Chair, Board of Directors
Member, Human Resources & Compensation Committee
Executive Lead, Health System Accountability, Department of Health and Wellness, Province of Nova Scotia
Theresa Marie is a senior executive who has worked in policy, health planning and program management in areas of public health, acute care and cancer care at the provincial and federal levels. She has a strong track record of creating, implementing and managing new programs and strategies to effect positive change to health outcomes.
An accomplished leader in change management, public and patient engagement process design and facilitation, Theresa Marie has led large scale efforts in national cancer control, tobacco strategy development and psychosocial health management. She was the founder and original executive officer of Cancer Care Nova Scotia, a nationally regarded cancer control program encompassing surveillance, care delivery standards, prevention and screening. Under Theresa Marie's leadership Cancer Care Nova Scotia became known as an innovative leader in policy and programming, particularly in the areas of patient support, screening and research.
Theresa Marie is an avid community volunteer and focuses on the healthy development of children and youth. She has been awarded the Pinnacle Award for her extensive community voluntarism and impact by the Association of Junior Leagues International, an international volunteer organization. She also recently received the Excellence in Leadership award from The Board of Cancer Care Nova Scotia and national recognition for Leadership in Cancer Control from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. She holds a Masters of Education from Dalhousie and a Masters of Health Services Administration from the University of Alberta.
Theresa Marie is the former Chair of the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies and has been active on many national committees and Boards and has chaired the Integration of Primary Care and Cancer Care as well as has been an adviser to the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project.
Vice-Chair, Board of Directors
Member, Executive Committee
Vice-President of Business Development, Procom
President, NIAD Systems
Mark Galloway has over 19 years of experience selling IT services and is the Vice-President of Business Development at Procom - a $1 billion Canadian contract staffing services firm – and is responsible for its Toronto operations as well as its national clients.
Mark is also the President of NIAD Systems, a software company that provides solutions to the equity capital markets groups within investment brokerage firms to help manage the new issue (IPO) sales process.
Mark has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and an MBA from York University.
Mark has had a relationship with Ovarian Cancer Canada for the past 12 years as his mother and aunt have both lost the battle to ovarian cancer, and another aunt is a survivor.
Treasurer, Executive Committee, Audit & Risk Committee
Senior Manager, Consumer Markets Audit Group, KPMG
Kelly is a Senior Manager in the Toronto Audit practice at KPMG. Kelly joined KPMG in September 2006 after completing her Honours Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Guelph Humber. She started with KPMG as a staff accountant in the Consumer & Industrial Markets (“CIM”) audit group, where she continues to practice. While working with KPMG, Kelly has spent her time in various cities across Canada and the US, working on a variety of clients with a focus on the retail food and beverage industry.
Kelly provides audit services to publically listed companies on the TSX as well as privately owned companies in the retail and food and beverage sectors. She has experience coordinating and communicating across the firm for a number of multinational group audits including audits with Denmark, France and the United States. She has assisted with several IFRS conversions and has knowledge with SOX compliance. In addition, she is US GAAP accredited and maintains her accreditation through her ongoing involvement in SEC registrant audit engagements.
Kelly is also actively involved in the development, mentoring and coaching of the group in her previous role as people leader for the CIM audit practice. She is dedicated to coaching and supporting her colleagues; ensuring they obtain a variety of experience; and providing them with feedback, performance development and mentorship.
In her spare time Kelly enjoys playing baseball and spending time with family and friends. She has participated in several charity runs, both as a participant and an organizer and continues to look for opportunities with which to contribute her time.
Kelly has been actively involved as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Ovarian Cancer Canada since October 2010. On a personal note, Kelly’s connection to the organization is through her mom, a survivor of ovarian cancer.
Member, Executive Committee
Chair, Research Committee
Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research;
Senior Scientist - Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute;
Professor - Cellular & Molecular Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ottawa
Dr. Vanderhyden obtained her Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology at the University of Western Ontario and then did postdoctoral studies at The Jackson Laboratory in Maine, where she learned to climb mountains, both literally and scientifically. Since 1991, she has been a Professor at the University of Ottawa, and is also a Senior Scientist in the Cancer Therapeutics Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Her research focuses on the cellular and molecular processes associated with ovarian tumorigenesis, the generation of models of ovarian cancer, and the testing of novel therapeutics.
Dr. Vanderhyden has been involved with Ovarian Cancer Canada since her appointment in 2000 as the inaugural Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research at the University of Ottawa, the first Chair in ovarian cancer in Canada. She has acted with enormous leadership to change the landscape in Canada around both research and awareness about this disease. In 2002, she organized the first Canadian Conference on Ovarian Cancer Research, which brought together clinicians and scientists working on ovarian cancer for the first time. This conference has continued every two years with attendance now including trainees and international speakers, and has facilitated much collaborative research across the country.
As Chair of the Ovarian Cancer Canada Research Committee, Dr. Vanderhyden has galvanized a diverse group around a dynamic research funding program that has supported a national ovarian cancer tissue bank, pilot projects in early detection, and trainee scholarships. She has also made concerted efforts to promote awareness of the Chair position and ovarian cancer, frequently speaking at educational and fundraising events across Canada.
A strong advocate for science education, Dr. Vanderhyden established two successful outreach programs in her spare time. In Let’s Talk Science, 350 volunteers make science fun for students in local schools. Science Travels sends graduate students to the far north to deliver science workshops in First Nations and Inuit communities.
Chair, Fundraising Committee
General Manager of Commercial Sales, Canada Post
Kelly‐Jo Wellings is General Manager of Commercial Sales at Canada Post. In her role, Kelly‐Jo (or KJ, as she likes to be called) manages the sales efforts of the single largest region within Canada. Prior to this role, KJ worked on the company’s Small Business Segment, Partner Strategies and Development. In leading the channel strategy, she was responsible for leveraging assets inside and outside the company, including the Partner Program, to realize Canada Post’s business growth objectives. KJ has been with Canada Post for over 28 years, primarily in the Sales area where she has met with considerable success, managing some the company’s largest accounts and portfolios, and in the process earning The President’s Award status, the highest sales recognition award, on six occasions. Recently KJ worked with Rotman School of Business to lead Canada Post’s management team into a new era of culture and change management that now is being cascaded through the entire organization.
KJ is heavily involved with Ovarian Cancer Canada. She is currently volunteering as organizing committee Co‐Chair of the organization’s annual fundraising event, LOVE HER. Married and the mother of two children, KJ is a resident of Toronto.
Member, Fund Raising Committee
Lawyer, Tax Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Carrie Aiken practices corporate income tax law and advises public and large private organizations, including with respect to mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, divestitures and investments by private equity and pension funds. Carrie works with international and state-owned enterprises looking to invest, commence or acquire business operations in Canada, as well as public corporations, trusts and investment funds in connection with a wide range of financing structures and security offerings.
Carrie is past-president and a former director of the Canadian Petroleum Tax Society. She is also a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation and the International Fiscal Association.
Carrie presents at numerous national and regional tax conferences and has authored several articles.
She has a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree from Lakehead University.
She joined the Ovarian Cancer Canada Board of Directors in October 2016.
Member, Fundraising Committee
Brand Manager at SAIL Outdoors
Catherine Asselin has over ten years of experience in the field of Marketing and Communications. A graduate of HEC Montreal, she has worked in advertising agencies and for eight years at the Cirque du Soleil. Having presented a wide variety of events, campaigns and shows, Catherine brings a strong understanding of audiences in Canada and Quebec. She is now Brand Manager at SAIL, elevating company profile in Ontario and Quebec.
Catherine has always been actively involved in important causes. She has participated in the Canada World Youth program, volunteering in Nicaragua and Saskatchewan, and also fundraised for Breakfast Club. More recently, Catherine participated in the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope as a volunteer. Seeing the courage of women living with this disease and learning about the hopes of participants inspired her to further her involvement within the organization.
Member
Co-Founder and CXO, Maybe*
Member, Fundraising Committee
Assistant Vice-President Operations, Sun Life Financial of Canada
Michel Brunet has over 15 years of experience leading various areas of Sun Life Financial’s Canadian operations. He currently leads the client service teams supporting Sun Life’s advisors as well as the Canadian group pension business.
Lazy at heart, Michel has spent most of those 15+ years finding ways to get better results with less effort and at lower cost. He will bring that same mentaility to his work with the board of Ovarian Cancer Canada.
Michel was spurned to action when he lost his mother and his aunt to ovarian cancer. He wants a better outcome for all the other wonderful women in his life.
Member
Director of Communications, Saskatchewan Ministry of Finance
Past Chair, Board of Directors
Chair, Governance and Nominating Committee
Chartered Director - Occasional Consulting
Integrity Commissioner for the Town of Caledon
John started his career as a social worker but rapidly rose through the management ranks of local and provincial governments as well as not‐for‐profits achieving the most senior leadership positions in several organizations, including service as a Deputy Minister in Ontario and as CEO of a national health charity..
After completing his full‐time career he continued his leadership work by achieving the Chartered Director designation and opening his consulting practice aptly named with the insights and humour that John brings to all of his professional work – Occasional Consulting. His practice is located in Oakville, Ontario. Since 2008 he has focused his work around governance teaching and advice, executive mentoring and coaching and group facilitation, especially emphasizing his ability to help boards and teams to work effectively to identify and achieve common goals.
He is the Integrity Commissioner for the Town of Caledon and a member of the Board of Governors of Sheridan College; has served on numerous boards and committees and is a past Chair of the Board of Directors of Halton Healthcare Services which governs the operations of three general hospitals, providing leadership during a critical time while a brand new Oakville Hospital was under construction. He is also a past Director of OMERS Sponsors Corporation, the governing board of one of Canada’s largest pension plans.
Member, Research Committee
Gynecologic Oncologist, Juravinski Cancer Cancer
Laurie Elit MD MSc FRCS(C) is a gynecologic oncologist at the Juravinski Cancer Centre and Hospital, Hamilton, Canada. She is full professor in the Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology with cross appointments to Department of Oncology and Epidemiology and Biostatics at McMaster University. She is the Head of Division for Gynecologic Oncology in Hamilton. She has published extensively on variations in practice for the care of women with gynecologic malignancies across Canada. She has been involved in Cancer Care Ontario and Canadian Partnership against Cancer (CPAC) in the area of cervical cancer prevention. More recently she is involved in CPAC’s development of standards for ovarian cancer surgery. She is the disease site lead for the CCO Program of Evidence Based Medicine. She is the co-lead for the CCO and Ontario MOHLTC Quality Based Procedures (QBP) for Hysterectomy. She has been involved with the PanCanadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR). She is on the editorial board of the Journal Gynecologic Oncology. Her passion is work in low resource settings improving care delivery through teaching, mentorship and research. She was the 2016 recipient of the Gynecologic Oncology Canada Presidential Award. She also received one of four 2016 Senior staff awards from Hamilton Health Sciences Centre.
Member, Research Committee
Jan Giroux is the Nurse Practitioner for Gynecology Oncology at Kingston General Hospital and the Cancer Centre for Southeastern Ontario. Jan has been practicing nursing at Kingston General Hospital for over 34 years in various patient care roles and disease settings. She received both her Diplomas in Nursing and Critical Care Nursing from St. Lawrence College in Kingston; both her BScN and MScN from the University of Ottawa; her Oncology RN Certificate from Loyalist College and her Post-Masters Nurse Practitioner Diploma from the University of Toronto. Jan also has dual Canadian Nursing Association certifications in Cardiovascular and Oncology Nursing.
Jan has been volunteering for Ovarian Cancer Canada for over ten years. She is one of the co-chairs for the Kingston Walk of Hope, and has presented for Ovarian Cancer Canada several times. She is a passionate advocate for women’s reproductive cancers. She provides supportive care and symptom management for women undergoing ovarian cancer treatments. As a member of the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology/Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie (CANO/ACIO), Jan represents CANO on the Board. She is also the 2009 recipient of the CANIO/ACIO Ovarian Cancer Canada Nursing Award for Excellence in Gynecology-Oncology Nursing.
Member
Founding Partner, Roundtable Capital Partners
Member, Fund Raising Committee
Former Registered Nurse, Celgene Canada Inc.
Laura’s career had spanned 34 years as a health care professional from her role as a registered nurse in critical care to launching and developing new business indications in bio-pharmaceuticals. Laura has recently retired from Celgene Canada Inc., and was an original team member that established the Canadian division in 2007.
While working with Celgene and Johnson & Johnson, Laura has held multiple roles in business development, with assignments including new business development, transfusion medicine, HIV and oncology.
Laura is a graduate of the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing RN Program, completing on the job training & development in business, communication, and negotiation skills. Recently Laura completed the Institute of Corporate Directors programs in Governance Essentials for Directors of Not-For-Profit Organizations and Boardroom Financial Essentials.
Laura has participated in community and education forums in the area of patient advocacy and has strong interest in this area and the health related organizations.
Other interests include skiing, golfing, fitness and enjoying time with family & friends. Married to her husband Gordon she has three adult children.
Member, Audit & Risk Committee
Member, Fund Raising Committee
COO, Canadian Museum of Human Rights
Susanne is a chartered accountant with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Manitoba.
After articling with Price Waterhouse, Susanne started her career with Shelter Canadian Properties Limited, a national property management and real estate development company with its head office in Winnipeg. She held a senior management position with Datamark Systems Inc., a national printing company before joining the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights as Chief Financial Officer and Project Manager early in 2007.
Susanne was one of the first two employees hired by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights when, in September 2008, she was appointed the Chief Financial Officer of the first new national museum to be created in 40 years.
She is active in the community having held senior volunteer board positions both locally and nationally with the Arthritis Society, the Canadian Arthritis Network and the Manitoba Highland Dancers’ Association.
Susanne is a member of the senior management team of the Museum and her responsibilities include overseeing the construction of the very first new national museum to be built outside of the National Capital Region.
On the personal side, Susanne and her husband Bill have a daughter Reagan and son Sean, both independent young adults who make their parents very proud!
Member, Fund Raising Committee
Member, Governance & Nominating Committee
Director, Woodstone Residence Treatment Centre
Dr. Verna Magee-Shepherd’s extensive post-secondary experience spanned the university, college and institute sectors. Her roles included undergraduate teaching and positions as Associate Dean, Dean, Vice President and Acting President (BCIT) and President (UCW). She is an ongoing consultant to Vancouver’s Looking Glass Foundation.
Earlier professional roles included teaching and administration in tertiary care hospitals in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. Verna was a Clinical Assistant Professor in UBC’s Department of Health Care and Epidemiology and a member of the Canadian Medical Association’s Conjoint Accreditation Committee.
Verna completed her doctoral degree in Education Leadership and Policy at UBC in 2003. She holds an M.Sc. in Medical Science from the University of Calgary and a baccalaureate degree in Human Nutrition from UBC. She has completed executive programs in public sector leadership.
Active in the YWCA of Vancouver for over fifteen years, Verna was previously Chair of the YWCA Board of Directors and Chair of the Vancouver Women of Distinction Event. She is a Vancouver Marriage Commissioner and a Stem Cell Courier for patients requiring transplant at VGH and BC Children’s Hospital.
Member, Fundraising Committee
Lawyer, Partner, Aylward, Chislett & Whitten
A partner at Aylward, Chislett & Whitten law firm, Marina’s primary practice consists of personal injury, disability insurance, wills and estates, and real estate. Her experience includes appearing before the Federal Court of Canada, Provincial and Federal adjudicative tribunals and all levels of court in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Marina was appointed Master and Taxing Officer of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador in May 2015. In September 2008, she was appointed Queen’s Counsel.
Marina has served as president of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and has chaired or served as a member of numerous law society committees including Insurance, Education, Discipline, and Complaints Authorization Committees, among others. She has also served as a board member and volunteer for various community organizations.
Marina has a Bachelor of Laws Degree from University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Marina’s mom, Louise, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July, 2013 and died in September, 2014. She had previously survived breast cancer on two occasions, largely due to early detection. Marina is hopeful that early detection techniques will soon improve outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Ovarian Cancer Canada’s mission to overcome this terrible disease.
Marina joined Ovarian Cancer Canada as a Board Member in October 2016.
Member – Human Resources & Compensation Committee
Former Principal - Health & Group Benefits Practice of Mercer Human Resources Consulting;
Founding member – Benefits of Caring
Emeritus – Board of Directors
Partner, KPMG
Tammy has been a director of Ovarian Cancer Canada for over 15 years and is also a director of Women’s College Hospital and Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Tammy is a CPA, CA and a Partner in KPMG’s Audit practice in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). She has over 20 years of audit experience, primarily with public companies. In addition to her technical and client service abilities, Tammy is known for her significant interest and contributions within HR from coaching and mentoring throughout her career to taking leadership roles in the development of others and in diversity inclusion within KPMG. She is a band member of the Shawanaga First Nation. As a member of the Diversity and Inclusion executive committee, Tammy has represented the aboriginal community and continues to develop connections and seek opportunities to support and include these communities in our activities.
Tammy has served in leadership positions at KPMG in the areas of recruiting, training and human resources throughout her career. She is currently the HR and Resources Partner for the GTA Audit practice, is a member of the GTA audit leadership team and is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion partner executive committee.
Retired Nurse
Member, Patient Family Advisory Committee (Saskatchewan)
Member, Provincial Gynecological Oncology Program (Saskatchewan)
Coordinator, Saskatchewan Ovarian Cancer Survivor Group; Ovarian cancer survivor - 14 years
Anne Chase is a 14 year survivor of ovarian cancer. Following Anne’s diagnosis and successful surgery in 1998, she became an advocate of raising awareness of this deadly disease and its easily ignored symptoms. She has spoken to hundreds of people about Listening to the Whispers of ovarian cancer and to medical professionals through the Survivors Teaching Students program. In addition, she formed a support group called SOCS – Saskatchewan Ovarian Cancer Survivors; has participated in and chaired the Walk in Regina; and is the first Saskatchewan representative on the board of Ovarian Cancer Canada. Anne is a member of SCAN and the Saskatchewan Patient and Family Advisory Committee. Anne lives in Regina, has two children and four grandchildren.
Listen to the Whispers presentation
A presentation designed to raise awareness of the often ignored symptoms of ovarian cancer, combined with Anne’s personal story of her diagnosis and recovery.
Past Chair, Emeritus – Board of Directors
Former Vice-Chairman, Royal Bank, Oakville, ON
Emeritus – Board of Directors,
Vice-president of the Association des CMDP and Chief of emergency health services at the CSSSTR, Coordinating physician for Trois-Rivières