Bahar Karimi, RN, MN, MHSc, CHE

Bahar Karimi is the Executive Director of Clinical Practice and Centre of Excellence at Thrive Group, a multi-site organization providing long-term care and community-based services in Ontario. She is a nurse leader and health system executive with over 22 years of experience across frontline care, clinical leadership, operations, and system transformation in long-term care.

Bahar’s career spans roles as a PSW, RPN, and RN, ADOC, DOC, and LTC Administrator, giving her a deep, practical understanding of the realities of care delivery and the leadership challenges faced by administrators and clinical leaders. She has held senior leadership roles overseeing clinical practice, quality, risk, education, and workforce development, and is recognized for her work in designing and implementing sustainable models of care and leadership in long-term care settings.

As the lead for Thrive Group’s Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Innovation, Bahar supports applied research, quality improvement, and workforce initiatives that are directly embedded in practice. Her current work focuses on management of care, clinical governance, relational and emotional leadership, and building cultures that support both staff well-being and resident quality of life.

Bahar holds graduate degrees in Nursing and Health Sciences (Health Administration) and is currently completing her PhD in Nursing at Western University, where her research focuses on the sustainability of the personal support worker workforce in long-term care. She also holds adjunct academic appointments and teaches in undergraduate, graduate, and bridging nursing programs. Her approach to leadership and education is grounded in co-creation, social accountability, and practical strategies administrators can apply immediately in their homes.

Program Kick Off

Mon. Sept. 14 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Virtual

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Etiam vitae neque hendrerit, sollicitudin turpis vitae, faucibus mi. Sed purus neque, tincidunt nec venenatis nec, congue ut ipsum. Vivamus erat massa, tempor at lectus at, sollicitudin sodales lectus. Nullam malesuada justo vitae diam luctus consectetur. Nulla non nisi elementum, placerat dui non, accumsan nisl. Sed commodo viverra sagittis. Sed posuere posuere magna rutrum convallis. Vivamus turpis dolor, volutpat at tortor ac, rhoncus lacinia felis.

Nam quis efficitur libero, eget dapibus ipsum. Maecenas accumsan tellus mollis mauris rhoncus fermentum. Nunc neque nunc, dapibus non est nec, aliquet volutpat orci. Donec sed lorem et arcu placerat rhoncus ac at magna. Quisque venenatis risus ut consectetur porttitor. Etiam posuere ligula vel nulla pharetra fermentum. Nunc nec leo purus. Nunc odio lorem, elementum ut lorem quis, aliquam finibus erat. Phasellus vel elementum ligula. Aenean euismod interdum dui, in vulputate dui semper et. Cras tempor consectetur purus nec ultrices. Maecenas pulvinar egestas luctus. Integer finibus erat et felis malesuada molestie. Maecenas aliquet, dui eget rhoncus sagittis, felis mauris venenatis ex, ac hendrerit enim nisl a ex. Ut efficitur nisl ex, sed scelerisque nibh vulputate in.

Leadership Retreat

Thurs. Sept. 17 & Fri. Sept. 18 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | GTA Location TBD

Module 1: Strategic and Integrative Thinking

Thurs. Sept. 24 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 2: Communications and Innovation

Thurs. Oct. 1 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 3: Legal Matters

Thurs. Oct. 8 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 4: Financial Literacy Part 1

Thurs. Oct. 15 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 4: Financial Literacy Part 2

Thurs. Oct. 22 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 5: Human Resources – People Management

Thurs. Oct. 29 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 6: Quality and Leadership for Clinical Care Part 1

Thurs. Nov. 5 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Module 6: Quality and Leadership for Clinical Care Part 2

Thurs. Nov. 12 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Constance (Connie) Lacy

Program Director

Constance (Connie) Lacy is a Long-Term Care and Seniors’ Services Consultant who recently retired as the Director of Seniors’ Services for the Region of Waterloo. Prior to this, she also served as Director of Services for Seniors in the Region of Halton. Connie has over 30 years of experience in health, community and education services including over 15 years of senior leadership of Long-Term Care, Seniors’ Housing and Community Programs.

Connie is an active leader in the Seniors’ Services sector and also served as the previous Chair of the Board for AdvantAge Ontario. She has sat on many provincial and federal committees supporting best practices in seniors’ services and care. Connie is a strong advocate and leader in developing and promoting person-centred, emotion-focused models of seniors’ care.

Wendy Beckles

Co-founder & CEO @ CESC

Wendy Beckles has over 27 years of experience in Financial Management and Executive Leadership. She is a graduate of Harvard University and the Rotman School of Management. Wendy holds several accreditations including the Certified General Accounting designation, Chartered Professional Accounting designation and Certified Healthcare Administrator designation. As President and CEO of Shepherd Village Inc., Wendy provides executive leadership to the largest integrated single-site, Seniors’ community in Ontario. Serving over 900 seniors across an innovative healthcare campus, Shepherd Village Inc. delivers a continuum of care including independent living, retirement living, assisted living and long-term care.

As President and CEO of Shepherd Village Inc., Wendy provides executive leadership to the largest integrated single-site, Seniors’ community in Ontario. Serving over 900 seniors across an innovative healthcare campus, Shepherd Village Inc. delivers a continuum of care including independent living, retirement living, assisted living and long-term care.

Sharlyn Carrington

Co-founder & CEO @ CESC

Sharlyn Carrington is an award-winning communications strategist and trusted senior advisor to leaders navigating complexity, change, and public accountability. With more than 17 years’ experience across public and private sectors, she works with organizations that need clarity, credibility, and cohesion in high-stakes environments.
Sharlyn has led integrated communications and engagement strategies, advised executives, political leaders, and business owners, and helped organizations build resilient brands rooted in trust. Her public-sector experience includes advising more than 12 cabinet ministers and two premiers, and developing communications strategies, protocols, and public-facing campaigns for initiatives serving underrepresented and vulnerable populations—work that required political acuity, risk management, and a deep understanding of public trust.

Today, through her consultancy, Sharlyn serves as a strategic partner to mission-driven organizations across nonprofit, higher education, mental health, and small business. She supports leadership teams with brand strategy, reputation management, stakeholder communications, and the systems and protocols that enable organizations to communicate clearly and credibly—especially during periods of growth, transition, or scrutiny. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong communications infrastructure is essential to organizational health, trust, and long-term impact.
An experienced inclusion strategist, speaker, and facilitator, Sharlyn brings both academic research and lived experience to her work on equity in communications and leadership. Her research has contributed to national conversations on representation and power within the public relations industry, and she co-founded the Anti-Racism in Public Relations Conference, convening more than 600 communicators to advance practical, systemic change. She is regularly invited to speak, facilitate, and contribute to conversations at the intersection of communications, leadership, and equity.
Sharlyn holds a Master’s degree in Communications Management from McMaster University, a graduate certificate in Public Relations from Humber College, and a certificate in Leadership and Inclusion from Centennial College.

Travis Durham

Travis Durham is the Director of Dietary Services and Information Technology at Grove Park Home in Barrie, Ontario, where he has worked for more than nine years in progressively senior leadership roles. He has served as Director since January 2019, following his tenure as Manager of Food and Nutrition Services. Travis has been a Certified Nutrition Manager (CNM) since 2019 and is an active member of the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management (CSNM) and the CSNM Ontario Networking Group (ONG).

With over 20 years of experience in long-term care and seniors’ services, Travis has held senior leadership roles across long-term care, retirement living, supportive housing, and adult day programs, including positions with IOOF Seniors Homes Inc., Mill Creek Care Centre, and Leacock Care Centre. His leadership experience spans multi-site operations serving more than 500 residents, with accountability for food services, support services, emergency preparedness, and operational compliance.
In addition to his operational leadership at Grove Park Home, Travis serves as a Coordinator for the Food and Nutrition Management and Retirement and Assisted Living Management programs at Georgian College, contributing to curriculum delivery and workforce development. He also recently served as a Subject Matter Expert within AdvantAge Ontario’s Administrator Leadership Program, supporting leadership development and applied learning for emerging and current long-term care administrators.
Travis has volunteered extensively at the provincial level, contributing for several years to the Ontario Seniors Nutrition & Advocacy Committee (OSNAC) and its working group, the Food and Nutrition Advisory Team (FNAT), where he supported advocacy initiatives and the development of practical resources to assist long-term care homes in adapting to the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
He is widely recognized for championing a food-first approach in long-term care, emphasizing local sourcing, direct vendor partnerships, and system integration to improve nutritional outcomes, food quality, and community economic impact. Travis is currently pursuing a Master of Education through Athabasca University.

Bruce Goldie

Bruce Goldie has worked for close to 40 years in Human Resources, Training and Development, and Labour Relations including over 23 years with the Municipal Government at the Regional Municipality of Peel. The last 8 years with Peel, Bruce worked with their 5 Long Term Care Homes providing Human Resources and Labour Relations advice and guidance.

Bruce is teaching faculty at Sheridan College where he has been for 24 years teaching with the Human Resources Management Program.

After retiring from the Region of Peel in 2022, Bruce was asked to return to Human Resources in 2024 and 2025 to help again in Long Term Care. Following that assignment, Bruce started his own HR consulting company called BMG HR Solutions where he provides employee and labour relations advice and guidance as well as training and development on various topics.

Bruce is a Certified Human Resources Leader with the Human Resources Professionals Association and a Certified Training and Development Specialist with The Institute for Performance and Learning.

Renee Guder, R.N., M.A.

Chief of Organizational Development

Renee is a Registered Nurse and holds a Master of Leadership degree with 20 plus years experience leading within the long-term-care and health care sector. She has served as the Senior Administrator with Thrive Group and oversaw St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke and Idlewyld Manor. She is knowledgeable in the Fixing LTC Act and other governing regulations ensuring compliance and application of best practice approache

In her current role she is responsible for directing, developing and implementing Organizational Development and Human Resource strategies for Thrive Group. She leads Thrive Group’s training, leadership development, employee engagement, corporate culture and change management strategies and oversees corporate communications and marketing. She is skilled at building and delivering high impact training programs that align employee efforts behind organizational goals to maximize employee performance, increase revenue and advance customer loyalty.
Contact: 289-309-8477 ext. 580 • [email protected]

Alan Hui

Alan Hui is the Administrator at the Mon Sheong Scarborough Long-Term Care Centre, where he has progressed from social worker to Assistant Administrator, and to the Administrator. Alan is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, and culturally appropriate care. He oversees clinical operations, regulatory compliance, resident services, staff development, and organizational performance, fostering a collaborative environment with residents, families, and staff. In addition, Alan also serves as a CARF Surveyor with CARF International, conducting accreditation surveys and supporting organizations in quality across aging services.

Alan also volunteers as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for The Kidney Foundation of Canada (Ontario Branch) and Chair of the Chinese Renal Association Chapter, leading fundraising initiatives, community outreach, and kidney health advocacy within Ontario.

Throughout his career, Alan has led numerous major operational and clinical projects, including implementations of eMAR, Point-of-Care, interRAI LTCF transition, strategic plan update, accreditation, HRIS and scheduling systems, and the organizational response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also overseen FLTCA and Regulation implementation and strengthened IPAC standards across his home.

He holds a Master of Business Administration in Health Leadership from Athabasca University, a Master of Social Work in Gerontology from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Social Work from York University. He is a Certified Health Executive (CHE) through the Canadian College of Health Leaders and has completed multiple leadership and clinical education programs, including the AdvantAge Ontario Administrator Leadership Program and specialized dementia and quality improvement training.

Passionate about serving seniors—particularly within the Chinese community—Alan is committed to providing high-quality, culturally sensitive care. He values the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with residents, families, and staff and enjoys working in environments where he can make a direct impact on well-being.

Bahar Karimi, RN, MN, MHSc, CHE

Julie Wheeler

Julie Wheeler is the Director of Seniors’ Services for the Region of Waterloo, where she is responsible for long-term care, seniors’ supportive housing, home care/supports, and community programs. Her previous roles included managing long-term care services, community and social services as well as managing services to support people living with a dementia in the community. She has over 20 years of experience supporting the not-for-profit sector through health, community and social services.

William Willard, CPA, CA

William Willard is the Vice-President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer at the Deep River and District Hospital, the North Renfrew Family Health Team, and the Four Seasons Lodge Long-Term Care Home, which are located on a single campus of care in Deep River, Ontario.

William is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with an Honours degree in Accounting. Since 2017, William has been growing his knowledge of multi-sector care and service delivery in rural settings, as well as a person-centered approach to leadership. William was recognized as the inaugural winner of the CPA Ontario Emerging Leaders Award in 2018. The award celebrates the outstanding business and social contributions of Ontario’s CPAs, aged 34 and under.

William has focused on driving forward innovation and organizational performance through major infrastructure and capital projects across healthcare settings, including long-term care, primary care, and acute care. As Project Lead for capital development, William has been integral in advancing a business case for a campus of care expansion, which has recently resulted in the successful allocation of 86 additional Long-Term Care beds for Deep River and its surrounding communities.

Carolyn Clubine

Program Director and Facilitator

Carolyn Clubine has a wealth of Health and Long-term Care experience. She is the former Director of Long-Term Care and Community Support Services for the Region of Peel’s five campuses of care. Currently, Carolyn serves as an LTC sector expert and consultant with Clubine Consulting, a boutique firm offering customized management consulting and services. She consults with non-profit organizations on issues ranging from strategic and organizational planning, redevelopment, operational effectiveness, and board governance.

Carolyn has obtained her Fellowship with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. In addition, she is a graduate of The Advanced Executive Leadership Program at the Schulich School of Business at York University. Carolyn regularly participates with AdvantAge Ontario facilitating workshops, participation on various committees, and member support service development.

A strategic thinker and innovative planner with strong analytical skills, Carolyn has coached, mentored, and taught strategic and management/leadership courses locally and internationally. Her desire is to empower leadership teams to develop strategies that will shape key services for today and over the long term.