Join us in recognizing 15 years of Patients improving patient safety  

Globe and Mail health reporter and columnist André Picard will lead special guests in a dialogue meant to energize and inspire

André Picard is a health columnist at The Globe and Mail and the author of five books, including Matters of Life and Death: Public Health Issues in Canada, and The Path to Health Care Reform: Policies and Politics. Additionally, he is currently a visiting professor at the University of British Columbia's School of Journalism, Writing, and Media with his lessons focusing on the pandemic and public policy. André also has a large Twitter following at @picardonhealth which continues to grow due to his timely and informed updates on COVID-19.  

André has received much acclaim for his writing, including the Michener Award – a prestige award dedicated to meritorious public service journalism, the Centennial Prize of the Pan-American Health Association – an honour presented to top health journalists in the Americas, and the Owen Adams Award of Honour – the highest Canadian Medial Association award available to a non-physician – in recognition of his contributions to advancing medical and health education among the Canadian public. He is also an eight-time finalist for the National Newspaper Awards – Canada's version of the Pulitzer Prize. 

He is a seasoned communicator who employs a conversational style to reach his audience. He enlivens his research and commentary with personal stories to provide context for his audience, including anecdotes from patients and health professionals in the front lines.  

André will enlighten and peak a sense of curiosity of audience members from all educational backgrounds. His work as one of North America's top health journalists reflects his personality: Behind the placid exterior lies an inquisitive, perceptive and industrious scribe for whom the work only begins with the off­icial story. 

André is a graduate of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, and has received honourary doctorates from six universities, including the University of Toronto, UBC and the University of Manitoba.

Two-Spirit doctor from Saddle Lake First Nation in Northern, AB and Winner of Amazing Race Canada

Dr. James Makokis leads one of North America's most progressive family medical clinics serving both LGBTQ2+ and First Nation peoples from all over Canada. He is a proud Cree, Two-Spirit doctor from Saddle Lake First Nation in Northern, AB. Known as one of Canada's most progressive doctors and experts on numerous topics, he is on a mission serve marginalized populations and to change the outcomes for Indigenous and LGBTQ2 peoples. Dr. James Makokis and his partner Anthony Johnson were crowned winners of the Amazing Race Canada Season 7, where they received international recognition for their advocacy of marginalized individuals by making the world aware of the impact of discrimination and the mistreatment of anyone labelled as being "different". They both currently reside on Treaty 6 Territory outside of Edmonton. 

Dr. Makokis has received international attention for his holistic approach to medicine. He is also one of the few doctors that combines traditional Cree and Western practices. Known for his compassion, numerous accomplishments and his unique insights, Dr. James Makokis has inspired all types of Canadians to challenge stereotypical and often discriminating views towards First Nation and LGBTQ2+ peoples. He has worked from travelling alongside former Governor General Michaëlle Jean on a diplomatic mission to Brazil and had the rare opportunity to work next to Dr. Patch Adams in the Amazon Jungle. He also received certification from the Aboriginal Family Medicine Training Program and served as the Spokesperson for the National Aboriginal Health Organization's Role Model Program for many years. Dr. James Makokis has been called to serve individuals that struggle to make sense of themselves and to bring awareness to become an ally in improving the lives of those who struggle to find purpose and make sense of their world. He shares the stories he and his patients live with while celebrating each person's uniqueness and showing us all how to contribute to improve each other's lives and our world.

Patient Safety Envoy,

World Health Organization

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson is recognised as an international champion of public health 
and patient safety. He was the foundation chair of the World Health Organisation's World 
Alliance for Patient Safety, launched in 2004. He is a past vice-chairman of the World Health 
Organisation Executive Board. He is now the World Health Organisation's Envoy for Patient 
Safety, Chairman of the Independent Monitoring Board for the Global Polio Eradication 
Programme, as well as Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Board of this Programme. In 
the UK, he is he is Chair of the Integrated Care System (ICS) for the North East and North 
Cumbria, Professor of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 
Honorary Distinguished Professor at Cardiff University, Associate Fellow in the Centre on 
Global Health Security at Chatham House and was Chancellor of Newcastle University for 10 
years until 2019. 

Prior to this Sir Liam was the 15th Chief Medical Officer for England, and the United 
Kingdom's Chief Medical Adviser, from 1998-2010. During his time in this historic post 
(established in 1855) he held critical responsibilities across the whole field of public health 
and health care. As the United Kingdom's chief adviser on health issues, he advised the 
Secretary of State for Health, the Prime Minister and other government ministers. He has 
produced landmark reports which have set health policy and legislation in fields such as 
stem cell research, clinical governance, quality and safety of health care, infectious disease 
control, patient empowerment, poor clinical performance, smoke free public places, medical 
regulation, and organ and tissue retention. He led the government's response to the H1N1 
influenza pandemic. 

He has published over 270 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is author of a standard 
textbook of public health that has been in continuous print for nearly 40 years and co-author 
of the history of the Chief Medical Officers of England. He has made hundreds of media 
appearances as part of his professional roles. 

Sir Liam initially trained as a surgeon in Birmingham and went on to hold posts in academia, 
public health practice and senior management. 

Sir Liam has received many public honours: 17 honorary doctorates, eight fellowships from 
medical royal colleges and faculties, and the Gold Medal of the Royal College of Surgeons of 
Edinburgh. He was the Queen's Honorary Physician between 1996 and 1999. He was 

knighted in the 2002 New Year's Honours List. 

Founding member of Patients for Patient Safety Canada 

Katharina (Kathy) Kovacs Burns, MSc, MHSA, PhD is a volunteer patient voice, advocate and WHO Patients for Patient Safety Champion and founding member of Patients for Patient Safety Canada, as well as other local, national and international patient organizations including Best Medicines Coalition of Canada and the International Alliance of Patient Organizations. She is also an academic scholar, professor and researcher with the University of Alberta School of Public Health, and Provincial Senior Consultant with Alberta Health Services. As a volunteer and in her work and research, she partners with patients, families, healthcare providers, researchers, government and other stakeholders to co-design continuous improvement of local, national and international health care services and programs. This includes measuring experiences and outcomes of patients, families and care providers related to healthcare access, quality, safety, and person-centredness, before and during COVID-19, in preparation for 'new healthcare norms'. 

Founding member of Patients for Patient Safety Canada

Patients for Patient Safety Canada

Maryann Murray became a Canadian Patient Safety Advocate after the preventable death of her daughter Martha in 2002.  Dismayed by the lack of transparency, reporting and learning, Maryann lobbied the Ontario Legislature, resulting in provincial changes and reporting of all fatal adverse drug reactions in Ontario.  

In 2006, Maryann joined Patients for Patient Safety Canada (PFPSC).  She also became a Patient Champion of the World Health Organization's Patients for Patient Safety program, focusing on steps to eliminate patient harm; currently the third leading cause of death in Canada. 

For the past 15 years, Maryann has worked to increase awareness and improve Patient Safety across Canada via speaking, writing and contributing to patient engagement tools such as 5 Questions to Ask About Your Medication. Recent projects includes co-authoring a public educational module on Vanessa's Law (national mandatory reporting), participating in Health Canada's Self-Care Plain Language Labelling initiatives, and the new BC Patient Safety and Learning System.

President & CEO

Dr. Jennifer Zelmer is the inaugural President and CEO of Healthcare Excellence Canada, the new organization formed in 2020 through the amalgamation of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement and Canadian Patient Safety Institute to achieve safer, higher quality and more coordinated patient-partnered healthcare. Jennifer's long-standing commitment to improving healthcare quality and safety, as well as expertise in spreading and scaling innovations that deliver better outcomes, will help to create this new organization with an expanded capacity to improve healthcare for everyone in Canada. Jennifer previously joined CFHI as its President and CEO in September 2018. She has been a C.D. Howe Research Fellow for several years and is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Victoria, as well as a member of several health-related advisory committees and boards.

Previously, as President of Azimuth Health Group, Dr. Zelmer was a strategic advisor to leaders who sought to advance health and healthcare at local, national, and international levels. Before that, she held senior leadership positions with Canada Health Infoway, the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Jennifer served on the first (2004) Safer Healthcare Now! National Steering Committee convened by CPSI when she was at CIHI. She also served on CPSI's former Health System Innovation Advisory Committee, and more recently, Jennifer served on the National Patient Safety Consortium Steering Committee during her time at Infoway.

Dr. Zelmer received her PhD and MA in economics from McMaster University and her B.Sc. in health information science from the University of Victoria.