Greater Edmonton Foundation Housing for Seniors

The GEF: Housing for Seniors Board of Directors consists of nine citizens who are appointed by Edmonton City Council. The GEF Board is a governance board, establishing the vision, values and mandate of the Foundation. Meetings are held once a month.

Jean Bara - Chair

Jean Bara has had an extensive career in municipal government mainly in corporate finance, budgeting, strategic planning and administrative management. After retirement, Jean was involved in quasi-judicial appeal adjudication for nine years and served seven years as a member of the Edmonton Assessment Review Board (including Vice-Chair for four years). Jean currently is a member of the Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers Compensation Board. Jean has served on several governance boards including St. Joseph’s Auxiliary Hospital (Board Chair and Vice-Chair), United Way of Edmonton and Area (Board Member and Vice-Chair of Planning & Allocations), Eton Park Condominium Association (President), Banff School of Advanced Management Edmonton Alumi (Executive Member), and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada Edmonton Branch (Executive Member). In 2005, based on the City of Edmonton’s nomination, Jean received one of the Institute of Public Administrators of Canada’s Administrators’ of the Century awards in recognition of her skills, professionalism, and dedication in her career with the City. Jean was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on January 1, 2007.

Sharon Patriquin - Vice Chair

Sharon Patriquin is a partner in HR Group, a management consulting firm specializing in management advice related to organizational effectiveness and human resources management. She is familiar with affordable housing issues through her work as a management advisor to municipalities. Sharon’s consulting skills also include strategic planning, Board/Council development, and group facilitation. Sharon is a Certified Human Resources Professional and has served on the Boards of the Human Resources Institute of Alberta and the Human Resources Management Association of Edmonton and was a member of the Human Resources Program Advisory Committee for Grant MacEwan College. Other volunteer work includes: member of the Human Resources Committee for the Boys and Girls Club of Edmonton and member of the Planning Committee of CKUA Radio Foundation. Sharon was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on January 1, 2008.

Lise Boucher

Lise Boucher is an RN with a Master of Science degree in Family Studies. Lise has been involved in the Continuing Care sector for the last 25 years working in clinical, educational and managerial positions. Lise received the Premier’s Award of Excellence for her participation as a team member in the New Models in Continuing Care Demonstration Project. Until May 2007, she was the Administrator of Foyer Lacombe in St. Albert. She was a founding member of the Edmonton Chapter of the Alberta Association on Gerontology, sat on the Gerontological Nursing Advisory Committee for Grant MacEwan College, was a representative from the Continuing Care System and sat on the Council of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. Presently, she is a member for the National Board of the Catholic Religious Self-Insured Retention Program, a board member for a condominium association and is a workshop facilitator for the Hope Studies Program at NorQuest College. Lise was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on March 1, 2008.

Greg Bounds, CMA

Greg Bounds is the Executive Director for the Capital Region Housing Corporation effective August 24, 2009. Prior to this appointment, Greg was a Project Manager with Covenant Health, heading up the development of a new 150-bed continuing care facility. Greg has an extensive finance and seniors health care background including the areas of: Home Care, Choice, assisted living, continuing care and aging in place. He was the recipient of the Premiers Award of Excellence for his work in continuing care.

Greg has served on numerous community Boards. Greg was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on March 1, 2008.

Tom Collier

Tom Collier is the Executive Director of Canterbury Foundation in Edmonton, a not-for-profit provider of senior’s supportive residences and services. Tom was appointed to the GEF Board on January 1, 2006. Tom has over thirty years experience as a health care administrator and has worked extensively in continuing care and supportive housing. Tom has been a past instructor of the Lodge Managers and Activity Coordinators certificate program offered through Red Deer College and in cooperation with the Alberta Senior Citizens’ Housing Association. He is a founding member of the Seniors Housing Society of Alberta and has served as President since 1999. Tom was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on January 1, 2006.

Patricia Edney

Patricia Edney is an occupational therapist with over 30 years of clinical and leadership experience. With a Masters in Health Sciences from McMaster University and PhD candidacy in 2006 at the University of Alberta, her research focus is on understanding risk in older adults, specifically within assisted living facilities. Patricia’s work will assist health care professionals to understand and hence, respect the older adult’s decisions involving risk. In addition to her clinical and academic roles, Pat is a past member of her college’s Practice Review Board and helped develop the current Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics for the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists. Patricia was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on January 1, 2008.

Balvant Gandhi

Mr. Balvant Gandhi immigrated to Canada in 1973 and raised his family in the City of Edmonton.  Mr. Gandhi recently retired from the industrial power and bearing industry after over thirty years and is currently involved in property management.  Mr. Gandhi was the first coordinator of the Council of India Societies, an umbrella organization of the East Indian Association.  Over the years, he has held numerous volunteer positions throughout the city including past-President of both the Hindu Society of Alberta and the Alberta Gujarati Association, and has volunteered for various cultural associations.  Mr. Gandhi has also been an integral part of coordinating fund raising for many international natural disasters such as the Tsunami of 2004, earthquakes, and the tornado that hit Edmonton in 1987. 

Zack Ramji

Zack Ramji is a Senior Finance Manager with EPCOR and is responsible for directing the company’s Capital Assets department. Prior to this, Zack managed the Finance Department at AT Plastics. He holds CMA and MBA designation and has more than 20 years of experience in management accounting, finance, investment accounting, business and systems development and implementation. Zack’s volunteer work includes being a board member on the Ismaili Council for Edmonton’s, Grants & Review Board, Education Board and the Economic Planning Board. Zack was appointed to the GEF Board of Directors on January 1, 2007.

Betty Unger

Betty Unger is a former RN who worked for many years in medical clinics and in seniors lodging facilities. She then founded and operated, for twenty-five years, a successful nursing service company which provided medical and occupational service to various industrial organizations. The company had offices in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer, employing RN’s and physicians across Alberta. After the company was sold, Betty remained as a consultant to the new owners for four years. She became actively involved in politics at both federal and provincial levels and served on boards in various capacities. In the 2004 provincial election Betty was elected as an Alberta senator-elect and continues to work as a volunteer and serving on various boards. In 2005 she was awarded the Alberta Centennial medal for service to the Province of Alberta and to Albertans.