Board Members

Paul Godel originally contacted Hapa Resources in Uganda with the plan to go over and help out with some public health outreach programs, but when discussions showed that there was essentially no pre-hospital emergency medicine for ordinary people this program was developed. Paul led the Phase 1 pilot project in February 2018, Phase 2 in 2019, and Phase 3 in 2020!

He is a 10 year veteran Primary Care Paramedic with Alberta Health Services EMS, a field he selected as his retirement gig following a long career as a teacher and school administrator. He has been a volunteer firefighter/medical co-responder for 28 years, and has been involved in community recreation, culture, and coaching for many years.

He is married, with a blended family of 5 children, and has a grandson and a granddaughter.

Board Member Meg, also known as “Namagembe” by the first cohort of CUES students, has been involved with CUES from the very beginning. Meg was part of the initial team that travelled to Kampala during the inaugural phase of the project in February of 2018. Currently on the CUES Board as the Director of Education, she hopes to return to Uganda as an instructor again next year. Meg was one of the first people to express interest in joining CUES and is extremely passionate about the cause.

Meg currently works as a full time Emergency Registered Nurse in Vancouver. She recently moved to the city to pursue her critical care nursing specialization after living and working on the remote west coast paradise of Haida Gwaii for the first 2 years of her career.

Meg has a wealth of international experience having visited, volunteered and worked various locations abroad. Along with her emergency nursing specialization training, she is also a licensed Emergency Medical Responder in BC and has completed the Trauma Nursing Care Course, Emergency Practice Interventions and Care, Pediatric Acute Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation and Acute Cardiac Life Support, certificates. She is fluently bilingual in English and French, has conversational Spanish and managed to master all of three words of Lugandan during her last visit to Uganda (Weebale Nnyo Timothy Arthur Walsh for his very patient tutoring). Outside of travelling and work, Meg is a sport enthusiast and avid outdoors adventurer.

She is very much looking forward to taking part in Phase 3 of the CUES project and thanks everyone for their incredible ongoing support!!

Board member Brian Peterson is a retired businessman who has lived most of his life in Northwestern Alberta. He has travelled extensively, including an earlier trip to Uganda, and spends his “free” time with his family, including numerous grandchildren. He is heavily involved in municipal politics, and has also spent many years as a volunteer firefighter and first-responder.

Board Member Helena Gonzalez: My name is Helena Gonzalez, born and raised in Calgary AB from Chilean immigrant parents. In 1988 at a tender age of 1 year I was involved in a MVC that unfortunately took the life of my mother, approx. 6 month later I went into respiratory arrest which with the fast actions of my older sister, father and few great paramedics I was revived. After these entire event we moved to BC and then to South America (Chile & Peru) for 6 yrs. Once I moved back in Canada in 2000, I finished High School. After years of working in the restaurant business I decided in 2011 to take my EMR, in 2012 I finished my PCP writing ACoP in Feb 2013 which is the year I started my career EMS. Since Sept 2013 I’ve worked in Atikameg First Nation with North Alta Ambulance, in Oct 2013 I started my career AHS North Zone, with training in Air ambulance. In 2015 I was hired in Edmonton Metro. As my career expanded I felt the need and compassion to help others increased. With the passion of wanting to learn more and being a CPR survivor it’s been my goal to teach and be able to share my skills and story with others. I’m so proud of being part of a team that feels the same way. I’m looking forward to what this experience will bring to me.

Board Member Dom Dasti: Dom graduated from the Primary Care Paramedic program at NAIT in 2017 and works with AHS in Northern Alberta. Dom’s education background consists of a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) – they also work as a Social Worker with Boyle Street Community Service’s Street Outreach program. Dom’s frontline experience primarily surrounds working within Edmonton’s inner-city communities utilizing person-centred, strength based, anti-oppressive and harm reduction approaches. Dom’s goal is to work towards becoming an Emergency Medicine Physician in Edmonton’s inner city. Dom is bilingual in both French and English and is terribly excited to start their role as Fundraiser Chair with CUES.

Ugandan Project Partner

My name is Timothy Walsh and I am a 32 year old Ugandan that is so much interested in community development work in the areas of; education, health, youth empowerment and livelihood promotion. I was born in Kampala and have worked as a youth educator for the past 10 years at Kawempe Youth Centre and through my passion for development work, I founded an organization called Hapa Resources in 2015. Hapa is Swahili for “Here” and my goal is to establish grassroots health programs that attract partnerships that connect development communities to share, empower and improve lives by getting resources to where they can most create an impact in the lives of people.

Phase 3 Volunteers

Hi! I’m Alexandria, a bubbly, optimistic 26 year old who was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. I am never bored, being the only girl in my very large family with 6 brothers! I enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities including kayaking, camping, and nature photography. I graduated from NAIT’s PCP program in 2017 and have been employed by Alberta Health Services as a Primary Care Paramedic in Northern Alberta ever since. Additionally, I am an Emergency Medical Dispatcher/Emergency Communications Officer in Edmonton, AB. I am extremely passionate about what I do and I take an immense amount of gratification and pride in knowing I help people for a living. I have various related experience volunteering for facilities assisting those with developmental disabilities, medical organizations, homeless shelters, and youth organizations. Becoming a volunteer with CUES is an absolute dream come true for me; since I was young, I have always wanted to be a part of an organization such as this one that positively contributes to the development of international countries in need. This project is one that I am so grateful and incredibly excited about. Thanks for having me as a part of this team!

Benjamin Marquardt is an Advanced Care paramedic working with Alberta Health Services in northern Alberta for the past five years. He is a passionate paramedic who is hoping to expand into education in the near future.  For education he has completed an Advanced Care Paramedic Diploma through NLC, a Primary Care Paramedic Certificate through SAIT, and the Firefighter Training Program at Lakeland College. 

Outside of work he enjoys the outdoors and loves to hike, camp, kayak, and mountain bike. 

Phase 2 Volunteers

Volunteer Denise Vanderkooi: Hi, my name is Denise. I work as a Paramedic on a community team in Calgary, Alberta. I usually describe my job as being similar to home care but with a twist. The twist part speaks to the many interventions the team can offer an individual in a community setting that would otherwise be done in hospital. I’ve been apart of that team for about 4 years and in varied volunteer and paid capacities of EMS for 12 years.
In my spare time, I enjoy long walks by the beach and the warmth of the sun tempered by a cool breeze ! All jokes aside, I am pleased to be a part of this amazing team and look forward to working with the people of Kampala to enhance their Emergency Medical Services.

Volunteer Megan Hall: Originally born in Fort McMurray AB, I come from a family with 3 other siblings and large extended family. When I was 8 years old I moved to Newfoundland with my father after spending 10 years there I ventured back to the mainland to further my education.
My passion for emergency medical services was discovered during a first aid course 7 years ago. After that I enrolled in school as soon as I could. After completing my EMT course I was fortunate to work in various locations all across Alberta meeting some exceptional individuals along the way. About 2 years ago I felt the tug to move back to Newfoundland where I call my home.
Currently I enjoy being a wife to my husband and full time mom with my 2 beautiful children. Keeping busy working full time as a paramedic with Eastern Health. On my off days we enjoy everything Newfoundland has to offer from hiking, kayaking, swimming and family camping excursions. I am very excited to be part of the 2019 Uganda team.

Phase 1 Volunteers

Board Member Victoria Reeves is an experienced adult education worker and a 9-year veteran volunteer firefighter. She coordinates and teaches safety and emergency response courses, primarily in Industrial and Fire settings. Her experience and drive will be vital in the success of our program.

Victoria is married with one child, and lives in north central Alberta.

We are very happy to have Victoria as part of the team!

Victoria was a member of the Phase 1 pilot project in February 2018.