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Nicole Robinson
Director, Northern & Indigenous Health, Healthcare Excellence Canada
Nicole is of mixed Métis and settler descent with a background in knowledge mobilization and cultural safety. She has worked to support Indigenous health within Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations and is currently the Director, Northern & Indigenous Health at Healthcare Excellence Canada.
Lynn Mikula
President & CEO, Peterborough Regional Health Centre
Dr. Lynn Mikula is the President & CEO of Peterborough Regional Health Centre, a 460-bed regional hospital that serves a mixed rural-urban geography. Dr. Mikula started her career at PRHC as a staff general surgeon. She subsequently took on a variety leadership roles including Chief of Surgery, Chief of Staff, and Executive Vice-President. In her tenure as CEO, she has led the development of the hospital’s 5-year Strategic Plan and resulting strategies for health equity, digital advancement, and workplace wellbeing. She serves on a variety of provincial and national committees in the healthcare sector, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Health Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC).
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Through the Faculty of Management at McGill University she advises graduate students who are pursuing careers in healthcare administration and leadership. Dr. Mikula is passionate about leadership, innovation, and engagement within the complex environment of healthcare, particularly in community settings.
After obtaining her MD CM from McGill University, Dr. Mikula completed surgical residency training at the University of Toronto, as well as an MSc from the University of Toronto and a Master’s of Management from McGill. She lives in Peterborough, Ontario where she and her family enjoy easy access to backcountry camping and a wide range of outdoor sports.
Rebecca Brookham
Director, Office of Research & Innovation, Brightshores Health System
With a background in health sciences and rural health system leadership, Rebecca focuses on advancing research and innovation within acute care and community-based care environments. She led the development of the inaugural Office of Research & Innovation at Brightshores Health System, building the infrastructure needed to support evidence-informed practice and system transformation. Her experience spans healthcare worker wellness, performance improvement, and patient-centered care, with particular attention to the unique challenges and opportunities within rural and northern communities. Rebecca’s work integrates research, operational strategy, and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen sustainable models of care that improve outcomes for both patients and providers.
Lindsay Johnston
Executive Director, Grey Bruce Ontario Health Team
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Sarah Harvey
Head of Research & Innovation, Serefin Health
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Katie Gasparelli
Senior Improvement Lead, Healthcare Excellence Canada
Katie is an Indigenous physiotherapist and worked in a leadership position with the Six Nations Health Services Department until 2021. She currently works at Healthcare Excellence Canada, where she supports efforts to address racism and improve cultural safety in mainstream health systems.
Lori Kittelberg
Indigenous Partnerships and Engagement Strategist, The Ottawa Hospital (TOH)
Lori is a member of Caldwell First Nation and a breast cancer survivor living on Algonquin territory in Ottawa. She is the first Indigenous Partnerships and Engagement Strategist at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH). As Turtle Clan, she holds her role as a truth-teller close to her heart.
Lori works closely with First Nation, Inuit and Métis partners, organizations and staff to support tangible actions to create culturally safe care and welcoming spaces at TOH. Prior to her work with TOH, Lori led key communications portfolios at the Assembly of First Nations, produced user-focused digital strategies for the City of Vancouver, and shared countless stories as a journalist.
Meggan Van Harten
Co-CEO, Design de Plume
She brings equity and accessibility to the heart of the business. Bringing a decade of experience in design to her leadership role, Meggan sets the vision for projects, establishes standards, and builds both business and client strategies that lead to greater impact. She recognizes the value that accessibility work creates for people, and projects, with proven results. She provides insight and implementation guidance for content writers, designers, and organizations looking to adopt accessibility into their core and ensures that compliance standards and real-world experience align in unique and innovative ways.
Nathan Banda
Director, Surgical Services, Grande Prairie Regional Hospital
Nathan Banda is a family man and a minority leader of African descent in healthcare in Alberta. He believes in the power of collaboration, teamwork, and sharing clear and realistic vision in the betterment of safe and quality service delivery. He is currently an Administrator at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital and Queen Elizabeth II Ambulatory and Care Centre in the North Zone, Alberta Health Services where he is the Director of Surgical Services. He is a member of AHS Talent Supply Working Group, tasked with strategizing recruitment of internationally trained nurses in AHS. Nathan is also a Senior Operations Leader on the Provincial Diversity and Inclusion Council of AHS and the Co-chair of AHS North Zone Diversity and Inclusion Council.
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He is a Researcher with Royal Roads University; his current research focused on nursing retention in rural Alberta and entitled “Factors that Affect Nurse Retention in Rural Canada: Managing Nursing Shortages in Rural Alberta.” Nathan has a passion for issues of diversity and inclusion in the workplace particularly in healthcare. He has in the past chaired and presented a paper entitled “A Minority, Black Employee’s Perspective on the Unspoken Racism in Alberta Health Services,” in 2022 at the Socially Engaged Applied Doctoral Research in Canada: Approaches to Contemporary Social and Management Opportunities and Challenges hosted by Royal Roads University; a webinar at the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada (CGIC) a presentation entitled ” Beyond the Rhetoric: Leading with Intentional Inclusion in Today’s Healthcare Workplace,” in January 2024 and presented his doctoral research work at the Canadian Rural & Northern Healthcare Conference – Spark Conferences in March 2024.
Nathan’s position is that with a clearly articulated vision, intentional strategies, collective efforts and adaptive leadership styles, significant and meaningful changes can be realized including even in healthcare settings with long standing complexities.
Doreen Perschon
Principal, En-Gauge Consulting
Doreen Perschon, Principal of EnGauge Consulting, is a trusted strategic partner, process designer, and facilitator who works with healthcare leaders, teams, and organizations across Western Canada to address complex workplace culture challenges and helps build their capacity to thrive. With nearly two decades of experience, Doreen brings deep expertise in organizational effectiveness, culture transformation, and relational repair to complex, high-risk, and demanding healthcare environments.
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As a process designer and facilitator, Doreen partners at all organizational levels, working with senior leaders, cross-functional groups, sites, medical staff teams, and provincial programs. She designs and facilitates customized, research-based processes that meaningfully advance workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and strategic alignment. She is often brought in to work with teams experiencing significant challenges and changes and has a depth of expertise working with teams that are characterized as dysfunctional and toxic, who are struggling with recruitment, retention, reputational harm and patient care issues.
Doreen holds a master’s degree in business leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Psychology from Trinity Western University. She also holds change management certifications through General Electric and Prosci. She has co-authored and published in the Canadian Journal of Physician Leadership and periodically partners with physician leaders and a program faculty member for post-graduate and executive education at Harvard Medical School on healthcare initiatives.
A strength of Doreen’s work is the respectful and productive surfacing of “elephants and undiscussables,” the hidden or unspoken dynamics that, when left unaddressed, erode trust and effectiveness. By creating psychologically safety and a respectful space for meaningful dialogue, Doreen enables groups to address root cause issues, and work toward the establishment of proposed solutions and positive change.
Janet Gordon
Vice President, Community Health, Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA)
Janet Gordon is originally from Kasabonika Lake First Nation but recently became a member of Lac Seul First Nation. She has worked in the health care system for many years in the Sioux Lookout area. Her past roles include Community Health Nurse, Zone Nursing Officer and Zone Director. She is currently the Vice President, Community Health with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA), an organization that serves 33 First Nations communities. Through her work at SLFNHA, she provides management, advocacy and advisory support to health services and programs while striving for improved health care and positive change for First Nations in the Sioux Lookout area.
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Janet continues to lead the implementation of the Anishinabe Health Plan (AHP). Through her work with the AHP, Janet played a key role in developing a physician services organization for the Sioux Lookout region and the establishment of a Public Health system for the First Nation communities served by SLFNHA. Current activities are being focused around Health Transformation. These initiatives are major steps forward in First Nations governance and management of health services, a goal Janet strongly believes in
Kim Brooks
Vice President, Regional Operations, Vancouver Coastal, First Nations Health Authority
Kim Brooks is a member of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation in northern BC. Over the course of her career, she has worked within Federal, Provincial and First Nations government as well as academia. She has a broad scope of experience in executive leadership, policy and program development, regional and provincial community engagement, and organizational development. For 13 years, Kim worked for Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) as the Department Head of Yúustway Health Services. In this role, she provided guidance and leadership to a dynamic community-based health team and supported the development of culturally safe, integrated, collaborative, and accessible healthcare.
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Kim has served on several professional Councils and Boards. As a health lead, she was privileged to serve as President of the First Nations Health Directors Association for 7 years, supporting the planning and design of the BC First Nations Health Governance structure and the First Nations Health Authority.
Kim holds an undergraduate degree from Simon Fraser University and a Master of Arts in Leadership (Health) from Royal Roads University. Kim’s education is enhanced by the traditional and cultural teachings she has been gifted over the years, which she continues to honour in her work.
Mary Dawn Eggleton
Rural Mental Health Project Lead, CMHA Alberta and Centre for Suicide Prevention
With more than 25 years of experience in mental wellness, Mary Dawn Eggleton brings a strong blend of expertise, empathy, and a genuine commitment to supporting individuals and communities to thrive. Her work is grounded in a deep belief in connection, resilience, and the strength of community-led approaches to mental health.
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Over the past seven years, Mary Dawn has stepped into leadership roles where she has guided teams, strengthened partnerships, and developed programs that promote mental wellness, recovery, and meaningful community impact. She currently serves as the Program Lead for the Rural Mental Health team with the Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Division and Centre for Suicide Prevention (CMHA AB and CSP). In this role, she leads initiatives across the province that elevate rural voices, build local capacity, and support communities in addressing mental health in ways that reflect their unique strengths and realities.
Mary Dawn is especially passionate about rural mental health and advocates for equitable access, community empowerment, and trauma-informed, client-centered practices. Her work focuses on bringing people together, fostering collaboration across sectors, and supporting grassroots leadership to create lasting change in rural communities.
Outside of her professional life, Mary Dawn is a proud parent of four and is actively involved in their interests, from BMX racing to competitive show jumping. Her home life is full of energy, laughter, and movement, reflecting the same values of connection, growth, and authenticity that guide her work.
Stephanie Vasiliou
Vice President of Equity, Programs and Innovation Implementation, Kids Help Phone
Stephanie Vasiliou is the Vice President of Equity, Programs and Innovation Implementation at Kids Help Phone, Canada’s largest 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to youth. Stephanie oversees national programs and health promotion initiatives, including those with a focus on Indigenous, Black and Newcomer youth. Previously, Stephanie spent her career in Australia, scaling a national peer-to-peer initiative for youth mental health across the country with a focus on lived experience storytelling.
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Stephanie has been a featured speaker in several countries around the world and is part of the Global Mental Health Action Network and the Global Anti-Stigma Alliance.
Judith Eigenbrod
Senior Program Manager, Standards, Health Standards Organization (HSO)
Judith Eigenbrod is the Senior Program Manager for Healthcare Equity at Health Standards Organization, where she brings a deep commitment to advancing quality healthcare and strengthening health systems through interdisciplinary approaches. Prior to her work at HSO, Judith supported First Nations health priorities through her work with the First Nations Health Managers Association, the Assembly of First Nations, and the BC First Nations Health Authority. She holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science.
Felicia Hart
Acting Executive Lead, Programs and Services, The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Felicia Hart is the Acting Executive Lead, Programs and Services at the Ontario Caregiver Organization. Felicia’s background includes diverse leadership experience in program development, implementation, and evaluation in the social service and not-for-profit sectors. Her goal is to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live well in their community with access to the support they need. As a caregiver, she understands the challenge of balancing career and caregiving priorities which helps inform her work at OCO.
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