Our Board of Directors
Susan Tromanhauser - President
After cottaging in Algonquin Highlands for 30 years, Susan and her husband became part of the “covid migration” and permanently moved here in 2020. Wanting to get involved in the Haliburton community she joined Places for People’s marketing committee and became a board member in 2023. Susan enjoys representing P4P at community events as an opportunity to spread the word about the need for affordable housing. She is also involved with the Algonquin Highland Recreation Committee and Haliburton Highlands CFUW.
Previously Susan was a principal with the Niagara Catholic School Board as well as faculty advisor with Brock University Faculty of Education. She also spent time as a constituency assistant in the office of the local Member of Provincial Parliament.
Marc Beisheim - Treasurer
Marc’s connection with Haliburton County dates back to his teenage years while dating his high school sweetheart (now spouse) whose family has roots in the area dating back to the 1800’s. Ottawa area natives originally, Marc and his wife have lived in Dysart et al year-round since 2019.
A CPA by training, Marc’s background includes senior level management roles as both a Chief Financial Officer and VP of Operations. Common across all of his roles has been working for organizations experiencing significant growth, operational change, and related business challenges. Marc brings this experience base to the leadership team in the role of Treasurer as Places for People celebrates 20+ years of advocating for, and innovating access to affordable housing solutions for our local population.
Melanie Stoughton - Secretary
Melanie has lived in Highlands East since 2020 when she and her husband moved up to the family cottage property. She has been coming up since she was a child, when her father bought a property in the community he was born and raised in. Melanie has 30 years of management experience in the facilities department of Canada's largest school board in a variety of roles, with extensive experience in budgeting, change management and fleet, property, project, waste and utilities management. She believes access to housing is essential to the success of a community and its members and that Haliburton County has the people who can ensure that.
Melanie is an active volunteer with the Alzheimer's Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and Northumberland and HHHS. She is also a member of the Haliburton Highlands Chapter of CFUW and on the executive of her lake association. In her spare time she enjoys reading, knitting, yoga, spending time with her grown children and having excellent travel adventures with her husband.
Stuart Humphries
Stuart Humphries resides in Algonquin Highlands with his wife and three children. Stuart is an active volunteer in his community and splits his volunteer time between board work, youth coaching & fire fighting.
Stuart is employed as a Sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police and started his policing career and moved to Haliburton Highlands in 2001, working general patrol and court officer duties before transferring to OPP Security Bureau in 2018.
Stuart enjoys camping, canoeing and mountain biking with his family and friends. Stuart looks forward to contributing to Places for People and supporting the volunteers, tenants and staff as a new member of the board.
Fay Martin
Fay brings to Places for People several decades of social work with disadvantaged people, which included the creation of a socially supported affordable housing program for youth leaving child welfare care in Toronto in the 1980s. She completed a PhD in social policy at Bristol University, UK, before moving to Haliburton County in 1997 as founding Executive Director of a broad-spectrum children’s service agency, now Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Families. In that role, she became aware of housing as an orphaned issue and, when she retired in early 2007, founded Places for People to address that gap.
She has served in various capacities since then. Fay also served as a citizen representative on the Board of Directors of Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation for 11 years, founded the Minden Hills Housing Task Force (now dormant), is currently a Director of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough Kawartha Lakes (which includes Haliburton County in its catchment). Fay has conducted government-funded qualitative research into rural homelessness, with a focus on lived experience and front-line support. She is currently completing a MFA in Creative Non-Fiction from University of King’s College in Halifax and is pitching for publication a memoir on spousal caregiving for people with dementia.
Nataly Mylan
Nataly resides in Wilberforce on the eastern side of the County, along with her two children and two dogs. With occasional help from her children, Nataly has owned and operated her own business for over 20 years and has been an active volunteer. Fueled by her passion for her community, Nataly returned to university and recently completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Indigenous Social Work.
Along with her work with Places for People, she continues her work in advocating for rural communities and community members. Nataly currently sits on five volunteer boards as well as her busy part-time job chauffeuring her children, while carving out time to enjoy the benefits of rural life including anything on or in the water.
Roland Lange
After cottaging in Algonquin Highlands for several decades, Roland and his wife moved here permanently in 2018. Roland owned a residential construction business with clients in Haliburton, Muskoka and Toronto. Now officially retired from the business, Roland is excited to utilize his skills and expertise to assist Places for People move forward with future housing development.
Roland enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, paddling, and cycling in the summer and snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter. He also sits on the boards of a local cycling group and a local hiking club. He does his best to experience the beauty that Haliburton Highlands offers.
Sherry Lawr
Sherry has treasured Haliburton since her teenage years and in 2022 she and her family made it their permanent home because there’s no better place to be. Seeking meaningful connections and ways to contribute, Sherry discovered Places For People. She joined their marketing committee and has recently become a member of the board of directors, eager to work closely with the community.
Retiring just before the pandemic allowed Sherry to spend significant time in Haliburton County, providing her with a safe yet immersive environment. This period gave her valuable insights into the community's significant needs, making it clear where her contributions could make the most impact. She firmly believes that everyone deserves an affordable home.
Before her involvement with Places For People, Sherry taught in the media and journalism programs at Sheridan College in Oakville. Her career also includes extensive experience in television news and current affairs production at CBC and TVOntario. Additionally, she co-owned a small media company.
Sherry is also an active member of the Haliburton Highlands CFUW.
Paul Sheardown
Paul moved to Highlands East in 2021 and is a member of the Halliburton Lions club. He was a Facilities Manager in the education and hostel sectors for over 20 years. He was the vice president of North Toronto Co-Housing and the editor of the Ontario Co-Housing newsletter. He was also a board member of the Foxfell Friends Co-op. Paul believes that all people need a safe, affordable, community based place to live.
Elaine Bell
Elaine has been a supporter of Places of People since its beginning, and is now happy to be able to be involved as a member of the board and finance committee. She has a BCom degree and has done bookkeeping and business management for sole proprietors, charities, and non-profits, as well as income tax preparation, during her career.
She also has music diplomas in piano, voice, and organ, and enjoyed a 50-year career as a working musician in a variety of roles, including teacher, accompanist, organist, and choir director. In addition to her involvement with Places for People, she is also enjoying volunteering as a driver for Community Support Services.
Catherine Doyle
Catherine's browser window says a lot about her, dozens of tabs open to follow her wide interests in news, music, politics, art, cooking, real estate, comedy, etc. Her résumé reflects a similar level of curiosity. After a rewarding career in provincial civil service, Catherine retired in 2024 and immediately started full time studies in pursuit of her paralegal licence. For more than 30 years she has volunteered, working in adult literacy, supporting the visual arts, providing crisis counselling to victims of crime, and serving in executive roles on a number of not-for-profit boards. Catherine now brings her varied experiences to Places for People.