Kristi MacKenzie is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies where she works with national health leaders to collaboratively address issues that affect the delivery of cancer care in Canada. She has her Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, and Masters of Health Administration from the University of British Columbia. She is also a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Throughout her career, Kristi has been recognized for her abilities to engage with partners and oversee the implementation of health systems strategies to improve the quality and performance of healthcare delivery. She is a health promotion advocate with a passion to enhance community health and equitable access to care.

Heidi is a seasoned marketing leader with over 30 years of North American and Global healthcare advertising and communications experience. The original inspiration for Heidi’s focus within the healthcare sector is her clinical background as a Respiratory Therapist. Heidi has worked with major pharmaceutical clients over the years where she helped support the launch of several asthma therapies. This included the development of promotional and educational materials targeting both healthcare providers and patients, respectively, to help optimize the product’s therapeutic benefit and ease of use. Heidi is genuinely passionate about creating compelling strategies and communications that can effectively help anyone with asthma better control their symptoms and live life to the fullest. 

David Goluboff is General Counsel at Telehouse Canada Inc., a data centre provider based in Toronto. David has spent the last 14 years as an in-house lawyer in the technology and telecommunications sectors. Prior to studying law, David completed his MBA and worked in the health and beauty industry. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons. David has been coping with asthma for 40 years and one of his sons also has asthma. David looks forward to supporting Asthma Canada in its mandate to fund Canadian research, advocacy, and education. 

Firdos is an accomplished global financial services executive & change champion with expertise in driving value through M&A integrations, business transformations, customer experience management, organizational design and efficiency. He previously served as SVP International Banking at Scotiabank, from which he retired following a distinguished career of over 40 years. Firdos is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers, holds an MBA & ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Firdos was diagnosed with asthma in his teens and has been able to control it through an effective management program. He would like to see a future without asthma! 

Todd is an energetic, curious, and inspiring risk, security, technology, and business transformation leader, currently leading Bruce Power’s Cyber & Information Security Division. He creates a collaborative environment that encourages team members to share ideas and act on decisions. Todd enables digital transformation and harnesses the power of data while ensuring effective and robust cyber and information security programs. With a background in senior leadership roles across various industries, he has a proven track record of innovating processes, fostering a data-centric culture, and delivering complex enterprise transformation programs. Todd understands the impact and challenges that asthma presents to millions of Canadians, as he has experienced it himself since early childhood, and he hopes for a future without asthma. 

Karen’s vast knowledge allows her to work with clients on most topics pertaining to their finances, including tax minimization, real estate, tax planning, charitable-gift planning, corporate and partnership restructurings, effective use of family trusts and planning relating to estates, succession and insurance. Both of Karen’s children struggled with asthma and she volunteers with Asthma Canada because she supports its initiatives to help families understand and control this disease.

Dr. Côté is a clinician-researcher and respirologist at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), and an Associate Professor at Université Laval. She completed her medical degree at the Université de Sherbrooke, followed by residency training in internal medicine and respirology at Université Laval. She also earned a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology from Université Laval.

Since 2018, Dr. Côté has been actively engaged in research aimed at improving the management of severe asthma, with a particular emphasis on the use of biomarkers to support treatment personalization. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Asthma Assembly of the Canadian Thoracic Society and is a contributing author on the upcoming national guidelines for severe asthma.

Dr. Denise Mak is the Director, Data Management for BioScript Solutions, a Canadian healthcare company that enhances access to specialty drug therapies through pharmacy, patient support, and distribution services, improving outcomes for patients and partners. She has a background in Computer Science including a PhD in Bioinformatics. As a data-driven decision-maker, she has extensive experience leading and establishing major digital transformation projects. Denise has a sister living with asthma and proud to volunteer with Asthma Canada.

John is past Chair of the Board, a position he held from 2016-2020. John is also an integral part of “Team Asthma”. He is a senior lawyer in Toronto, and has, with the exception of when he lived in New York teaching law, been a resident of Toronto. He has a Bachelors Degree (Honours) as well as his J.D./LL.B from the University of Western Ontario, and is completing a Masters of Law at the University of London (England). John is very passionate about his continuing work with Asthma Canada and his past role on the Board because, like millions of other people in Canada, he also has asthma, which was diagnosed later in life.