Meet The Speakers

Dr. Mir is a cardiologist and scientist in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa. He received his B.Sc. (Hon) in Life Sciences at McMaster University. He went on to complete his undergraduate medical education at the University of Western Ontario. From there, he completed his internal medicine and cardiology residency training at McMaster University, where he served as a chief resident in 2015 and 2018, respectively. Dr. Mir went on to complete additional fellowship training in advanced echocardiography (2018-2020) and cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation (2019-2020) at the University Health Network, University of Toronto. Since joining the Heart Institute in 2020, Hassan has played an integral role in smoking and vaping cessation. Dr. Mir serves as Chair of the Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation, a systematic approach to smoking cessation which has been implemented in over 500 healthcare sites across Canada, trained over 20,000 healthcare professionals, and supported more than 500,000 individuals who smoke in their journey to reduce or quit smoking. Beyond this, he serves as chair of Health Canada's technical committee developing national standards on smoking cessation and as a member of the Ontario Health – Cancer Care Ontario Smoking Cessation Advisory Committee. Dr. Mir has a strong interest in clinical research related to cardiovascular prevention, smoking/vaping cessation, and digital health. He completed his Master of Health Informatics at the University of Toronto and his Master of Public Health at Harvard University. Hassan has received close to $3 million in peer-reviewed research funding and published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles over the past 5 years. He is leading several randomized controlled trials related to smoking and vaping cessation, which have the potential to transform clinical care and health policy.

Pediatrician Dr. Paul Roumeliotis (aka Dr.Paul) has been the Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit since January 2007. He is vice-chair of the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health, past president of the Association of Local Public Health Agencies and currently sits on several provincial committees and boards including the Ontario Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health and United Way Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark and Renfrew Counties. Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, Dr. Paul received his medical degree in 1983 at McGill University. He is the founder and former director of the Montreal Children’s Hospital Asthma and Pediatric Consultation Centres and Multi-Format Health Communications at McGill’s Faculty of Medicine. He also holds a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Public Health, where he is an Associate faculty member. In May 2013, Dr. Paul completed the Advanced Management Diploma program at Harvard Business School. A passionate supporter of early child development through the life-course and social determinants of health lens, he believes that public health is what a community collectively does to ensure the health and wellness of its population. As a public health leader, he has partnered with multiple community agencies and stakeholders to collaborate with (or lead) a wide range of inter-sectorial projects. These initiatives include the bilingual implementation of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) in Eastern Ontario, a shaken baby syndrome prevention campaign and the creation of a provincial falls prevention framework and toolkit. Dr.Paul has given hundreds of lectures to various audiences on a variety of child health/development and public health topics. As a health communications pioneer, he has created and produced hundreds of articles, booklets and videos/DVDs on a wide range of health issues. His highly acclaimed book for parents focusing on the importance of the first 18 months of life, Baby Comes Home, was released early in 2015. Dr. Paul also writes the “Health Matters” column published weekly in the Cornwall Standard Freeholder and other Postmedia newspapers across Canada. He also appears regularly on CTV-Ottawa Morning Live’s biweekly health segment called “Paging Dr.Paul” and weekly on Ottawa radio station 1310 news.

Stephanie Donaldson brings outstanding experience in the world of public education to OPSBA as a leader and innovator in Ontario’s public and non-profit sectors. As a former elected school board trustee with the Toronto District School Board, a member of OPSBA’s Executive Council, and Vice-Chair of the Toronto Board of Health, Stephanie has worked at both the local and provincial levels to safeguard and enhance the education, health and well-being of young people, their families, and their communities. Stephanie has spent her career in the public sector leading large scale change and developing innovative policy. Prior to becoming a trustee, Stephanie held executive roles in the Ontario Public Service, including at the Ministry of Education where she led the transformation of the collective bargaining system in Ontario’s education sector; as well as Cabinet Office, where she helped launch the Ontario Digital Service. Stephanie joined OPSBA in 2022.

Jeff Maharaj serves as President of the Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC) and brings more than 28 years of experience as an educator with the Durham District School Board. Over the course of his career, he has held a range of leadership positions, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to students, educators, and school communities. As OPC President, Jeff represents public school board principals and vice-principals across Ontario, advocating for their professional learning, well-being, and capacity to lead with excellence. Widely respected for his professionalism, integrity, and unwavering dedication to public education, Jeff continues to inspire colleagues and strengthen the future of Ontario’s education system.

Hon. Michael Bryant, E.C.O., is the former Attorney General of Ontario, Canada (2003-2007), Minister of Indigenous Affairs, and Minister of Economic Development, having served a decade in the Ontario Legislative Assembly. During that time, Bryant authored over a dozen statutes, appointed 69 judges, and overhauled or established regulators and institutions, like the human rights system, the legal profession (adding paralegals), public accounting oversight, a police complaints system and the Law Commission of Ontario. He personally negotiated a $2B+ gaming revenue sharing agreement with Ontario First Nations. Later, he served as Chief Negotiator for the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Lake First Nation’s historic $100M+ Ipperwash Settlement Agreement. More recently, he was the National Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and CEO of Legal Aid BC, when it was first named a Top 100 BC Employer. Bryant was Special Advisor to Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, and a barrister at McCarthy Tetrault LLP. Bryant clerked for the Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin, in 1992 and graduated from Harvard University (Fulbright Fellow), Osgoode Hall Law School, and the UBC. At King’s College, London, he was as a Lecturer in Law, and later served as Adjunct or Visiting Professor at University of Toronto, and Osgoode Hall.

Janine Roy is an award-winning K–12 equity-centered educational leader with extensive experience in Canada and the United States. She has led innovative, research-based initiatives as both a school principal and district leader, earning national recognition, including Canada’s Outstanding Principals Award. Her leadership has driven groundbreaking, student-centered programs, advanced professional learning, and instructional design strategies—creating transformative learning experiences that help every student succeed.

Melanie is a dynamic social innovator renowned for her adept collaboration to catalyze positive transformations for children and youth. With a background deeply rooted in both traditional classrooms and community, Melanie has dedicated herself to supporting various groups, including new Canadians, justice-involved individuals, and students with diverse abilities. Her passion revolves around highlighting the crucial role of physical and health education in the lives of marginalized children and youth. Armed with a degree in Social Work and a master's in Non-Profit Leadership and Public Policy, Melanie champions a holistic approach, ensuring a comprehensive perspective and activation at broad sectoral levels. In her role as the Executive Director and CEO of Physical and Health Education Canada, Melanie's outstanding leadership earned her the prestigious Women We Admire 2023 and CEO of the Year awards. Beyond her professional achievements, Melanie hails from Cornwall, England, bringing a unique perspective to her work. Outside the realm of her impactful career, she finds joy in hiking, camping, biking, and reading, all while being a dedicated mother to two remarkable teenagers alongside her partner, Scott.

Ryan Fahey is the Manager for Programs and Education at PHE Canada. He is passionate about wellness, physical education, and healthy schools as well as the intersections between health, education, play, and innovation. Originally from Mi’kma’ki, Ryan started a career teaching, coaching, and running a mobile personal training business out of his hatchback. Over the past decade, Ryan has worked provincially, nationally, and internationally in various roles within education. Recently, Ryan led the Students Together Moving To Prevent Tobacco Use (STOMP) project across Canada aimed at curbing commercial tobacco and vaping use among youth. Currently Ryan is also leading the mobilization of the Blueprint for Action in schools. In his free time you can find him walking the trails on PEI with his wife Amber, daughter Sophia and their dog Dash.

Erin Dufour is a public health leader specializing in health promotion, lung health, and program development. As Senior Manager of Youth Programs at the Lung Health Foundation, she oversees Quash, a national youth smoking and vaping cessation program, leading its expansion, implementation, and evaluation across schools, communities, and healthcare systems. Erin brings expertise in program management, evaluation, and partnership development, developed large-scale digital toolkits, and trained thousands of educators to better support youth in making healthier choices. She also leads the Foundation’s broader nicotine cessation strategy, advancing evidence-based supports for healthcare providers, patients, and people living with respiratory disease. With a background in Kinesiology and Health Studies and population health, Erin has presented at national and international conferences on youth health, substance use, and digital health interventions. She is passionate about data-driven solutions, knowledge mobilization, and creating sustainable, equitable health programs that make a measurable impact.

Sherri is an award-winning communications specialist in the K–12 education system. A former school trustee and Vice-Chair, she went on to work as Director of Communications for the BC School Trustees Association. Prior to founding BUNYAAD, her past work included Director of Public Affairs for the Native Women’s Association of Canada and Director of Communication for a federal Minister. Sherri is a proud member of Métis Nation, and is fluently bilingual.

Ash holds a Master of Public Health in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice from the University of Washington. Her public health career has focused heavily on using the principles of community organizing to advance the health and wellness of communities. Prior to founding BUNYAAD, Ash worked as the Epidemiologist for the Harm Reduction Program at the BCCDC. Ash is a member of the BC School Centred Mental Health Coalition.

Cindy is a former teacher who has been a long time contributor to school-based health promotion in Canada, working in education, health, non-government and the non-profit sector. She has a wealth of experience at local, provincial and national levels, as well as an extensive knowledge of comprehensive school health approaches and current research of relevance to substance use and mental health. As Director with the pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health, Cindy was a catalyst in education to broaden interest in more progressive, evidence-informed approaches to substance use. Her work in BC has helped to increase awareness and appetite for more evidence-aligned approaches to addressing substance use in BC schools.

Art recently retired as the Manager of Substance Use Health Promotion and SACY (Supporting and Connecting Youth, which he co-founded), for the Vancouver School Board, a position he held from 2005 to 2021. Prior to this role, Art worked for five years as an independent Addiction Prevention Consultant conducting and writing research and analysis pertaining to needs assessment, policy papers, topical reports and special projects. His clients included: Vancouver Coastal Health, the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Island Health Authority, the Fraser Health Authority, West Vancouver School District and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. He also served as Executive Director of Alcohol-Drug Education Service (ADES), a provincial non-profit organization, for 19 years. Art oversaw the development of substance use education resources and materials for schools, vulnerable youth, parents/caregivers, diverse cultures, and post-secondary women. Art has presented at many conferences and workshops and served on federal, provincial and municipal advisory committees, task forces, and project development committees over his career.