Gertrude is a Project Management Institute (PMI) certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 6 years experience working in and managing international health projects in low-and middle-income countries. Driven by the principle of collective action, Gertrude has worked to foster global cooperation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on health, nutrition, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and economic development. These have included roles at the World Health Organization, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, World Vision Canada, and the Indigenous and Global Health Research Group (IGHRG) nestled in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. In her current role, Gertrude works to unlock the full potential of digital health for efficient and equitable health systems, at scale.

As a firm believer of the adage, “think globally, act locally”, Gertrude has leveraged her affiliations to effect positive change in her community. Most notably, she co-founded the first Canadian Coalition of Global Health Research (CCGHR) affiliated student group while undertaking undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo. In subsequent years, she supported the development of 11 more CCGHR student chapters across Canadian institutions, championed the inclusion of marginalized voices in development, and contributed to the Canadian Society of International Health (CSIH’s) policy position on Canada’s sustainability development goals (SDGs) unveiled during the 25th annual Canadian Conference on Global Health. In her role as PEGASUS Institute Board Member, Gertrude hopes to contribute to the creation of a world whereby all people have the opportunity to lead healthy fulfilled lives

Dr. Larson completed his medical degree and subsequent specializations in Pediatrics Preventive Medicine & Public Health at McGill University. As a medical student, he was a co-founder of the Pointe St Charles Community Health Centre, a precursor to Quebec’s local community clinic system of primary care. In many ways, this was his introduction to global health and his eventual career path. His actual global health career began in 1987 when he joined the McGill-Ethiopia Strengthening Community Health Project, which he directed from 1989 to 1992. Dr. Larson then returned to McGill as an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health (EBOH). He also headed the McGill Global Health Office within the Faculty of Medicine and led a five-year McGill population child health project in Chelyabinsk Russia. In 2002 Dr. Larson moved to Bangladesh where, on secondment from McGill, he directed the Health Systems and Infectious Diseases Division at the International Centre for Diarrheal Diseases Research, Bangladesh. In 2008 Dr. Larson returned to Canada, joining the Department of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia as Professor and Director of the UBC-BC Children’s Hospital Centre for International Child Health (CICH). In 2015 Dr. Larson returned to Montreal at which time he assumed the role of National Coordinator of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR) until its amalgamation with the Canadian Society for International Health in 2021. He also joined the McGill Global Health program as an academic advisor and its director from 2019 to 2023. He remains at McGill as an adjunct professor in the Department of Global and Public Health within the School of Population and Global Health. Dr. Larson’s interests focus on capacity building and in development or delivery research in support of the scale-up of life-saving interventions in under-five children.

Sanket Ullal- (he/him) is a civil litigation lawyer practising in Hamilton, Ontario. He developed a keen interest in the field of Peace through Health while completing his undergraduate degree in Biology and Peace studies at McMaster University. He then went on to complete his graduate degree (MPH) from the University of Saskatchewan, and a law degree (JD) from the University of Ottawa. Much of Sanket’s work has focused on the intersectionality between advocacy, community health, and community development through his experiences at Health Canada – First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (Regina), Canadian Health Coalition (Ottawa), Innocence Canada (Toronto), Centre for Public Health and Equity (Bengaluru, India), and McMaster University (Hamilton). He is currently also serving on the Board of Directors for Hand over Hand (Toronto). In his spare time, Sanket enjoys biking, dancing, and playing the Tabla. 

Janet Hatcher Roberts has over 30 years of experience in bridging communities, evidence and policy both nationally and internationally. Currently, Janet is the Co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Technology Assessment, Knowledge Translation and Health Equity (currently undergoing redesignation) at Bruyere Research Institute, University of Ottawa. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, at the University of Ottawa, teaching and conducting research in global health. From 1998-2013, she was the Executive Director of the Canadian Society for International Health ) where she oversaw the design and implementation of global health systems strengthening projects in Africa, Asia, Latin and Central America and Eastern Europe. She spent 2007-2008 in Geneva where she was Director of the Migration Health Department with the International Organization for Migration. In her volunteer time, Janet was the Chair of the Board for Action Canada for Population Development and was a Board member and Past Treasurer of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research. She was a Board member of the US-based Council of Graduate Foreign Nurses (CGFNS)from 2007- 2016. From 2009-2019, she was appointed by an Order in Council as a Board member of Public Health Ontario (PHO) where she also sat on the Strategic Planning Committee and Governance Committee. From 2018, she has served as an ex-officio member of the Ottawa Centre Liberal EDA. She also served for four years on the National Board of Make Poverty History.

Kelly Emblem is a registered Occupational Therapist (MScOT) and global health practitioner based in Canada. She is Nepali-Canadian and lived most of her life in rural Nepal and Hanoi, Vietnam. She completed her BA (Hons) in Environmental Studies, Political Science and Archaeology at the University of Toronto. Kelly is currently a program coordinator at the International Centre for the Advancement of Community-Based Rehabilitation, at Queen’s University. Her work is focused on health systems strengthening in Ethiopia and supporting the development of Occupational Therapy and rehabilitation systems. She advocates for holistic health services in global health and supports capacity building in community-based organizations in low-resource contexts.  Her current clinical practice includes serving military veterans and clients with addiction and substance use disorders regionally. She has previously worked in acute care (ICU, trauma, and oncology), with rural and remote Indigenous communities in Northern Canada, and with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. Kelly’s experiences and upbringing highlighted the huge discrepancy between access to healthcare services worldwide and within Canadian communities. Her upbringing instilled in her a strong moral duty to utilize the privileges that come with being Canadian to support low-resource communities. She is passionate about innovating and problem-solving to affect change at the community, societal, and global scale. She is passionate about the intersection between disasters (natural and man-made), human functioning and well-being, and inclusive humanitarian action. 

Donald has had a very full and interesting career in international public health research, initiating and supporting community programs and national initiatives around the world. He began with a medical degree from the University of British Columbia, completing his thesis research on the links between Vitamin A, diet and mental retardation. After 8 years of medical practice in North Vancouver, Don was drawn to work in international health and his first experience was 2 years working as a District Medical Officer with CUSO in a rural hospital in Malawi. The Malawi experience inspired him to apply for and receive a scholarship from IDRC to attend the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to obtain a Master’s in Community Health. His thesis research was conducted in India where he studied the use of traditional medicine practitioners in 4 rural Health Centers to assess their impact and other co-factors in their role in delivering primary health care. On his return to Canada, Don settled on Pender Island in BC, working as the sole GP and applying what he had learned in Liverpool. The island provided him with the opportunity to develop a community clinic with the support and political involvement of the residents. In 1981, Dr. Sutherland returned to international health by working as the medical officer for OXFAM in a refugee camp in North Somalia. This work led to Dr. Sutherland being asked by WHO to return to Somalia to assess all 35 camps and then to be senior advisor to the whole National Refugee Unit in the Ministry of Health. Don moved to Geneva in 1984, to work as the senior technical advisor to the International Red Cross Child Alive Program focused on diarrhea prevention and treatment projects in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In 1988, he joined the World Health Organization’s newly formed Global Program on AIDS. He worked in Uganda for 2 years as a team leader/epidemiologist just when the enormity of the epidemic was becoming apparent. Dr. Sutherland then went to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to do a master’s degree in Epidemiology including his thesis work studying the risk of HIV transmission in pediatric settings in 4 countries in Africa by following for 3 months the HIV status of hundreds of patients admitted to pediatric wards. In 1991 he returned to Canada to become Chief of the HIV/AIDS Division and then Director of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS, STD and TB at Health Canada’s Bureau of Communicable Disease. Dr. Sutherland then became Senior Advisor on Scientific Affairs in the Center for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control at Health Canada. In 2003 Dr. Sutherland returned to WHO in Geneva for four years, to coordinate the HIV Department’s Strategic Information including HIV/AIDS Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Operational Research and the WHO HIV Drug Resistance Global Strategy. In 2007 Dr. Sutherland returned to Canada to become Executive Director of International Public Health of the Public Health Agency of Canada based in Ottawa. Don has now retired and volunteers in various ways such as Senior Advisor on Public Health to the Canadian Society for International Health and sitting on the Board of the Rural and Remote Chapter of the Doctors of B.C.

Dr Ntaganira is a public Health expert with more than 38 years of professional experience including 19 years with the World Health Organization (WHO). He retired from the WHO on 30 June 2021, the last position being that of Head of the WHO Liaison Office to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dr Ntaganira’s public health journey took him through various levels of national health system governance, from the primary healthcare level to the national policy-making level in Burundi and Rwanda. He joined the WHO HIV/AIDS program in August 2002 in Swaziland, then moved to Ethiopia before joining the WHO Regional Office for Africa in 2005. He holds a Medical degree from the University of Burundi, a Master of Science in Epidemiology from Université Laval and a Master of Art in Global Diplomacy from the University of London. Other short-term academic training is with John Hopkins University (USA), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), University of East Anglia , Norwich (UK) and the Graduate Institute of International Studies and Development (Switzerland). Special interest in Health systems Governance and Health Diplomacy.

Jill Konkin has spent her life as a committed advocate for systemic and institutional change. Serving marginalized communities through her work as a rural physician and leader of several social accountability programs in the Division of Community Engagement, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta she held space and increased awareness of barriers and gaps in Indigenous, rural and global health. Dr. Konkin continues to work tirelessly to contribute to faculty, staff and learner education and awareness around these issues. Her accomplishments are too numerous to mention but the roots of her efforts continue to be foundational throughout the FoMD and her social accountability work that will carry on for years.

Michelle Amri, MPA, PhD – Michelle is an SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow and Takemi Fellow at Harvard University, conducting global health research situated in the emerging field of politics of health and largely focused on health equity. Her previous work has been centred on global health, health promotion, and public policy, at both the World Health Organization and the Ontario Public Service. Michelle is a steering committee member for MentorNet and has been for several years, serves on the board of directors for the Canadian Association for Global Health, assisted in organizing the CCGH and PEGASUS conferences, and has been named on the Canadian Women in Global Health list. Michelle has also taught courses both at the University of Victoria and the University of Toronto (where she was recognized with a teaching award), and she continues to supervise research students. To learn more about Michelle, please visit her website.

Shawna O’Hearn is the Director of Global Health at Dalhousie University, past Chair of the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), and incoming President of the Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Committee (PEAC). Shawna is an Occupational Therapist with additional graduate training in International Development and Corporate Social Responsibility. She is a PhD candidate in Health Geography at the University of Waterloo focusing her research on the experience of aging in the workplace. Over the last decade, she has provided leadership to the expansion of global health at Dalhousie University to integrate social accountability, diversity and inclusion, service learning and Indigenous Health into curriculum, research, and faculty development for local and international programs across the health faculties. Shawna has been involved with MicroResearch since 2012 as a coach and mentor with teams in Tanzania, Uganda and Nova Scotia. She has also been a conference planning member with Pegasus contributing to content development, workshop facilitation and ensuring that representatives from Canada’s East Coast join the conference. Shawna has held leadership positions in government, university and non-government organizations in Canada and abroad. She has worked and lived in the West Indies, India, West and East Africa as well as Nunavut. Her research focuses include MNCH, gender equity, social accountability, community engagement and diversity with an emphasis on qualitative research methodologies.

Simron Singh is a Professor in the Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Canada. His research focuses on society-nature interactions in the context of sustainability, analyzing the systemic links between material and energy stocks and flows, and human wellbeing. Focussing on small islands, his research seeks to inform science and policy on ways island economies can achieve resource security, and meet social and economic goals while building system resilience against the impacts of climate change. He is the founder and lead of the research program “Metabolism of Islands” ” chairs the inaugural board of “Island Industrial Ecology”, and is the Lead of the working group “Metabolic Risk on Islands” for Risk-KAN, a joint initiative of Future Earth, Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). 

Esther grew up south of Farmington, herding sheep and farming. Navajo is her first language and she acquired English at school. Ms. Yazzie-Lewis received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Public Administration and American Studies from the University of New Mexico. Before receiving her BA and MA, Ms. Yazzie-Lewis worked for the Navajo Law Enforcement and Navajo Judicial Branch. In service to her people, Ms. Yazzie-Lewis worked with the Navajo People on the Navajo/Hopi land dispute, on issues related to environmental and social justice, and on uranium problems within the Navajo reservation. As a result, she co-authored the book Navajo People and Uranium Mining. Ms. Yazzie-Lewis certified the Navajo Language for the United States District Court for the Southwest states in 1987. She has trained over 350 Navajo people in judicial interpretation at the University of Arizona since 1992. Ms. Yazzie-Lewis retired from the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico. Currently, she serves as a board member of the Southwest Research and Information Center. Today she teaches conversational Navajo for UNM continuing education and at the University of New Mexico main campus. Ms. Yazzie-Lewis was inducted into the Navajo Nation Hall of Fame for her work.

Jahan is the co-founder of Global Peace Centre Canada. He is a registered social worker/psychotherapist providing counselling and psychotherapy to individuals and groups. Jahan specializes in treating anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, substance abuse, addiction, parenting issues, relationship difficulties and grief and loss. With training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), CBT, DBT, MI and Conflict Management, Jahan has further developed his expertise working within hospitals and community settings. Jahan is also teaching Mental Health and Behavioural Science at the university level.

Jahan is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), registered with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and is a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW). Jahan holds a Master in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master in Peace and Conflict Studies degree from the University of Waterloo. Jahan is learning classical music and spends time with his three children, two dogs and a cat.

Pakisa Tshimika MPH, DrPH was born in Kajiji, Democratic Republic of Congo near the border of Angola to a Mennonite Brethren (MB) pastor and his hospitable mother Rebecca Makeka. He began in 1974 studies at Pacific College in Fresno CA to return as the first native surgeon in Kajiji. In the summer of 1976, on their way to a classmate’s wedding, Pakisa suffered a severe spinal cord injury in an MVA changing the direction of his life. Pakistan continued his studies with a new focus in public health and eventually received a doctorate in public health (DrPH) from Loma Linda University. He began his professional life as a hospital administrator for a 150-bed hospital in Zaïre, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. With funding from the Canadian International Development Agency and inspired by the Chinese Barefoot Doctor model he was able to develop a rural decentralized primary health program with Village Health Workers to increase health education and promotion for 150,000 people in the region. Dr. Pakisa initiated the decentralization of primary health care for the Kwango province and became the first Coordinator of Kajiji, one of the first Health Zones established in Zaire. Since then, Dr. Pakisa has served as a consultant and staff member with various Mennonite-affiliated and international organizations. With additional training in peacebuilding, conflict management and dealing with trauma of a historical nature from Fresno Pacific University and Eastern Mennonite University, Dr. Pakisa began in the 90s to integrate peacebuilding, and leadership development with special attention given recently to trauma of historical nature training perspectives in his many efforts in the health sector. On a personal note, Dr. Pakisa knows considerable pain with personal health challenges due to the car accident while in college and experienced the loss of siblings to sickle cell anemia, accident, war and conflicts, and friends to HIV/AIDS, some to violence, and some because basic health care was not available. In 2003, he founded Mama Makeka House of Hope to honour his mother and other women he met on his journey around the globe, seeking to promote and deliver much-needed community-based services that integrate health, peacebuilding, education, and leadership development services to the DRC. He is now completing the construction of a 10,000-square-foot conference center and guesthouse in the Mazal area of Kinshasa overlooking the Majestic Congo River. Every morning, before beginning his first daily activity Pakisa reminds himself of two lessons, one from one of his favourite rite writers, Henri Nouwen, “Where is God? God is where we are weak, vulnerable, small, and dependent. God is where the poor are, the hungry, the handicapped, the mentally ill, the elderly, the powerless”. The second lesson from his beloved mother to always remember, is “there is always room for one more”.