CPSO Board Election

I am applying to serve on the CPSO Board of Directors because I believe that strong, transparent governance is essential to maintaining public trust in medicine. My career has focused on improving the quality, safety, and equity of pediatric care across Ontario, and I hope to bring that experience to advancing CPSO’s public-interest mandate. 

As a Pediatric Critical Care Physician at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Medical Director of Pediatric Transport Medicine at Ornge, my work bridges tertiary and community care. Through Ornge, I oversee pediatric and neonatal transports across the province, with over half of our patients coming from Northern Ontario or other underserved regions. This experience has given me a deep appreciation for the challenges faced by rural and remote hospitals and the importance of equitable access to specialized care.

I also recognize that timely access to medical care is a pressing public-interest issue in Ontario. Having navigated Ontario’s training and certification pathways firsthand, I understand the importance of fair and transparent regulatory processes that maintain public trust while enabling qualified physicians to contribute to care delivery, particularly in underserved regions.

Beyond clinical leadership, I serve on several provincial and institutional committees that strengthen system integration, quality oversight, and equitable access to care. I also bring board-level experience overseeing governance, credentialing, and research portfolios, with responsibilities in strategic planning, policy development, and fiduciary oversight.

Currently completing an Executive MBA at the Telfer School of Management, I am expanding my expertise in governance, financial stewardship, and organizational leadership. I value respectful, evidence-informed dialogue and collaborative decision-making. To me, serving the public interest means advancing fairness, transparency, and safety for all Ontarians.

As a clinician, educator, and researcher, I am dedicated to advancing the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) mandate to protect the public interest. I seek to serve on the Board of Directors to operationalize and extend this mandate by ensuring decisions continue to strengthen public trust, promote accountability, and support clinicians in providing safe, high-quality care within an evolving healthcare landscape. Throughout my career, I have focused on developing policies, programs, and learning environments grounded in accountability, transparency, and quality—principles central to the governance values of the CPSO.

My governance experience—developed through accreditation, competency profile development, and health policy analysis—has prepared me to contribute effectively to CPSO’s regulatory leadership. I have collaborated with physicians, administrators, and regulators across Canada to streamline role integration, support interprofessional teams, and embed quality improvement within educational and clinical systems. I have contributed to policy and curriculum development addressing professionalism, scope of practice, and health reform. This background aligns directly with CPSO’s governance competencies in risk oversight, health system knowledge, and ethical leadership.

As a Canadian Certified Physician Assistant (CCPA) with experience across hospital and community settings, and PhD training in health research and policy analysis, my work focuses on how regulation, competency-based frameworks, and governance practices can optimize the delivery of safe, team-based care. My interest in Canadian health professional regulation further strengthens my ability to contribute meaningfully to CPSO’s strategic priorities and oversight responsibilities.

While Physician Assistants (PAs) are newly registered under CPSO, I am very familiar with its guiding principles of transparency, equity, and evidence-informed decision-making. Including a PA perspective on the Board will help advance CPSO’s mission to serve the public interest through effective, inclusive, and transparent regulation that reflects the realities of interprofessional, team-based models of care.

I am honoured to be submitting my application for CPSO Board member. If successful, this would be my third and final term on the Board. My terms thus far have been among the most meaningful things I have done in my career. The privilege of providing input into thoughtful and measured self-regulation of physicians, and now physician assistants, is one I take very seriously.

In my time at the CPSO, I have served on the Quality Assurance Committee and have witnessed the positive transformation of the Quality Assurance Program. I have also served on the Policy Working Group. I now sit on the Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal.

I have been a member of various boards of directors in addition to the CPSO. I have held senior leadership positions within the hospital system, and have worked in the health sphere in both the government and the private sectors. I addition to being a physician, I am also a lawyer and understand governance, regulation and policy well. I currently practice comprehensive family medicine at a large Family Health Team, and train both medical residents and medical students.

If given the opportunity to be a member of the CPSO for a third term, I will continue to work hard for the CPSO, the public interest, and balanced regulation of the profession.

I have served on the Board of Directors for the last three years and have very much enjoyed the work and in particular having the opportunity to participate in the ongoing governance modernization we have achieved. I am proud of this work and being part of it. I have continued to serve the Board and have recently been appointed to both the Policy Review Group and the Disciplinary Tribunal as a Board Member. I would very much like to continue this work I bring experience as a Physician practicing for the last 27 years at St Joseph's Healthcare and the last 15 years as the Lead Physician for the Transgender Health Program at Quest CHC which I started in 2010 and is now one of the largest transgender health clinics in Canada with a multi disciplinary team working in a patient centred environment.

I have significant experience in governance which I think I have demonstrated as a member of the CPSO Board as well as being a member of the OMA council, member of the OMA Executive on Emergency Medicine and member of the Executive and former President of the Hamilton Academy of Medicine and as Member of the Board of YWCA Hamilton and Chair of the Nominating Committee for the YWCA.

As well as my work as an Emergency Physician over the last 27 years are with marginalized populations in an urban Emergency Department. I have also served as a Chief of my Department, Royal College Program Director and Member of the Equity Committee of the Department of Medicine at McMaster University.

I think these experiences combined with my work with the CPSO Board and other Public Boards, and my work on the policy review committee and disciplinary tribunal allow me to serve the Public Interest.

Thank you

I am seeking to serve on the CPSO Board of Directors to bring forward the perspective of a frontline clinician working in Northern Ontario, where patients often face barriers to equitable, high-quality care. As a Physician Assistant in primary care and Substance Use Health, I have seen how fair, transparent, and evidence-informed regulation strengthens public trust and supports safe, compassionate care across diverse communities.

My work across rural and remote settings has given me insight into the challenges faced by both patients and practitioners in underserviced regions. Serving on the Board would allow me to contribute to policy discussions that uphold the public interest while ensuring equitable access and accountability throughout Ontario’s healthcare system.

To me, serving the public interest as a CPSO Director means ensuring that regulation is ethical, equitable, and informed by the realities of care delivery. It requires thoughtful governance that protects patients while empowering clinicians to deliver person-centered care.

I bring a solid foundation in governance, ethics, and academic leadership, supported by experience in both clinical and university settings. My roles on the NOSM Senate Appeals Committee and Animal Care Committee have strengthened my understanding of procedural fairness, collaborative decision-making, and institutional accountability. These experiences have deepened my commitment to transparent, responsible, and evidence-based governance that reflects the diversity and complexity of the healthcare system. I would be honored to contribute these perspectives to the CPSO Board, representing northern practitioners and the communities we serve.

I value thoughtful collaboration and continuous learning and would approach this role with humility and respect for the diverse perspectives represented on the Board. My goal is to contribute to evidence-informed decisions that strengthen accountability, inclusivity, and public trust while promoting high-quality care for all Ontarians.

My Commitment

Serving on CPSO Council has been one of the most meaningful aspects of my professional life. I am seeking re-election to continue advancing the College’s mission of ensuring Ontarians receive safe, high-quality care and to strengthen trust between the public and the medical profession.

Challenges in Healthcare

Our healthcare system is under tremendous strain. There are no simple solutions to challenges such as physician shortages and surgical wait times. Physicians are exhausted, and patients are understandably frustrated. I believe the CPSO can help shape balanced, right-touch regulatory approaches that protect patients while supporting physicians to deliver excellent care.

Experience and Skills

With over a decade of CPSO experience, serving on the Board, the Quality Assurance Committee, and the Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal, I bring deep institutional knowledge and a thoughtful understanding of governance and accountability. As an academic surgeon and fellowship director, I understand the realities of medical education, system constraints, and the importance of maintaining professional standards. My graduate training (Master of Studies in Law, University of Toronto) strengthened my ability to interpret policy and navigate complex issues thoughtfully and fairly.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Working in an inner-city hospital has reinforced the importance of culturally safe, equitable care for diverse communities. I bring openness, empathy, and curiosity to every discussion, along with a genuine respect for differing perspectives. I am committed to inclusive regulation that reflects the diversity of Ontario’s physicians and patients.

Vision for the Future

Together, we can strengthen trust in the profession and create an environment where physicians can thrive while providing safe, high-quality care.

The CPSO Board’s work to uphold public trust and support high-quality care reflects the values that have shaped my career as a physician. With 25 years of clinical experience in Northern Ontario, I have dedicated my career to providing cradle-to-grave care in rural and remote communities. As an academic leader, I am dedicated to strengthening Ontario’s health system through collaboration and social accountability. My work as a primary care researcher focuses on improving care in rural settings and advancing health equity at the system level. In recognition of these contributions, I was honoured to receive the OCFP Ontario Family Physician of the Year Award in 2021.

Alongside my clinical work, I actively engage in leadership and governance. I have served on Family Health Team and hospital boards, university senate, and several volunteer organizations. These roles have strengthened my understanding of strategic oversight, fiduciary responsibility, and effective governance; skills that align closely with the College’s regulatory mandate.

I am familiar with CPSO’s governance model and mandate, and my work at NOSM University has provided me with a strong understanding of faculty oversight, professional standards, and academic registration processes. I lead with authenticity, strategic insight, emotional intelligence, and adaptability in complex environments.

As a first-generation Canadian who has had the privilege of serving Indigenous communities, I understand the importance of cultural humility, trust-building, and listening to patient stories. I am deeply committed to advancing safe, competent, and compassionate medical practice that reflects the diversity of Ontario’s populations and geography.

I would be privileged to support the CPSO Board’s work in serving the public interest through transparent and evidence-informed regulation. My combination of clinical experience, leadership, governance involvement, and grounded rural generalist insight positions me to support the Board’s strategic priorities and uphold its commitment to fairness, accountability, and excellence in medical regulation.