Our provincial boards

Chair: Jon Faber

Jon Faber oversees a variety of responsibilities in his role as President & CEO of Pason Systems, including finance and accounting, risk management, investor relations, information technology, DevOps and supply chain. Prior to Pason, Jon worked in investment banking with National Bank Financial, with a dedicated focus on the energy services sector, and a predecessor firm, Wellington West Capital Markets.

Jon received a BBA from Brock University and an MBA from Purdue University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst, Chartered Business Valuator, and Chartered Professional Accountant designations. He has been recognized as a Global TopGun CFO by Brendan Wood International.

Jon is an active volunteer in his community participating in Heart & Stroke’s fundraiser Ski for Heart and serving as a section chair with United Way of Calgary and Area.

Vice chair: Scott Birchall

Scott is Vice President, Corporate Development at Spur Petroleum Ltd., a privately-held oil company that operates in the Clearwater play in northern Alberta. Scott served in the same role at Spur Resources Ltd., which was sold to a publicly-traded energy company in 2017. He is also a Principal at Longbow Capital Inc., a private equity investment manager based in Calgary, Alberta that invests in energy, power, infrastructure, and technology. Before joining Longbow in 2009, Scott worked in the Corporate Finance group with Peters & Co. Limited and prior to this, Scott spent three years at the Calgary-based private equity firm ENTx Capital

Corporation, which focused on investments in the electricity and energy industry. Scott earned his law degree from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Bishops University, where he graduated with distinction. Scott is also a CFA Charterholder.

Scott has been active with Heart & Stroke since 2017. He also sits on the board of directors of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Canada, and is chair of the Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut Local Council.

Past chair: Clayton Norris

Clayton Norris, CAFM, MBA, CPA, CMA, is the vice president of MNP's Indigenous Services. He leads the team across Canada, which currently provides services in consulting, accounting and tax in over 225 Indigenous Nations.

Based in Calgary, Clayton works closely with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities in an advisory capacity, assisting clients in the areas of business and strategic planning, human resource issues, corporate finance, training and economic development consulting. With his extensive experience working with Indigenous business and communities Clayton understands the unique requirements. He takes great pride in being a close professional advisor to the individuals and organizations that support development within the Indigenous community.

Clayton played a key role in the development of MNPs EASE cloud accounting services and Indigenous self-employment and management training programs. As a member of the AFOA Alberta board in 2005, Clayton was awarded the Deputy Minister’s Pride and Recognition award for excellence in leadership. He was a member of the 2008 Governor Generals Leadership Conference. He is a current member of the MNP board, and former treasurer of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and several First Nation economic development boards. Clayton is a member of the Cold Lake First Nations.

Wunmi Adekanmbi MSc, PMP 

Wumni is Lead, Strategy and Operations at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. A community-builder and the founder of Immigrant Techies Alberta, and ReSkill Calgary, Wunmi is an active player in the Alberta innovation ecosystem and has been instrumental in connecting new Canadians into the tech sector. She is an experienced project management professional and organizational change consultant and has helped organizations and teams navigate transformation. Wunmi is a host, speaker and podcaster for several tech-oriented, future-of-work events and themes. She is an exceptional Experience Designer and thrives at the intersection of people, strategy, and technology.

Dr. Paul W.M. Fedak, MD PhD FRCS(C) FAHA

Paul Fedak is a cardiac surgeon, translational scientist, and organizational leader at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Dr. Fedak is committed to innovating and translating new surgical therapies for patients with advanced heart disease. 

Dr. Fedak graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School and completed further training in cardiac surgery (FRCSC) and biomedical science (Ph.D.) in Toronto. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada awarded him a Detweiler Fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago that supported advanced training in surgery for end-stage heart disease and complex valve repair. The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR – now known as Alberta Innovates) and the University of Calgary recruited him as a surgeon-scientist. He developed the Campbell Family Translational Research Program. This mature program trains graduate students and develops and validates novel therapies to treat cardiovascular disease. He pioneered novel sternal closure techniques and developed tissue engineering approaches to treat heart failure using biomaterials. He has expertise in surgery for bicuspid aortic valve disease and its associated aortopathy. He leads a collaborative research effort with Northwestern University in Chicago to better understand mechanisms of progression and risk prediction. 

He published over 230 peer-reviewed original manuscripts and numerous book chapters. His work is cited over 20,000 times (h-index 60). Dr. Fedak serves as an Editorial Board Member for several biomedical publications, including the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Canada's Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NHLBI) fund his translational research program. He receives international and national leadership, research, and mentorship awards. Some of these include the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Province of Alberta), the C. Walton Lillehei Award (American Association for Thoracic Surgery), the Vivien Thomas Young Investigator Award (American Heart Association), the Paul Cartier Award (Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons), and the Wilfred Bigelow Award (University of Toronto), the Watanabe Distinguished Achievement Award (University of Calgary), the Telemachus Distinguished Mentorship Award (University of Calgary) and Calgary’s “Top 40 Under 40” (Avenue Magazine). 

He holds leadership positions in the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and is a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA). He is recognized as a knowledge and opinion leader in cardiac surgery. He provides many internationally invited addresses, including a widely viewed TEDx talk. Dr. Fedak is a former department head (>100 members) and leader at the University of Calgary. He is currently the director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. This is a key leadership position within a dynamic, fully integrated healthcare, research, and service delivery environment. He is responsible for realizing the Institute’s vision of coordinating cardiovascular healthcare, internationally recognized and funded research, and multidisciplinary educational programs that attract quality learners for over 2 million Canadians.

Donna Gee

Profile in progress

Krista King

Krista (Wollny) King is a consultant with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Calgary. Prior to joining BCG, Krista was an associate professor (teaching) at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Nursing. Krista obtained her PhD in epidemiology from the University of Calgary in 2022, utilizing big data to predict adverse events in pediatric critical care. During her PhD, she volunteered as a consultant for the Alberta Health Services' COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group. She holds a Master of Nursing degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Queen's University.

In addition to her academic background, Krista has over a decade of experience as a pediatric ICU nurse and has worked at children's hospitals in Calgary and Toronto. She also taught Heart & Stroke’s Basic Life Support (BLS) program for healthcare providers.

Colleen Norris

Dr. Colleen Norris is a professor and associate dean of research with the Faculty of Nursing and holds appointments with the Division of Cardiology, the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Medicine, and the School of Public Health. She is the Cavarzan Chair in Mature Women's Health Research and a member of the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute. She is a founding member of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance, and the past Chair of the Health Policy and Services Working Group. Dr. Norris focuses on sex and gender factors that impact women’s heart disease, including under-diagnosis, treatment outcomes and health-related quality of life afterward. Dr. Norris is internationally recognized for her leadership in developing and disseminating evidence-informed strategies to transform clinical practice and impact public policy related to women’s heart health. 

Shauna Peets

Shauna Peets is a senior marketing veteran who has helped a range of businesses advance commerce, brand, and relationships. During her tenure with ATCO, she helped build community goodwill and relationships that optimized brand, investment, and sustainability through the management of $1.5+ M in community events, sponsorships, and donations. She is also a member of the Wear Red Canada/Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance. Shauna’s commitment to Heart & Stroke is also strengthened through a personal connection – she lost her 58-year-old sister prematurely to a heart attack.

Mike Tuff

Mike Tuff is Vice President Law Firm Business Development, Canada with Computershare. Mike and his family are native Calgarians, with strong family and community relationships in Calgary, and Alberta. 

On February 04, 2021, Mike’s wife Jen suffered the first of two strokes, and shortly after that day her incredible road to recovery began. Coupled with joining the Heart & Stroke, Mike also sits on the board of directors for the LUNA Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Calgary.

Chair: Candy Ho

As chief executive officer of The Cape on Bowen Community Development, a 618-acre southwestern coastal property, Candy completed in 2023 a 19-year project in selling - at market value - nearly 300 acres of ecologically significant private, serviced waterfront residential real estate for a legacy in perpetuity as a regional park and a nature reserve. This outcome represented a complete paradigm shift from conventional real estate development, which she achieved through an approach of openness, innovation and collaboration. She trusts that this will set a viable, foundational example for private interests to take genuine action against climate change in a way that results in multilateral wins across all stakeholder groups.

Having completed this legacy, her mission going forward is to uplift the consciousness of humanity. Her focus now is to develop and operate communities and leadership training centres to cultivate mindfulness, intentionality and holistic thriving. The environments she creates will nurture connection to self and in community, facilitate spiritual development, and program both the conscious and subconscious so that people may discover and live fully into their deepest, innate gifts and soul-level purpose.

Candy co-founded Element Lifestyle Retirement in 2012. She conceived of and designed the intergenerational model for retirement living after she identified, assembled and facilitated the acquisition of OPAL lands. Her intergenerational vision was applied to all of Element's projects and earned OASIS an international award over 950 projects assessed worldwide. She built Element's brand on vision, purpose and values. She was the face and the voice of the company in media and in industry conferences, and was responsible for community engagement, municipal relations, rezoning processes, investment fundraising, media relations, building design, community programming design, and leading project sales, leasing and marketing. Since 2019, her parents have resided in the first intergenerational retirement community in North America, Opal by Element.

In 2001, she joined CPAC Care Management and the retirement living industry. From 2005 to 2012, she provided consultancy on the development of aging-in-place retirement housing to local and international groups. In 2005, she joined The Cape on Bowen and over the years on the project, played multiple roles: visioning; strategic planning; partnership negotiations; municipal relations; project management; community relations; branding, sales & marketing. She left Element when she was appointed CEO of the Cape on Bowen in 2019.

Candy has a Bachelor of Science from UBC, where she was mentored in leadership under Dr. John Gilbert, Order of Canada and senior advisor for the World Health Organization. She is also an executive committee member of the Vancouver chapter of Young Canadians in Finance.

Past chair: Michael  Murphy, BA, MBA, MSc, ICD

Michael Murphy spent 14 years in the financial services industry with Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse in London. Upon return to Vancouver, he co-founded Torex Gold Resources, a TSX listed mid-tier gold producer. He is currently the president and CEO of Global Battery Metals Ltd., a junior exploration company. He is also on the board and a member of the audit committee of Ethos Gold. 

Michael graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts, from Saint Mary’s University with a Master of Business Administration, from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a Master of Science focusing in finance, and became a certified director through the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Troy Abromaitis

Troy Abromaitis is a member of Lytton First Nation, one of the communities of the Nlaka’ parnux Nation. He currently works as the Director of Development with the Bucci Group of Companies.

Mr. Abromaitis’ portfolio of work includes successfully managing over 30 development projects throughout Western Canada. He has over a decade of community service with his commitment to charitable causes, volunteerism and preserving local heritage. He currently sits on the Canadian Home Builder’s Association of BC Fraser Valley and the National indigenous Affordable Housing Corp.

Mr. Abromaitis is also the President of the Rotary Club of West Vancouver and the is on the West Point Grey Community Centre Association and the Sto:lo Business Association.

Ken Carrusca, P.ENG.

Ken Carrusca, P.Eng., works with the Cement Association of Canada, as its western region’s vice president of environment and marketing. He worked for many years in the areas of recycling, waste management and alternative fuels. He has worked at a Petro-Canada refinery, the BC Ministry of Environment, Metro Vancouver, and consulting before joining the Cement Association. His work has offered him the opportunity to speak with and present to a wide variety of audiences across BC, Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Brazil.

His focus at the Cement Association has been addressing the impacts of climate policy and carbon pricing in the BC and Alberta markets, with a strong focus on transitioning from conventional to lower carbon fuels. This role offers him the opportunity to connect with non-profit groups, industry, and municipal and provincial governments.

Ken has played recreational hockey since his late teens, and for over ten years he volunteered as an assistant coach with his sons' Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey teams. In January 2018 he was shocked back to life with an AED, after collapsing on the ice from a sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of a men's league hockey game. Forever grateful to his quick-thinking teammates and on-ice officials, he was saved by bystander CPR and one of thirteen AEDs at the ice arena complex. Following cardiac surgery and recovery with the support of his wife and family, he is honoured to have the opportunity to serve on the provincial board of Heart & Stroke, BC & Yukon. His passion is for the wide distribution of AEDs in schools and promoting the value of bystander CPR.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Ken holds degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering from UBC and is a registered professional engineer. He and his wife Susan are parents of two sons currently studying at university.

Jas Dhaliwal

Jas is the vice president, finance, at Odlum Brown, an award-winning investment firm that has helped clients achieve their financial goals for over 100 years.

Jas holds a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and is a chartered professional accountant and certified general accountant. He is a former Investment Industry Association of Canada (IIAC) Top Under 40 Award nominee and serves as an alternate member on the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) Financial and Operations Advisory Section (FOAS), which advises on the development of rules and policies on financial and operational matters affecting Canadian Investment Dealer Members.

Heart & Stroke holds a deep personal significance for Jas. In February 2020, he lost his father due to a sudden cardiac arrest. His father taught him the value of education and community from an early age, and remains as a source of inspiration for Jas. In honour of his father, Jas made it a priority to educate and raise awareness for heart health. In 2020, he established an annual scholarship in his father’s name to a deserving high school student in need of financial assistance to pursue post-secondary education.

Jas’s most important role is at home being a father. Together with his wife, he is dedicated to shaping and empowering their young son. He strives to lead by example and pass down the same values and sense of community that Jas’s father instilled in him. 

Annabelle Donovan

Annabelle Donovan is a consultant with over 20 years of human resources and leadership experience. She works with senior leaders in the public and private sectors, providing strategic planning, leadership development, culture change and coaching services. Previously, she was the Vice President of Human Resources with TransLink where she oversaw the provision of shared human resources services to over 8000 employees across the TransLink enterprise. She began her career as a labour and employment lawyer.

Annabelle and her father have experienced mitral valve prolapse, a congenital heart valve issue. While her dad passed away from complications following surgery almost four decades ago, Annabelle considers herself to be amazingly fortunate to have benefited from advancements in care which have included successful mitral valve repair and new medications. She is grateful for the love and support of her family and for the exceptional cardiac care she has received from the teams at Vancouver General Hospital and Lions Gate Hospital. She is honoured to serve on the Provincial Advisory Board of the Heart & Stroke Foundation and is keen on supporting health equity, particularly research and funding relating to women’s heart and brain health.  

Annabelle was born and raised in West Vancouver. She has an undergraduate degree in Political Science and English from the University of British Columbia and a Law degree from the University of Victoria. Annabelle has served on the B.C. Labour Relations Board and the B.C. Human Rights Advisory Committee. She is an active volunteer on the North Shore.

Dr. Jasmine Grewal

Dr. Jasmine Grewal is a Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and is the Head of the UBC Division of Cardiology, Director of the Yasmin and Amir Virani Provincial Adult Congenital Heart Program and Provincial Cardio-Obstetrics Program

With fellowship training in Adult Congenital Heart Disease/Pregnancy and Heart Disease (Toronto General Hospital) and Echocardiography (Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN), Dr. Grewal is actively involved in clinical and research activities in these fields. She is currently involved as a primary and co-investigator in numerous single center and multi-center research studies in the areas of congenital heart disease and pregnancy and heart disease. To date she has over 100 publications. 

She is the past Annual Meeting Chair for the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, President of the Canadian Adult Congenital Heart Network and Past President of the Alliance for Adult Research in Congenital Cardiology. She is a co-author of the 2022 CCS Guidelines for the Management of Congenital Heart Disease and co-chair of the 2021 Clinical Practice Document on Management of Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy.

Karin Humphries, MBA, DSc, FAHA

Dr. Karin Humphries, associate professor emeritus in the faculty of medicine at the University of British Columbia, is passionate about improving the care of women with heart disease. Throughout her career her research has focused on two key areas: sex and gender differences in the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of subjects with ischemic heart disease and the use of information technology (IT) to facilitate the translation of evidence into practice.

Karin continues to serve as the program head of the cardiovascular health program (ICVHealth) at the Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences, a UBC research centre located at St. Paul’s Hospital. In this role, she is able to focus on improving the quality of cardiovascular care by developing patient-centred and evidence-based approaches to treatment. She is currently leading a randomized controlled trial, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, that will evaluate the impact of using sex-specific cut-points in the assessment of patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected myocardial infarction (heart attack). The study seeks to demonstrate that using diagnostic levels appropriate for females will improve the diagnosis and treatment of women with myocardial infarction.

Karin is also co-chair of Heart & Stroke’s Women’s Heart Health Research Steering Committee where she advises on the use of $5 million in federal funding to support research in women and cardiovascular disease.

Yoyoe Lu

Yoyoe is a dynamic founder, entrepreneur, CEO, and content creator with extensive experience in the real estate industry. As the visionary behind Claridge Real Estate Advisors, a leading commercial real estate brokerage focused on development land sales, she has demonstrated her ability to transform traditional models. With a commitment to innovation, Yoyoe has spearheaded the integration of media production, marketing, and research into her firm's operations, elevating it to a modern real estate powerhouse.

In parallel, Yoyoe has successfully expanded her family's construction business into a thriving real estate enterprise. Her adept management has led to the establishment of multiple autonomous companies, spanning construction management, property development, and influencer media marketing and sales agency. Yoyoe's strategic oversight ensures each entity maintains its unique business philosophy while achieving exceptional results.

Committed to community and industry advancement, Yoyoe's leadership shines through her involvement in the St. Paul’s Foundation Future Leaders Committee and her role as the founding president of the Chinese Cultural Preservation Federation Society. Her dedication extends to serving on the board of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) Fraser Valley, as well as the Public Relations Chair of the Rotary Club of West Vancouver. Yoyoe's passion for animals is evident in her unwavering support for the BCSPCA. 

Further, Yoyoe’s father and grandfather have undergone heart surgeries, which has further fueled her commitment to healthcare causes. Yoyoe brings her diverse background and commitment to excellence to support the activities of the British Columbia & Yukon provincial board.

Douglas Lui, CPA, CA

Douglas Lui is a seasoned global executive with 25+ years’ experience in corporate finance, business development and governance across multiple industries in Canada, the US, Asia and Europe. He is a co-Founder and managing Partner of Misfit Ventures, Canada’s first and North American largest LGBTQ+ VC Fund focused on LGBTQ+ led startups to create the next unicorn.  He is also a Venture Partner in Vine Ventures, focused on sustainability and social impact projects.

His other appointments include: Board Member & Advisor of Aptera Motors, world’s first fully-solar vehicle based in California with US$120M+ raised and 45,000+ pre-order at $1.7B value; Board Advisor of Racialised Equity Screen Office, a government supported organisation to advocate for racialized individuals in media; Member of Fast Company Executive Board, leading publication on global fast growth companies; Executive in Residence of Foresight Canada, Canada’s leading organisation with mission to be first G7 country to reach net zero carbon emission; Advisor to Green Monday, the largest plant-based foodtech in Asia, and advisory roles in other Fintech, Proptech, Medtech, and other companies.

Prior to transitioning to VC, he was Chief Auditor for Sands China Ltd., world’s largest integrated resort, Hongkong Shanghai Hotels, owner of the famed Peninsula Hotels, and SAP, leading their North Asia division on CFO solutions. Before that, he was based in LA and New York, as the Global Finance Director of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music publisher, and Controller for the Universal Studios Group. He also headed the Operational Risk Management and Corporate Policy functions in one of the largest financial institutions in Southern California with over US$20B in assets.

He is an EY alumni and an active member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. He was on the Board of Governors for Institute of Internal Auditors (to 2020) and a frequent public speaker on corporate finance, business strategy, and corporate governance, in Asia and the US.

Greg Martin

Greg Martin has worked in B.C.’s mineral resources sector for over 25 years, most recently as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of SSR Mining Inc. Born and raised in BC, Greg’s family and in-laws reside in British Columbia. He studied Civil Engineering at University of British Columbia and completed his MBA at the Ivey School of Business. Greg is a Chartered Professional Accountant, CGA.

In the early days of the COVID pandemic, Greg’s wife suffered an unexpected stroke caused by an arterial dissection of the carotid artery. Quick identification of the situation, rapid response from paramedics and the care received at the VGH stroke unit has enabled her to make a full recovery. The event was a reminder on how important it was to identify the signs of stroke and take immediate action to save a life.

Greg is the proud father of daughters at Langara College and Kitsilano Secondary; and a son at Trafalgar Elementary. He enjoys coaching baseball and stays active on the Peleton, hockey rink, golf course, ski slopes and surf waves. 

Leon Ng

Leon is an innovative business leader and entrepreneur in the proptech industry, championing a synergetic group of companies focusing on creative media, real estate visualization, and emerging technology. Leon has a passion for innovative technologies like VR and AR and upholds it as a core value for LNG Studios and their projects. Leon was awarded the Business in Vancouver (BIV) Top 40 under 40, 2015 and Business in Vancouver (BIV) BC’s 500 Most Influential Business Leaders, 2021. With a background in broadcasting and film, Leon is a strong supporter of minority representation in cinema and sits on the advisory board for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. In 2021 Leon spearheaded the Pixel Moments campaign, a micro-philanthropy activation focusing on mental health awareness. Leon is a strong community leader, sitting on several boards such as St. Paul’s Foundation Future Leaders, SUCCESS Foundation, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation, BC & Yukon.

Michael Scott

Michael Scott is a lawyer in the Estates & Trusts group at Clark Wilson LLP. 

Michael works regularly with executors and trustees to assist with their responsibilities through the course of estate and trust administration. Michael assists clients with probate, addressing ambiguous wills, carrying out the various reporting and disclosure obligations of executors and trustees, distributions and all other matters that may arise in the administration process.

Michael works closely with his clients and their professional advisors to help implement effective plans for transfer of wealth, business succession, incapacity, charitable giving, disability or other needs. This is typically done through the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, representation agreements and various forms of trusts.

Michael also works with donors to implement charitable giving strategies and advises charities in connection with their rights as beneficiaries of estates and trusts. Michael is a member of the Vancouver Bar Association, the Law Society of British Columbia and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners.

Chair: Robyn Stewart

Robyn Stewart is an 18-year veteran accomplished event director, currently holding the role of executive director and CEO of the Western Canadian Music Alliance. Having started her career as a theatre stage manager, among other roles in the cultural industries, she is passionate about the creative process and the role culture plays in communities. Her experience reaches all areas of event management and talent buying, with her strongest skills lying in financial management, complex logistics, government relations and fund development and partner relationship building.

Among the projects she is most proud of are; celebration sites coordinator for the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2010, entertainment buyer for PanAmerican Games 2015, and her current role above, which allows her to support developing artists and engage in passion projects including working towards gender parity in the music industry on an international level.

A travel enthusiast herself, Robyn is incredibly driven by her work supporting artists to showcase and develop business in international markets. Robyn holds board positions on the Polaris Music Prize (national) and KeyChange (international) boards of directors. Robyn is an extreme supporter of the music industry and emerging talent in Canada and brings this passion to every project. 

On a personal level Robyn has a large family, including her two amazing boys, Jasper and Ty, who are the centre of her greatest joys in life. It is because of the importance of family life that Robyn became a lived experience volunteer with Heart & Stroke,  following her own open heart ASD repair surgery in 2016 at the age of 37. She hopes her support of Heart & Stroke will inspire others to care for themselves and their loved ones and to get the support needed in managing heart health.

Kimberley Levasseur Puhach

Kimberley is the vice president of People, Culture and Growth at The Canadian Museum for Human Rights. She is a strategic leader with expertise in human resource management, organizational development with specialization in inclusion, diversity and equity. Kimberley has worked in private, public and non-profit sectors and in a variety of industries. Most recently, she worked as associate vice president, People & Culture – West Region for Gallagher, a global insurance provider, risk management and human capital consulting firm. Prior to that, she was with the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology as the director of People Services and Indigenous Inclusion.

Kimberley serves as chair of the Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Circle, sits on the board of directors for End Homelessness Winnipeg, co-chairs the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council and acts as a member of the United Way of Winnipeg’s Circle of Indigenous Relations. She is past chair of an Indigenous-led community organization, Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. and past chair for the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation.

Levasseur Puhach – Bezhik Binese Ikwe or Lone Thunderbird Woman, is a proud First Nations woman. She is a member of the Sandy Bay Anishinaabe Nation. Her mother and several other family members are Indian residential school survivors. Kimberley is passionate about Indigenous social justice efforts and is committed to making a difference.  

Lorraine Maciboric

Lorraine is a very active and dedicated community connecter, fundraiser, and mentor. Even though Lorraine will say she is retired, she is busier now than ever before. She has many years of experience as executive director raising funds and awareness for many children/adolescent charities. She recently sat on the Capital Cabinet of the Toba Centre for Children in Youth, which opened its door late summer, 2023. Lorraine works tirelessly in connecting her diverse and extensive client list in helping causes she is extremely passionate about. Lorraine is very excited to bring her skills to support the Manitoba Provincial Advisory Board. 

Lana Maidment

Lana Maidment is the president and owner of Komana Financial Inc. Lana specializes in group benefits, life insurance and all insurance-based products to meet her clients’ needs. She currently serves as a board member with Ronald McDonald House, Manitoba Opera, Children’s Hospital Foundation, and Heart & Stroke. Lana also volunteers and supports fundraising events for Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg, Seven Oaks General Hospital, as well as several charity events across Manitoba. Lana is excited to bring her passion and energy to Heart & Stroke to work in collaboration with the team to advance Heart & Stroke’s vision: Life. Uninterrupted by heart disease and stroke and mission to: Promote health. Save lives. Enhance recovery.

Scott McCulloch

Scott is a proud, lifelong Winnipegger and a graduate of the I.H. Asper School of Business at the University of the Manitoba.

With a varied career spanning several fields including film, software development, post-secondary education, international sport, manufacturing, and construction, Scott now serves as Business Development Manager with PCL Constructors Canada and is responsible for all marketing and community development initiatives in the Winnipeg District.

Scott is committed to our community and has been actively involved with many Winnipeg community and not-for-profit groups over the years. From the United Way and the Winnipeg Art Gallery to the Manitoba Marathon and Community Financial Counselling Services, Scott firmly believes in the value of community service.

Scott lives in the Riverview area of Winnipeg with his wife Liz, sons Matias and Micah and daughter Madeleine.

Wajihah Mughal

Wajihah Mughal recently joined Mitacs as a business development specialist, promoting collaborative opportunities between academics and industry or non-profit organizations. In this position she engages with local research, technology, and entrepreneurial communities to build partnerships that drive innovation forward in Manitoba.

With two research publications, Wajihah is in the last stage of her PhD and is looking forward to defending her dissertation this summer. Her research project focuses on understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying cardiac development and heart failure. She has identified novel therapeutic targets to promote healthy cardiac cell survival. Her research has been supported by competitive scholarships from Research Manitoba and the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. Wajihah presented her work at the European Society of Cardiology conference in April 2018; where she won second place in the Young Investigators Award Oral Competition. Most notably, she recently received a prestigious major research award at the national Canadian Student Health Research Forum, for her academic achievements in cardiac research as recognized by the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation. 

Wajihah serves as an executive member on the diabetes research student committee at the University of Manitoba, where she has organized conferences and networking events and mentors health science graduate students. 

Diane Roussin

Diane Roussin is a dedicated community leader and a proud member of the Skownan First Nation. Diane has worked tirelessly for over two decades, primarily in Winnipeg’s inner city, with organizations and projects that respect the ability and the right of Indigenous families, children and individuals to care for themselves and thrive. She is a strong believer that families must determine their own solutions in order to create sustainable and equitable change.

Most recently, she became the project director for The Winnipeg Boldness Project, a research and development project focusing on improving outcomes for children in the North End of Winnipeg, through social innovation and social lab processes. Diane presented at TEDx Winnipeg in June 2018 on the topic of Indigenous social innovation. In January 2018, Diane received the Governor General’s Award for Outstanding Indigenous Leadership.

Diane holds bachelor of arts and bachelor of social work degrees, and sits on a number of boards, including the Winnipeg Foundation and Winnipeg Art Gallery. She is a cherished member of a large extended family and a loving mother of two daughters whom she adores.

Pam Sigurdson

Pam is the general manager for Sigurdson Financial Group (SFG) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her role includes managing the daily operations of their successful insurance and investment practice. Together with her husband, George Sigurdson, they have accumulated a clientele of over 3000 people and manage assets upwards of $250 million.

An alumna of Brock University, Pam has over 35 years experience in the Insurance Industry. Besides managing SFG, she is involved several Winnipeg charities. Pam spends as much time as possible with her grandchildren and makes travel with George a priority.

Pam and George have four children and four grandchildren between the two of them.

Stefan Tergesen

For over 30 years, Stefan Tergesen has been the owner-operator of H.P. Tergesen & Sons, a fourth-generational general merchant retail business in Manitoba established in 1899. 

Stefan is passionate about his community, family, and recreational life. He has served on the Gimli Heritage Advisory Committee and the Gimli Chamber of Commerce as a founder and executive. Stefan takes much pride in his business and employs a wide range of unique, cross-generational people ranging in ages from teens to seniors.

Stefan experienced cardiac arrest during the early stages of a trip to India. Luckily for him, quick action from bystanders at the airport and access to an AED machine saved his life. Knowing what it means to be a survivor, Stefan has joined the board at Heart & Stroke to fully support its mission: Promote health, Save lives. Enhance recovery.

Stefan’s love of recreational sports is only matched by his affection for all animals, in particular his dog Milos and cat Carol, both rescue animals from the Gimli Humane Society. Stefan leads an active lifestyle with hockey being a natural pastime and mountain biking, and snowboarding are paramount to Stefan despite the fact that he lives on the prairies. Live music, fine dining, and an appreciation for stand-up comedy are constants in his life. Travel has also been a lifelong passion that has led him to Iceland, Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America.

Jack Walker 

Professionally, Jack is a Senior Consultant with the MNP Enterprise Risk Services team in Winnipeg, MB. He enjoys assisting a variety of clients in a variety of industries across Canada with various internal audit and compliance needs. He has a love of learning more about the businesses and industries of his clients and how he can better help them meet their goals. Jack holds both Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designations. 

Jack has always been passionate about giving back to his community. He has extensive experience as a canvasser for several organizations including the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Jack sits on several other non-profit Boards including the Mouseland Press which oversees operations of the University of Winnipeg’s campus and community paper – The Uniter, the Business Economic (BE) Network for which seeks to build connections for University of Winnipeg BE alumni and current students as well as the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) – Winnipeg where Jack holds the VP Education role coordinating education opportunities for current Certified Internal Auditors (CIA).

Jack’s personal connection to Heart & Stroke was instilled by his father, Mark, who taught him early on the important of giving back to your community. Jack developed a further connection to Heart & Stroke when his own grandfather, Greg, suffered a heart attack two years ago. Thanks to the quick thinking of his mother, a former ICU nurse, and the incredible advancements in healthcare, Greg survived and continues to live a full life to this day – golfing, spending time at the cabin and attending bomber games together with Jack. 

Jack and his wife Yarianny became parents in 2023 and they both absolutely love their little son Max. Jack enjoys being with his wife and little one - taking Max out for walks, talking to his son and playing with him around the house. Jack strives to lead by example for little Max so that one day he too will have a drive to give back to his community.  

Kevin Aylward

Kevin Aylward is a highly experienced executive with a diverse background in both the public and private sectors. He currently serves as the chief operating officer at LNG NL, where he is developing Offshore Gas and LNG for export from Canada to support the energy transition. Prior to his current role, Kevin was the chief operating officer and partner at Beothuk Energy Inc., where he led a joint venture with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to develop Offshore Wind sites in Atlantic Canada. With a strong background in business development and capital raising, Kevin also serves as the President of Aylward and Associates Consulting Group.

Kevin's extensive executive management and leadership experience spans various sectors, including marine energy development, regulatory affairs, environmental assessment, and Indigenous and stakeholder relations. His previous roles as a provincial cabinet minister and Leader of the Provincial Liberal Party of NL, as well as his experience as CEO of the Goose Bay International Airport and Nunacor Development Corporation in Labrador, have further enriched his leadership capabilities.

A member of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, Kevin brings a unique perspective to his work, with a strong focus on renewable energy, business development and Indigenous relations.

David Brazil

David Brazil is a dedicated public servant and community leader in Newfoundland and Labrador, with a career spanning over 25 years in senior management roles within the provincial government. A graduate of Memorial University, CNA, and York University, he has extensive experience in employment, education, health, tourism, youth engagement, and infrastructure. First elected to the House of Assembly in 2010, he served multiple terms and held key positions, including Minister of Transportation and Works and Leader of the Official Opposition. Beyond politics, David is an entrepreneur and active community volunteer, contributing to initiatives in poverty reduction, health care improvement, and economic development. He stepped down as MHA for Conception Bay East – Bell Island in December 2023 and looks forward to continuing his dedicated service and giving back to the province he loves in the years ahead.

Johanna Brown

Johanna is a B2B technology sales strategist, having within the tech sector over the past 14 years in enterprise sales. Through her sales consulting practice, Rivet, Johanna empowers early-stage tech companies to build their path to revenue and scalable growth. Working with clients across North America, while based in St. John’s, NL.

Johanna is the incoming chair of techNL, a managing partner for Women’s Equity Lab (Atlantic), serves on tech related selection committees locally and federally, and is a mentor for the Canadian Women’s Network (CWN).

Dedicated to fostering diversity and gender inclusion within the technology sector, Johanna actively advocates for increased representation of women in tech and leadership roles.

Kris Mulcahy

Kris Mulcahy is a dynamic leader and advocate with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, wellness, business development, and community impact. He currently serves as the CEO of Mulcahy Creative Solutions (MCS) and the executive director of the Heavy Civil Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (HCANL), where he drives initiatives to strengthen small business and the construction industry, foster collaboration, and support workforce development.

Kris’s career includes key roles such as director of business development and Innovation at Brightisle, executive director of Caregivers NL and Parallel Health, where he implemented innovative healthcare models to improve patient care. Plus, with over a decade as the divisional manager for GoodLife Fitness and as the GLPTI national trainer, Kris’s dedication to health and wellness is deeply rooted in his professional background.

In addition to his professional roles, Kris is actively involved in his community. He serves on the boards of End Homelessness St. John’s, Nature NL, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA), and is a member of the Provincial Advisory Board for Heart & Stroke. A passionate advocate for community health and safety, Kris also contributes as a coach for his son’s soccer team, promoting positive values and wellness for young athletes.

Kris holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Strategic Innovation certificate from Oxford Saïd Business School. With a people-first approach, Kris is committed to driving impactful change, advancing health and wellness, and supporting  Heart & Stroke’s mission to create healthier communities across Newfoundland and Labrador.

  Chris Peddigrew

Chris Peddigrew is a private practice lawyer with the Peddigrew Wade law firm in St. John’s, NL. Chris graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-operative) Honours degree in 1999, and in 2003 graduated from Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law. Chris was called to the Bar in this Province in 2004 and became a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Chris’ practice focuses on labour and employment law and alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration. Chris is also an arbitrator on the provincial roster of labour arbitrators and a vice-chairperson of the NL Labour Relations Board. Chris also practices in personal injury, business law, administrative law, residential and commercial real estate transactions, and general litigation.

Prior to joining the Provincial Advisory Board of the Heart & Stroke, Chris volunteered with a number of community organizations, including several years on the board of directors of Choices for Youth and the St. Patrick’s Mercy Home Foundation.

Chris is the proud father of Sonny and husband of Gill. In his spare time, Chris still enjoys a game of hockey with friends.

Tammy Priddle

Tammy is from Western NL, living in Corner Brook with her husband Craig. Tammy is a licensed occupational therapist and worked for twenty-five years in healthcare prior to a career change in 2020 when she became president and CEO of Deer Lake Regional Airport. Tammy holds a Master’s in Public Administration Management from Dalhousie University.

Tammy currently is chair of the Atlantic Canada Airports Association and sits on the Patient Family Centred Care Steering Committee for NL Health Services-Western Zone.

Tammy enjoys salmon angling, hiking and spending time outdoors with family and friends.

Janet Templeton

Janet is a retired registered nurse and administrator with over 37 years in health care in Newfoundland and Labrador with experience beginning as a direct care provider, to over 25 years in progressive healthcare administration roles as manager and director.  A significant focus of her work was with stroke care management, with areas of responsibility including managing and directing the implementation of Stroke Best Practices regionally and provincially as the co-chair of the Provincial Stroke Steering Committee with the Department of Health lead for the province.   

Janet has demonstrated success in working with provincial partners, government representatives and agencies, as well as developing strong teams dedicated to implementing evidence based best practices and achieving timely results in complex health care systems. As a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Janet holds both a bachelor's and master's degree in nursing. 

Janet has much family experience with heart and stroke illness with a significant family history of cardiac disease, and lives in a province which unfortunately continues to have a high prevalence of heart disease. 

Ed Williams

Ed is a highly accomplished executive with over 30 years of management experience in the oil and gas, mining, and forestry sectors. His expertise in navigating the intricacies of federal and provincial governments, regulators, industry groups, and labor unions is unparalleled. From 2013-2019, he served as the full-time vice-chair of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, where he played a pivotal role in elevating the organization into a world-class energy regulator, resulting in unprecedented industry investment.

Renowned for his exceptional ability to influence decision-makers and foster consensus, Ed possesses proven, highly effective human and financial resources management abilities, along with strong technical aptitude and outstanding leadership, planning, and communication skills.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Ed has held influential roles as chair of Tennis Newfoundland and Labrador, chair of the Atlantic Light Theatre company, and director of the Canadian Offshore Vessels Operators Association. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Memorial University and the prestigious ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Beyond his professional pursuits, he takes pride in being a devoted husband and father to three thriving adult children.

Nadine Bernard

David Craig

David has spent more than 30 years in the telecom and information technology management fields. He retired at the end of 2021 after spending a number of years as the Chief Technology Officer at One Communications, a leading telecom service provider in Bermuda. He also spent many years at Eastlink, Irving, and Emera.

Now based in Dartmouth Nova Scotia, he is enjoying the flexible schedule that retirement offers while still doing some project-based consulting work. David graduated from the Technical University of Nova Scotia (now Dalhousie University) with a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering.

David is a lifelong volunteer with organizations like Dalhousie University, Engineers Nova Scotia, Conference Board of Canada, Junior Achievement, Brightwood Golf Cub, and the Dartmouth Whalers Minor Hockey Association. He now enjoys travelling and spending time with his new grandson.

David has a very personal connection with cardiac issues. He is a stroke survivor who was impacted shortly after his father was more severely affected by heart disease. He witnessed firsthand both the challenges of heart disease, and the remarkable people involved in the health care system in Nova Scotia.

Tapajyoti (Tukan) Das

Tukan Das is the VP of Product Marketing at Foundry. He is the former CEO and co-founder of LeadSift, a venture backed tech start-up out of Halifax which was acquired by IDG in 2021. Originally from India, Tukan immigrated to Canada to study computer science at Dalhousie university. Tukan is super excited about the possibilities of technology and AI and has been active in the local community, hosting regular events and hackathons – bringing in people from academia, startups, industry and government together. As part of East Valley Ventures, Tukan is an active angel investor investing and mentoring upcoming startups across Atlantic Canada. 

Andrea Hughes

Andrea Hughes is a change-maker who has made it her mission to transform companies from the inside out. She is a decisive and multi-faceted business development professional with decades of sales, marketing, customer experience, and strategic planning experience on both Canada and the US businesses for large, beloved brands such as Coca-Cola and Tim Hortons, as well as high potential, mid sided family businesses.

Her true gift lies in her ability to read people; to see the bigger picture and evaluate the changes needed in a way that is equitable, collaborative, and inspiring. With a strong people-first philosophy, Andrea’s ability to lead and empower the teams to grow and succeed has led to efficient, motivated, and high-performing organizations.   Andrea believes in developing strong leaders, guiding analytical decision making, solving tough problems, building relationships, and using a strong business acumen to drive growth. 

As director of brand marketing at Tim Horton’s, she learned best practices for managing rapid expansion, scaling, and transformation without sacrificing the corporate culture.  She understands the importance of internal and external partnerships and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships to achieve profitable growth. She has taken the change model she honed at Tim Horton’s and applied it to grow several prominent Atlantic Canadian businesses (Eastlink & SaltWire) and across multiple industries (CPG, Retail/QSR, Telecommunications and Media).

At SaltWire, she has woven her people-first philosophy into the DNA of the organization, emphasizing it throughout the employee experience. She is ensuring that all programs and processes are developed and implemented keeping employees, members, and clients top-of-mind to facilitate a culture that takes care of people. Andrea isn’t afraid to reinvent the wheel when necessary, ensuring that everyone on the team is maximizing their potential.

Outside of the office, Andrea is passionate about mentorship, community building, and health. She keeps her mind and body active by running, playing tennis, yoga, golf, skiing, painting, and reading.

Robyn McIsaac

Robyn McIsaac is a vice president with Crestview Strategy, a leading international public affairs agency based in Canada. Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, she is an award-winning communications strategist. Over her 25+ year career, she has designed and implemented successful communications and engagement strategies for a wide range of clients in many sectors.

In 2012, Robyn founded The PR Hive, a full-service public relations firm based out of Halifax ,and grew it into a leading Atlantic Canada communications agency before being acquired by Crestview Strategy. 

Robyn holds a Master of Public Relations, Bachelor of Public Relations and a Bachelor of Arts, all from Mount Saint Vincent University.

At the age of 48, Robyn’s mother suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. With the support of her family and many health professionals, she began a long journey of rehabilitation. Passionate about communication, Robyn served for 11 years on the board of Hearing and Speech Nova Scotia, including two terms as treasurer. In addition to Heart & Stroke, Robyn is also on the editorial team for The McMaster Journal of Communications, is a member of the Valley Women’s Business Network and 100+ Women Who Care Halifax.

Dr. John Sapp

Dr. John Sapp has been a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax Nova Scotia since 2002. He is a professor of medicine, cross-appointed to the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Dalhousie University, where he also serves as assistant dean of Clinical Research for the Faculty of Medicine. 

Dr. Sapp is principal investigator of the VANISH and VANISH2 trials. He has served as president of the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society and is a member of DalCREW. His clinical and research interests include methods for reducing sudden death, improving cardiac mapping, catheter ablation, cardiac resynchronization, cardiac arrhythmias and clinical management of ventricular arrhythmias.

Chair: Victoria Nguyen

Victoria is Vice President of Project Delivery - Direct Financial Services for CIBC Capital Markets, providing leadership to a diverse team of professionals who lead strategic, high-profile, complex and organization-wide initiatives at CIBC. She is an accomplished business executive and transformation professional. Her career spans over 25 years leading large scale change in many of North America’s best-known brands. Her strong delivery track record enabled successes in financial merger-integrations, corporate restructuring, innovative solutions and global business and technology transformations. 

Victoria is an active advocate and volunteer with Professional Mentoring, Women in Leadership, Inclusion & Diversity, Visible Minority Associations and other local charities. She was a Director of the Project Management Institute (PMI) Toronto. Victoria is a 2021 Women of Inspiration award recipient; Canada’s Top 100 Women of Change book contributor and on the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment – Economic Justice Task Force.

Victoria is currently CIBC’s Executive Sponsor of Ride for Heart and was TD’s Co-Captain of Ride for Heart since 2015.

Vice chair: Werner Dietl

Werner Dietl joined the Ontario Provincial Board in 2020. Werner is the President and CEO of BretonGale Limited, a private equity real estate company focused on driving growth, legacy and value on the industrial real estate projects he and his team work on. Werner was previously the President and CEO of CBRE Limited, Canada’s largest full service commercial real estate firm. Werner is also passionate about sustainability, diversity and inclusion and adding value in the communities where he operates across Canada. Werner has been a Ride for Heart rider and is active on the Development Committee where he is enthusiastic for driving awareness for Heart and Stroke through the community.  

Werner has been a Ride for Heart rider and is active on the Development Committee where he is enthusiastic for driving awareness for Heart and Stroke through the community. 

Dr. Husam Abdel-Qadir, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Husam Abdel-Qadir joined the Ontario Board in 2022. He is a cardiologist at Women’s College Hospital and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, and a scientist at Women’s College Research Institute, the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, and ICES.

He graduated from the University of Toronto’s medical school with the Silver Medal and completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the University of Toronto, followed by a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research at the Institute for Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation. 

His primary clinical and research focus is the cardiovascular health of people with cancer, particularly breast cancer. This research is supported by an early career Chair in Heart and Brain Health and the 2020 National New Investigator Award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. He also leads a research program on the management and outcomes of people with atrial fibrillation. His work has been recognized by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Young Investigator Award and Atrial Fibrillation Research Award, European Society of Cardiology Young Investigator Award, and the Polanyi prize in Medicine/ Physiology.

Dr. Abdel-Qadir is a board member of the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario and serves as its Director of Continuing Professional Development. He is also a member of the Advisory Board to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

Jim Aber

Jim is a seasoned senior executive with over 30 years of experience in the telecom and technology industries in both Canada and the United States. In his current role as a Senior Advisor at Deloitte, Jim works with large and mid-sized organizations in addressing their business challenges, including IoT and 5G planning, go to market approach and use of AI and ML to streamline their business.

In addition to holding operational roles at several telecom, Jim was President of both a mortgage technology company and a financial services technology company in Canada. He has been involved in several not-for-profit organizations, including Career Edge, Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto, and the Ride to Conquer Cancer. Jim now resides in Toronto with his wife Deborah.

Dr. Bernice Downey joined the Ontario Provincial Board in 2020. Dr. Downey is a woman of Ojibwe/Saulteaux and Celtic heritage, a mother and a grandmother. She is a medical anthropologist with research interests in Indigenous health, health literacy and Indigenous Traditional knowledge and health/research system reform for Indigenous populations.

Bernice is currently cross appointed to the School of Nursing and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and is the inaugural Associate Dean, Indigenous Health for the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. She holds a Heart & Stroke Foundation - Canadian Institute of Health Research - Early Career Chair in Indigenous Women’s Heart and Brain Health.

Dr.Downey is an experienced administrator, facilitator, and an organizational and systemic change agent. She is also a life-long advocate in the work towards addressing the serious health inequities among Indigenous populations in Canada.

Garima is a person living with stroke and an advocate for greater awareness of the risk factors of heart disease and stroke in women. Garima has given back in many ways, starting shortly after her stroke and continuing over the years, including being the face of Heart & Stroke's awareness campaign that kicked off the second phase of their women's heart & brain health initiative. Most recently, she also joined Heart & Stroke's Ontario Provincial Advisory Board.

Garima is a mother of two adult children, who are now grown, and she works in the federal government as assistant deputy minister in Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, based in Ottawa.

Mary Joyce Empensando (“MJ”), BSc, CIM, FCSI, is the Chief Compliance Officer at Questrade, Inc., an order‐execution investment dealer and MSB dealing in investment funds, equities, fixed‐income, options, CFD’s and foreign exchange. Ms. Empensando is also the Chief Compliance Officer of sister companies, Questrade Wealth Management, Inc., a portfolio manager, investment fund manager, exempt market dealer and the first to offer Robo‐Advisory services in Canada; and Community Trust Company, Federally Regulated Financial Institution providing a wide range of financial and trustee services including deposit, investment, mortgage and loan products to individuals and corporate entities across Canada.

MJ is responsible for all regulatory compliance‐related activity as well as the Anti‐Money Laundering, Anti‐Terrorism compliance regimes. MJ has worked in the financial industry for over 25 years at firms including TD Canada Trust, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IA Clarington Investments and Fidelity Canada. She is a member of various industry committees including CIRO’s Conduct, Compliance, and Legal Advisory Section Executive, a member of CIRO’s Ontario Regional Council, the Chair of the Investment Industry Association of Canada’s Online Brokerage Committee, the chair of the IIAC OEO Sub‐Committee, and a member of OSC Registrant Advisory Committee.

Mark Gardhouse

Mark Gardhouse is an experienced financial professional, having worked in the Canadian private equity industry, in Toronto and Alberta for over thirty-five years, with senior leadership roles in private equity and alternative finance with several large Canadian financial institutions and both private and public companies. His past President /CEO roles have included several companies with over $500 million in revenues and 1,400 employees.

Most recently, Mark was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mosaic Capital Corporation, a Calgary based, publicly listed mid-market private equity investment company.

He has had past board experience with a number of Canadian private and public companies, as well as the Business Board and Audit Committee of the University of Toronto and advisory boards at the University of Alberta. Mark holds an economic degree from the University of Toronto, a Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business, Western University and has an ICD.D designation. 

Mark has personally been impacted by serious heart and stroke issues and is deeply grateful for Heart & Stroke’s long-standing commitment to research and development.

Melissa Hartwick

Melissa Hartwick joined the Ontario Provincial Board in January 2022 after serving as Chair of the Heart & Stroke Young Leaders. She is currently a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group, one of the top management consulting firms globally. Prior to BCG, Melissa was active in Canada’s tech sector, having worked on AI product development at Element AI and reducing retail food waste at Flashfood.

She graduated with Honors from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, where she was also captain of the Women’s Varsity Ringette Team. In her free time, she enjoys staying active and has completed two half marathons to date.

Melissa has been passionate about raising awareness and funds for Heart & Stroke research after losing her dad to a heart attack in 2015. 

Janice Lin

Janice Lin is a managing director, head of Canada in the Real Estate Group. Before joining Blackstone, Janice was the chief investment officer for Revera, Inc., PSP Investments’ wholly owned portfolio company and global owner of retirement residences throughout Canada, the U.S. and U.K. Prior to Revera, Janice held senior investment roles with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s Real Estate and Private Equity groups. Janice has an MBA from Harvard Business School and Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, graduating Cum Laude.

Janice serves on the REALPAC Board of Directors, University of Toronto Real Estate Advisory Committee, the Heart & Stroke Ontario Provincial board, and is vice chair for the HBS Fund Council.

Trace Molson

Trace Molson joined the Ontario Provincial Board in 2020. She is active in speaking to bring awareness about women’s heart health. 

Trace is the Director of Programs and Procurement, Operational Excellence, at BentallGreenOak.  Previously, Trace ran her own firm providing management services. Prior to that, she was with Bentall Kennedy, managing a million square feet of office and industrial space for a leading Canadian financial institution.  Trace’s management experience includes banking facilities, residential long-term care and student housing.

Like many of us, Trace has numerous family members and friends who have been impacted by heart disease and stroke. Two of her children were born with congenital heart defects, one of whom required reconstructive heart surgery. Trace is deeply grateful for Heart and Stroke’s long-standing commitment to research and development; funding in the 1960s directly contributed to the development of repair techniques for congenital defects, saving thousands of children.

Trace earned a BA from the University of Waterloo and an MBA in Finance from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Patrick Riesterer 

Patrick is vice president & deputy general counsel at Interac Corp., where he leads the team of lawyers responsible for the legal needs of Interac’s Technology & Operations department, its Innovation Labs and New Ventures department. He is also Interac’s lead counsel on the Real Time Rail project.

Prior to joining Interac, Patrick spent many years as an associate in Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s Insolvency and Restructuring group, where he worked on many significant insolvency matters and was recognized as a “Rising Star” by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR). Patrick studied law at the University of Toronto.

Patrick joined the Ontario Provincial Board in January 2022. Like many people in Canada, Patrick’s family and friends have been impacted by heart disease and stroke. Patrick is grateful for the opportunity to assist the Heart & Stroke in its mission to find life-saving solutions to these diseases and address health inequities. 

Paula Rietta

Paula Rietta joined the Ontario Provincial Board in 2021. As the Group General Counsel at Cox Automotive Canada Company, Paula Rietta is responsible for the overall provision of legal services to the Company’s multiple business units, including commercial transactions, business operations, overall compliance and general business matters for both Canada and Brazil.

A professional leader with global automotive and financial industry experiences, Paula is committed to excellence and combines her analytical strengths with her robust business mindset to ensure company policies and risk tolerance are managed while delivering outstanding client service. As an authentic leader; Paula also believes that the success of an organization is a result of leveraging sound judgment and working collaboratively with internal and cross-functional stakeholders. Paula is also an advocate of workplace diversity and inclusion and is passionate about creating innovative ways to strengthen D&I across the organizations she works for. 

Prior to joining Cox Canada, Ms. Rietta was Vice-President, Legal for Ford Credit Canada Company based in Oakville. Ms. Rietta holds a Bachelor of Law from Windsor University and a Master of Arts, from University of Toronto.

Sarah Blanchard

Sarah Blanchard-Eng studied in Paris at Le Cordon Blue, and graduated with a Master’s degree in Sommellerie and Wine management. During her eight years in France, Sarah worked in some of the country’s most celebrated wine regions.

At the age of 29, Sarah experienced a stroke alone in a hotel room while on a business trip in Italy. Since then, she has been a passionate advocate for those with lived experience, creating both inpatient and community support programs for those under 60. Sarah is dedicated to raising awareness for women’s heart and brain health and in 2020, she took part in updating Canada’s Best Practice guidelines for Stroke.

Among her many roles, her dearest are spouse and mother.

Dr. Joseph Gordon

Dr. Joseph Gordon is an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Prince Edward Island and is cross appointed in the Faculties of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Using both cell culture and animal models, his research focuses on the regulation of metabolism during diabetic cardiomyopathy, muscle insulin resistance, and investigates how modern obesity medication impacts muscle function. Dr. Gordon’s research program is funded by Heart & Stroke, Diabetes Canada, and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Dr. Gordon is also a certified BLS Instructor with Heart & Stroke, and is a volunteer first responder with the Canadian Ski Patrol.

Scott Harper

Scott Harper joined the Wind Energy Institute of Canada in the summer of 2007 and has overseen the development of the organization since that time. In his role as CEO, Scott works closely with the Board of Directors to develop the strategic direction for the organization which guides the development of the technical program at WEICan.

Prior to working with WEICan, Scott spent most of his career working for the Government of Canada with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). As an Economic Development Officer, Scott worked in the renewable energy sector and was instrumental in the planning and establishment of WEICan. While employed by the Federal Government, Scott gained a great deal of experience in intergovernmental affairs and sector development planning. Scott also held a position as the general manager of a not-for-profit economic development corporation which was involved in tourism, information technology, business incubation and other initiatives. Scott holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of Prince Edward Island where he sat on the Board of Governors for several years.

Alex A. MacBeath

Alex MacBeath received his B.Sc. from UPEI and his MBA from Dalhousie University. A member of the Canadian, Ontario and Prince Edward Island Institutes of Chartered Professional Accountants, Alex received his C.P.A. designation in 1979 and was awarded his FCPA in 2003. He is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds his ICD.D designation through the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and has completed Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School, the University of Oxford, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Alex was with Grant Thornton LLP for 35 years, 26 of those as partner. He was CEO and executive partner of Grant Thornton LLP from 2001 – 2008. From 2008 until his retirement in 2012, he was ‘Global Leader, Markets’ and ‘Regional Leader, Asia Pacific’ at Grant Thornton International based in London, UK. Alex has extensive experience in business strategy, risk management, national and international markets and managing change in large and complex organizations.

Alex is the founder and managing partner of Island Capital Partners Fund I and Fund II,  seed stage venture capital funds; He is also CEO, AtholBarra Inc; executive director, PEI Bridge. Alex has also held senior leadership roles in many organizations from different industries.

He lives in Gladstone, PEI with his wife, Nancy. They have one adult daughter, Amy.

Chair: Jocelyn Théoret

Jocelyn Theoret started his own management consulting company at the beginning of 2019, after many years as Senior Manager in organizational transformation, and leader of The Customer Experience Management Services, for Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton’s Strategic and Performance Consulting Group. He also has almost 20 years of experience in process optimization, project management and operations management. As a strategic leader, he has successfully delivered customer experience optimization and operational efficiency projects. Before reorienting his career in the field of management consultant services, Jocelyn Theoret worked for several world-class companies, such as SNC-Lavalin, Bell Canada and Vidéotron.

An engineer by training, he also holds an MBA in finance and is trained in project management (PMP).

Jocelyn was actively involved in the Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal (JCCM) for several years as an officer and Chairman of the board of directors. He also sits on the JCCM Foundation’s board of directors. He was a member of the jury for the Québec entrepreneurship contest held by the Service aux Jeunes Entrepreneurs (SAJE) in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and evaluated candidatures for the Mercuriades contest held by the Fédération des Chambres de Commerce du Québec (FCCQ) in 2011. In 2013, he was Chairman of the young leaders committee for the TOHU’s fundraising gala which took place in the heart of the circus arts’ city. He joined Heart & Stroke’s provincial board in 2014.

Vice chair: Donald Beauchamp

Donald Beauchamp is a communications specialist and strategist. He has spent his entire life working in the field of sports, particularly hockey. Prior to serving as senior vice president of communications for the Montreal Canadiens from 1993 to 2018, he was the director of marketing and communications for Hockey Canada from 1985 to 1993, and director of sports information at the University of Ottawa from 1983 to 1985.

A leader in the world of hockey, Donald has competed at an international level in several major competitions: the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988, the Albertville Olympics in 1992, the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994, and four world championships in Europe.

With his family being affected by the scourge of heart disease — his son Émile suffers from a congenital heart defect, but he can live life to the fullest and follow in his father's footsteps — Donald joined the provincial board of Heart & Stroke in December 2018.

Maya Angenot 

Maya Angenot is a lawyer and partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, where she works in the commercial litigation sector, mostly on class actions pertaining to pharmaceutical products, product liability and consumer protection. In 2021, she was recognized as a Leading Lawyer under 40 in Canada by Lexpert Magazine, published in collaboration with the Globe and Mail.

Before starting her career, Maya earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, as well as a bachelor’s degree in civil law and another in common law from McGill University. She also earned a master’s degree in law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a member of the Quebec Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Maya is very involved in the community. Before joining the Heart & Stroke Advisory Board in Quebec, she held similar positions in various charitable organizations in the health and education sectors. She also takes part in numerous initiatives to advocate for the advancement and retention of women in law. 

Melissa Carter

Melissa Carter joined the Quebec provincial board at the end of 2019. She is associate vice president and senior branch manager at RBC, Quebec. She has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles in the financial services industry. She is recognized for her innovative and creative approach that focuses on change and outcomes while giving much consideration to human values. She has proven to have the capacity to build strong partnerships that create synergies among key stakeholders. She cares about her employees’ and clients’ interests.

Melissa is proud to share her expertise and experience with Heart & Stroke. She takes an interest in leading the fight against heart disease, stroke and related conditions in many ways possible, such as addressing women’s research inequities.

Melissa holds an MBA from Quebec’s University in Montréal. She lives in Montréal with her spouse and their children.

Dr. Catherine Legault

Dr. Catherine Legault is a neurologist at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). She studied medicine at McGill University in Montreal, then did her neurology residency at the Montreal Neurological Hospital – McGill. After her residency, she completed a stroke fellowship at Stanford University in California to further her knowledge of vascular neurology, followed by a research fellowship with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) StrokeNet group. She returned to McGill in 2018 and is currently an assistant professor at the university. Her clinical practice interests include acute stroke, neurological critical care, juvenile stroke, and autoimmune diseases with neurovascular consequences. She is involved in multiple clinical research projects in acute stroke and stroke prevention.

Dr. Legault has been a member of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Advisory Board since 2019. She was motivated to join because she understands the importance of educating people about stroke so they can recognize the signs, which is a key to effective prevention.

Dr. Christine Pacheco

Dr. Christine Pacheco is currently a cardiologist at Pierre-Boucher Hospital. After she finished her medical studies, a specialization in internal medicine and a sub-specialization in adult cardiology at the University of Montréal, she completed a fellowship in women’s heart health in Los Angeles, California at the Smidt Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute’s Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center. Under the supervision of Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, a pioneer in the field, she obtained a vast amount of clinical and research experience in cardiovascular diseases that primarily affect women, such as coronary microvascular disease and myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries, as well as the care and monitoring of pregnancy-related heart complications. She has authored several articles and spoken at numerous national and international congresses.

Maurice Rinaldi

Maurice Rinaldi is the founder, President and CEO of Agence Rinaldi, in Montréal. He leads the firm into developing solid relationships and successful assignments since the agency creation in August 1994.

Maurice has close to 30 years of experience in advertising, marketing and communication. He’s passionate about corporate and brand communications, strategy, market and consumer research, public and media relations, as well as traditional and digital advertising. He’s the agency gatekeeper for clients in different industries, both B2C and B2B.

Known for giving advice to clients on what they need to hear versus what they want to hear, Maurice is highly respected in business and media circles locally, regionally, and nationally. 

Maurice makes use of his experience and his expertise to counsel at senior level for multinationals and executive boards. Volunteer and philanthropist, he participates in different foundations and associations, such as Strangers in the Night, T-CAAN, and John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition. He joined the Heart & Stroke’s Provincial Board in August 2018.

Jo-Anne Swanson

Married for 44 years, mother of two adult children and grandmother of four little ones, Jo-Anne worked in project management and held executive positions during her career. 

She’s the owner of the Friperie du cœur thrift store whose mission is to give a second life to various items and clothing — just like her, who had a second chance at life after her heart condition.

In 2015 at the age of 44, Jo-Anne had a massive myocardial infarction damaging 40% of her heart. She was physically active and worked over 80 to 90 hours per week. She had to rebuild herself after this huge ordeal, a process that took almost two years. Today, she is in excellent health thanks to the lifestyle changes she made, such as managing her stress. 

Jo-Anne now spends most of her time working to promote women’s heart health through the Red Dress Gala fundraiser, where she is the organizer and director. All proceeds go to Heart & Stroke, an organization that is very close to her heart. 

In 2024, Jo-Anne joined Heart & Stroke’s Quebec advisory board to raise awareness of heart disease and promote healthy lifestyle habits.

Francis Verreault-Paul

A member of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation (Innu of Mashteuiatsh), Francis Verreault-Paul is currently Director of Communications and Government Relations at the First Nations Education Council (FNEC), an association that brings together eight First Nations in Quebec and contributes to the full ownership of education by First Nations. Francis joined the Heart & Stroke Provincial Advisory Board in January 2023.

Proud of his roots and driven by the traditional values that have been transmitted to him by his family and his community, Francis has a deep desire to engage in the development and self-determination of First Nations while continuing to build relationships based on trust and respect of all nations. 

Francis holds a Bachelor of Science from McGill University and an MBA from the University of Buckingham, England. His professional background has led him to work primarily in the fields of education and government relations. He held the position of Chief of First Nations Relations at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, as well as a political advisor within his community. 

Sports have always played an important role in Francis’s life. He played for various hockey leagues, namely the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for five years with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, in addition to playing for the McGill University team, where he won the national title. He then made the jump to the pros, where he played for a few years. Francis has won a number of individual honours, including the Guy Lafleur Excellence Scholarship (2011), an award given to the athlete with the best combination of education and sport, and the McGill University and Quebec Male Athlete Award (2009-2010).

Chair: Lyndon J. Linklater

Lyndon J Linklater is a traditional knowledge keeper and storyteller. He has an educational background in Indian Social Work, Indian Studies and some law.

He is a citizen of the Thunderchild Cree Nation in Treaty 6 and has roots in Couchiching First Nation (Fort Francis, Ontario) in Treaty 3.

Presently, Lyndon shares work with the Remai Modern Art Museum in Saskatoon as their Indigenous Relations Advisor providing advice to their board and staff and delivering cultural programming and has worked for the Office of the Treaty Commissioner as a Speakers’ Bureau member since he was appointed in 2000. Since that time, he has spoken to well over 75,000 people, delivering awareness and enlightenment on Treaty and First Nation worldview.

Carol Jensen - Vice Chair

Heart & Stroke is an organization very close to Carol. Her father died in 1990 due to complications of heart disease. Since his passing, she has made it a priority to volunteer her time to bring awareness, education and funding to this cause. 

Carol became President of Canadiana Developments in 1990. Since then, she has grown the business and kept it as an integral part of the community. She has been on the St. Paul Hospital Foundation Mistle Toe Ball Committee as a team representative as well as chair and co-chair. She has been involved with our Hockey Heroes Weekend as well as a board member and volunteer of Pets in the Park.

Believing in team collaboration and support, Carol brings her zest for life and care for the well-being of all people. She is hopeful that her contribution will benefit many families, businesses and communities.

Past chair: Cindy Grimley

Cindy Grimley is AVP & Manager, Commercial Relationships, for Canadian Western Bank in Saskatoon. She holds a BA from the University of Saskatoon. Cindy has extensive experience in commercial and real estate development spanning 25 years. She takes great pride in the relationships that have developed during her career and remains passionate about growing and strengthening the community and the lives of others. Cindy’s prior community service includes the North Saskatoon Business Association, Autism Speaks Canada, Saskatoon Family Services Foundation and Junior Achievement.

Cindy has a passion for the work being done by Heart & Stroke and as a board member she is excited to work with community leaders, health organizations and residents of Saskatchewan to promote Heart & Stroke’s mission.

Cara Cote

Cara Cote is the client services manager at WESK (Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan) and co-owner of ZED Engineering. 

At WESK, Cara plays a pivotal role in providing essential support and services to aspiring and established entrepreneurs. Her dedication to this mission extends beyond her professional life, as she is involved in community volunteering, furthering her impact on the people and businesses around her.

Cara understands the importance of balance in life, recognizing that the entrepreneurial drive should be complemented by a healthy lifestyle. She believes that success is not solely defined by professional achievements but also by personal well-being and fulfillment. Cara is looking forward to bringing her skills to support Heart & Stroke.

Dr. Janine Eckstein

Janine Eckstein is an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan and works as an interventional cardiologist in Saskatoon, where her expertise and skills have brought new and innovative procedures for heart valve disease to the residents of Saskatchewan. She was born and raised in Saskatchewan and completed both her undergraduate and medical education at the University of Saskatchewan. 

Janine is passionate about the work of Heart & Stroke Foundation and sees the impact of cardiovascular disease daily in her clinical practice. Working as an interventional cardiologist she treats patients suffering from heart attacks and previous stroke patients with certain heart defects. Improving education of patients and staff while advancing science to achieve better outcomes for patients is at the forefront of Janine’s practice.

Dr. Brett Graham

Dr. Brett Graham is an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan and works as a stroke neurologist in Saskatoon, where he serves as the medical director of the Saskatoon Stroke Prevention Clinic. He was born and raised in Saskatchewan and completed both his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Saskatchewan before completing a clinical fellowship with the Calgary Stroke Program.

Dr. Graham has worked with Heart and Stroke on a national level in the past, serving as a member of the writing committee for the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Guidelines Secondary Prevention of Stroke 2020 update. He is excited to join the Saskatchewan provincial board to further Heart and Stroke's mission.

Kelly Johnson

Kelly Johnson is the director for Cardioscience, Saskatoon & North, for the Saskatchewan Health Authority, where she has worked for over 20 years. She has extensive experience working with patients with heart disease having spent her entire career in the field of cardiology. She began her career as a bedside nurse, working her way up to coronary care unit, to clinical nurse specialist in cardiology, to her current leadership role.

Kelly has a lifelong passion implementing the best evidence and care for patients experiencing heart disease. She became one of the first nurses to achieve certification in cardiovascular nursing from the Canadian Nursing Association in 2001 and maintains that certification today. She is a member of the Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses and was honored to be awarded with the Canadian Cardiovascular Nursing Leadership Excellence Award in 2012. Kelly is excited by the opportunity to work on the Heart & Stroke provincial board.   

Molly Kostyk

Molly Kostyk is a strategic account manager at WBM Technologies where she helps businesses across Saskatchewan improve their practices through innovative use of technology.  Her accounts – both rural and in major cities - range from non-profits, medical clinics, engineering firms, and post-secondary institutions such as the University of Saskatchewan. 

Molly is passionate about health and wellness, and believes that it’s critical for business to invest in these practices to ensure employees have access to programs that support mental and physical health. 

Building on Molly’s commitment to her community, she is passionate about advancing Heart & Stroke’s vision of promoting health, saving lives, and enhancing recovery for people in Saskatchewan and beyond.

Dr. Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS is Professor and Head of Neurosurgery at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. He has a BSc., MD and PhD and completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Saskatchewan in 2005. Dr. Kelly did three additional years of fellowship training in cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery at Stanford University and the Cleveland Clinic. He holds the Saskatchewan Clinical Stroke Research Chair. He has an active basic science and clinical research program focusing on stroke and other cerebrovascular disorders.