alPHa Vice Chair / BOH Section Representative, South West Region

Bernia Martin was elected Councillor for the City of Woodstock and County of Oxford in October 2022 and was subsequently appointed to the Southwestern Public Health Board of Health as Vice Chair for the 2023 year and elected as Chair of the Board in 2024. Raised in rural Southwestern Ontario, and a graduate of the University of Waterloo, she is no stranger to the unique opportunities and challenges that face the residents of the South West region.

Bernia has extensive experience in governance, serving as a former Director for the Stratford Perth Community Foundation and currently sits on the Woodstock Public Library Board, Southwestern Board of Health, South Central Ontario Region EDC, Oxford Social Planning Council, Oxford Safe and Well Committee, and the Woodstock Recreation Advisory Board. Her proven commitment to public health, coupled with her strategic thinking and ability to collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, ensures she can effectively share her board of health perspective, contribute to the development of strategic initiatives, and uphold the mission and objectives of alPHa.

As a local business owner, elected official, advocate, and mother, Bernia is dedicated to advancing local public health work in our community and committed to creating healthier and more vibrant places to live and work.

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