Barbara-Anne Hodge is a retired Occupational Therapist who worked for over 25 years on the Burn Unit at the HSC Hospital in Winnipeg, MB. In the course of her work, she came to know many burn survivors who were dealing with changes to their appearance and to their daily lives due to the burn injuries. To address these needs and along side other Burn Unit staff, she helped establish the Mamingwey Burn Survivor Society in Manitoba in 2003. Today, this organization is known as the Mamingwey Burn Society Inc, and she continues in the role of Board Chair.
Barbara-Anne is the Co-Chair of the Canadian Burn Survivors Community and is also the Secretary of the Board at the Canadian Skin Patient Alliance. She is a past board member of the Firefighters’ Burn Fund Inc. in Manitoba. She is now retired from hospital work and enjoys time spent with burn survivors and others as a volunteer through these various organizations. She is mom to 4 grown kids and a grandmother to 2, and spends as much time as possible with her family.
Sara-Jane Milne O.T.Reg.(MB) is a registered occupational therapist (OT) and has worked at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre since 2002. Sara-Jane has worked in a variety of clinical areas with her primary focus being on pediatric burn care. She has filled the role of OT Burn Clinical Specialist as well as Child Health OT Clinical Services Leader. She currently works part-time in outpatient burns and plastic surgery and part time doing private practice with Personal Best Therapy.
Sara-Jane is actively involved in various psychosocial programs offered to burn survivors within the province of Manitoba. She is an active board member of the Manitoba Firefighters Burn Camp Phoenix and served as Assistant Director for many years. She is currently the Vice-chair of the Mamingwey Burn Society Inc. and is Program Chair of the Mamingwey Burn Survivor Conferences. Sara-Jane has also served on the Aftercare and Reintegration Committee of the American Burn Association.
While Sara-Jane enjoys her work and volunteer activities, her biggest joy is spending time with her husband Ian and her two young children, Dani and Emerson. She also enjoys playing sports including basketball and competitive level ultimate frisbee.
Maria Mitousis experienced trauma and burn injuries in 2015. The Mamingwey Burn Survivors’ community has been there for her and many other survivors, and Maria is honoured to serve on its Board.
Maria is a lawyer in Winnipeg and is principal of her own firm Mitousis Lemieux Howard (MLH). Supporting the legal profession by raising awareness of wellness and mental health issues is important to Maria. Having spoken on these issues over the years at various national conferences, Maria has been recognized for her work by the legal profession and the public including the 2020 Manitoba Bar Association Community Involvement Award, the 2015 Manitoba Bar Association President’s Award of Excellence, and the 2020 Women in Law Leadership Stronger Together Award.
In her free time, Maria enjoys hiking, golfing, running, and taking walks with Rory, the retired racing greyhound, who loves visiting his friends at the office.
Howard Rempel joined the Mamingwey Burn Society Inc Board as the Treasurer in 2022. He currently works as an Accounting Manager at HyLife Ltd. Prior to HyLife, Howard had a 20 year career working in the charity/not for profit sector as the Finance Manager/Acting VP of Finance at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in Winnipeg.
Howard has extensive experience sitting on many various boards and has been involved on a board every year since 1998. He currently lives and works in the Steinbach area. In his spare time, Howard enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, going to the gym and singing/performing.