a term as President of the New Brunswick Medical Society.

He currently sits on the board of directors of the Canadian Medical Association and the CMA Journal Governance Council. Recently, he completed the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program.

Access to and promotion of excellent primary care continues to motivate his involvement with several organizations, including this foundation.

John Wallace

Director

John D. Wallace obtained his law degree from UNB in 1973. He has been a member of various law firms having partnered with Stewart McKelvey, Palmer, O'Connell, Light, Turnbull and Turnbull and was one of Irving Oil Limited Corporate Counselors. John has been involved in multiple professional affiliations as a member of various Senate standing committees, working group if independent and non-partisan senators, and former Vice-Chair of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Sub-Section of Canadian Bar Among his community activities, he has been honorary director of the New Brunswick Symphony, a former member of the University of New Brunswick's Board of Governors, and numerous other affiliations

Dr. Robert Mackinnon

Director

Robert MacKinnon is Vice-President of UNB's Saint John Campus. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Allison University, a Master of Arts degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a PhD from The University of British Columbia. His teaching and research interest include: the geography of Atlantic Canada, urban geography and historical geography. He is a member of the board of the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Carol Chapman

Director

Carol Chapman makes things happen. After 18 years with Hawk Communications, she has formed her own company C2Communications and serves the firm as President and chief of client services. She’s a planner, strategist, fixer, facilitator, strong communicator and a wizard of a sales person.

Carol learned her trade in Halifax under the tutelage of Jim McKeage, one of Canada’s most respected public relations practitioners. Working with Jim, she handled media relations campaigns for the Bank of Montreal and Chairman Bill Mulholland, Investors Group and Home Oil. She also managed successful PR and investor relations campaigns for Seabright Resources, consulted with the Sobey’s Group of companies and worked with the life insurance industry to simplify the communication of complex insurance products.

In 1985, Ms. Chapman joined Hawk Communications in Sackville, New Brunswick where she helped grow sales and develop client relationships with the Tourist Industry Association of New Brunswick (TIANB), one of the most successful private public partnerships in the Canadian Tourism industry. Parallel responsibilities with Hawk Communications led to Carol’s appointment as Vice President Client Services at the tender age of 29 and Executive Vice President by age 34.

Carol has also worked on projects with major clients such as McDonalds Corp, Ganong Bros. Limited, Bombardier, Pepsi, the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership, Loblaws, Moosehead Breweries, Greco Pizza, Moore Clark, and Connors Brothers rounding out her superb skills in communications planning, marketing and the execution of sales and related programs.

David Berton Huestis

Director

David Berton Huestis was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, the son of Berton and Grace Huestis. In 1966, after completing his post-secondary education at Acadia University and Dalhousie University, David returned home to make sure a certain nurse he had his eye on didn’t slip away. While home, he joined his uncle in a small brokerage out of his house. After just a year and a half in the business, David purchased his first two brokerages – and has not stopped growing since.

Faye Cameron Huestis (née Lebans) was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, the daughter of Kathleen and Norton Lebans. During her childhood, her family lived in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick. She is a graduate of the Saint John General Hospital School of Nursing, where she continued to teach for 2 years following graduation.

Today, Faye and David live in Saint John, and David continues to serve as the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Huestis Insurance Group, the largest Independent Insurance Brokerage in Atlantic Canada, operating over 40 insurance agencies in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island. Together, they have three children: Paul, who works with Hub International; Peter (married to wife, Betsy), Headmaster of a private school in Kentucky; and, Jennifer, who works in the family business. In their spare time, they visit their two grandsons, Xavier & Oliver, in Kentucky and enjoy time at their second home in Rockport, Maine.

Over the years, they have faithfully served many church, hospital boards and community organizations Currently David chairs the Audit Committee of the World Scout Foundation.

Both David and Faye have been recognized for their exemplary contributions to their community, both receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. In 2011, David was awarded the 330th Bronze Wolf Award, World Scouting’s Highest Award, for his outstanding international services to the Scout Movement, and in 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. In May 2019, David was awarded a Doctor of Humanities from Acadia University in Wolfville, N. S.

Mike Doyle

Director & Executive Member at Large

Nora Kelly

Director

Nora Kelly had a very successful career in the public sector of New Brunswick as a Deputy Minister in various portfolios including Labour, Post Secondary Education, and Health. She was a one-time head of Corrections in the province and vice-president at Workplace Health and Safety NB. Now retired, she has volunteered on the boards of Women in Transition, Charlotte Street Arts Centre, The Chalmers Foundation, Solo Chicken Productions, and others.

Victor Boudreau

Director

Victor Boudreau currently works for the m5 group of companies as Vice President, Business Development. From 2004 to 2018, he served as the Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly for the riding of Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé. During those years, Victor has served as Minister of several portfolios, including Finance, Local Government, Economic Development, the Regional Development Corporation and Health. He also served as Interim Leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2010 to 2012.

A Social Sciences graduate from the Université de Moncton in 1992, Victor has volunteered for many community-based organizations over the years and is the current President of the Shediac Rotary Club. He presently volunteers his time on a variety of not-for-profit boards and looks forward to advancing the great work done by the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation.