Home »
Our Team
Marc Mailhot
Dr. John Puxty
Jules Myer
Sarah Webster
Marc Mailhot
Founder of GrandPals and Educator
Role within the GrandPals National Program
As a founder of the GrandPals Program, Marc plays a crucial role in designing and contextualizing the program to meet the unique needs of each community. He collaborates with each implementer, providing guidance and expertise in program development. Marc also leads on resource development to ensure program fidelity. Through his leadership, the GrandPals Program continues to be effective at igniting meaningful connections between generations. He also applies learnings from evaluations to adapt program resources and provides one-on-one coaching to each implementing partner, ensuring that our programs continuously improve and meet the evolving needs of participating communities.
Marc Mailhot is an educator with a keen focus on interdisciplinary, experiential, project and place-based learning. He is passionate about the development, implementation and refinement of programming that empowers students with authentic, community-connected and collaborative learning experiences. These experiences not only expand content knowledge for students, but also develop the critical skills of empathy, collaboration, inquiry, stewardship, and intrapersonal abilities.
Marc received honours in both the Jack Layton Award for Youth Action in Sustainability (2014) and the Edward Burtynski Award for Teaching Excellence in Environmental Education (2015) for his work with students, collaboration with colleagues and the development of related curriculum. In connection with this, he also hosted the Regional Board of Toronto Dominion’s Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) for presentations on environmental initiatives including gardening, vermicomposting, aquaponics and the Atlantic salmon restoration project.
In 2017 Marc was honoured with a Paul Harris Award from the Rotary Club of Orangeville for his contributions to the community through his work on the GrandPals Project, which was initiated in 2010. The same year he also travelled to Rideau Hall in Ottawa to receive the Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Marc’s work on intergenerational programming has involved mentorship by many outstanding educators along with numerous partnerships, including retirement residences, the Rotary Club of Orangeville, the Lions Club of Orangeville, the Museum of Dufferin, the Town of Orangeville, the County of Dufferin, and the University of Guelph.
Dr. John Puxty
Associate Professor and Chair of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Director of CSAH
Department of Medicine at Queen’s University and Centre for Studies in Aging and Health at Providence Care
Role within the GrandPals National Program
Dr. Puxty provides visionary leadership for our programs, with a focus on national growth, expansion and sustainability. He guides research and evaluation to ensure our programs are based on sound evidence and best practices. With his strategic vision and expertise, Dr. Puxty ensures our program has a lasting impact on the communities we serve.
Dr. John Puxty is currently an Associate Professor and Chair of the Division of Geriatric Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Queen’s University. He is Director of the Centre for Studies in Aging and Health at Providence Care. He is the Clinical Lead for the Southeast Specialized Geriatric Services, Integrated Memory Disorder Clinics at Providence Care Hospital and Chair of the Ontario Interdisciplinary Council for Aging and Health.
Dr. Puxty has certification as an Internal Medicine Specialist in Geriatric Medicine in both Britain and Canada. He is an experienced academic geriatrician who has an extensive list of publications and academic presentations, and is the co-editor of two books. He has special interests in Frailty, Cognitive disorders, Age Friendly Communities, distance-education and the use of information technology both as an aid to learning and strategies for effective Knowledge and Information transfer.
Dr. Puxty’ educational roles include supervising clinical clerks and residents on geriatrics rotations, creation of online curriculum resources, and planning several recent Geriatrics CPD events.
Jules Myer
Project Manager for GrandPals
Role within the GrandPals National Program
Jules helps realise the strategic vision and expansion of our program across Canada. She enables all aspects of our National Program, from grant management to supporting program sustainability, and enabling expansion across the country. She manages the Intergenerational Advisory Group and is the primary point of contact for inquiries related to the GrandPals Program. Her guidance and expertise have been pivotal in bringing our strategic vision to fruition.
Jules Myer is a seasoned professional with a passion for empowering communities, amplifying youth voices and fostering positive social change. With over 18 years of experience in the non-profit sector, Jules has made significant contributions to organizations such as Right To Play, Plan International Canada and Kids Help Phone. She envisioned and started the schools department at Right To Play Canada, growing it from one engaged school to over 31 partnerships with school boards across Canada, while also leading fundraising, strategic planning, and team management. At Plan International Canada, she successfully managed the transition of the Public Engagement Team to the Youth Engagement Department for a $240M non-profit. In 2021, she started a consulting firm, FAAB Inc., to support non-profits improve their performance and explore new opportunities for progress. Through FAAB Inc., she currently serves as the Project Manager for GrandPals, driving the expansion of their impactful program.
Sarah Webster
Manager, Centre for Studies in Aging and Health at Providence Care
Role within the GrandPals National Program
Sarah provides vision and direction for the whole project and ensures that all the pieces function together seamlessly. Sarah makes sure the program has the resources needed to deliver on its targets – this includes managing finances, staffing and strategic partnerships. She also supports program sustainability, research, and evaluation. With her vision and expertise, Sarah ensures the success of our national program from start to finish.
Join the Program Today
Our VisionTo create a world of deeper intergenerational learning, storytelling and friendship. We do this by working with select local organizations and their communities to implement the GrandPals Program in Canada.