Mariposa House Hospice Gets New Executive Director
By John Swartz
This week Ted Markle is beginning a new career as the new executive director of Mariposa House Hospice.
As a formerly retired senior executive in print and digital media He brings years of management experience to help Mariposa House continue to serve the community, but running a hospice is a bit different than overseeing printing and distribution for media conglomerates.
“It’s a meaningful mission, helping people in their exit and helping their families. Also there’s a great team here and it’s an important part of our community, so for me it’s an opportunity to play a leadership role in an organization in an important part of Orillia,” Markle said.
“I’ve served on the board of Soldiers’ in the past, this is my first role in a healthcare related organization.”
“I’ve served on the board of Soldiers’ in the past, this is my first role in a healthcare related organization.” He also is on the board of the Mariposa Folk Festival and Georgian College and organized the Braestone Winter Classic Pond Hockey Tournament. He is taking over from Annalise Stenekes.
“I personally have worked with Mariposa just under 4 years. I stated in May of 2020 when the building was still under construction,” said Stenekes.
She is weighing options about what she will do next, and how soon, but she thinks it won’t be too far removed from what she’s been doing.
“There’s couple ideas I have but there’s nothing firm yet. I volunteered and then worked in the hospice sector for 20 years, I anticipate in some way it will be connected to the hospice sector, I just don’t know in what capacity yet and for sure supporting Mariposa House,” said Stenekes.
Maybe it will involve fundraising. There is no charge to use hospice service and the province only contributes 50% of what it takes to operate Mariposa House with the rest coming from fundraising activities.
“We’re part healthcare, part non-profit charity helping with that social fabric,” said Stenekes. “I forget people don’t automatically know that, it’s something we’ve been trying to include in our presentations and communications that the services are available to people at no cost. We do the work at making sure we have enough to cover our operating expenses,” said Stenekes.
There has been overlap with Markle on the job for the past 3 weeks while Stenekes was still on board.
“There’s great support from the community and Annalise has been outstanding in the gracious way she has helped facilitate the transition. She’s just been a consummate professional,” said Markle.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia) Main: Outgoing Mariposa House Hospice executive director, Annalise Stenekes, and the incoming ED Ted Markle
