Board and Leadership

Leadership

Paul McGowan

Chief Executive Officer

I joined Bethesda in 2001 after an extensive career in various Human Resources roles.

From HR manager at General Electric Capital to a position as a labour relations consultant for the City of Toronto, I finally made the career move back to Niagara, where I am from, and began my career with Bethesda in an entry-level role as an HR analyst. After a few years, I became manager and then Director of HR before moving into the role of Chief Administrative Officer, Associate Chief Executive Officer and now Chief Executive Officer. My education has supported my career transition, including graduate-level studies at McGill University.

I was drawn to Bethesda's focus on giving back to the local community and making a difference in people's lives. Coming through HR, I appreciated that this organization was all about people.

Bethesda walks its talk and cares for people, the individuals we support, and its staff.

Outside of the office, I am an avid golfer, I would golf every day if I could, and I enjoy spending time with my family.

Board of Directors

A picture of Bill Jackson, the Chair of Bethesda. — William R. (Bill) Jackson - Chair
Bill is a retired Senior Commissioner for the Immigration and Refugee Board. Bill joined Bethesda's Board in 1995 and has been the Chair since 2006.
A proud recipient of the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism, Bill has also been involved with Friends of the Children of Haiti, International Child Care and Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, to name a few.
Bill's greatest joy in recent years has been spending time with his wife and having more time to spend with his grandchildren and friends.
Bill has been a prominent supporter of the Developmental Services sector since 1966, and he admires the work of the many dedicated staff at Bethesda who is dealing with very challenging situations.

Doug Peters - Vice Chair
Doug is a professional engineer specializing in infrastructure design and project management and is the President of Quartek Group Inc. in Niagara. Doug joined the Board in 2009 and enjoyed serving on the Nominations and Community Outreach Committees.
Doug loves to read, travel and cycle with his wife, Sharon, and spend time with family.
Doug is passionate about serving people with special needs and supporting challenges that come in Bethesda's way when they are consistent with the organization's mission and vision, even if there is an associated risk, as there is a need to be addressed and helped.

A picture of Kevin Stienstra, the Treasurer of Bethesda. — Kevin Stienstra - Treasurer
Kevin is a tax partner in the accounting firm Grant Thornton LLP and started in the accounting profession in 2003 when he was a co-op student in the accounting program at Brock University.
Kevin joined the Board in 2018 and chairs the Finance Committee.
Kevin enjoys staying active and spending time with his wife and children, whether travelling or coaching his children on the soccer field.
Kevin believes in the mission and vision of Bethesda and is passionate about serving and caring for others, especially those who may be less fortunate or vulnerable than ourselves.

A picture of Cheryl Tyndall, the Secretary of Bethesda. — Cheryl Tyndall - Secretary
Cheryl's education is in Science Laboratory Technology and Biology, which led her career, including quality control, teaching, research, and 23 years with the Niagara Parks Commission.
Cheryl joined the Board in 2019 and sits on the Community Outreach Committee.
Cheryl loves the outdoors and finds delight in the incredible beauty surrounding us, enjoying hiking, gardening and golf.
Cheryl's heart for Bethesda stems from her personal experience, she had an older sister who had special needs from birth, and as a result, Cheryl grew up in a community of families who worked together to ensure their loved ones had the best quality of life.

A picture of Bill Janzen, a member of Bethesda. — Bill Janzen - Director
Bill is the co-owner of Lost' n Found Yoga in St. Catharines. His wife, April, runs the studio, and Bill manages the back-end functions.
Bill joined the Board in 2016 and currently sits on the Finance Committee.
Bill enjoys spending time with his wife and three children through sports and activities. He enjoys biking, hockey and reading.
Bill believes that Bethesda's work fills some critical needs in our community, having previously experienced Bethesda's services firsthand through support provided to his son, who has Down Syndrome.

Sharron Haberfield – Director
Sharron is a financial planner at RBC and works as an advocate, helping other families with financial advice around funding sources. Having previously been on the Board for 6 years, Sharron rejoined the Board of Directors in 2022 and is a member of the Community Outreach Committee.
Sharron enjoys painting, camping, and para-rowing. Bethesda has supported Sharron’s two sons with Behaviour supports and Supported Living. With this experience, Sharron is passionate about continuing to improve the overall supports and services provided to individuals and families, and highlighting Bethesda in the community.

A picture of Tom Wall, a member of Bethesda. — Tom Wall - Director
Tom is a lawyer, practicing in the area of business law, and a partner at the law firm Sullivan Mahoney LLP in St. Catharines. Having previously been on the Board for 16 years, Tom rejoined the Board of Directors in 2021.
Tom enjoys spending time with his family, reading and sports, and is passionate about Bethesda’s mission and goals, especially helping those in need of our support.