Meet Our Directors

meet ouR BOARD OF directors

bev alexander, president

Bev Alexander is a retired Licensed Practical Nurse from Fort St. John and settled in Oliver in 2006. Bev was on the newly formed Fort St. John Hospice board in 1997. Her experience includes co-producing the volunteer training manual and co-facilitating the training program. Bev is also DVHS Hospice Volunteer and caregiver. Bev has attended BCHPCA conferences, grief group facilitator training workshop, and the national Alzheimer’s conference and served as a group support leader. Education, instruction, special events and fundraising are Bev’s areas of interest. She is also an artist and teaches art. She has paintings hanging in seven places in the South Okanagan. This is Bev's 2nd year on the Board, previously serving as the Vice-President and then Acting President in 2020.

PETE NAZAROFF, vICE-PRESIDENT

Pete Nazaroff lives in Oliver and is the President of Vulcan Consulting Inc. He is a Licensed Security Consultant. Pete has a long and distinguished career with the RCMP. He has served on a large number of organizations and committees nationally, provincially and municipally. Pete served on multiple other board appointments with various committees throughout his 35-year career with the RCMP.
Pete took his hospice volunteer training in 2014 in Delta, BC and has been an active Hospice Volunteer with Desert Valley.
With a genuine interest in participating and being a proactive team member of the Board, Pete has multiple skills and experience to bring to the Vice-President position and as Chairperson of Phase II Respite Care Centre.

DONNA KELSO, secretary

Donna Kelso moved to Oliver in 2001 and then to Osoyoos in 2005. She is the mother of two adult daughters and grandmother of three. Donna became a Hospice Volunteer in 2015 and is serving her fifth year on the Board for Desert Valley Hospice Society. She is a former VP of the Society, and currently sits on the Events and Communications Committee and the Finance Committee. Donna is a longtime member of the Kiwanis Club of Osoyoos, Kiwanis Club of Cascadia and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and volunteers with Venables Theatre in Oliver. In 2018 Donna was named the Volunteer of the Year by the Town of Osoyoos. Donna loves to travel to different parts of the world.

WILLIAM ASHDOWN, director

glen timbers, treasurer

Glen Timbers began his career as an Environmental Health Officer in Public Health and when he retired, he was the CEO for the United Church Health Services Society. During his career he developed many skills. The ones that he values the most are community involvement and development, Community Health and Economic Development, and Strategic Planning. This is Glen's first term on the Board of Directors for DVHS. He is the Treasurer, Chairperson of the Finance Committee, a representative on the Phase II Committee, and Team Lead for our Advance Care Planning program. Glen's love of nature was a key factor in choosing to move to Oliver. He has two daughters and four grandchildren.

LILIANA DE NARDA, director

William (Bill) Ashdown has been a resident of Osoyoos since 1996. He was the owner/operator of two businesses in Osoyoos and Oliver for eight years. Bill has been a very active member of the Osoyoos Community. Before joining the DVHS Board, Bill has volunteered and been a member of numerous organizations in a variety of capacities and roles in Osoyoos: Big Brothers, Heritage Museum, Festival Society, Kiwanis Club, Osoyoos Chamber of Commerce, Elementary School Breakfast Program, Auto-Immune Support Group, and the Arthritis Society. He was instrumental in organizing the Arthritis Society's first health fair. For many years he wrote a weekly column for the Okanagan Sun Weekly. Bill is a trained Hospice Volunteer and sits on the Events and Communications Committee.

Liliana DeNarda lives in Osoyoos and she has been a Hospice Volunteer since 2012. She is the Chairperson of the Volunteer Programs Committee and the Team Lead for the Wellness Check-in Calls and the telephone bereavement program. Liliana is an active participant in the One-to-One Grief Support and the Grief and Loss Group program. She is a trained Nav-CARE volunteer and offers in-home respite and visits many clients in care facilities. Education, outreach, advocacy, and programming are her areas of interest. Liliana has a BA in Administration, Advanced Italian, Reflexology, Spiritual Director, and Non-violent Communications. She has attended many BCHPCA conferences as well as many workshops to expand her knowledge and expertise. She has a strong focus on self-development and self-awareness.

DAYLE DRURY, director

Dayle Drury was educated as a Social Worker and she recently retired from Interior Health as the Authority Integrated Care Coordinator for the communities of Oliver and Osoyoos. Her work centered primarily on working with elderly individuals who have chronic, complex care needs. With client/patient approval she worked with physicians to help solve many complex issues. Dayle is also a Board Member of the Oliver and Area Affordable Housing Society. She has been a valuable asset to our programs and she was the community representative to our Nav-CARE program. She contributes her experience and expertise to the Volunteer Programs Committee. Living as a farm wife for many years in Saskatchewan has taught Dayle the importance of depending on each other for more harmonious living. Her 94-year-old mother inspires her by still striving to improve community living in whatever way possible.

MARGARET INGEBRIGTSON, DIRECTOR

Margaret Ingebrigtson came to Oliver from Churchill, MB in 2004. A retired school teacher, Margaret exchanged for the Polar Bear Capital of the World for the Wine Capital of Canada. It did not take long for Margaret’s abilities and gifts to be recognized. She has been a faithful visitor to numerous seniors, held hands with both young and old, who might otherwise be alone at their deaths. Margaret represents DVHS at the Palliative Care Rounds at SOGH every Tuesday. She sits vigil and fills in to assign the referrals and requests to the Hospice Volunteers. Margaret plays piano for the people living at both Sunnybank Centre and McKinney Place. She finds being a Hospice Volunteer rewarding work and encourages herself to do more when she can. For her dedication and years of service, Margaret was given a DVHS Lifetime Member ship.

STEPHEN hERSHEY, director

Stephen and Dee Hershey arrived in Osoyoos in 2009 when Steve became the minister of Osoyoos United Church. After 40 years of service as a minister of the United Church of Canada in Ontario and BC, Steve began his retirement in 2013. The couple enjoys travel, dragon boat paddling, cycling, downhill skiing, fitness classes, and volunteering at the Venables Theatre, as well as visiting their four sons and seven grandchildren living, literally, across Canada – from BC to Cape Breton. The invitation to become a Director of Desert Valley Hospice Society was most timely. As you can imagine, Steve has a lot of experience with those who are dying, their needs & the needs of their families. He brings a willingness to share in the work to ensure that Peace, Gratitude & Hope will always be a part of the delivery of hospice palliative care and end-of-life services in the South Okanagan. Steve is Chair of the Events and Communications Committee.

fiona wood, DIRECTOR

Fiona Wood has lived in Oliver for 27 years and has five children and five grandchildren. She has had a varied career spanning office administration, education assistant, teacher and medical office receptionist in both provincial and federal governments and school districts. She has been a business owner, school board trustee, and served on two church boards. She is also an active volunteer with Oliver Kiwanis Club, the Red Cross Medical Loan Program, and Search and Rescue. Fiona is also a trained Hospice Volunteer and serves the Society on a number of committees such as Events and Communications Committee, the Advance Care Planning team, the Grief Group Support team and a weekly shift for hospital visiting. In 2019 Fiona received the Spirit of Oliver Individual Award. She was nominated by Desert Valley Hospice Society.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead ―