Leadership

Craig is currently the Chief of the Owen Sound Police Service, a role he has held since 2019. He grew up and lived in rural Waterloo Region and worked through the ranks of the Waterloo Regional Police Service during his 29 years prior to moving to Owen Sound.

Melissa is an accomplished HR professional with a passion for fostering positive workplace environments and driving organizational success through strategic human resource management. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Melissa brings a wealth of expertise in talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and organizational development. Known for her strong interpersonal skills and empathetic approach, Melissa excels in building collaborative relationships with employees at all levels. Melissa is dedicated to implementing innovative HR strategies that align with the company’s goals and values, with a focus on creating inclusive and diverse workplaces where every individual can thrive.

In addition to Melissa’s HR work experience, in a variety of industries, she also holds her HR designation, an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University, a post-grad diploma program specializing in human resources, as well as a certificate in leadership and inclusion. Melissa is passionate about being able to give back to by community, and to do work and volunteer, with organizations that have a meaningful impact.

Ellen retired after working for more than 40 years with children and families. She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology, which has supported her work across the fields of education, mental health, and child welfare. Ellen relocated to the Grey Bruce area after living in Northern Ontario for 30 years, choosing the region based on her family’s longstanding ties of more than a century.

She joined the Board in November 2022 and served a term as Chair of the Governance Committee, playing a key role in supporting the Board’s governance and accountability functions.

Rosanne Gallinger was born and raised on a dairy farm near Elmvale, Ontario. Rosanne retired after 33 years in education. She taught in North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie before settling in Owen Sound where she taught at Victoria Public School and Derby Public school. She was a vice-principal for one year and completed 16 years as a principal before retiring. Rosanne serves on the Ontario School Nutrition Program Grey-Bruce committee and previously served on the Keystone Board and the REACH Board before joining BGCFS. Rosanne is a married mother of one and lives in Georgian Bluffs.

Deepikaa Gupta is a proud new Canadian, her work engages government and community partners to advance immigration priorities, programs, and policies that support positive, inclusive, and welcoming settlement experiences for newcomers. Deepikaa has worked across diverse human rights and public policy spaces, including newcomer settlement and integration, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB), research, and health equity. She holds a PhD in Human Rights and Duties and is currently pursuing a second PhD at York University.

Before joining Simcoe LIP, Deepikaa served as Manager at the Grey-Bruce Local Immigration Partnership, and has held roles as Research, Communication and EDI Coordinator in Canada. Earlier in her career, she worked in India as an Assistant Professor. Deepikaa is deeply passionate about building cross-cultural connections and creating welcoming spaces where newcomers of all ages can thrive and belong.

Selwyn J. Hicks – affectionately called “Buck” – was born in Georgetown, Guyana, S.A. and emigrated to Canada at age nine. Selwyn was raised in the troubled Jane/Finch community of Toronto. A graduate of Centennial College’s Social Service Worker program, Selwyn worked as a Social Services Worker for 13 years before making the decision to return to school and study law. Selwyn attended the University of Windsor and obtained a law degree (LL.B.) in 2000 and a Master of Business Administration degree (M.B.A.) in 2002. In 1997, Selwyn married Barbara Hicks (nee Caughy) who was born and raised in Hanover. Selwyn and Barbara (also a lawyer) moved to Hanover in 2003 and established law practices in Hanover and Walkerton. They have four children (Selwyn IV, Rylee, Connor and Chloe).

Selwyn served as a Councilor and Deputy Mayor for the Town of Hanover for 16 years.  He was elected Warden for Grey County in 2019 and again in 2021 & 2022. He is the first and only visible minority person to hold that position.  Selwyn is a coach with Hanover Gymnastics Club. He’s a member of the Board with Hanover Police Services, Community Foundation of Grey Bruce, Owen Sound Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Victim Services Bruce Grey as well as Bruce Grey Child & Family Services (CAS).

In 1991, Selwyn was named “Citizen of the Year” for Metropolitan Toronto.  He received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Distinction for Community Service.  He was awarded the Queen’s 125 Medallion and more recently received the Law Society of Ontario’s – Lincoln Alexander Award for Community Service.

Selwyn’s vision for Grey County is that it will be a place where residents can enjoy both small-town charm and big-city amenities. He wants Grey County to be a place where you can raise a family, do business and enjoy a high quality of life.

George was born in Spain, where he obtained his undergraduate education. He studied medicine at Loma Linda University in Southern California and completed his pediatrics residency at Ohio University before establishing his practice in Owen Sound.

As a pediatrician, George provided care to children and families in the community over the course of his medical career. Following his retirement in 2001, he spent three years as a missionary in East Central Africa as Director of the Health Department for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he supervised a number of hospitals and medical clinics across 32 countries and provided health education and leadership support to the broader membership.

John Tamming is a sole‑practitioner lawyer in Bruce–Grey who practices a broad range of civil litigation.  After moving from Toronto to Bruce–Grey with his young family many years ago, he has built deep ties to the region and a grounded understanding of its social supports.  He served as an Owen Sound city councillor and has worked extensively on employment and general litigation matters involving First Nations communities.  Outside the office, John is a devoted golfer and recreational hockey player, and he volunteers as a Trail Captain with the Bruce Trail Association, reflecting his abiding passion for the natural wonders of this area.  Inspired by his parents’ years as foster caregivers, John is proud to contribute to Bruce Grey Child and Family Services, working alongside dedicated individuals to support children, youth, and families across our communities.

Wendy started her career in the private sector and shifted to the public sector after having her three children. Wendy completed her Master of Public Administration with a focus on local government at Western University in 2018. She has been working at the municipal level since 2008.

Currently serving as Division Chief of Administrative Services at Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, she leads operational strategy, overseeing significant budgets, and aligning departmental priorities with legislative and strategic requirements with the focus on improving community outcomes.

Christopher has been on the Board of Directors for BGCFS since 2021. He and his wife, Lisa, have lived in West Grey for the past 20 years. They are former foster parents. Lisa was also a volunteer instructor with BGCFS to foster parents in the PRIDE training program. Chris has a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Guelph. He is now retired after a career of over 35 years providing consulting services on environmental issues to industry and government in Canada and internationally. Chris previously spent 6 years on the Board of Directors for a large engineering firm in Guelph, and was Chairman of the Board for 3 years. Chris has three children and three granddaughters. His hobbies including fishing, boating, gardening and family history research.