PH Abbeyfield Directors

Our Board members and advisors bring a wide variety of skills and experience to the enterprise, including prior experience in developing and managing housing projects, many years of experience in the health care system, small business background, fund development/fund-raising skills, strong ties to local churches and many years of community service to Pender Harbour. Current members include:

Paul Cuppen (Chair) is a Registered Physiotherapist (B.Sc.) in private practice. In his professional capacity (about 40% of his clientele are seniors), he hears on a daily basis from seniors who are trying to find solutions to their own housing needs or those of even older parents. Before coming to Canada, Paul worked for 20 years in Switzerland helping to establish supportive living homes for the elderly in that country.
Gil Yard (Vice-Chair) is a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendant with some 37 years of police experience in the 5 western Provinces. Social issues of all types were common to the day-to-day responsibility of delivering police services. Gil retired to Pender Harbour in 2001 and his concern for senior's housing is the result of first hand experience dealing with family and inlaws.
Anky Drost (Secretary) comes to us from a 25-year career as law clerk and legal assistant in law offices in Ontario and Vancouver, specializing in the field of wills and estates. She and her husband moved to the Coast early in 2005. She has become involved in various roles as a volunteer in the Pender Harbour community. As a retiree, she has become concerned about seniors’ welfare and independent living and is very interested in the Abbeyfield House concept of senior housing. Anky is a key volunteer on our Outreach Healthy Meal project.
Rose Doepel (Treasurer) B.Comm. is the Financial Services Mananger for the Pender Harbour Health Centre. Prior to that she was the manager of the Pender Harbour Legion. She also writes the weekly Harbour Highlights column for the Coast Reporter. Between her employment and diverse volunteer activities, this 14-year resident of Pender Harbour has come to know and care about the seniors in the
community and the challenges they face in maintaining their quality of life.
Jim Woodward has worked in the housing field with the non-profit, co-operative, and public sectors for more than 24 years. His experience includes 10 years as a development consultant assisting with all types of affordable and special needs housing. In 1992, Jim was the Secretary to the BC Provincial Commission on Housing Options. For six years, to the end of 1998, he was a director at BC Housing, the provincial housing agency. He has worked as a private research and planning housing consultant for seven years.
Patti Gaudet is a realtor with Prudential Sussex in Madeira Park previously having worked as a front store manager for the local Pharmacy where she met and maintained many long lasting friendships with the seniors of this area. Her family moved to Pender Harbour 30 years ago from Vancouver. She has been involved with the Pender Harbour Health Centre for nine years, six years as Chair and currently as a volunteer with the Ladies Auxiliary to St. Mary`s Hospital, Pender Harbour Jazz Festival and Education Committee. As a realtor she understands how hard it is for seniors to leave their home and move away from family and friends. Abbeyfield house is a great solution for those who still want to live in Pender but can no longer stay in their home. Hopefully as a community we can make this a reality.

The Board is assisted by a number of other community members:

Jonathan Paine is a BC registered civil engineer and principal of Snow Country Consultants. While located in Whistler from 1980 until 2003, he provided structural engineering and snow consulting services to both local and international clients. Jonathan’s development experience includes the design and project management of several warehouses and a 23 lot subdivision in partnership in Whistler. He now lives in Pender Harbour and recently developed a commercial building in Madeira Park. He has agreed to help on an “as needed” basis on our building sub-committee.
Marg Penney is a freelance consultant with expertise in research and evaluation, community development, and grant/proposal writing. She did some of the initial research which led us to the Abbeyfield Model, and facilitated the public consultation sessions which led to its endorsement by the community. She is on contract to the society to write funding proposals, but also donates substantial volunteer time to our undertaking.
Carol Cotter provides clerical assistance to the Board. She is a long-time resident of Pender Harbour, with substantial small business and administrative experience, including work with the Pender Harbour Growth & Development Partnership and with the Pender Harbour Community Improvement Foundation. She also volunteers substantial amounts of time and is currently undertaking the development of a volunteer manual to support our fund development campaign.
Rick MacDonald is a BCIT Graduate with Diplomas in Business Administration and Building Engineering Technology. Rick is the administrator of the Pender Harbour Health Centre and also involved with the Area A Emergency Preparedness Program. He brings over 25 years of experience in senior corporate leadership roles with financial services, telecommunications and life sciences companies combined with service on various Boards of Directors in both Canada and the United States.