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Hummingbird Centre for Hope

Board Members

Gregg Newson
Board Chair

Gregg Newson has over fifteen years of experience with the Ontario Public Service.  He has held a variety of leadership roles and his extensive background encompasses strategy development, strategic and operational planning, information technology, human resources, government operations and service delivery.  He holds a Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies degree from Western University and a Masters in Human Resources Management from York University.

He first became involved with Hummingbird in 2015 after his wife Mary passed away of cancer and he became a solo parent to his two young boys, who were 3 years old and 8 months old at the time.  In 2021, Gregg began volunteering as a spousal loss peer support group facilitator with Bereaved Families of Ontario and the Hummingbird Centre for Hope, and shortly after he also joined the Board of Directors at Hummingbird. Gregg is now married to another widowed parent, and together they have five children.

Amanda Thibeault
Director

Amanda Thibeault is the Director of the Complex Care Program at St. Joseph’s Health Care London where she provides leadership to the medically complex and palliative care inpatient units and a regional palliative outreach program. Widowed in 2012 with 3 young children, Amanda knows the value that Hummingbird’s peer support and programs brings to the community. With her passion for providing supports to those that need it and her experience in leadership and governance councils, she is thrilled to serve the Hummingbird board. Having recently relocated to the KW area, Amanda is also thrilled get more involved in organizations close to her new home! 

Jodi Spall
Board Member

Jodi Spall is a seasoned HR leader with over 25 years of experience helping organizations grow and thrive. Today, she is a Professional Leadership Coach with HR4Results, holding a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Western University and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University.

Jodi’s connection with Hummingbird began in 2021 after the sudden passing of her husband, Dave. Left to navigate profound loss with her two teenage sons, she found strength and support through the community at Hummingbird. In 2025, Jodi began giving back as a peer support facilitator and Board member, walking alongside others on the journey of spousal loss. She also volunteers with the Waterloo Region Foodbank. Having experienced firsthand the challenges of losing a life partner, Jodi is deeply committed to supporting others as they find hope and healing in the midst of grief.

Wendi Adair
Board Member

Wendi is Professor of Organizational Psychology and Director of the Culture at Work Lab at University of Waterloo. Her work life involves teaching, training graduate students, and researching cross-cultural communication in the workplace. Wendi started attending Hummingbird’s Legacy Academy in 2018 when her husband died of cancer. As a grieving solo parent working full time, raising two grieving teenage children, one with special needs, seemed impossible. With the help of Hummingbird’s monthly (and during Covid weekly) Legacy Academy, as well as their social and wellness programming, Wendi learned the meaning of “it takes a village to raise a child.” And while we all continue to carry the grief, the children are now independent, mostly self-sufficient young adults.

Wendi joined the Hummingbird Board in 2025 as a way to give back and help develop both continued programming and community building in support of widowed families.

Stephanie Marple
Board Member

Stephanie Marple became involved with the Hummingbird Centre after her husband Ryan died in 2024, following a 40 month battle with cancer and leaving her as an only parent to two daughters (now 5 and 8). She connected with Hummingbird through their Legacy Kids and Finding Hope support groups, and social opportunities. These first hand experiences highlighted the importance of the services provided by Hummingbird and motivated her to join the Board of Directors to help further the supports and connections provided.

As a public service lawyer of 12 years, Stephanie hopes to bring her experience and knowledge to the important work that Hummingbird does, along with her lived experience as a young widowed parent. She is excited for the opportunity to find something meaningful out of widowhood.

Beth E.C. Bailey
Strategic Advisor

bio

Tracey Snook
Bookkeeper/Secretary

Tracey is a life-long resident of Waterloo Region and proudly calls Kitchener home. Her background includes Office Administration, Health and Safety and Human Resources in the public and private sectors. 

Tracey was introduced to Hummingbird Centre for Hope while participating in the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation’s Engage KW program and was immediately drawn to the organization, what it stood for and the programs it offered as well as it’s founders and board members. As she was looking to find an organization where she could offer some of her time and talent, she was very happy to join Hummingbird Centre for Hope as their volunteer bookkeeper and secretary.

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