Board of Directors

Julia joined the Board of Directors in the fall of 2014 and has been the Board Chair since November 2018. Julia has been a military spouse for over 20 years and has three children ages 16, 18 and 20. Throughout those years, Julia and her family have been posted to Petawawa on three separate occasions and have grown to love the community and all it has to offer. Recently her husband Will retired after 28 years of service, and they have decided to settle down in Petawawa. 
 
As a teacher for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board, Julia has taught at St. Francis of Assisi School both on the Garrison and in the town for eight of the last 14 years. Teaching kindergarten up to Grade 8, she has tremendous experience educating military children and has a great appreciation for the unique challenges and blessings associated with military life. Julia is currently a System Principal at RCCDSB and the Principal of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Virtual School. 
 
Julia possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, an Honours degree in History, a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership with a focus on 21st Century Teaching and Learning from the University of Prince Edward Island.

Andrea became a member of the Board of Directors in 2016 and is presently on the Executive in the position of Vice-Chair as well as the Chairperson of the Governance Committee. 
 
She is a military spouse, a US navy brat, a former army reservist and has three adorable, inquisitive, energetic children that make life interesting and busy.  Several members of her family have served or are currently serving in the military in both Canada and the United States.
 
Andrea loves to camp, be out in nature, kayak, hike snowshoe and garden.  She has a passion for healthy cooking, fitness and baking ‘with love.’ Andrea also loves to travel off the beaten path, try new foods and learn about different cultures.   
 
While serving on the Board of Directors, Andrea has had the opportunity to help edit and make PMFRC’s policies more user-friendly. She went on to participate in a national conference where she provided feedback on the changing governance policies of all MFRC’s across Canada.  Finally, she has helped develop documents that provide more oversight and structure to our Board meetings including a balanced scorecard.
 
As a side note, Andrea is a self - described hippie who loves love, birds and the earth.

Janna joined the PMFRC Board of Directors as Treasurer in 2018. She has lived in the Upper Ottawa Valley since 2014, and is a mother to three busy military children, ages 18, 15 and 8.
 
Janna is a Registered Nurse and holds a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Regina. She holds a Certified Healthcare Executive (CHE) designation from the Canadian College of Health Leaders.
 
Janna is the President and Chief Executive Officer at the Deep River and District Hospital, the North Renfrew Family Health Team and Four Seasons Lodge Long-Term Care Home. She brings over fifteen years of experience across healthcare sectors and settings throughout Ontario, focusing on driving forward quality and organizational performance through the implementation of evidenced-based practices, and integrated, person-centered health service and program design. 
 
Janna applies her knowledge of multi-sector care and service delivery along with a person-centered approach to leadership throughout many health-related initiatives, including as a surveyor for Accreditation Canada and with the College of Nurses of Ontario’s Quality Assurance program.  As a PMFRC Board member, Janna hopes to use her experience as a military family member and health service leader to support and improve the experience of military families in our local community.

Shauna retired from the Canadian Armed Forces with over 10 years of service as a Signals Operator in May 2023. Shauna is a third-generation military member in her family so she understands the unique lifestyle a military family can have. She holds a Police Foundations Diploma from Algonquin College as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Carleton University and is currently studying Business at Algonquin College.

Shauna’s passion is hockey and she has been an active member of the Petawawa community playing, coaching and mentoring players from Garrison Petawawa as well as Petawawa Minor Hockey and Ottawa Valley Thunder Girls Hockey Association. In her spare time Shauna, her husband Chad who is also a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, and daughters Chelsea and Sara enjoy spending time together outdoors with their dogs Gordie and Belle.

Kevin de Ruiter joined the Board of Directors in November 2018. Kevin lives in Pembroke with his wife and 18 month old daughter.

Kevin has a Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Arts from Guelph University. He is currently a registered Social Worker for the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board and in his role, he carries a clinical caseload of individual students, small groups, and whole classroom interventions. Additionally, he supports other counsellors within the school board and works to support board wide initiatives. Kevin routinely works with military families in schools from Pembroke to Deep River.

Kevin prides himself on working holistically with students and their families to provide the best level of support when needed. He uses a client centred approach to equip students with skills to excel in the classroom and at home. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family and being engaged in activities outside.

As a Monetization, Estimation & Pricing Coordinator for a broadcast TV company, Eva has significant experience in marketing and publicity. With over five years in internal and external communications, social media, blogging and special event planning, Eva has a strong aptitude in partnerships, public relations and a good sense of organization and planning.

Eva was born and grew up in Cameroon. After getting her high school degree in a French school in Italy, she wanted to discover Canada. Eva decided to continue her studies in Quebec City, and she fell in love with the country. Eva holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Laval University and training in Journalism from Montreal University.

Eva and her husband, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, are enjoying their first posting to Petawawa. Eva loves to travel and to discover new cities, new places, and regions. She loves to spend her time cooking, walking, and reading. Eva is enthusiastic about being part of the PMFRC family.

Elizabeth joined the Board of Directors in September 2022 as a member at large.
 
Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Laurentian University, a law degree from the University of New Brunswick, and a post-graduate certificate from the Humber School for Writers. She is a lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Toronto MFRC. Currently the Professional Conduct & Regulatory Affairs Director at CMRITO (the regulator of medical radiation and imaging technologists in Ontario), she has significant experience in law, policy, and governance and she is also an author.
 
Elizabeth and her husband, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, are enjoying their first posting to Petawawa. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her dog Harriet (the Spy).

Alice joined the board in September 2022 as member at large.
 
She moved to Petawawa with her husband and their 1-year-old son in April 2022. She is new to military life, and she is excited to dive right in and be an active member of the community. 
 
She is part of the Canadian Military Wives Choirs Petawawa and sits on the board of the Women's Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew County. A francophone, she looks for every opportunity to meet other French-speaking members of the community. 
 
Over the past 15 years Alice has had an exciting career path that has included journalism, politics, and advocacy at the provincial, federal and international levels. In her last position as Executive Director of Saint Paul University’s Social Innovation Workshop, she steered a small start-up non-profit through COVID, growing revenues, the team and the network of partners through the challenging context. The part she liked best was participating in pivoting the organization’s democratic life towards greater self-management.

Alice possesses a Bachelor of Arts in history from Université de Montréal, a Master’s Degree in History from McGill University and a Certificate in journalism from Université de Montréal. She is trained in board governance and is excited at the prospect of participating in PMFRC's mission to offer great services and support to military families and weave links with the broader community. 
 

Bio Coming Soon

Nicole and her husband, along with their 3 boys have called Petawawa home now for 17 years. Since moving to Petawawa Nicole has held several positions with PSP Petawawa, and for the past 11 years has worked as a Realtor helping military families with their transitions to and from Petawawa.

Throughout her career in real estate she has served on many planning committees and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Renfrew County Real Estate Board. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, jewelry making, yoga and spending time in nature.

Shannon joined the Board of Directors in September 2023 as a member at large. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Ottawa and has been a Registered Nurse for over 17 years. Shannon has been working with the Department of National Defence in various roles as a Case Manager and Team Leader, Mental Health Nurse, Primary Care Nurse, and Acting Primary Care Services Manager since 2014 in the base medical clinics in Petawawa and Toronto. Shannon’s values and interests include service to the community, access to health care for military members, their families and Veterans, as well as services and supports available to military families.

Shannon has been a military spouse for more than 11 years. She and her husband, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, are excited to be back in Petawawa for their second posting along with their two young children and rambunctious Labrador Retriever. As a family, the Vincents enjoy skiing, trail biking, participating in community sports such as hockey and soccer, spending time at the beautiful beaches and trails in Petawawa, and swimming at the family cottage.