Meet Our Board

Larry Sparks, Chair

Mr. Sparks joined the Hospital Board of Directors in the autumn of 2004. He was born and raised in Smiths Falls and has lived in Tay Valley Township for the past 25 years. He is presently the Administrator for Omya Canada Inc. facilities.

He is actively involved in the community and has served in various organizations including the Perth Jaycees, Perth Rotary Club, Tay Valley Township Council, Director of the Perth & District Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Town of Perth 3:P Committee.

Lynda Hendriks, Vice Chair

Lynda lives in the Town of Perth with her husband where they are the co-owners of Hendriks Independent Grocer. Since moving to Perth, Ms. Hendriks has been an active member of the Perth & District Chamber of Commerce and has served as President for a two year term of the Chamber.

She has also served on various community boards and associations. Originally from Toronto, she has had the opportunity to live in Labrador City, St. John’s, Ottawa and Bermuda, but is happy to call Perth her home.

Richard Schooley, Treasurer

Richard was welcomed to the hospital board in February 2008 and brings with him a lengthy list of volunteer and business skills and experience. He has served as Chair of the Lanark Communications Network, Co-Chair of the Perth & District Community Strategic Plan and continues to serve as Honorary Co-Chair of the Hospital Capital Campaign Committee.

Richard has worked as an insurance broker in Perth since 1967 and has developed a 50 employee insurance and financial services firm serving Lanark County, Leeds County and Ottawa.
He is married to his wife, Karen, has three children and five grandchildren. They have lived and worked in the Perth area for most of the last forty working years.

Dr. Peter Roney, Chief of Staff - information to follow.

Todd Stepanuik, Secretary, President & CEO

Todd Stepanuik is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital. He is a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba and is a graduate of the Health Care Administration program, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. Upon graduating in 1989, Todd commenced his health care career by assuming the Administrator role at St. Martin’s Hospital in La Loche, Saskatchewan. He has since proceeded to lead progressively more complex health care operations, from individual hospital sites to Regional Health Districts in Saskatchewan and Manitoba before arriving in Ontario.

He is an avid sports enthusiast and a voracious reader. Todd married Shelley, a pharmacist, in 1999 and they currently reside with their young son in Smiths Falls.

Other Board Members – Alphabetical by Surname

Dianne Adshead

Dianne retired, in October 2009, from her position as Finance Manager with the Children’s Aid Society of the County of Lanark and The Town of Smiths Falls.  Her career has included over twenty five years of senior management experience, primarily in financial services, in fields covering developmental services, international development, and health services. She has also had a wide variety of other occupations, including: ophthalmic technician, teacher, diplomatic services secretary, dressmaker, and dietetics trainee with the Canadian Army. 

Retirement has given Dianne the opportunity to serve her community in a volunteer capacity in a very much more active role. Included in these are participation on the Board of Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation and the Ontario Association of CFDCs.

Dianne and her self-employed husband, Gordon, live on a forty-acre farmland property in Rideau Lakes Township near Westport.  Her recreational activities include reading, cooking, knitting, sewing, and some gardening. 

Cheryl Beckett

Cheryl joined the hospital board in 2010. Cheryl resides in Smiths Falls with her husband and two boys and enjoys spending time at their cottage in Tay Valley Township. She is Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Secretary at March Networks Corporation, a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with global responsibilities for the legal and corporate secretarial departments at the company. Prior to joining March Networks, Cheryl acted as corporate counsel for various other high technology and telecommunications companies in Ottawa and worked in private practice specializing in corporate/commercial matters in Ottawa and Toronto.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Political Science and History from the University of Saskatchewan and a LL.B law degree from the University of Toronto.

Linda Bisonette, VP, Patient Care Services & CNE

Linda graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1975, completed certifications in critical care, completed her BScN from the University of Ottawa in 1995, attained designation as a Certified Health Executive in 1997 and completed a Masters Degree in Health Services Administration in 2003

Linda has had a broad experience in the hospital sector having spent the past 30 years in a variety of positions at the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital currently as Vice-President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Executive.

Linda lives in Toledo with her husband Gary, she is the mother or four children and recently became a proud grandmother.  In her spare time she enjoys coaching hockey and softball.

Judy Brown, Municipal Representative, Town of Perth

Judy has recently returned to the Board as the representative from the Town of Perth, after a brief absence due to work commitments She has just retired after twenty years in advertising sales for the Lanark Era and the Perth Courier. She is in her 19th year as a municipal councillor, currently in her fourth year on Council for the Town of Perth.

She has three grown daughters, and seven grandchildren. Her hobbies include reading, sewing, quilting, and she does extensive volunteer work with her Church.

Lynne Evans

Lynne Evans joined the board of directors in June, 2008. She is a graduate of McMaster University and her background is in education. She has taught all levels from kindergarten to the former Grade 13. Lynne has had the privilege of living in Thunder Bay, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo before she and her husband, Doug, moved to the area where they raised their two children.

Lynne has been and remains active in many community and charitable organizations where she utilizes her organizational skills. Her interests in reading and the theatre continued after she retired from her position as teacher-librarian. Lynne’s family is a large part of her life as well as her interests in sewing, quilting and music.

Wayne Johnson

Wayne joined the Board in June 2011. A Human Resources executive by background, his career has included senior executive appointments in Maple Leaf Foods, Stentor and Royal Trust. He currently operates a management consulting practice specializing in organizational effectiveness and human resources management.

He has an M.A.Sc. degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from the University of Waterloo and a B.SC. from McGill.

Wayne and his wife Jean are new to the Lanark County region and are looking forward to contributing to the communities that make up this fabulous part of the country.

Mayor Dennis Staples, Municipal Representative, Town of Smiths Falls

Dennis is currently serving his eighth term on council and fifth term as Mayor of the Town of Smiths Falls. Prior to this, Mayor Staples worked in the finance / administration area with the Ontario Public Service, The Ottawa Hospital, RCA Records and in public accounting. He is a member and Past President of the Smiths Falls Rotary Club, Past Chairman of Lanark County United Way, Past President of Smiths Falls Minor Hockey and is a Fellow and Life Member of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada.

Bob Strachan

Bob joined the Board of Directors in January 2009. A Civil Engineer, Bob and his family have lived in Perth and area for 36 years. For 27 years Bob was the County Engineer for the County of Lanark and supervised the construction and maintenance of the County Road and Bridge system. After leaving the County, Bob was Vice President of the Miller Group of Companies for Eastern Ontario and also worked for the City of Kanata. Active in the community as a Past President of the Rotary Club of Perth, Chairman, Lanark County Land Division Committee, Past President of the Municipal Engineers of Ontario and involved with many local sports and local interest groups through out the past 36 years.

Bob is married to Bonnie and they have 3 married sons and 8 grandchildren in the Perth and Ottawa area.

Staff / Board Login