Board Members
Norfolk General Hospital
Our Board of Directors oversees the activities at Norfolk General Hospital (NGH). The Board is made up of business leaders and community members who are committed to making sure NGH remains a leader in patient care and provides you and your family with high-quality, safe care.
We are always seeking passionate people who want to serve our community by providing leadership to the hospital. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Board, please contact Charlene Charles, Coordinator of Board Affairs.
PETER KRAUSE, Chair
Peter Krause has been a member of the Norfolk General Hospital Board of Directors since 2018 and is proud to serve as the new Board Chair. With more than 40 years of leadership experience, he brings expertise in governance, planning, and building strong partnerships. Peter has also served on the Norfolk Hospital Nursing Home Board and has held leadership roles with several conservation organizations. Passionate about education and lifelong learning, he has taught at Conestoga College and supported adult literacy locally. Peter is committed to strengthening healthcare and ensuring the hospital continues to meet the needs of our community.
RICHARD GELBARD, Vice-Chair
A career Commercial/Industrial Insurance Specialist since 1980, Richard is a Senior Account Executive with HIROC (Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada). Richard has held various positions in the Insurance Industry such as Broker, Underwriter, Market/Product Development, and Premium Financing.
Along with the designation of Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP), he has trained in the French Culinary Arts. Richard joined the NGH Board because he believes his background would be an excellent resource for Board Governance and to ensure our community continues to have a successfully run hospital.
PAUL MACKO, 2nd Vice-Chair
Paul brings over 40 years of senior leadership experience in the coatings and chemicals industry. He believes that his leadership experience and philosophy of continuous improvement will allow him to make a positive contribution to the NGH Board.
Paul is driven by a strong belief in giving back to his local community. His past volunteer roles include serving as a board member of Scitech Windsor, a driver for Meals on Wheels Peterborough, and a long-serving member of the Ajax Rotary Club.
Paul and his wife, Debbie, recently moved to Port Dover and he is a current member of the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise.
In his spare time, Paul enjoys travel, theatre and various sports like golf and pickleball.
DAVE WILLIAMS, Treasurer
Dave grew up in Simcoe and now resides in Port Dover. Now retired, he worked in sales & management with IBM as well as at Deloitte Consulting and the Attorney General’s Office. Dave’s mother, now deceased, was a long-time member of NGH Auxiliary.
GAIL BOUW
Gail Bouw is a real estate agent with nearly 19 years of experience and more than 20 years of deep roots in Norfolk County. Her local knowledge, strong community connections, and genuine passion for helping others bring a valuable community perspective to the Norfolk General Hospital Board of Directors.
A proud Rotarian, Gail also serves as Board Chair of ABEL Enterprises and as a member of the Venture Norfolk Board. She is a Past President of the Simcoe & District Real Estate Board and supports several local initiatives, including the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign, the CIBC Run for the Cure, and cancer support programs. As a cancer survivor, Gail understands the importance of compassionate, accessible healthcare and is honoured to help support the hospital and the community it serves.
ELIZABETH GEORGE
Elizabeth George is a community-driven tech leader who thrives on connection, creativity, and inclusion. With a Master’s in Computer Engineering, she taught future technologists for over a decade, before making the leap from classroom to boardroom. She now serves as Technical Director at auticon Canada, where she supports autistic adults on their tech journey, helping create more inclusive and empowering workplaces.
Outside of her professional roles, Elizabeth plays an active leadership role in the Norfolk Malayali Association—not only organizing cultural programs but also building community networks, and creating a sense of belonging through collaboration and advocacy. She was recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her meaningful contributions to community and inclusion. Known for her love of dogs, curiosity for trying new things (pickleball, paddle boating, etc.), and her healthy dose of nerdiness, Elizabeth is proud to support NGH’s mission of delivering compassionate, high-quality care to the community she calls home.
GEORGE MALLORY
George has been a Vice President at two international companies where he held leadership and governance roles in: Finance, Procurement, HR, Quality, IT, Engineering, Construction Management, and Sales & Marketing.
George and his wife have four children, are both newly retired and live in Port Dover. He has been a volunteer for NGH, Port Dover Seniors, Terry Fox Foundation, as well as minor hockey and baseball coaching. He is honoured to serve on the NGH Board and looks forward to contributing his time, experience, and commitment to helping our hospital and community thrive.
CORY MCCULLOUGH
Cory is a Norfolk resident living in Waterford who has a strong passion for community, Healthcare and local Agriculture.
Cory brings over 16 years experience working with a leading Global Technology Company, and a leading Insurance Company with a strong focus on overall Security, Risk and Governance, in a Corporate Facility / Real Estate Teams. Cory looks forward to giving back to a great place and community.
STEPHANIE PONGRACZ-CLARYSSE
Stephanie Pongracz-Clarysse brings extensive governance knowledge to the role of Board Chair. She has been an esteemed member of the Board of Directors since 2017 and has held various leadership positions, including 1st Vice Chair since 2020. She previously served as Chair of the Norfolk Hospital Nursing Home Board of Directors in 2019.
In addition to her extensive board experience, Stephanie’s professional background is in healthcare and, as an experienced public health leader, adds significant value to her position. She has worked in various municipalities over her career and currently serves as a Director of Public Health.
Stephanie grew up on a farm in rural Langton. Both her family and her husband’s family have a long history of farming in Norfolk County.
Stephanie possesses a comprehensive educational background, including Bachelor of Science undergraduate degrees with an emphasis in Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Safety, Human Biology, and Psychology. She also possesses a Master of Public Administration graduate degree.
DR. DEBORAH RENAUD
Dr. Deborah Renaud recently retired to Port Dover following more than 20 years as a Neurometabolic specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She obtained her MD degree from the University of Western Ontario and her specialty training in Pediatrics, Pediatric Neurology and Metabolic Genetics at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and The Hospital for Sick Children. At the Mayo Clinic, her clinical practice focused on the care of children with developmental disorders, autism, neurogenetic and neurometabolic disorders, with special expertise in leukodystrophies. She held several leadership positions including Director of the Pediatric Academic Mentoring Program within the Department of Pediatrics. As a Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, she had the privilege of teaching medical students as well as residents and fellows from multiple specialties. She has enjoyed working with the United Leukodystrophy Foundation, a charity dedicated to families with leukodystrophy, as a volunteer and member of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board.
In addition to gardening and birdwatching, Dr. Renaud enjoys travelling and fine arts including photography, theatre, music and art.
The motto at Mayo Clinic is “the needs of the patient come first”, a philosophy she has modelled throughout her career. Dr. Renaud envisions this NGH Board Member position as an opportunity to translate her experience in clinical care, research, teaching and patient advocacy to her local community.
HEATHER SHAW
Heather Shaw is a healthcare leader and Manager with the Greater Hamilton Health Network Ontario Health Team (GHHN OHT), bringing over 18 years of experience in clinical practice, large-scale strategy, operations, system planning, governance, and stakeholder engagement. She works collaboratively with healthcare organizations, community partners, and system leaders to advance integrated healthcare initiatives and support improved outcomes for patients and communities.
Heather is recognized for her ability to build strong partnerships, facilitate effective governance processes, and bring diverse stakeholders together to achieve shared goals. Her expertise spans strategic planning, program and project management, operational leadership, and collaborative decision-making. She is passionate about strengthening healthcare systems through innovation, accountability, and person-centred approaches that enhance the health and well-being of the communities she serves.
A Registered Nurse, Heather holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) from McMaster University and a Master of Nursing (MN) from Charles Sturt University. Throughout her career, she has led and supported complex healthcare initiatives focused on health system transformation, quality improvement, chronic disease prevention and management, and cross-sector collaboration.
Heather is proud to support Norfolk General Hospital’s mission of delivering compassionate, high-quality care to the community she calls home, and is honoured to contribute to its continued service to patients and families.
ERNIE VIDOVIC
Ernie Vidovic, C.Dir, is a Chartered Director and Waterford resident who brings financial and governance leadership to the board of Norfolk General Hospital. With more than 30 years in senior utility-sector roles, including Vice President of Operations at GrandBridge Energy Inc., he supports the board’s oversight of capital projects, budgets, and enterprise risk — areas of growing importance as hospitals manage significant financial and infrastructure pressures. His Chartered Director (C.Dir) designation reflects formal training in fiduciary duty, board oversight, and risk governance, earned specifically for effective service in the boardroom.
Ernie currently oversees a $22 million capital build as Senior Advisor, Capital Projects, and also serves as Vice Chair of the Tillsonburg Hydro board and on McMaster University’s Power Advisory Board. A committed Norfolk County resident with a close connection to frontline health care, he pairs practical financial stewardship with an understanding of the complex challenges facing hospitals today. Ernie holds degrees from McMaster University and the University of Waterloo.
Ex-Officio Members
Todd Stepanuik, President and CEO
Dr. Robin Martin-Godelie, Chief of Staff
Amanda Sonnenberg, VP Clinical Services & CNO
Dr. Mark Miller, President – Professional Staff Association
