Board of Directors & Committees
Meet Our Board
Since the inception of Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw Inc. in 2014, there have been many influential board members that together have worked collectively and instrumentally for the establishment and betterment of Hospice care in Moose Jaw.
Sara Bryan - Chair
Sara Bryan became a member of Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw Board in 2021, doing so in honour of her mother and a dear friend, both of whom she lost to cancer. Sara says that she was blessed to have her mom at home with family as long as possible, but as her mom got closer to saying goodbye, Sara realized how much she wanted her mom to be in a place that felt homey, yet had medical support, so that all the family had to focus on was their remaining time together with mom. Unfortunately, she learned that while hospice care is a crucial part of a community, it is something a person often doesn’t realize the need for until someone you love is palliative. Sara brings her love for writing, research, project management and special event planning to the work of the Heartland Hospice Team. Backing her skillset is her education, having attended SFU, majoring in Communications and minoring in Publishing.
Currently, Sara is living in Moose Jaw with her husband, Troy, and two cats, having recently become empty-nesters with their daughter attending UBC and their son in Old’s College. Sara works on their family farm in the Central Butte area. When she is not keeping busy with Heartland Hospice or farm work, she is involved with her numerous passions: reading voraciously; loving all forms of dance; cheering on the Calgary Flames, (even when it is painful to do so), and spending her winters traveling and her summers at Palliser Park with her family and friends.
Nathan Manley - Vice Chair/Treasurer
Nathan joined Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw in June of 2022 with his deep passion for people and an ever-growing desire to help when and where he can. Nathan brings over two decades of experience in the IT field that extend into many different areas and is currently pursuing his degree in accounting with the intent to complete his CPA certification. He is currently a student and Freelance Software Developer. While growing up and graduating from Stoughton Central High School, he currently lives in Caron with his wife and four beautiful children. When Nathan is not busy with his work and Heartland Hospice, he enjoys spending summers at Thomson Lake camping, and the other seasons are spent enjoying his children’s sporting events and teaching various programming languages and working on projects.
Allison Gritzfeld - Secretary
Allison Gritzfeld joined the board of directors in 2024. In doing so, Allison achieves the goal of carrying on the passionate and important work of Heartland Hospice’s founder, her grandmother, Arlene Kolosky. Carrying on the torch of her grandmother’s legacy, Allison recognizes the value of the creation, development, and ongoing attention to end-of-life care in Moose Jaw and surrounding area. Understanding this need as a young person, Allison brings an enthusiasm and perspective that will enhance the board’s vision for local Hospice care.
Allison will utilize her master’s in education and knowledge in use of technology, understanding vulnerable populations and effective communication in her role on the board. Allison has lived in Moose Jaw for over 20 years and is hopeful to reach areas of the community that will further the board’s mission.
Allison plays and coaches basketball, enjoys camping and loves spending time with family and friends competing in board games. Watching her daughter grow and learn has been the greatest enjoyment of Allison’s life.
Dr. Kerri Hetherington - Director
Dr. Kerri Hetherington joined the Heartland Hospice Board in 2019. It was her passion for palliative care and the ever-present need she witnesses on a day-to-day basis through her work as a family physician working in palliative care that drew her to be part of HHMJ. Her direct daily work in palliative care contributes greatly to the insights and expertise she brings to the work of HHMJ. Kerry obtained her BSc MD, Family Medicine Certificate through her training at McGill University, U of S, and U of T. Kerri lives in Moose Jaw with her husband and three sons and when not keeping busy with HHMJ and her Medical practise, she loves watching their sons play hockey, soccer and skiing.
Marina Harder - Director
Marina Harder joined the Heartland Hospice Board in 2017. She joined with a deep desire to raise awareness for the need of hospice care in the community and to ensure that hospice care is available to all individuals and their families. Marina brings to HHMJ her positive attitude, dedication and confidence in the mission and plan of Heartland Hospice, along with her willingness to contribute in any way she possibly can. She is currently retired from working as Detachment Service Assistant for the RCMP and lives in Moose Jaw with her husband. When not keeping busy with HHMJ, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, reading, watching sports and being outdoors.
Donna Ackerman - Director
Donna Ackerman joined the Heartland Hospice Board in 2019. She saw the need for hospice after the recent loss of family members, and after having experienced her mom being in a long-term care facility for years. Donna brings her strong advocacy ability and “team player” mentality to the table as an HHMJ Board member. She is a retired Medical Laboratory Technologist, having worked at the Moose Jaw Union Hospital and the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, receiving her training at SIAST Saskatoon, and is currently self-employed on the family grain farm near Chamberlain with her husband Patrick. When not keeping busy with HHMJ or farm work, she is very involved in curling, golfing, fishing, sky-watching (weather), photography, and loves warm winter holidays.
Connie Paul - Director
Connie Paul became a member of Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw Board of Directors in 2023, doing so in honor of family and friends, all of whom lost their lives to cancer. She joined with a deep desire and passion to continue to raise awareness in the community of the need for hospice care and as a cancer survivor.
Connie brings to HHMJ a soft, caring, and positive attitude, along with dedication and confidence to support the HHMJ mission and plan. She is a retired Registered Nurse of 37 years and believes her background in caring for people in “all journeys of their lives” will be beneficial. Connie currently lives in Moose Jaw with her husband, and they have 4 beautiful children who all have their own lovely families. They also have 5 beautiful grandchildren to keep them busy. Connie and her husband love to camp and to take a couple of warm holidays each winter. Her passion is her Great Dane (Mac) who brings goodness and unconditional love to them every day. And Connie’s greater passion is to continue to help care for and support the community of Moose Jaw.
Michaela Sykora - Director
Michaela Sykora joined the board in 2024. Michaela is an Advanced Care Paramedic with LEAP Paramedic training. Michaela brings to the board her compassion, drive, knowledge, and advocacy for optimal patient care.
Michaela developed a passion for palliative care following the passing of close friends and family. Michaela says that in her career she often comes across the need for more resources for palliative care and works to provide what she can for her patients and families, priding herself in excellent patient-centered care. Through this, she has realized that there is a hole in the healthcare system for both family and patients in what feels like a helpless time in their lives and this led her to join the board to improve what she can and shine a light on the need for more resources. Michaela has always envisioned a beautiful hospice in Moose Jaw where her close friends and family reside.
When not working, Michaela enjoys going camping and hiking, recently learning to pick mushrooms. She likes hockey and dodgeball and loves spending time with her family and friends.
Dr. André Coleman - Director
Dr. André Coleman joined the board in 2024. André is a Family Physician and Palliative Medicine Physician in Moose Jaw. André brings to the board his clinical experiences in palliative care, end-of-life care, and community medicine, as well as his experience in research, leadership, and education.
André developed a passion for palliative care, and particularly end-of-life care, during the early stages of his medical career. Upon learning about the missions and values of Heartland Hospice, he says he realized that they perfectly intertwined with his own professional goals which include enabling Moose Jaw residents to die with dignity through compassionate care. When he received the opportunity to join the Board of Directors, he stated it was an automatic ‘yes’ for him and his only question was how he could add value to such a great team.
Outside of work, André enjoys playing the piano, competitive video gaming, and badminton. He also loves experiencing new cuisines.
Lindsay Oleniuk - Director
Lindsay Oleniuk joined the Heartland Hospice board in 2024. As a Registered Nurse, Lindsay is deeply committed to compassionate, dignified end-of-life care. After experiencing the importance of quality care firsthand when her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s requiring long-term care, Lindsay understands the profound impact that supportive services can have on families during significant times. She believes that everyone deserves access to quality end-of-life care within their home community, where they are surrounded by loved ones and a familiar home-like environment. With nursing experience, she brings both professional expertise and personal empathy to Heartland Hospice’s mission.
Outside of work, Lindsay lives in Moose Jaw with her husband, Kyle, and their golden retriever, Henrik. Together, they enjoy traveling, playing cards, and hiking in the mountains. Lindsay is honored to support Heartland Hospice’s vision of compassionate care for the community she loves.
Kristin Petlak - Director
Kristin Petlak joined the Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw Board of Directors in 2024. As an Investment Advisor, she frequently works with families on estate planning during the end-of-life care of their loved ones and continues to support them after their loss. This experience has highlighted for her the critical importance of fostering a compassionate and supportive environment during such challenging times.
Kristin brings over a decade of experience in the investment industry to the board, complemented by her compassion, drive, and a strong desire to give back to the community she feels fortunate to be a part of.
Residing in Moose Jaw with her husband and two sons, Kristin enjoys spending quality time with her family. An outdoor enthusiast, she stays active by hiking, camping, and playing fastball.
Vacant
“Vision without action is merely a dream”, and we would like to acknowledge and say ‘Thank You’ to all the founding and past board members for their commitment, dedication and contributions that they brought towards establishing a vision for hospice care in Moose Jaw. We ‘Thank You’ for bringing your passion, intellect, insight, experience and resources to Heartland Hospice and for impacting change within our community. Our sincere gratitude for your service and for your volunteer role on the Heartland Hospice Board.
Executive Committee:
The Executive Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities and gaining reasonable assurance as to the effectiveness of corporate governance, board, committee and director effectiveness, communications with key stakeholders and the public, financial grant proposals and board renewal, nominations and elections.
Chair: Sara Bryan
Members: Dr. Kerri Hetherington, Nathan Manley
Governance, Strategic Planning, Expansion, Communications
Finance & Technology Committee:
The Finance and Technology Committee assists the Board in meeting its financial mandate as well as technological supports and online platforms.
Chair: Nathan Manley
Member(s): Marina Harder, Dr. André Coleman, Kristin Petlak
Donations, Charitable Status, Financing, IT Platforms
Supportive Care Committee:
The Supportive Care Committee works at enhancing the hospice environment where the patient and their family feel wrapped in a circle of holistic supportive care through programs and resources.
Chair: Connie Paul
Members: Donna Ackerman, Michaela Sykora
Spiritual care, My Wish, Resources for patients/families
Public Engagement & Fundraising Committee:
The Public Engagement & Fundraising Committee creates and promotes community outreach and fundraising events with the objective of raising funds and awareness for programs and services.
Chair: Michaela Sykora
Members: Allison Gritzfeld, Connie Paul, Sara Bryan, Lindsay Oleniuk
Social Media, Community Education, Fundraising
Capital Campaign Committee:
The Capital Campaign Committee is the leadership and steering committee that will help guide the Capital Campaign and make recommendations to the Board.
Chair: Sara Bryan
Member(s): Dr. Kerri Hetherington
The Board wishes to thank Idowu Adetogun for serving as our legal advisor
