Speakers

Bio coming soon…

From newsrooms to innovation hubs, Alicia brings fearless energy and heart to everything she does.

This work includes leading Healthcare For Real – an initiative to help Canadians make sense of the health care system with context and solutions.

From 2016-2023, she was Vice President, Corporate Reputation, Executive Training & National Earned Media at Edelman Canada. In her time with the firm, she counselled more than 100 companies and organizations from every sector on a range of complex issues. She coached CEOs & C-suite executives on how best to connect with people about the things they care about.

From 2009-2014, Sophie was the Senior Media and Communications Advisor for U.S. Government operations in Canada. From President Obama’s first visit to Canada, to former Secretary Clinton’s multiple trips and hundreds of issues and challenges in between, she was at the centre of local, national, international media and the Canada – U.S. relationship.

Sophie has also acted as the Media Relations Manager for the Auditor General of Canada and as a Media Relations Officer for the University of Ottawa.

Prior to working in public relations, Sophie spent the first part of her career as a journalist and television producer working with several national media organizations.

She holds a Masters Degree in Communications (with honours) from the University of Ottawa (Ontario) as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Regina (Saskatchewan). Her academic research focuses on the impact financial pressure and tight resources have on story choice in the newsroom.

Bio coming soon…

An award-winning communicator, brand-builder and corporate strategist, Kyla has spent more than 20 years in the health care, non-profit and consumer goods sectors leading a diverse range of corporate service portfolios including Marketing, Communications, Information Technology & Government Relations.

Outside her active career, Kyla is Vice-Chair, Good Shepherd Centres of Hamilton, an Advisor with McMaster University’s Wilson College of Leadership & Civic Engagement and a Board member of the St Joseph’s Health System International Outreach Program.

She serves as a trusted advisor to SHN’s senior leadership and Board of Directors, providing strategic counsel on organizational transformation, public affairs, advocacy, issues management, and crisis communications.

Leigh has played a key leadership role in advancing SHN’s profile as an innovative and high-performing healthcare organization, supporting major strategic initiatives, government advocacy efforts, and transformational projects aimed at improving access to care for the community SHN serves.

With more than a decade of senior communications and public affairs experience, Leigh has built a career at the intersection of strategy, policy, and leadership. Prior to joining SHN, she held several senior positions within the Government of Canada, providing strategic communications and public affairs counsel to several Cabinet Ministers and former Prime Minister Stephen Harper on policy, stakeholder relations, and high-profile public issues.

A passionate advocate for women in leadership and workplace inclusion, Leigh is a mother of four and is deeply committed to mentoring women navigating the challenges and opportunities of balancing career advancement with parenthood. She serves as Executive Lead for the Parents and Guardians Community of Inclusion at SHN, is actively involved in her church community, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Council of Early Childhood Educators.

Leigh holds degrees from Brock University and Carleton University and is a frequent speaker on leadership, public affairs, strategic communications, and working parenthood.

Bio coming soon…

Rob has led a number of, industry recognized and award-winning, national disease understanding campaigns. He’s supported over 100 Health Canada Notice of Compliance (NOC) announcements and dozens of medication warning, advisory and recalls. Rob has proudly partnered with leading public health institutions – such as Scarbrough Health Network, Niagara Health and North York General Hospital – and several life science industry leaders, including: AbbVie, Biogen, GlaxoSmithKline, Incyte, J&J Innovative Medicines Canada, Novo Nordisk and Takeda.

Philip has been fortunate enough to have experienced a wide variety of roles. Starting as a student scanner at his current organization, he knows what it takes to put in the hard work, build trust and move up.

Today, as Director of Communications and Marketing at HIROC Philip is proud to have had a hand in building such a strong and unique brand. And together, with his dedicated team, he is excited to see how they can continue to evolve it.

Bio coming soon…

Karl has worked across industries, including healthcare, agriculture, research, higher education and business. Prior to joining CHEO, he was Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada’s largest business lobby group. Before that, Karl served as Assistant Director of Communications at Universities Canada, and earlier in his career, he was part of communications teams at the Kingston Health Sciences Centre and the North West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), in Thunder Bay.

Karl has acted as a valued advisor to executives and boards of directors, securing countless bylines for thought leaders in publications such as the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and Postmedia publications. He has also published multiple national op-eds under his own name, exploring issues related to Canada’s economy and workplace culture.

An elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, Garth obtained his MD at Yale University School of Medicine, MPH at Yale School of Public Health, Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Cardiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins. He holds three board certifications including internal medicine, cardiology and interventional cardiology. He also holds an honorary doctorate of laws from Regis College &  an honorary doctorate from Eastern Virginia Medical School. In 2021, the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine inaugurated the Garth N. Graham Distinguished Lectureship Award, which spotlights trail blazers who are leading the creation and advancement of health equity. 

Bio coming soon…

Bio coming soon…

Bio coming soon…

Bio coming soon…

Known for translating complex health, research, and system-level change into clear, compelling narratives, Andrea has played a central role in major organizational transformations, including rebrands, capital campaigns, and the integration of communications across clinical, research, and foundation partners. Her work consistently advances trust, alignment, and impact among patients, families, donors, staff, media, and community stakeholders.

An Accredited in Public Relations (APR) professional, Andrea brings a pragmatic, mission-driven approach to leadership, with deep expertise in healthcare marketing, philanthropy, and enterprise communications.

During his tenure shepherding communications and policy files through government, he oversaw an international call for proposals to redevelop the largest remaining piece of waterfront property in the City of Toronto at Ontario Place. In addition, his leadership was instrumental in securing the single greatest direct financial investment into the province’s tourism industry through hallmark initiatives such as the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit and Ontario Tourism Recovery Fund.

Derek has worked in several settings throughout his career including in the public and private sectors at industry leading organizations like Scarborough Health Network and Johnson & Johnson Inc. Canada. He holds a Bachelors degree from McMaster University and has completed postgraduate education at the University of Toronto.

Since joining the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in January 2025, Jennifer has brought that extensive experience to the healthcare sector, leading efforts to strengthen the Institute’s brand, expand its reach to new audiences and develop innovative communications and engagement strategies. Her work focuses on deepening connections with patients, partners, staff, and the broader community while supporting initiatives that enhance the patient experience and advance the Institute’s mission.

Her MO is that effective engagement requires internal and external collaboration, partnership, equity, strong communications and creativity. Her background is in equity, education and capacity building for change in health care.

As Manager, Communications, at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), she leads the partnerships, equity, and advocacy portfolio, collaborating with community and health system partners to advance urgent conversations, accelerate health equity, and build collaborative change.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vanita stepped into a leadership role within Marketing, partnering with executives to navigate rapid change, protect the brand, support business continuity, and help tackle the critical challenge of recruiting and retaining direct care staff.

She brings a practical, curious approach to marketing, combining strategy, creativity, data, and emerging tools like AI to turn complex challenges into meaningful results. She’s passionate about what happens when communications move beyond simply delivering messages—and start creating real connection and impact.

Bio coming soon…

Bio coming soon…

Bio coming soon…