Lynette Mader is a recent volunteer at Concerned Friends, joining our Board of Directors and Policy and Advocacy Committee. Lynette has an impressive background in non profit management, and also volunteers at a long term care home.
Lynette’s father entered Long Term Care in 2018 and passed away in 2021 during the pandemic. While her dad was in a good home that navigated the pandemic reasonably well, the experience was eye opening and traumatic. As a communications professional and an operations manager, she could see and understand many of the systemic challenges that present limiting factors to improved quality of life for residents, even before the pandemic.
Lynette joined Concerned Friends because she wanted to be part of a provincial movement to affect policy change.
What is your current role as a volunteer at CF?
“I am a Director-at-Large on the Board of Directors for Concerned Friends.”
What is your current career or background?
“I recently retired after managing a non-profit for 21 years. I have also volunteered at board, committee and hands-on levels for a variety of organizations including Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Tourism London, Barrie Kinettes, municipal council committees, Women’s Institute and more recently a long term care volunteer. I have been appointed to numerous provincial committees and panels through my work in the environmental sector and served as co-chair, vice-chair in a couple of those roles.”
When did you first get involved with CF?
“I joined Concerned Friends in August 2023 as a member and was appointed to the Board of Directors in September.”
What compelled you to volunteer?
“My dad entered Long Term Care in 2018 and passed away in 2021 during the pandemic. While we were blessed that my dad was in a good home that navigated the pandemic reasonably well, the experience was eye opening and frankly traumatic. As a communications professional and an operations manager, I could see and understand many of the systemic challenges that present limiting factors to improved quality of life for residents, even before the pandemic. I wanted to join an organization that is dedicated at a provincial scale. As a spouse of someone with a genetic chronic illness (cystic fibrosis) and caregiver to elderly parents, I have been immersed in healthcare issues for most of my adult life and see the challenges from the front lines.”
