Click on one of the names to be taken to a biography:

Janet Austin Kelly Cameron Tom Carson Dr. Margaret E. Clarke Charles Coffey Roderick D. Fraser Dr. Frieda Granot Jim Grieve Dr. John Hamm

Golnar Khosrowshahi Catharine A. Matthews Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain J. Fraser Mustard Ted Whiteland Dr. Cornelia Wieman Dr. Robin C. Williams

Janet Austin (Vancouver, British Columbia)

As CEO of the YWCA of Vancouver, Janet Austin has overall responsibility for one of BC?s largest and most diversified non-profit organizations, offering services for 43,000 people annually in more than 30 locations throughout the Lower Mainland. Prior to joining the YWCA of Vancouver Janet served as Executive Director of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. She has also served as Director of Development Services for BC Housing, where she oversaw the development of the Province?s social housing for seniors and families, as well as transition housing, homeless shelters, and group homes for people with disabilities.

Janet has also been active as a community volunteer serving in Board and volunteer positions with the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation, MOSAIC, the United Way of the Lower Mainland, the City of Vancouver Women?s Task Force and the BC SPCA. She currently serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, the Blue Ribbon Council on Vancouver Business Climate, the Board of the BC Women?s Health Research Institute, the UBC President?s Strategic Council, the UBC Steering Committee on Community Service Learning, the BCIT Non-profit and Fund Development Program Advisory Committee, the Leadership Vancouver Advisory Committee, the Active Communities Initiative Council of Partners, and the organizing Committee for the National Retreat for Women. She is also a weekend puppy-sitter for assistance dogs in training with the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society. As well, she is a recipient of the Queen?s Jubilee Medal for Community Service.


Kelly Cameron (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)

From a family of ten, Kelly Cameron was raised in Woodstock, New Brunswick, and has been a resident of Nova Scotia since 1970. Kelly Cameron is an advocate for children and children?s health, with a passion for health ethics, biomedical research ethics, and participants? rights. She currently serves as a lay member with the Research Ethics Board of the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) and was a lay member with the National Council Bioethics in Human Research (1994-1999).

Mrs. Cameron has a lifelong commitment to volunteer leadership with a particular interest in the health field. She served on the IWK Governance Board for over 12 years (1988-2000) during which she chaired Audit, External Partnerships and By Laws Committees as well as served on the Board Executive. A past president and life member of the IWK Auxiliary, Mrs. Cameron has volunteered at the IWK since 1978. She has also served on several community boards, including the Board of Ronald McDonald House, Halifax.

Holding certification with Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources, she recently retired as the Director of Volunteer Resources and Public Relations in a long term care facility. There she doubled the adult volunteer body, and initiated a VOLUNTEEN program creating an intergenerational exchange which received provincial recognition. She has written discussion papers on such issues as the changing profile of the volunteer, the teenaged volunteer in long term care, and the co-opted volunteer; and presented regular education sessions to school students, service groups, and organizations on the role of long-term care in the community.

Ms. Cameron has been happily married to Hugh Scott Cameron for 35 years, and is the proud mother of 2 adult children.


Tom Carson (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Tom Carson graduated form the University of Manitoba in 1971 with an undergraduate degree in Arts to pursue a 31-year career in the civil service of the Province of Manitoba. He served as Deputy Minister of three departments over a period of 14 years: Culture, Heritage and Tourism; Training and Continuing Education; and Health. Mr. Carson brought a passion to three roles respecting more equitable population health outcomes, beginning with the early years. He continues to be a frequent speaker on population health and health disparity, and pursues a consulting practice on workplace health, healthy public policy, and population equity.

He resides in his home province of Manitoba where he serves on the advisory boards of a number of the University of Manitoba?s research institutes; the Manitoba Centre on Aging (where he chairs the advisory board), the Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute, and as an associate to the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

He also serves on a number of community-based organizations such as Manitoba Artists for Health, the Winnipeg Arts Council, The Arts and Cultural Industries Association of Manitoba, The Manitoba Theatre Centre Endowment Campaign, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery Foundation.


Dr. Margaret E. Clarke (Calgary, Alberta)

Dr. Margaret Clarke has devoted her career to improving and enhancing the lives of children, youth and families. After receiving her medical degree from McMaster University in 1984, she completed her training in Paediatrics and Developmental Paediatrics at the Alberta Children?s Hospital. Dr. Clarke is currently the Division Chief of Developmental Paediatrics for the Calgary Health Region, a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Departments of Paediatrics and Psychiatry and is the Fraser Mustard Chair in Childhood Development at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Clarke teaches and supervises many undergraduate and graduate students from medicine, nursing, psychology and education. She has designed new educational programs for physicians, judges and others in areas such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder. She chaired the AMA Committee that developed the first Clinical Practice Guidelines on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) in Canada.

Dr. Clarke is helping to guide a new agenda for child development by serving on the National Expert Advisory Committee on the Centres of Excellence for Children?s Well-Being and the Board of the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research.

Dr. Clarke is well known for starting and maintaining interdisciplinary collaborations that promote wellness in all children and also provide early identification for those who are at risk for developing health problems. She has developed outreach services in programs for children with disabilities, elementary schools and women?s shelters in Calgary and Southern Alberta. She has been instrumental in the development of community focused programs at the Alberta Children?s Hospital including the Down Syndrome Clinic and the Autism Early Intervention program. She was recently named one of the 100 top physicians of the century by the Alberta Medical Association and received a Centennial Medal in recognition of her unique contributions to the field of child health and development in Alberta.


Charles Coffey (Toronto, Ontario)

Charlie Coffey is a native of Woodstock, New Brunswick where he started his career with RBC. Amongst his appointments at RBC, Coffey has led business banking in Canada for five years, and also headed three regional headquarters: Manitoba, Metro Toronto and Ontario.

Throughout his banking career, Coffey has made community leadership a priority. He especially enjoys interacting with young people, entrepreneurs, and aboriginal peoples, as well as investing time in projects and programs that help make a difference, including the ?national children?s agenda.? Coffey?s efforts on behalf of aboriginal peoples extend well beyond the parameters of his association with RBC. Former Grand Chief Phil Fontaine and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs named Charlie Coffey an Honourary Chief for his support of First Nations and their goals of economic development and self-sufficiency.

Charlie Coffey?s leadership, proven record and reputation in private, public and not-for-profit sectors across the country, has resulted in several appointments and special honours.

Coffey is chair, Council for Early Child Development; chair, national advisory council, Canadian Museum for Human Rights; co-chair Champions, Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada; vice chair, National Aboriginal Economic Development Board; past co-chair, Commission on Early Learning and Child Care for the City of Toronto; member, governor, The Canadian Council of Christians and Jews and a director of: Arctic Children and Youth Foundation and the Canadian Journalism Foundation.

Coffey accepted the Canadian Women?s International Business Initiative Award from the Canadian Embassy in the United States for RBC?s outstanding support of businesswomen. He received the Order of St. Michael from St. Michael?s College School (Toronto), the Award of Distinction from the Public Affairs Association of Canada and the Humanitarian Award for Community Service from Yorktown Family Services (Toronto). An amphitheatre in the Canada Student Residences at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel will be named in Coffey?s honour. Charlie Coffey was appointed an Officer to the Order of Canada in 2004.


Roderick D. Fraser (Alberta)

Dr. Fraser served two consecutive terms as President of the University of Alberta. He brought to the UofA an aggressive vision for the future of the University and his tenure has been marked by notable achievements in teaching, research and community service.

He was committed to internationalization of the University, having set a goal that by 2005, 13% of the undergraduate population and 30% of the graduate population will be international in origin. He entered into significant institutional agreements with partners throughout the world, including China, Japan, Mexico, and Europe.

Before joining the University of Alberta as President, Dr. Fraser was Principal (Resources) at Queen?s University from 1988-1994. He was also Professor of Economics at Queen?s, and served as Dean of their Faculty of Arts and Science from 1983-1988. Dr. Fraser was awarded a BA in History and Economics in 1961 and two years later a Master?s in Economics, both from the UofA. In 1965, he received his PhD from the London School of Economics.


Frieda Granot (Vancouver, British Columbia)

Dr. Frieda Granot received her BSC in Mathematics (cum laude) and her MSc in Computer Science from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, an interdisciplinary PhD in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Granot?s research is interdisciplinary, focussing on theoretical and applied aspects of such subjects as applied mathematics, mathematical programming, game theory, and network flows. She is the author and co-author of over 50 publications in top peer-reviewed journals.

She joined University of British Columbia's Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration (now the Sauder School of Business) in 1975. Over the years she has held a number of positions within UBC, including Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. In 2006 she became the Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Development and External Relations in the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Granot is the winner of the Faculty of Commerce Academic Research Excellence Prize (1998), the Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), and the YMCA Woman of Distinction Award in the Education, Training, and Development category (2006).


Jim Grieve (Mississauga, Ontario)

Jim Grieve is the Director of Education for the Peel District School Board, one of North America?s largest and fastest growing public school systems. Jim has been Director of Education in Ontario since 1998. His career includes outstanding teaching and leadership roles in Peel, North York, and Ottawa. He holds a masters degree from the University of Toronto, undergraduate degrees from York and U of T as well as supervisory officer, principal and other professional certifications. Known as a highly visible and approachable leader, Jim has made the strongest commitment to equity, literacy, readiness to learn, and improvement of teaching and learning in Peel.

Jim is a passionate advocate from children and the vital importance of the teaching/learning process. He is dedicated to modelling visible leadership within Peel and its total learning community. Jim is leading the Peel initiative to ensure that there is consolidation of effort and alignment of purpose throughout the system. Using specific performance targets, Jim is co-ordinating the services of the system on improving instruction and delivering higher student literacy achievement.

Jim is deeply involved in developing within Peel, the GTA, and the nation, the strongest supports possible for children and their families. To achieve the objective of success for each child, Jim spends considerable time giving leadership to the following objectives: Chair of the Peel Success By 6 initiative; Past Chair of the Peel Regional United Way Campaign Cabinet; Passport to Prosperity ? promoting school to work opportunities for students; Chair of the Program Committee of The Learning Partnership; Member of Sheridan College Board of Governors, 2005-2008, and Vice Chair of the Council for Early Child Development.


John Hamm (Nova Scotia)

Born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Dr. John Hamm holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of King?s College, and a medical degree from Dalhousie University. For 30 years, Dr. Hamm worked as a family physician in his hometown, serving for a time as the president of the Nova Scotia Medical Society. In 1993 he entered provincial politics, becoming a Member of the House of Assembly for Pictou Centre riding. Dr. Hamm served as Premier of Nova Scotia from 1999 to 2006. He has been a strong advocate for improved health care both in Nova Scotia and across Canada. In 1995 Dr. Hamm became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia. In 1999 the party was elected and Dr. Hamm became the Premier of Nova Scotia, a position in which he would serve until 2006, when he retired from politics. Dr. Hamm now acts as Chairperson of Assisted Human Reproduction Canada, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council for Early Child Development.


Golnar Khosrowshahi (Toronto, Ontario)

Golnar Khosrowshahi is a Managing Director at DRI Capital, a pharmaceutical royalty investment firm based in Toronto. She is also a trustee of Pearson College, one of the United World Colleges located in British Columbia, and a trustee of the Enyclopaedia Iranica Foundation at the Columbia University Centre for Iranian Studies in New York. Prior to relocating Toronto, Ms. Khosrowshahi spent 10 years in New York City where she was, most recently, head of account services and business development at Imagination NYC, an experiential design firm headquartered in the United Kingdom. Ms. Khosrowshahi began her career in advertising at Euro RSCG Worldwide.

Ms. Khosrowshahi has a BA from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and an MBA from Columbia University in New York. She is married with two young children.



Catharine A. Matthews, C.A. (Vancouver, British Columbia)

Cathy graduated from Queen?s University with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in 1986. While at Queen?s, she served as Chairman of The Alma Mater Society (Student Government) of Queen?s University. In 1988, she was certified as a Chartered Accountant and became a member of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants. Cathy has participated in strategy and negotiation programs at Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School and London Business School. She has also had the privilege of attending The International Forum, an executive leadership forum, affiliated with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Having worked in the investment banking business for the majority of her career, Cathy has had experience in many aspects of the business including corporate finance, equity capital markets, equity sales, debt capital markets, derivatives and asset management. In her eleven years with TD Securities she lived and worked in Toronto, New York and London. As a Managing Director in corporate finance, Cathy was responsible for transaction origination and structuring. Most recently she worked as a consultant to National Bank Financial, assisting the past President and Chief Executive Officer with corporate strategy, marketing and communications.

Cathy is a founding member of the Council for Early Child Development. She is a past Board member of New Haven Learning Centre, a centre of excellence for the treatment and education of children with autism as well as a past Board member and camp counselor of Camp Oochigeas, a summer camp for children with cancer.


The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain (Toronto, Ontario)

The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain was born in northern Quebec. Mrs. McCain received her early education in public and private schools in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in History from Mount Allison University, and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Toronto.

Throughout her career, Mrs. McCain has been active in organizations that promote education, music, and the arts at the provincial and national levels. She was a member of the Mount Allison University Board of Regents from 1974-1994 and served as Chancellor of the University from 1986-1994. She is a founding member of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation in New Brunswick. Their mission is the elimination of family violence through public education and research. She chaired their capital campaign to endow a Family Violence Research Centre in partnership with the University of New Brunswick. On April 28, 1994, Margaret Norrie McCain was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Brunswick - the first female to hold this position. She served in that role until April, 1997. At that time she moved to Toronto to re-join her family.

In April 1998 Mrs. McCain was appointed by the Secretariat for Children, Province of Ontario, co-chair of the Early Years Study. In 2002 she co-chaired a Commission on Early Learning and Child Development for the City of Toronto. She has participated in numerous early child development policy and programme initiatives in Canada and is frequently asked to speak at conferences, seminars, and meetings across the country.

She is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Ballet School and is currently spearheading Project Grand Jete, a major fundraising campaign for the School. She is also Honourary Colonel of the Governor General?s Horseguards and serves on the Boards of the Canadian Policy Research Network, The Canadian Women?s Foundation, TVO Foundation, The Learning Partnership and the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development.

Mrs. McCain is married to entrepreneur G. Wallace F. McCain of Florenceville, N.B. They have four children and nine grandchildren.


J. Fraser Mustard (Toronto, Ontario)

Founding President and Institute Fellow of The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Dr. J. Fraser Mustard has had a diverse career in the health sciences, medical research, and the private sector. After earning his MD from the University of Toronto, and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Mustard joined the medical faculty at the University of Toronto. In 1966 he moved to McMaster University to help establish the new school of Medicine and Health Sciences at McMaster University and became the Vice President, Health Sciences (Medicine and Nursing). During his tenure at the University of Toronto and McMaster, he developed a major research career in platelets, thrombosis, and cardiovascular disease. In 1982, he took on the task of creating and establishing a unique Canadian institute, The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIAR).

Dr. Mustard has been a leader in Canada on the socioeconomic determinants of human development and health. A particular emphasis has been on early childhood and the role of communities. He co-chaired a report for the Government of Ontario on early child development with specific community recommendations (Early Years Study). Recognition of this has led Dr. Mustard and his colleagues to emphasize to all sectors of society the crucial nature of the early years to provide a healthy and competent population. Dr. Mustard is involved with governments in Canada, Australia, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNICEF, and the Aga Khan University in Pakistan in emphasizing the enormous importance to society of early childhood development.

Dr. Mustard has received numerous awards for his work with CIAR including the Companion of the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario. For his work in medical research he has been awarded the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Prize in Medicine, the Gairdner Foundation International Award for Medical Research, the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostatis Robert P. Grant Medal, and honorary degrees from a number of Canadian and international institutions. He was given the Starr Award of the Canadian Medical Association and has recently been inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.


Ted Whiteland (British Columbia)

Ted Whiteland is currently the Executive Director of the British Columbia Principals and Vice-Principals Association. Ted began his teaching career as an intermediate classroom teacher in the former Leeds and Grenville County Board of Education, now the Upper Canada District School Board. After a two-year secondment to the board office as a Junior Division Resource teacher, he began the administrative portion of his teaching career as a vice-principal. He has since served as a principal in several schools over the past 20 years.

Ted has assumed leadership positions in many professional activities during his thirty-four year education career: leading workshops; administering and teaching Ministry of Education Courses; and curriculum development. While a member of the Ontario Public School Teachers? Federation, Ted served his colleagues as provincial chair of the Positions of Added Responsibilities Committee. He has also had many leadership roles in the Ontario Principals? Council since the organization?s beginnings. Ted served as the provincial President during the 2003-04 school year. He also served as the President Elect of the Canadian Association of Principals.

Several volunteer organizations have been able to take advantage of Ted?s expertise and leadership, especially in the areas of child welfare and children?s mental health. He has served on many community committees and work groups focused on assisting children and families overcoming obstacles. Ted led the development of the Ontario Principal?s Council Learning Foundation and currently holds the position of Chair.

Ted holds a B.A. from the University of Waterloo and a M.Ed. from Queen?s University. He currently resides in Brockville, Ontario with his wife Susan and two daughters.


Dr. Cornelia Wieman (Toronto, Ontario)

Cornelia Wieman is Canada?s first female Aboriginal psychiatrist. She is a member of the Little Grand Rapids First Nation (Anishnawbe) in Manitoba. She attained an Honours Bachelor of Science degree (Kinesiology - 1988) and a Master of Science degree (Biomechanics ? 1991), both from the University of Waterloo. She graduated from the medical school at McMaster University in Hamilton in 1993. She completed her specialty training in psychiatry in 1998 at McMaster University. Her clinical, academic & research interests include Aboriginal health and mental health issues including HIV/AIDS, Aboriginal health care policy and Aboriginal health workforce development.

Currently Dr. Wieman is the Co-Director of the Indigenous Health Research Development Program and Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, both at the University of Toronto. She is also Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. She is a co-investigator on several research initiatives funded through the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples? Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research including the National Network for Aboriginal Mental Health Research and a New Emerging Team (Suicide NET) investigating aspects of suicide in Aboriginal populations. In addition Dr. Wieman provides independent consulting services to various F/P/T agencies (government & NGOs) involved in the delivery of health services to Aboriginal communities. She travels widely, speaking about relevant Aboriginal health and mental health issues in order to advocate for the improved health status of the Indigenous Peoples of this country.

Dr. Wieman takes a special interest in Aboriginal youth and tries to encourage them to achieve their dreams. She works with Creative Wellness Solutions as part of their ACT NOW Role Model Program for First Nations. She has also participated in many activities of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, including the Blueprint for the Future Career Fairs, the Taking Pulse Initiative, and the Annual Suncor Energy Foundation Luncheons for Youth. Since 2002, she has worked with leaders from the Six Nations community on the Vision 2020 Strategy, an Ontario-wide proposal to train more Aboriginal physicians in this province.


Dr. Robin C. Williams (St. Catharines, Ontario)

A pediatrician and a public health physician, Dr. Williams has been the Medical Officer of Health for Niagara Region since 1995. A native of Niagara Falls, she has remained dedicated to improving the health status of all residents, with a special focus on children, throughout her career.

Dr. Williams leads a staff of over 600 public health professionals and support staff with a budget of $61.8 million. The Niagara Region has 420,000 residents, living in rural and urban settings, across twelve municipalities.

In her capacity as Medical Officer of Health, she is responsible for health protection and health promotion, which includes areas as diverse as communicable disease control, food safety, enforcement of the Smoke-Free By-Law, administration of Land Ambulance Services and Emergency Measures response.

As a member of the Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Disease Control (Walker Panel), Dr. Williams has been intimately involved in identifying the ?lessons learned? and recommending changes to enhance emergency preparedness throughout the healthcare infrastructure of Ontario.

Dr. Williams has a long time interest in children and is a Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University and is a founding member of Fraser Mustard?s Council for Early Child Development. She is dedicated to improving the outcomes of children?s physical and emotional health, and their learning capacities through proven family and community interventions.

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