CCHHE is pleased to recognize the following individuals for their Leadership and Community Contributions
Distinguished Volunteer Service Award
🏆Dorothy Barrett
Health Professional Community Leadership Award
🏆Dr. Melissa Kenneth
Dorothy Barrett
Originally from Guyana, Dorothy Barrett lived in England before immigrating to Canada with her late husband, Les Barrett, and their two children. She is a proud grandmother, grateful to see four generations of her family. Since the late 1960s, she has been deeply committed to community service. She served as a board member of the Edith G. Simmons Scholarship Fund in Winnipeg, supporting educational opportunities for youth. In 1988, she was a Rapporteur at the provincial conference “Moving Towards a Better Community.” Her extensive involvement spans numerous organizations, where she has held Membership Chair, and Board Member. These include the Guyanese Cultural Organization of Winnipeg, the Congress of Black Women (Manitoba Chapter), the Council of Caribbean Organizations, the Caribbean Canadian Cultural Centre, Caribbean Pavilion at Folklorama, and Caribbean Canada Heart Health Education. She continues to give back through weekly volunteer work with the Transcona Council for Seniors, assisting in meal preparation and service for community members. She is deeply honoured by this recognition and extends her sincere thanks to the committee.
Optometrist Dr. Melissa Kenneth graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Microbiology and minoring in Chemistry and Biology. She graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Sciences in 2017 with honours. She completed ocular disease externships in Salt Lake City, Utah and the island of Jamaica during her studies. She was a summer student at the St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre while she was an optometry student. She opened her own practice St. Boniface Eye Care Centre in 2018. She recently relocated her practice and specializes in ocular disease management and comprehensive eye care for all ages. She loves to travel the world and has done eye care missions in Sandy Lake First Nation, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Madagascar.
Dr. Melissa Kenneth
Awards were given to both recipients at the 2026 Heart Health Gala on Saturday, April 18, 2026.