Health Sciences

Michelle Bell is director of coaching operations for the Philadelphia 76ers. An athletic therapist by training, Bell worked for Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada Basketball and the Toronto Raptors, supporting national teams and international events. She was also lead athletic therapist for Ontario Basketball. In 2022, she was event liaison at the NBA Academy Games for high-school girls and founded the Soul2Sole Women in Sport community event in 2023. Bell also founded Sport Exodus, an online resource to help student-athletes adjust to life after sport.

Carl Bowker is an esteemed leader in paramedic services known for his significant contributions as chief, proactive approach to crisis management, innovative training programs and advocacy for mental health. Bowker’s leadership includes a strong focus on mental health support for both paramedics and community members, establishing peer support programs and accessible counselling services. His comprehensive approach addresses both physical and psychological well-being, demonstrating his dedication to public health.

With over 30 years of experience, Lisa Brush is a prominent figure in the senior housing industry. She manages senior living facilities across Canada and the U.S., offering independent, assisted living and dementia care. Brush’s career began with various leadership roles in health care where she led significant growth and development. She is dedicated to enhancing senior care, particularly dementia care, focusing on providing customer-driven service, supportive care and housing affordability.

Dan Chen saves lives every day as a respiratory therapist at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital. He is also an educator, clinical researcher, volunteer mentor and personal hero to many. Chen’s innovative approaches help streamline respiratory care in the emergency department and ensures families receive compassionate, child-centred care. He trains parents to manage their child’s cardiac and respiratory emergencies at home and has educated approximately 400 parents and clinicians as an instructor with the SickKids Learning Institute. Chen is a volunteer high school student mentor and a clinical researcher quantifying the life-saving impact of respiratory therapists in Ontario.

Barley Chironda came to Canada as a refugee from Zimbabwe before attending college to become a registered practical nurse. Working in major hospitals, Chironda discovered his passion for infection control and prevention, leading him to support global efforts against emerging superbugs. As national infection preventionist and clinical solutions director at Clorox, Chironda attributes his success to his ability to collaborate with diverse groups, a skill he learned at college while working alongside classmates from varied cultural backgrounds and life experiences.

Kirsti Clarida is transforming veterinary care in Ontario. The registered veterinary technician, former professor and past president of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians successfully lobbied the Ontario government for new legislation that recognizes the role of veterinary technicians and expands access to veterinary care across the province. In her position with the Toronto Humane Society, Clarida enhances veterinary education with curriculum improvements and experiential opportunities.

Chris Cull is the founder of Inspire by Example, a motivational speaker and filmmaker who uses his experience as a recovering opioid user to advocate for mental health and addiction recovery. He has cycled across Canada twice and produced two films to raise awareness and educate the public. Cull has shared his expertise at numerous notable events, including the 2022 Future Leaders in Addiction Medicine Summit at Queen's University, the U.S. Embassy Ottawa’s Pillars of Change: Opioid Expert Forum and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Wade Durham’s meteoric rise through Ornge, Ontario’s air ambulance service, is marked by significant achievements. Wade was promoted to COO 16 years after graduating and became deputy CEO in 2023. He guided the organization through challenging times, streamlining services and helping regain public trust. During COVID-19, Durham played a key role in Operation Remote Immunity, working out the logistics to bring vaccinations to 31 remote First Nations communities across northern Ontario. Durham is renowned within Ornge as a hands-on visionary leader.

Laurie French is working to de-silo healthcare in Ontario by introducing a collaborative delivery model that responds to local needs and recognizes that health is impacted by poverty, homelessness and social isolation. As president and CEO of Providence Village, the registered nurse and health administrator draws on her experiences at the intersection of community and health and a career that always put patients first.

Lynne Innes is a trailblazer, breaking barriers as the first female and youngest Indigenous leader of a multi-site health authority in Ontario. Throughout her career, she has worked to improve access to care, enhance healthcare services and ensure that First Nations people receive care close to home. Innes’ efforts have led to meaningful improvements in service delivery along the James and Hudson Bay coast. Balancing professional responsibilities with family life, she embodies matriarchal strength, navigating career demands while honouring her cultural roots.

Nasser Kaddoura has received awards for saving lives and OPSEU/SEFPO’s Young Worker of the Year award. Appointed to head the first equity, diversity and inclusion team at Middlesex-London Paramedic Service, he also chairs the employee relations committee and is a field training officer. Kaddoura assists with education, recruit orientation and research, and advocates to improve paramedics’ working conditions. A child of Lebanese immigrants, Kaddoura recalls living in poverty and homelessness. Determined to forge a better future, he became a paramedic in 2015 and was elected vice president of his local union in 2022.

Joshua Lobo is a highly skilled advanced care paramedic and an innovator in the sector. Discovering the power of mentoring while in college, Lobo co-founded two companies that address sector needs and serve multiple audiences, including the public, working or aspiring paramedics and organizations that hire paramedics. He developed innovative testing solutions to help services hire candidates during the pandemic and creates resources to help paramedics navigate their careers. Lobo is committed to mentoring and improving the paramedic profession.

At 69, Holly Martin has dedicated nearly a decade to Touch a Heart Homecare, a pioneering Ontario personal support worker (PSW) association certified business. Beginning her journey at 59, she left behind a telecom career to pursue PSW studies and has earned accolades and awards including the 2024 Barrie Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Award for Healthcare Hero. During COVID-19, she led her team to help affected communities and authored training manuals. Holly mentors PSW students, is a lifelong volunteer and guest speaker at her alma mater.

Janet Montague is a registered nurse, professor and researcher uplifting the strength and resilience of her profession by creating a more equitable and inclusive nursing landscape. After working as a clinical nurse specialist and case manager at several health care institutions, she became a nursing professor at Centennial College. Since 2021, Montague has been studying towards a PhD in nursing at Western University, where she leads groundbreaking research exploring Black nursing students’ sense of belonging in nursing education through the lens of critical race theory and intersectionality.

At college, Karen Paschert learned the importance of supporting people. From novice floor nurse in long-term care homes to supervising a busy urban hospital emergency department, Paschert has been an inspiring presence. She advocates for diversity, equality and inclusion in public healthcare, helping inaugurate Black History Month events and formally embracing DEI in strategic plans and celebrations for Pride Month, Indigenous Reconciliation Day and Diversity Month.

Francine Sam began her nursing career in Australia before moving to a rural village in northern Uganda where she did humanitarian work for seven years caring for vulnerable children and their communities. Her experiences compelled her to further her education at Fleming College. Sam recently graduated as a practical nurse, was the valedictorian of the School of Health and Community Services and now works as a registered practical nurse in the emergency department at her local hospital.

Special Olympic medalist Carter Simpson is an inspiration to all who meet him. He does not see his disability, saying, “I love having Down Syndrome.” Simpson’s college education prepared him for independence in the adult world and he embodies fitness and health promotion in his everyday life. He continues to win medals and encourages people of all ages and abilities to reach their potential. Every day is a celebration for Simpson, who lights up any room with his smile and positivity.

A paramedic, tactical medic and CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives) specialist, Steve Urszenyi spent 40 years on the frontlines of emergency response, earning the Governor General of Canada EMS Exemplary Service medal and uniform bar for 30 years of service. He was commander of the Ontario emergency medical assistance team and received the Ontario Public Service Amethyst Award for outstanding achievement for medical operations leadership at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. Urszenyi’s 2023 debut novel Perfect Shot was a finalist for three literary awards.

Lori Zozzolotto is a regional clinical specialist at a global medical company, specializing in wound, ostomy and continence care. She has helped research and write new national standards of practice in her specialty. Zozzolotto earned her nursing credentials at 49 and has been dedicated to improving the careers of Black and 2SLGBTQ nurses. She works to advance diversity initiatives, provide mentorship and develop leadership opportunities while impacting standards of practice in her field.