Katrina Mulherin is the Deputy Registrar for the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists. Moving into her current regulatory role she pulls from her various practices of clinical, academic, and consultant pharmacist. She?s formerly a practicing NICU pharmacist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto, an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and the CEO of Windpharm Consulting. She continues to precept Pharm D students in her practice at the College.

Research interests include impact of multimedia in qualitative research, examining the relationship between practitioners and their practice and transformative learning. The Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy presented her with the Wellspring award in recognition of her narrative documentary work in 2014. As a regulator, she is interested in applying research in behavioural economics and evidence-based pharmacy regulation.

Her role at the New Brunswick College allows her to return to her geographical and professional place of origin to design pol

Katherine Stansfield RN is the CEO/Registrar of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. During her nursing career she has held roles of Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive, Director of Professional Practice and Clinical Nurse Specialist as well as other clinical, education, professional practice and administration roles in several provinces.

Katherine graduated from St. Boniface Diploma School of Nursing in Winnipeg, Manitoba and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (post basic with distinction) from the University of Alberta. She completed her Masters of Nursing from the University of Manitoba and the Rotman Healthcare Executive Leadership certificate from the University of Toronto.

Mary has extensive experience in healthcare administration, leadership, research, education, policy, and clinical practice with hands on experience leading groups through complex change and empowering others in the achievement of a shared vision. Previously, Mary was an assistant professor in the Department of Nursing at Brandon University. Prior to this she held a variety of positions such as Vice President Programs and Services, Southern Health-Santé Sud, public health practice leader, women?s health program leader and client services manager for Healthy Living Programs, RHA ? Central. Mary?s background also includes roles as intervention coordinator for the Manitoba Heart Health Program, public health nurse in remote northern communities, and surgical intensive care nurse in a larger urban centre. She has a masters of nursing, advanced practice leadership from the University of Victoria and a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Western Ontario. Mary is currently the Executive Director of the Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba.

Cynthia Johansen was appointed the inaugural Registrar/CEO of the BC College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) in September 2018. Prior to that, she was the CEO/Registrar of the College of Registered Nurses of B.C. (CRNBC), and led that organization through the amalgamation of B.C.?s three nursing regulators to form BCCNP. BCCNP is responsible for the regulation of registered nurses and nurse practitioners in British Columbia. Prior to joining CRNBC, Cynthia served as the Registrar/CEO of the College of Dental Hygienists of B.C.

Cynthia holds a BA in Political Science, an MA in Leadership Studies, and an MSc in Information Management. She has extensive experience in investigating and reporting on issues of public safety and access to care, and working with government, the public and stakeholders on improving professional practice standards and health profession regulation.

Louise Aerts joined the College of Midwives of British Columbia (CMBC) in October 2014 as the Registrar/Executive Director. In this role she provides strategic leadership, organizational and financial management, and carries out the duties set out for the registrar in the Health Professions Act and the College Bylaws.

Louise has over 10 years of Executive Director level experience in various non-profit environments such as education, arts, and health related causes. After completing her Masters of Business Administration, Louise devoted her career to the non-profit sector. The CMBC is continually working towards regulatory excellent and Louise is helping to move the board to a risk-based regulation framework. Louise is highly committed to professional self-regulation and governing the practice of health professionals in the public interest, fairness in decision-making and due process, and interprofessional collaboration.

Tanya is the Chair of the College of Midwives of British Columbia. She is a registered midwife practicing in Nelson, British Columbia. Tanya is the Co-founder of a midwife/family physician collaborative practice of Apple Tree Maternity. She is also an Adjunct Professor, Midwifery Program of University of BC and Midwifery Department Head at Kootenay Lake Hospital.

Kevin Taylor is the Registrar & CEO at the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario. Beginning his career as a practicing clinician both in Canada and abroad, Kevin has explored a diverse path in health care developed expertise in many facets of today’s health care system, approaching them all with a firm belief in the value of diversity, a passion for education, and a commitment to serving the public interest. Kevin holds an MBA with a specialization in Health Care Strategic Management and currently sits as the President of the Health Professions Regulators of Ontario (HPRO), the Chair of the Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR), and the Vice-President of the National Alliance of Respiratory Therapy Regulatory Bodies. When not working, this busy Dad is probably zipping along somewhere on a bicycle…

Eric Ward is the Senior Director responsible for foresight at Policy Horizons Canada. He works with teams of analysts to explore social, technological, economic, and governance futures. The aim is to help government craft policies and programs that are robust and resilient in the face of disruption and uncertainty. Previously, Eric worked at the Department of Justice as Senior Counsel, and at the Privy Council Office as Director of Legal Operations and Director of Strategic Policy for Machinery of Government. Eric was a judicial clerk for Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci, and a researcher for Senator Landon Pearson. He holds degrees in civil and common law from McGill University.

Since 2016, Kathy Baig has been President of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ), the organization that oversees and supports approximately 65,000 engineering professionals in Quebec. Under her leadership, the OIQ developed and implemented the ENG2020 Plan to become the reference for public protection within Quebec?s professional system. Her outstanding and successful efforts to restore confidence in the engineering profession in the aftermath of the Charbonneau Commission have been recognized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec (Mercury Award for her leadership), by Engineers Canada (Fellow), the national organization of Canada?s 12 engineering regulators, by the Canadian Academy of Engineering (Fellow), and by Canada?s Top 40 Under 40. Kathy makes a significant contribution as a member of the boards of directors of Via Rail Canada, Engineers Canada and Maison Saint-Gabriel, a museum and historic site. Before being elected President of the OIQ, Kathy enjoyed an engineering career.

Kalina Bacher-René joined the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) in 2015. She currently heads projects aimed at facilitating international mobility and understanding the frontiers of engineering. She has also led and implemented two major innovative projects that changed the way the OIQ admits individuals to the profession. Thanks to these initiatives, its admission process benefits from a more personalized approach, where weight is given to applicants? Academic and professional experience, as well as a system for evaluating their knowledge, which enables the OIQ to issue permits to engineers who meet professional and technical competency requirements. Kalina holds a Bachelor of Management and will soon earn her Master of Organizational Development from HEC Montréal. Prior to joining the OIQ, Kalina worked in the areas of retail marketing, non-profit organizations and education. During this time, she spearheaded a number of projects in business development, customer service, marketing, and change management.

Jim Landrigan Is the Executive Director and Registrar for Engineers PEI, Jim graduated in Electrical Engineering from Memorial University in 1977. He is a member of several Engineers PEI committees including the Engineering Qualifications Committee. He is Chairman of the Chief Executive Officers Group of Engineers Canada and represents engineering regulators on the Planning and Priorities committee of the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board.

Michelle Cheng is the Project Manager, Registration at Engineers and Geoscientists BC. She manages the Canadian Environment Competencies project as well as foreign qualifications recognition initiatives. Her work focuses on helping internationally trained professionals address the barriers they face practising engineering and geoscience in Canada by integrating different perspectives to examine policies and to develop alternative pathways for internationally trained professionals to meet the requirements for professional licensure while upholding the high academic and experience standards for all applicants and members.
Michelle has been with Engineers and Geoscientists BC since 2012. She obtained her BBA from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Information Systems and Finance. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with a graduate degree in Forensic Investigation of Fraud and Financial Crime.

Tina is the Director of Special Projects with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). She has been a Director with APEGS since 2004 in various roles including the areas of registration, governance, discipline, IT, and equity and diversity. Tina was also active with APEGS as a volunteer prior to joining staff. Her employment prior to joining APEGS was as a petroleum engineer in both industry and government as well as construction project management.

Kalina Bacher-René joined the Ordre des Ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) in 2015. She currently heads projects aimed at facilitating international mobility and understanding the frontiers of engineering. She has also led and implemented two major innovative projects that changed the way the OIQ admits individuals to the profession. Thanks to these initiatives, its admission process benefits from a more personalized approach, where weight is given to applicants? academic and professional experience, as well as a system for evaluating their knowledge, which enables the OIQ to issue permits to engineers who meet professional and technical competency requirements. Kalina holds a Bachelor of Management and will soon earn her Master of Organizational Development from HEC Montréal. Prior to joining the OIQ, Kalina worked in the areas of retail marketing, non-profit organizations and education. During this time, she spearheaded a number of projects in business development, customer service, marketing, change manage

Andrea Waldie is CEO of Geoscientists Canada, the national umbrella organization for self-regulatory organizations licensing professional geoscientists in Canada. She has widely consulted on matters of professional geoscience and governance and has acted as a project manager through her company Waldie Geo-Governance. Andrea spent over 20 years in the mineral exploration and mining industry consulting for both major and junior mining exploration companies prior to joining the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO) as the Executive Director and Registrar from 2007 through 2012. She served as the co-chair of the APGO Registration Committee from 2012 to 2017. Andrea has been the volunteer business manager of the APGO Education Foundation since 2008. She holds a B.Sc. in Earth Science from the University of Waterloo, is a registered professional geoscientist in Ontario and British Columbia, and a Fellow of Geoscientists Canada.

Megan Mah is an associate at WeirFoulds LLP. Her practices focuses on human rights, employment, administrative, regulatory and constitutional law. Megan works on a range of issues including discrimination and accommodation, sexual harassment and violence, wrongful and constructive dismissals, human rights complaints, and professional discipline. Megan regularly advises her clients on policies and procedures, and on internal disciplinary issues. She has worked for clients including private companies, public institutions, professional regulators, not-for-profit organizations, and universities. Megan is an executive member of the Ontario Bar Association?s Labour and Employment Law Section and Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law Section.

Heidi is a partner with Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP in Edmonton. Heidi carries on a civil litigation practice, and has appeared before various boards and tribunals, as well as in the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Court of Queen?s Bench of Alberta. Heidi has worked with self-regulated professional bodies since joining RMRF as an articling student in 2015. Her practice in this area includes providing advice to colleges on various administrative law issues, and prosecuting professional disciplinary hearings.

Heidi obtained her law degree at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and her Bachelor of Arts (Honours First Class) from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick.

Sheryl Sarfin is the Manager of Investigations at the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The Investigations Team assesses, investigates and resolves complaints and reports about nurses in Ontario. In her role as Manager, Sheryl oversees the day-to-day operations of the Investigations Team, and contributes to the broader policy direction of CNO. Prior to becoming Manager in 2016, Sheryl gained regulatory and investigative experience as an Investigator at CNO, where she handled hundreds of intake and investigation matters. Sheryl holds a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelors of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and Economics from McGill University.

Lynsay Nair, LPN, is the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (SALPN). Lynsay started her career in professional regulation in 2009 as the SALPN Practice Consultant and assumed the role of Executive Director in 2013. During Lynsay?s tenure as Executive Director, she has led the SALPN through significant change with a voluntary abandonment of the long-standing dual mandate role of regulator and advocate of the profession to acting solely as the self-regulating body for the profession. Lynsay is Vice-Chair of the National Nursing Assessment Service, Chair of Saskatchewan?s Network of Interprofessional Regulatory Organizations, and the Chair of the Canadian Council of Practical Nurse Regulators. Prior to entering the field of regulation, Lynsay was a front line Licensed Practical Nurse, working primarily in Emergency.

Elyse Sunshine is a founding partner of the Toronto, Ontario health law boutique Rosen Sunshine LLP.
Elyse assists health care professionals, health associations and organizations by providing advice and opinions with respect to regulatory, administrative and civil matters. Elyse has experience in assisting various health professionals with professional matters before their licensing bodies (including, registration, complaints, discipline, fitness, and quality assurance), hospitals, employers and the government.
Elyse also serves as independent legal counsel to discipline committees.
In addition to her advocacy practice, Elyse regularly provides opinions and general advice to individuals and organizations, such as associations of health care professionals.
Elyse is very active in the health community and was recently appointed as the Complaints Review Officer of the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority. Elyse is a founding Board member of the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund, creator of the viral melanoma awar

Marc Spector is the Director of Professional Regulation for the College of Early Childhood Educators, one of the largest regulators in Ontario. Before joining the College, Marc was general counsel and prosecutor to more than half a dozen regulators ranging from dietitians to dental technologists, and independent legal counsel for the regulators of teachers and trades. Last year, Marc was elected to the Board of Directors for the Council of Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (?CLEAR?) and, previously, named a National Finalist for Lexpert?s listing of ?Top 40 Lawyers in Canada Under 40?. He is frequently asked to speak across North America, and appears on radio and television on how regulators protect the public.

Renée has extensive experience in litigation and administrative law. She has developed particular expertise in the health industry sector. She has been involved as counsel in long complex trials before judge and jury and appeared before all levels of court in Ontario.
Renée has represented numerous health organizations, long term care facilities, care agencies, counselling services, fertility clinics, retirement residences and a wide range of professionals (dental hygienists, dentists, geneticists, naturopaths, nurses, optometrists, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, social workers) in the defence of professional liability claims, in complaint and disciplinary proceedings pursuant to the Regulated Health Professions Act, in Coroner?s investigations and inquests, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care investigations and at Consent and Capacity Board hearings.
Her broader professional liability defence work includes the defence of paralegals, engineers, construction industry workers, b

Anita Ashton is the Deputy Registrar at the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. For the last 20 years Anita has worked in the field of professional regulation in the areas of investigations, disciplinary proceedings and compliance monitoring. More recently Anita has added registration, quality assurance and the practice advisory service to her portfolio. Anita has a Masters degree in Public Administration and has completed post graduate studies in human resources, investigations and alternative dispute resolution.

Zubin Austin is Professor and Koffler Research Chair at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, and the Institute for Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. His research focuses on the professional and personal development of the health workforce. He has published over 200 papers and authored 4 reference textbooks including the recently-published Communication in Interprofessional Care: Theory and Applications. In 2017, in recognition of the societal impact of his research, he was installed as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, one of the highest honours for health researchers in Canada. He is also the only University of Toronto professor ever to have received both the President’s Teaching Award for sustained excellence as an educator and the President’s Research Impact Award for the significance of his research. He has been named undergraduate Professor of the Year by students on 20 separate occasions.

Shamira Madhany joined WES in 2018 after more than two decades of public service. She has extensive experience working with licensing bodies, settlement agencies, and higher education and post-secondary sectors in Ontario. She served as the chief architect of several government programs that enable highly skilled immigrants to obtain employment in their fields. Shamira played a key role in the launch of WES Canada in 2000 during her tenure at the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration as Provincial Lead, Access to Professions and Trades. She is a guest lecturer at Queen’s University and University of Toronto School of Public Policy, and serves on the board for Windmill Microlending.

Jan Robinson is the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, a position she began in 2012. A leader in profession-based regulation, Jan has more than 25 years of experience providing vision and direction to regulatory and public policy organizations. Jan?s key contributions include the development of a framework to establish governance excellence, implementing an accountability, risk and evidence-based approach to regulation at all levels of the organization, and leading legislative change that promotes public access and safety. As well as providing leadership at the CVO, Jan?s interests include the global mobility of professionals, developing cultures that support quality outcomes, and promoting agile legislative and standard setting frameworks.

Anna-Marie Nielsen, OCT, B.Sc., B. Ed., M. Ed joined the Accreditation Unit in 2015 as a continuation of her educational trajectory from classroom teacher, to consultant, to Ministry of Education pedagogical content developer, to program officer. During her 30-year career, she has worked on a variety of science, numeracy and technology-related initiatives at the school, board and provincial levels. Internationally, Anna-Marie has had the opportunity to lecture at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia where she facilitated courses at the Faculty of Education on Patterning and Algebraic Reasoning. In her current role as the Manager of Accreditation with the Standards of Practice and Accreditation Department, Anna-Marie navigates between Faculties of Education, accreditation panels and the Accreditation Committee through all stages of the accreditation process. She facilitates accreditation reviews for the 50+ initial teacher education programs offered at 18 permitted institutions in the province of Ontario.

Carmelina Martin’s career as an educator spans over two decades. Involved in a variety of provincial, national and international projects; including shaping policy for dance, curriculum writing and reviewing, writing and implementing in-service teacher education courses at York University, a presenter at UNESCO on Arts and Learning and the daCi conference in Taiwan, a panelist for the National Roundtable in Ottawa for Teacher Education in the Arts, founder and director of Pulse Ontario Dance Conference and a recipient of the Ontario Premier Teacher of the Year Award in 2011.

In 2018 Carmelina joined the Ontario College of Teachers as a Program Officer in the Accreditation unit and began her graduate studies in education at York University.

Marg is a Métis grandmother and educator, descended from French voyageurs and Ojibway women. She serves as the Brock University’s Coordinator for a B.Ed. program, offered in partnership with the Oshki-Pimache-O-Winhe Education Institute. The B.Ed. program involves on-site and distance learning throughout Northern Ontario. She teaches several courses within the program which focus on cultural approaches to education. Marg holds a M.Ed. degree from York University. Her teaching career spans kindergarten to post secondary, but Indigenous education is her passion. She is active in her community and has served on the executive of the Georgian Bay Métis Council and the Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre, as well as on the Aboriginal Advisory Committee of the Simcoe County District Board of Education. In her personal life Marg is a beadwork artist and active musician, performing at area festivals. She lives with her family in Perkinsfield, ON.

The Honourable Judge Marion Buller is of Cree heritage, a member of the Mistawasis First Nation in Saskatchewan, and has been a leading force in Indigenous rights advocacy throughout her career. In 2006, she was instrumental in the initiation of the First Nations Courts in British Columbia. Her most recent role will serve as a critical tool in the continued fight for the restoration of Indigenous rights and freedoms. In June 2019, led by Judge Buller, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its findings in a two-volume report, with 231 “Calls to Justice” directed at governments, institutions, social-service providers, industries, and Canadians as a whole. Judge Buller was appointed the first woman First Nations judge in British Columbia in 1994. Earlier this year, she was named as one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence and was just recently awarded the Vancouver YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Reconciliation.

Me Julie de Gongre, Lawyer, Director of Legal Affairs, Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec

Member of Barreau du Québec since 2002, Maître de Gongre worked for several professional colleges, including the Collège des médecins du Québec, the Ordre des comptables en management accrédités du Québec (now called Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec) and the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec. Maître de Gongre joined the permanent team of the Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec in April 2009, where she is in charge of legal affairs. She is a member of the Bar of Montreal’s Professional and Disciplinary Law Committee since 2010 and a member of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation’s (CLEAR) Compliance & Discipline Subcommittee since 2013.

Membre du Barreau du Québec depuis 2002, Me de Gongre a ‘uvré au sein de plusieurs ordres professionnels, dont le Collège des médecins du Québec, l?Ordre des comptables en management accrédités du Québec et l?Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec. Elle s?est jointe à l?équipe de la permanence du Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec en avril 2009, où elle y exerce à titre de directrice des affaires juridiques. Elle est membre du comité Droit disciplinaire et professionnel du Barreau de Montréal depuis 2010 et membre du sous-comité Compliance & Discipline du Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation depuis 2013. / Member of Barreau du Québec since 2002, Me de Gongre worked for several professional colleges, including the Collège des médecins du Québec, the Ordre des comptables en management accrédités du Québec and the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec.

Erica Richler is a partner at Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc, a law firm in Toronto, Ontario, dedicated to advising professional regulators. Erica provides advice on all aspects of professional regulation in a range of sectors, including health and education. In addition to acting as general counsel and as prosecutor, Erica provides independent legal advice to hearing and appeal committees. Erica is a frequent speaker at CNAR and regularly provides training sessions to staff and committee members of regulators.

Joanie Bouchard completed both a bachelor in dietetic and a master in research at the University of Montreal. Before turning her interest to professional regulation, she worked in various health care facilities as a registred dietitian. In 2012, she started working at the Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec in quality assurance and practice advisory. In 2017, she moved across Canada to become the Registrar of the College of Dietitians of BC where she oversees all aspects of dietetic regulation. Joanie was a guest speaker at many health and dietetic conferences in the past. She is a strong believer in evidence-based and data informed policies in professional regulation.

Marc Beaudoin, MBA, Adm. A., CRHA, est directeur général du Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec. Il a préalablement uvré plus de 13 ans à titre de directeur adjoint des dossiers de santé et sécurité du travail à l’Association de la construction du Québec. Gestionnaire aguerri dans une direction de plus de soixante professionnels multidisciplinaires, il a initié de nombreuses démarches visant l?amélioration de la performance, en plus d?assurer la gestion opérationnelle et financière courante, incluant l?implantation de nouveaux systèmes informatisés de gestion. Il a commencé sa carrière en entreprise privée comme chef déquipe en ressources humaines chez Alinov Québec et il s’est aussi impliqué au sein des Forces armées canadiennes de 1999 à 2008, dont quatre ans à titre de commandant d’un escadron.

Dr. Gonthier is the President & COO at Yardstick and in this role, she oversees and provides strategic direction for all aspects of the business, including psychometrics, exam administration and operations, product development and implementation, business development, and research and development. Over the course of her career, Isabelle has managed the development and administration of large-scale national licensure and certification examinations and assessment tools for various professions in the health, financial, and IT sectors.

Dr. Gonthier earned her Doctorate in Experimental Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Prior to joining Yardstick, she has worked at Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) & CFP Board as Vice President of Certification and Director of Examinations, respectfully.

Greg Pope is a psychometrician and the Director of Examinations at the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), the largest regulator in western Canada. He is responsible for all examinations administered to APEGA applicants and members including the National Professional Practice Examination (NPPE) that is taken across Canada and abroad by thousands of candidates annually. Prior to working with APEGA Greg gained experience working with Canadian and international assessment companies developing and managing high stakes assessment programs and psychometric consulting services. In these roles Greg designed software and reporting approaches in many areas of psychometric analyses of high stakes assessment data such as item bank composition visualization reports, result reporting at candidate and multiple organizational levels, collusion detection and test security, Classical Test Theory item and test analysis, non-parametric item response modeling, as well as differential item f

Autumn Saylor is currently the Directorr of Assessment Services for the International Code Council (ICC), and oversees the test development and administration of the ICC examinations toward ensuring valid and reliable examinations according to nationally recognized testing standards. During her 12 years at ICC, Autumn has led teams of in-house experts and external subject matter experts in the development and administration of ICC examinations for such diverse programs as Certified Building Official, Certified Fire Marshal, Commercial & Residential Building, Mechanical, Plumbing and Sustainability.

Prior to joining ICC, Autumn spent 14 years at Sallie Mae, a government-sponsored entity (GSE) created to help establish a secondary market for student loan portfolios. As part of the Internal Controls & Compliance team, Autumn’s primary focus as a Senior Business Systems Analyst was to perform audits of internal operations with an eye on Process Improvement.

Tamara Richter is an Executive Officer that manages the areas of Registration, Conduct, Human Resources, Finance and Operations for the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) in Edmonton, Alberta. The CLPNA regulates over 17,000 practical nurses, making it one of the largest nursing regulators in Canada. Tamara has been with the CLPNA in various capacities for over 20 years and has been involved in administration for almost 30 years.

Prior to working with CLPNA Tamara worked with an engineering professional regulatory body and later transitioned to the private sector with a mining company. Over her career, Tamara has gained specialized experiences in the areas of human resources, leadership and information technology development. She is skilled at managing the requirements in planning, designing and building an information architecture that is cable of supporting an organization Strategic Direction as it adapts to changing systems. Tamara has varied experiences in exam development and a re

Kelly Piasentin is currently the Lead Psychometrician for the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR), a not-for-profit organization that develops and administers the national licensure examination for physiotherapy professionals. Part of her role at CAPR is to evaluate the validity, reliability, and fairness of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination, ensuring each aspect of its development, administration and scoring conforms to industry testing standards. Kelly has provided psychometric expertise to licensure and certification organizations since 2006. Prior to joining CAPR in 2019, Kelly was employed as a Senior Psychometrician for Yardstick Assessment Strategies, where she worked on credentialing assessments for diverse professions in healthcare and government sectors. She received a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational psychology from the University of Calgary in 2007.

Dr. Michaela Geddes has over 15 years of psychometric experience in the field of assessment and measurement and has worked across Canada, the United States, and Internationally. With a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, specializing in Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methodology, Michaela is the Senior Psychometrician for Yardstick Assessment Strategies.
Her vast experience in developing high-stakes assessment/examination programs, has led her to manage various assessment programs in healthcare and government sectors including, but not limited to Pharmacy, Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Nursing, Child Welfare, Environmental Professionals, Real Estate, Policing, and Education. In particular, Dr. Geddes is responsible for the design, engineering, implementation, and analysis of defensible psychometric solutions that help maintain or improve reliability and support validity for both and written and performance-based assessments programs.

Sylvie Martel is the Dental Hygiene Advisor for the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board where she manages the educational component of the professional certification and quality improvement programs. Her role is to support the development of certification examinations and quality improvement assessments that are evidence-based, valid, defensible and meet the current national dental hygiene competencies. In addition, she is responsible for the training and support of Subject Matter Experts and Group Reviewers and for the validation of the French translation activities, and acts as a resource for all other committee members to ensure the objectives of the organization are met. Sylvie is also responsible for the assessment of educational credentials and other qualifications of internationally trained dental hygienists. Her professional experience as a clinician, educator, international speaker, trainer, manager, key opinion leader and board member ensure her a vast reach and a national and international

Jonathan is the Registrar and CEO at the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia and the President of the Canadian Alliance of Regulatory Bodies of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists. He has led a number of regulatory projects in areas of competency development, competency-based assessment, policy development, and compliance and risk management. He attended the University of Manitoba and is pursuing a Masters of Business Administration at the Edinburgh Business School.

Denise Neutel is the Director of Certification and Prior Learning assessment at the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, joining CSMLS at the beginning of 2018. Denise has more than 25 years of experience in the clinical laboratory, research, and management fields. She has experience working in the profession both in Canada and overseas. Overseas, Denise worked in a 150-bed bush hospital in Uganda as Chief of the Laboratory and Dean of the hospital’s Laboratory Medicine Educational Program. She also worked as a laboratory consultant, travelling with up to 500 pounds of laboratory equipment and supplies, then training the laboratory personal in such places as Romania, Cameroon, and Haiti. In Canada, Denise has worked in the public and private sector, most recently with McMaster University’s Platelet Immunology Diagnostic Laboratory, under the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program, and with the Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, before taking on her current position.

Melissa was admitted to the New Brunswick Bar in 2008, and practiced law with a full-service regional law firm in Fredericton, New Brunswick, focusing on labour, employment and administrative law. As part of her administrative law practice, she provided counsel to regulated health professionals in complaints matters, peer review proceedings, workplace harassment claims, and claims by Medicare Compliance and Enforcement. Melissa is currently General Counsel to the Nurses Association of New Brunswick, with primary responsibility for Complaints regarding discipline and fitness to practice of New Brunswick Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners.

Dean has earned a reputation as an expert in investigations and mediation. He is a highly recognized figure in professional regulation throughout Canada and the United States. Dean has been awarded for his exceptional skills and abilities and is routinely sought after for speaking engagements, mentoring and training. In addition, Dean has had an equally impressive impact in the sensitive area of workplace harassment and discrimination. Dean is often called upon to deliver workshops and educational seminars aimed at prevention and conflict resolution in the workplace. His passion for inspiring change and developing innovative strategies have led him on his mission to build a coaching platform for guiding others to excel as investigators, conflict resolvers, and leaders. Dean has an eclectic career history prior to starting Benard + Associates, including positions as a Registered Nurse, Police Officer, and Manager of Investigations. He holds a certificate in Strategic Intervention Coaching and is a Chartered Mediator with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada. He received his Diploma in Nursing from Fleming College in Peterborough, his Bachelor of Arts in Health Administration and Ethics from York University, and holds a Master of Laws & Letters from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Jacqueline Messer-Lepage is the Executive Director and Registrar with the Saskatchewan College of Paramedics. She holds an undergraduate degree in Medical Laboratory Technology (Microbiology), a Master of Business Administration, an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Management, and credentials in Project Management and Mediation. In 2019, Jacquie became a certified coach in EQi 2.0 and EQi 360, and currently provides personalized coaching in the areas of leadership and emotional intelligence. Jacquie has worked extensively within various areas of government including Executive Council as the Executive Director of International Relations and with the Ministry of Health as Chief Privacy Officer and Executive Director of the Risk and Relationship Management Branch. Her responsibilities spanned diverse portfolios including: International Engagement Strategy, Labour Relations, Provincial Policy and Governance, First Nations and Metis Relations, Legislation and Bylaws, Health Emergency Management, and Privacy and Access.

Mark Farmer is an award-winning digital communications professional with 20 years of experience in the field. Mark started in web design and development in the late ’90s, and founded his own shop, webness, in 2001. He worked as webmaster and then creative director for Earth Day Canada, before shifting to digital communications for organizations such as the Royal Ontario Museum, Intuit’s Global Business Division and York University.
Currently he is the senior digital strategist at the Ontario College of Teachers, leading a team of digital specialists in building the College’s websites, apps, intranets, social media, email communications and other digital channels. Mark is a regular speaker on digital communications, and has lectured and taught at colleges and universities around Toronto on topics such as social media, accessibility and metrics. He is a member of the Regulatory Communicators Network and IABC, co-founded Social Media Café Toronto, founded the Toronto Museums & Culture Online Collective

Jennifer Chadwick is Siteimprove’s Lead Accessibility Strategist and Policy and Standards Advisor on digital accessibility for North America. A user experience designer of websites and mobile applications and a certified web usability analyst for over 12 years, she guides organizations in creating their roadmap for digital accessibility and legal compliance through a process of adopting, implementing, and delivering inclusive design practices into their operations and culture. An invited expert of the W3C and other standards bodies, she is an active contributor to resource materials for website professionals to meet legal standards in Canada and the US under the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. She is a member of a UN Global Compact company through Siteimprove and has spoken at the UN’s annual Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP) and at this year’s Digital Accessibility Legal Summit (DALS2020) on disability rights and laws in Canada.

Debbie acts as general counsel to professional regulatory bodies, including providing ongoing advice to the Colleges? Registrars, boards of directors and committees on all of their policies, procedures and programs to regulate the professions in the public interest. She provides advice to the Colleges on legislative initiatives that affect their statutory mandate and the practice of the professions, and assists in preparing submissions to government advisory bodies and legislative standing committees. She also assists in the drafting and negotiation with government officials of regulations to be made under the relevant statute and their presentation to government from a policy and legal perspective. She has advised newly established regulatory bodies in developing their regulatory frameworks, by-laws, and policies and procedures, and existing regulatory bodies in adding and integrating a new profession into an existing regulatory framework.

Lise Betteridge, MSW, RSW, was appointed Registrar and CEO of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers in September 2015, after serving for the previous 5 ½ years as Director of Professional Practice, Deputy Registrar and Acting Registrar. Lise graduated from the University of Toronto with her Masters of Social Work in 1991. Prior to working in a regulatory role, Lise held management and clinical roles in diverse healthcare settings. She is the Vice President of the Canadian Council of Social Work Registrars (CCSWR)and an active member of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). In her role as Registrar, Lise works closely with government and other key stakeholders. Committed to ongoing growth as a leader, she presents widely to social workers and social service workers, students, educators, regulators and others on a range of practice and regulatory issues. Over the past two years, she has also enjoyed the opportun

Beth Deazeley, LL.B is the Chief Executive Officer of the College of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario. Called to bar of Ontario in 2002, the majority of her career has focused on governance and professional regulation. Her experience includes leadership roles and provision of professional advice to regulatory bodies at both the provincial and national level. Beth is a regular writer and speaker on governance trends and best practices, as well as regulatory matters. She obtained her Chartered Director designation from the Directors College (DeGroote School of Business) in 2013 and has experience as a board member in both regulatory and non-profit organizations.

The duty of every regulatory body and its council is to regulate in the public interest. How does a council achieve effective governance when its legislation presents barriers? There are a number of matters considered to be best practices in governance, including: the size of a council should not exceed 12 members; the number of professional and public members should be equal or the public members should be in the majority; the selection of the council should be based on competencies; and there should be a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the council and its members.

Despite a growing consensus on these best practices, provisions in the governing statute may mean that it is not possible in the short term to achieve a legislative change with respect to the size, composition and process for selection of council members. Our panel will discuss various steps that can be taken to improve effective governance of regulatory bodies without legislative change.

Nancy graduated with a Pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business at Western University.
Her background in the private sector includes both hospital and community pharmacy; as well as senior roles in the pharmaceutical industry.
In 2005, she joined the public sector and has held leadership positions in both the Drug Programs Branch and the Health Programs Policy and Standards Branch where she was responsible for Mental Health and Addictions as well as Primary Care policy.
In 2012, prior to joining the Ontario College of Pharmacists, Nancy was the Director of Health System Planning and Design at the Central Local Health Integration Network, where she was responsible for the community and primary care portfolio.Since joining OCP in 2017, Nancy has led the establishment of a new strategic plan, driving the transformation of the College into a data-driven organization to support the implementation of a quality improvement and risk-based focus to regulating the pract

Thomas is a Vancouver-based lawyer whose practice is focused almost entirely on professional self-regulation. Drawing from his experience as General Counsel and Deputy CEO for the AIBC, he has provided policy and external counsel advice to many B.C. regulators. This work includes discipline hearing prosecutions and hearing panel counsel. Thom also lectures and writes frequently in the areas of investigations, consent orders, hearing practice, governance, and bylaw and legislative drafting in professional self-regulation. He holds the Certified In-House Counsel of Canada designation and collaborates provincially and nationally with lawyers and executives on a variety of self-regulation issues.

Graeme Keirstead graduated with a law degree from the University of New Brunswick in 1991 and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1992. He left a small community practice to join the Law Society in 1999, where he was responsible for several different portfolios, including the development of the in-house custodianships program and the intake and early resolution of complaints.

Graeme joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC in 2013 as its chief legal counsel. In 2020 Graeme was also designated by the College as deputy registrar.

Graeme is the College’s senior management team member responsible for the provision of all legal services, including investigations and discipline, litigation management, is the head of the college for records and privacy, and oversees medical corporations. Graeme also provides governance support and guidance to the College’s Board and committees.

Greg is a lawyer with the Vancouver law firm of Sugden, McFee & Roos LLP, where he practises in the areas of administrative law and professional regulation. Greg recently returned to private practice after spending eight years in senior in-house positions with two regulatory bodies. His work covers all aspects of professional regulation, including complaints and discipline, illegal practice, registration, development of professional standards, staff and committee member training, and governance. Greg also holds the Certified In-House Counsel of Canada designation. Greg has appeared before a wide range of administrative tribunals, all levels of court in British Columbia, and the Supreme Court of Canada. He has been a speaker at events hosted by CLE, Infonex, CLEAR, and CNAR, and is a keen observer of the many recent changes in professional regulation.

Richard Steinecke practises law exclusively in the area of professional regulation. He is the editor of the widely read Grey Areas newsletter commenting on recent developments in professional regulation. Because of its comprehensive nature, courts and tribunals have cited his book ?A Complete Guide to the Regulated Health Professions Act? over three dozen times, even in cases dealing with non-health professions. The book is updated twice a year.
Today he spends most of his professional life teaching, writing, speaking, training and consulting on professional regulation issues. A life-long learner, Richard reads every Canadian common law court decision on professional regulation he can find and has a Certificate in Risk Management from the University of Toronto.
Richard is counsel to Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc.

Marjorie is a Partner in the Halifax office of McInnes Cooper with a varied litigation and administrative law practice with a focus on regulatory and liability issues for professionals. She represents many professional regulatory bodies such as the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Architects Association, and several others. Marjorie has acted in many cases to investigate complaints, prosecute disciplinary matters, chair adjudicative panels, act as independent counsel to panels or as defence counsel to professionals charged with disciplinary violations. She also acts as defence counsel to insurers of professionals. She appears before all levels of court in Nova Scotia and before many administrative tribunals.
Marjorie drafts and interprets governing legislation, and provides training, strategic policy and operational advice to self-governing organizations. Likewise, she helps health facilities prepare and interpret hospital by

Jim Casey is a partner at Field Law working in the Firm?s Edmonton office. Jim was appointed ?Queen?s Counsel? in 2004. He served as Practice Group Leader for the Firm?s Labour and Employment Group and founded the Firm?s Professional Regulatory Group. Jim was named the Firm?s Managing Partner in 2008 serving as the chief executive officer for the Firm?s three offices in Edmonton, Calgary and Yellowknife.
Jim founded the Firm?s Professional Regulatory Group and serves as counsel to numerous professional regulatory organizations seeking experience and solution-focused advice in all areas of professional regulation including discipline, legislation, registration, mobility, policy and governance. He has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada, all levels of Courts in Alberta and acts as independent legal counsel to numerous administrative tribunals. Jim is the author of The Regulation of Professions in Canada, which is considered one of the leading textbooks on the subject and has been cited

Julie Maciura is the Managing Partner of Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc. Julie has practised administrative law, with an emphasis on professional regulation, for over 20 years. She acts as general counsel, prosecutor, and independent legal counsel for numerous Ontario regulators. Julie’s general counsel work includes training specific to the needs of statutory committees, guidance to regulators on Registration and Quality Assurance matters, as well as drafting regulations, by-laws, standards and policies. Julie has also performed comprehensive legal audits of various statutory programs and processes for regulators and has experience with strategic planning. Julie has appeared in all levels of court in Ontario representing the interests of regulators on appeals and judicial review applications.

Julie regularly gives presentations to regulators, law school classes and at professional conferences on health law, administrative law, and professional regulation. She has written numerous articles for the firm’s news

Michael Caffaro is a family physician, a graduate from the University of Alberta Family Medicine Program which included one further year of surgical training. He practiced in rural Alberta for over two decades providing full-spectrum “cradle-to-grave” care until his return to Edmonton in 2015 and the CPSA. He currently oversees the management of 850+ complaints per year, as well as the prosecution of those matters deemed worthy of discipline; he also remains an associate clinical professor with the Department of Family medicine at the University of Alberta.
When not guiding his fellow professionals and the patients of Alberta, Michael can usually be found on some sort of bicycle or similar mode of transportation that does not involve an internal combustion engine. This includes his pride and joy, a modified fat bike which can transport upwards of 36 bottles of craft beer at a time.

David Kay is Chief Professional Conduct Officer with the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA), the nursing regulator and association.
Prior to joining the CARNA in June 2019, David was Assistant Registrar, Chief Operating Officer, and Hearings Director of Alberta?s medical regulator, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA), for 3 years. And for 19 years prior to joining CPSA, David acted as the Executive Director for RPAP | Health Workforce for Alberta. RPAP is a rural health workforce agency funded by the Alberta Ministry of Health.
David is a member of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) serving on its Executive Leadership Program for Regulators Committee, the Regulatory Agency Administration Committee, and the Board Member Training Committee.
David is a Certified Health Executive with CCHL, a Fellow of the American College, and board certified in health care management. Mr. Kay holds a Master?s in Health Administration from the Univ

Cindy Smith is Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association (SRNA). The SRNA is the profession-led regulatory body and association for more than 12,000 registered nurses in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. With over thirty years of professional practice in health care settings, Cindy Smith has served in all domains of nursing, from practice and education to administration and research. For the last 20 years of her career, Cindy has been dedicated to nursing leadership. She has served as manager of Adult Rehab at Wascana Rehab Centre, manager of Neurosciences at Regina General Hospital, and as an educator and program head at SIAST. Cindy joined the SRNA leadership team in 2019 from Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Regina, where she served as Associate Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences since 2011. Her passion for registered nursing in Saskatchewan and across Canada is reflected in her pursuit of advancing scholarship and research in nursing education.

Julie Gagnon is a senior partner at Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP in Edmonton, Alberta. She acts for several professional regulatory bodies and provides advice on regulatory issues, interpretation of legislation, board policy and governance. She has appeared before various tribunals, the Court of Queen’s Bench and the Court of Appeal. Julie has experience prosecuting and defending professionals in disciplinary hearings and acts as independent legal counsel to various administrative tribunals. She has worked on projects involving the enactment of new professional regulatory legislation and in developing Bylaws, Codes of Ethics and Standards of Practice for regulatory organizations. Julie also provides orientation and training to administrative decision-makers on various issues.

Natasha Danson is a partner at Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc. She advises and represents clients in all areas of professional regulation, with a focus on matters related to discipline and unauthorized practice. Natasha also regularly advises regulators on their in-house employment law issues. Specifically, she drafts employment contracts, assesses whether existing employment contracts are enforceable, assists clients with employee terminations and determining what severance packages are appropriate, prepares personnel policies, and strategizes with clients when it comes to keeping their employees productive, happy and engaged.

Claude Balthazard is the Registrar and Vice-President Regulation at the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA). Pursuant to the Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2013, HRPA is the statutory professional regulatory body for Human Resources professionals in Ontario. Claude’s responsibilities include ensuring that HRPA is diligently discharging its statutory mandate of promoting and protecting the public interest by governing and regulating the practice of members, firms, and students. Claude has a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Waterloo, is a registered psychologist in the Province of Ontario, and holds the Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation. He joined HRPA in March 2007.