Celebrating Our Champions of Change: Honouring the NOHT-ÉSON’s Patient/Client & Family/Caregiver Advisors during National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week (April 27 to May 3, 2025) is a time to recognize and celebrate the millions of Canadians who selflessly give their time, talents, and voices to support their communities. Among these 24 million volunteers is a remarkable group of individuals whose impact is being felt every day across the Niagara region: the Patient/Client & Family/Caregiver (PCFC) Advisors of the NOHT-ÉSON.
Members of the PCFC Advisory Council
Jori Warren – PCFC Advisory Council Co-Lead
Ruth Stranges – PCFC Advisory Council Co-Lead
Patricia MacLaren
Tyler English
Livia Martin
Elizabeth Spaan
Jim Prescott
Dominic Ventresca
Andrea Hernandez Bueno
Ijeoma Michael
These dedicated advisors bring more than just their time—they bring invaluable lived experience, insight, and passion to every conversation, decision, and action that helps shape the future of our health and social services system. Their voices are heard not only at the NOHT-ÉSON’s Planning Table but also throughout its working groups, where their real-world perspectives inform strategic planning and drive better, more equitable outcomes for all Niagara residents.
Comprised of individuals from all walks of life, our PCFC Advisors reflect the rich diversity of the people we serve. Whether drawing from personal journeys through the health care system, professional expertise, or frontline caregiving experience, they are champions of change who hold us accountable to the people and communities at the heart of our mission.
Through the establishment of the PCFC Advisory Council, the NOHT-ÉSON has created a vital platform for ensuring that decisions are informed by the voices of those most impacted. This Advisory Council has become a powerful advocate for person- and family-centred care, shaping the strategic direction of our organization and reinforcing the principle that the best health systems are those built in collaboration with those who use them.
Our PCFC Advisory Council also works tirelessly to remove barriers to participation. Their goal is simple yet profound: to ensure that everyone—regardless of age, background, or ability—feels empowered to contribute to a better, more inclusive health and social services system. This level of commitment makes a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and families across Niagara.
From the leadership of the NOHT-ÉSON
“The Patient/Client & Family/Caregiver Advisors are the beating heart of our work. They bring wisdom, compassion, and courage to every table they join. Their lived experiences and insights remind us why we do what we do—and how we can do it better,” says Tara Galitz, Executive Director of the NOHT-ÉSON. “This National Volunteer Week, we recognize their unwavering dedication to improving care in Niagara. We are honoured to work alongside them.”
Frank Ruberto and Nadine Wallace, Co-Leads of the NOHT-ÉSON’s Planning Table, add: “Our PCFC Advisors are not just participants—they are leaders, advocates, and change-makers. Their presence at the Planning Table ensures our strategies are grounded in lived realities. Their courage to speak, question, and share is instrumental in building a truly responsive and inclusive system of care.”
During this upcoming National Volunteer Week, we extend our deepest gratitude to every member of the PCFC Advisory Council. Your leadership, resilience, and generosity inspire us. Thank you for the extraordinary difference you make—not only within the NOHT-ÉSON, but across the entire Niagara region.
Your voices are shaping a better tomorrow, and we couldn’t do it without you.
