Executives & Officers
Jason Field, President & CEO
Dr. Jason Field is the President and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario (LSO), the industry voice for the life sciences sector in Ontario. Jason obtained his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts and his undergraduate degree from the University of Waterloo. Following graduate school, Jason returned to Ontario and worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a research scientist developing scalable manufacturing processes of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Alison Symington, Chair
Dr. Alison Symington provides consultancy services to a variety of industry and academic clients in the area of Life Science strategy, including proposal development and particularly at the interface of academia and industry. Previously Alison was the Vice President, Research and Corporate Development at Ontario Genomics where she was responsible for the development and management of large scale genomics projects as well as external stakeholder engagement.
Alexis Sciuk, Vice-Chair
Alexis is currently a Global Market Access Policy Strategist within Pfizer’s Healthcare Innovation Center. She is focused on access and reimbursement for Pfizer’s digital therapeutics around the world. Previously, Alexis was the Canadian Healthcare Solutions Lead for Pfizer Canada. She was responsible for designing, coordinating, and managing Pfizer’s overall above-brand Life Science investment strategy in Canada.
Mark Smithyes, MBA, Member of the Executive Committee
Mark is known as a transformational leader drawing on his experience from a 30+ year career in Life Sciences. His extensive career includes various senior leadership positions in pharmaceutical and medical device multinationals like Novartis and Alcon as well as founding, running, and exiting a successful life sciences start-up venture.
Raphael (Rafi) Hofstein, Member of the Executive Committee
Dr. Raphael (Rafi) Hofstein joined MaRS Innovation (now TIAP-Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners) as President and CEO in June 2009. Dr. Hofstein retired from that position in 2020 and since then functions as an independent Life-Science executive and consultant.
Dr. Hofstein received his Bachelor in chemistry and physics from the Hebrew Universirty, Jerusalem. His PhD is in Life Sciences and Chemistry received from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.
Susan Marlin, Member of the Executive Committee
Susan Marlin is the President and CEO of Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO), an organization established by the Province of Ontario in 2012 to make Ontario a preferred location for global clinical trials. Previously, she spent a decade working in research administration at Queen`s University, most recently as Associate Vice-Principal of Research.
Anne Woods, Member of the Executive Committee
Anne is the Managing Director of Life Sciences & Healthcare at RBCx where she leads the banks efforts in the sector across Canada. Born and raised in Toronto, Anne brings over 25 years of experience in life sciences and capital markets, with 15 years of experience within pharma and biotech. Prior to RBCx, Anne launched the Life Sciences and Healthcare practice in Canada for Silicon Valley Bank.
Manoj Pundit, Secretary
Manoj is Partner of Securities and Capital at Borden Ladner Gervais, and primarily advises clients in tech and emerging growth sectors. He regularly serves as lead counsel on complex domestic and international transactions.
Laura Sluce, Treasurer
Laura Sluce is an Audit Partner at EY. Laura has over 15 years of experience providing audit and business advisory services to public and private companies in a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, medical device, biotechnology and technology
Directors
Darren Anderson
Dr. Darren Anderson is a co-founder and CEO of Vive Crop Protection (previous LSO company of the year) and serves on its Board of Directors. Darren is passionate about using technology to improve the sustainability of agriculture while creating real results for growers. Darren is on the Board of CropLife America, the trade association for the pesticide industry in the USA; a member of the Advisory Committee for CHLOE, an organization committed to increasing STEM learning through agriculture and natural resources; and a founding member of ElectSTEM, a non-profit encouraging people with STEM backgrounds to run for political office.
Nicole DeKort
Nicole DeKort is the President & CEO for Medtech Canada – the industry association representing Canada’s Medical Technology Companies – pursuing opportunities to demonstrate the value of innovative medical technology to government, stakeholders and key partners in the health care system.
Lauren Fischer
Lauren is the Lead, Government Affairs at AbbVie Canada. She is a biopharmaceutical leader with experience leading teams accountable to achieve access to new medicines for Canadians, by securing drug plan coverage and fostering public policy receptive to innovative medicines. She has expertise across several areas: health technology assessment; price negotiation; stakeholder relations; government affairs and communications.
Ingrid Fung
Ingrid Fung is the Director of Enterprise Operations and Strategy at GreenLight Biosciences, a Boston based biotech focused on creating healthy people and planet through RNA innovation, where she leads strategic initiatives and heads up Investor Relations efforts.
Jeff Graham
Jeffrey Graham is the Senior Vice President, Head of Legal and Regulatory affairs at SkyPower Global, a company leading the renewable resource industry with utility-scale solar energy projects. Previously he held a position as partner in the Toronto office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Canada’s largest national law firm.
Naheed Kurji
Naheed is the President of Recursion Canada, the Canadian wholly-owned subsidiary of Recursion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RXRX). Prior to joining Recursion, Naheed was the Co-founder, President and CEO of Cyclica, a Toronto-based biotech company (acquired by Recursion in May 2023).
Jason Locklin
Jason Locklin is Director, Market Access, Policy & Government Relations argenx Canada. With over 20 years of experience in vaccines, specialty pharmaceuticals and rare disease, Jason is a passionate advocate for life sciences and common-sense solutions to provide innovative treatments to patients.
Carrie McElroy
Carrie McElroy is the Country Head of Market Access & Public Affairs at Sanofi Canada. With 22 years at Sanofi, Carrie has contributed to the organization across many leadership roles with a specialty in external affairs and as interim General Manager and Country Lead for a period in 2021.
Parimal Nathwani
A highly regarded life sciences industry leader and advocate with strong relationships across the academic and health research community, global industry, and investors, Parimal Nathwani has been with Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP) since its inception in 2008, first serving as Vice President and subsequently taking on the role of President and CEO in 2020.
Brigitte Nolet
Brigitte Nolet is the President & CEO for Roche Canada Pharma and a tri-sector leader who, over the course of her career, has held various global and Canadian leadership roles in the not for profit, public and private sectors – most recently as General Manager Roche Belgium & Luxembourg.
Andrea Palmer
Andrea Palmer is the Founder and CEO of Awake Labs, a digital health company working to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live healthier and more independently. Awake Labs works in the areas of care coordination, mental health, and human-centred care. Andrea is passionate about addressing the gaps in mental health care for vulnerable and underserved populations.
Robyn Saccon
Robyn Saccon is the Public Affairs Vice President of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) Canada.
As a member of the country leadership team, Robyn leads the development and execution of strategic communications and marketing, policy and government relations initiatives contributing to the company’s purpose of Advancing the world of health ™.
Robyn amasses over 17 years of experience in hospital and health care industries with experience in the private and public sector as well as not for profit. She has a track record of building and maintaining strong relationships, influencing policy decisions, and managing complex projects with a passion for improving access, quality and innovation in health care.
Salim Teja
Salim Teja is a Partner with Radical Ventures where he leads the firm’s Velocity Team. Radical Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs applying deep technology to transform massive industries. With a primary focus on machine learning and artificial intelligence, Radical Ventures partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build enduring global companies. Salim brings over 20 years of experience in the technology sector as an entrepreneur, venture investor, corporate innovator, and innovation ecosystem builder.
Bernard West
Bernard West holds BSc and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Manchester – UMIST, where he also taught for 6 years. He was CEO of CANSOLV Technologies of Montreal, President and COO, Canada Colors and Chemicals Limited. Prior and to that, he had 30 years of experience in the chemical industry with Rhone-Poulenc, Imperial Oil [ Esso ] and Polymer Corporation.
John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson is a member of the Board of Directors for Greenfield Global, a specialty alcohol producer. Greenfield Global is the only Canadian producer of USP pharmaceutical grade alcohol serving the Life Sciences Sector in both Canada, the US and the EU. In addition, Greenfield is the largest ethanol biofuel producer in Canada. John formerly served as their Senior Vice President, Sustainability and focused his efforts on reducing the carbon intensity of Greenfield Global products at their five bio-refineries and four packaging plants located throughout North America and the EU.
Russell Williams
Russell is Senior Vice President, Mission with Diabetes Canada. He leads mission strategy, programs and initiatives . These include advocacy, policy, research , HCP( Health Care Professional) education and support, as well as patient knowledge and connection. The national organization advances improvements in the quality of life of people with Diabetes. Diabetes Canada has been successful in securing government commitment to a nation-wide comprehensive diabetes strategy.