Heather Reid, Director

Heather has been a cottager in Haliburton her entire life and moved here permanently in 2005. She has a Bachelor of Recreation Management and a Masters in Education, both from Acadia University. Heather started at U-Links as Program Coordinator in November, 2005 and took on the position of Director in August, 2007. She also volunteers as a board member for Places for People Haliburton, a local housing organization. Heather enjoys living on a lake and all of the outdoor activities that offers.

Jenny Perrott, Program Administrator

I was born and raised in Haliburton County and loved every minute of it. I graduated with a Business Diploma from Fleming College, Peterborough, in April of 2007. I worked at the Bank of Montreal as a Customer Service Representative for the summers while I was in school and got a one year contract position at the County of Haliburton as an Administrative Assistant right out of college. Once my contract was finished I was lucky enough to obtain the position of Program Administrator for U-Links and have been in this position since July 2008. I live with my Fiancé, our daughter Hailey and our dog, a lab/Rottweiler cross named Holly, in Gelert! Jenny will be back from Maternity Leave sometime in August.

Marilyn Wright, Office Administrator/Bookkeeper

I was raised Brooklin, ON but spent every summer in West Guilford camping and cottaging. I have been an on again off again resident of Haliburton Highlands since I moved up the day after High School ended. I always end up back to this place I call home. I am taking place of Jenny while she is on Maternity Leave and look forward to the challenge of maintaining her high standards of work. I live just outside of Haliburton with my two teenagers Allison and Ryan and our many pets including Thunder, Bailey, Cali, Blackie and our many fish!! I am an avid outdoors person loving camping, fishing and hiking!

Stacy Kirkbride, Community Researcher

Stacy moved to Haliburton to complete a post-graduate certificate in Ecotourism and Adventure Tourism Management at Fleming College in 2007.  She has since become a permanent resident.  She has a bachelor in English Literature from the University of Ottawa.  Stacy is currently the writer in residence for RD Lawrence Place.  She is also an active community member and volunteers with a number of local non-profit organizations.

Meet our Committee

Jack Brezina, Co-Chair

Jack is the former publisher and editor of The Times, Minden, (1979-2001). Presently he is the Chair of the Highlands Summer Festival and member of the Minden Hills Cultural Centre Foundation. Jack produces a weekly radio program about the Arts in the Highlands and serves on a number of community committees including U-Links, Highlands Media Arts, Medical Professional Recruitment Committee and Haliburton County Community Co-Op among others.

Jim Blake, Co-Chair

Jim resides in Haliburton, Ontario where he works as a facilitator, consultant, project manager and educator. He is currently Community Economic Development Consultant for the Haliburton County Development Corporation, Curator of the Haliburton Sculpture Forest, the Program Consultant for the Arts Council ~Haliburton County, and a part-time faculty member at the Fleming College, Haliburton Campus with the Haliburton School of The Arts. Jim also works as a facilitator and consultant for organizations and businesses throughout Ontario.

Jim is the co-founder and president of the Haliburton County Community Co-operative and co-founder and co-chair of the management committee member of the U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research in Haliburton County. He served as a member of the advisory committee for the Haliburton School of The Arts from 2006 to 2009. In the spring of 2007, Jim was awarded the Fleming College Fellowship in Applied Education.

From 1977 to 1992 Jim worked as a manager of recreation and social services and of camping, outdoor and environmental education facilities in Ontario and British Columbia. He was active on the boards of the provincial camping associations in both provinces.

Jim is a professional storyteller who, over the past twenty years, has performed at festivals and venues across Canada. He served as the Chair of the Storytellers School of Toronto from 1997 to 2001 and as the Director of the Toronto Festival of Storytelling from 2001-2003. He served on the executive of the board of directors for Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada from 2000 to 2008.

Jim studied fine art at University of Guelph, York University and the New School of Art and exhibited his work as a visual artist from 1976 to 1984. He holds degrees in Psychology and Education from York University.

Norm Thomas

Norm is a retired United Church minister having come to the Haliburton area six years ago. During his career, Norm participated in a variety of community development processes, and gave leadership to the formation of the Riverdale Community Organization. Norm began his ministry in Northern Ontario (Swastika) and continued to serve the Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Toronto, Ontario, and Calgary, Alberta. During the last twenty years of his work, Norm was hired as a New Church Developer. Since his retirement norm has served the church in a variety of interim appointments. Since coming to Minden, he has involved himself in a variety of Boards and Committees, and hopes to continue to contribute to the Haliburton community development process as the opportunities arise. Norm has been a member of the U-Links Committee for the past two years.

Susan MacInnes

Susan MacInnes has been a year round resident of Haliburton County since July 2007 and a cottager in the Highlands for 22 years. She retired from A&P Food Stores in June 2007 where she was Vice President Food Safety and Loss Prevention and a member of the Executive Committee. She managed a staff of 24 and a budget of $ 3 Million.
She is a Past Chair of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors National Food Safety Committee where she worked with Industry Peers, Government, Academia and Industry Experts. Susan has a M.Sc. (Masters of Science) from the University of Guelph and is a R.M. (Registered Microbiologist) Susan and Paul have two daughters. Jennifer is at the U of Guelph in her last year of Veterinary Medicine. Heather is married and is the Communications Manager for the Beef Information Centre.
Since taking up full time residence in Haliburton Susan and Paul have become very active in the community. They want to contribute to a community they love and to work to make it an even better place for future generations. Susan has been an active member of the U-Links Committee since May 2008.

Tom Whillans

Tom Whillans has been a member of the U-Links Management Committee since its inception. Between 1989 and 2003 with John Wadland he created the Haliburton Bioregional Project -- a senior Trent University course that served as the foundation for U-Links. Tom has been a professor at Trent University since 1983, nine of those years as as Chair of the Environmental and Resource Science/Studies Program. He works on community-based engagement with wetlands and fisheries, ecological restoration, Great Lakes environmental management, and was involved for 10 years in the development of an Ecuadorian/Andean network on integrated watershed management.

Marie Gage

Marie Gage joined the U-Links Management committee in 2000 and has remained connected to the committee since that time in roles of member, Chair and more recently as the official link between the Trent Centre for Community-based Education and U-Links. Marie and her husband, Don, have owned Willow Beach Cottages since August 1996. She graduated with a degree in Occupational Therapy in 1976 and Masters in Science (Occupational Therapy) in 1992. Until May 2008 she also practiced in her professional capacity in Haliburton County.

Janis Parker

Janis grew up in the printing industry - as a child playing in a company started by her grandfather. With sights set on teaching she earned her degree in Phys. Ed & Geography and hoped to teach Outdoor Education. Following a year of supply teaching, back in the late 70's (when there was a surplus of teacher's) she joined Howell Printing and started gaining experience outside her family's business. She brings 30+ years of experience to the printing business, joined Parker Pad in 1994 and today Janis is 3rd generation owner of Parker Pad & Printing Ltd. Regarding Haliburton - long time cottager, elected to municipal politics in 2006 - as Ward 4 Councillor in Dysart.

Jim Mackie

Rick Ratcliff

Lisa Schell

Sally Chivers