News Releases

Media Bulletin - Manitoba

October 17, 2017

Province Announces New Appointments to the Funeral Board of Manitoba



Manitoba Justice has appointed four new members and a new chair to the Funeral Board of Manitoba.

Alena Lukes (Winnipeg), named to the position of board chair, currently works in the civil service in the role of acting director and chief operating officer of the Vital Statistics Agency.  She has a BA from the University of Winnipeg and a PhD from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.  Before joining the civil service, Lukes lectured at the University of Winnipeg and completed post-doctoral research in the Czech Republic.

Denise Koss (East St. Paul) is retired from the Government of Manitoba and was the previous chair of the Funeral Board from 2015 to 2017, as well as the director and chief operating officer of the Vital Statistics Agency.  Prior to 2015, Koss served in the Department of Families in a variety of roles under the deputy minister.

The Very Rev. Donald Bernhardt (Virden) is a postulant with the Society of St. Francis Third Order.  Since 2006 he has served in a variety of roles within the church across Manitoba’s Westman region.  He is a former police officer and has also volunteered with the Westman Emergency Group, Big Brothers and Sisters of Brandon, and Scouts Canada.  His board experience includes serving as chair of the Westman Communications Group board of directors and as second vice-president of the Manitoba Police Association.

Linda Muirhead (Portage la Prairie) is a retired registered nurse who has worked at St. Boniface and Portage la Prairie General Hospitals, as well as the Portage Clinic.  She is president of the Manitoba Association of Registered Nurses (Portage la Prairie Chapter), and is a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Trinity United Church and Portage Soup Kitchen.  She is also a proud volunteer with the Grandmother's Giving Organization – a local organization that raises funds for grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa to raise their grandchildren who have lost their parents to HIV.

The Funeral Board of Manitoba is responsible for administering The Funeral Directors and Embalmers Act, The Cemeteries Act and The Prearranged Funeral Service Act in the province.  The board issues funeral-industry related licenses, conducts compliance audits, investigates complaints, holds hearings, and has the power to reprimand, fine, suspend or cancel licenses.

Manitoba Justice thanked outgoing members for their service to the board.

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