Board of Directors

Jim Armour is Managing Partner at Summa Strategies, a public affairs and communications firm located in Ottawa. He brings to this position an extensive knowledge of politics, media relations, communications, advocacy, and advertising.

Prior to joining Summa, Jim served as Director of Communications and Marketing for the Canadian Medical Association where he played a key role in their efforts to improve access, reduce wait times and address Canada’s doctor shortage.

Jim worked on Parliament Hill from 1994 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2005. He was Communications Director for two Leaders of the Official Opposition and helped brand the launch of both the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party of Canada. This interest in marketing strategy and tactics was furthered by the two years he spent with one of Atlantic Canada’s top advertising agencies.

Originally from St. John’s Newfoundland, Jim has a BA (Hons) from McGill and a MA in Newfoundland History from Memorial University. He also earned his APR accreditation from the Canadian Public Relations Society and has a CAAP designation from the Institute of Communication Agencies.

Outside of the office, Jim chairs the Ottawa Convention Centre and serves on the boards of GREO Evidence Insights and Eating Disorders Nova Scotia. He also sits on the editorial board of the international Journal of Communication in Health care.

Filipe Dinis retired as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Bank of Canada after a 10-year tenure where he led its operations, strategic planning, risk and corporate functions, including the currency function, with a focus on cybersecurity and operational resilience. Prior to joining the Bank, he served in the Privy Council Office as Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, as Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on the Public Service and as Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commissioner at the Canada Revenue Agency. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University, is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant and a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

He serves as Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee on the Board of Directors of the Northeast Power Coordination Council and is Chair of the Operations Committee on the VIA Rail Canada Board of Directors.

Debra Armstrong, a lawyer by training, is the Chief Executive Officer of Skate Canada. Armstrong joined the Skate Canada executive team in January 2016 as the Chief Operating Officer and quickly transitioned to the Chief Executive Officer role in November 2016.

Throughout her career, Debra has focused her legal and business acumen on contributing to the growth of leading national and international private sector and not-for-profit institutions. Prior to joining Skate Canada, she served as Chief Executive Officer of MBNA Canada Bank and then Senior Vice President at Toronto Dominion Bank following TD's acquisition of MBNA. Debra has developed considerable experience in business transformations over the course of her career.
A committed community leader, she has strong governance experience. Armstrong is a co-chair of the Winter Sport Caucus and serves on the Audit, Finance and Risk Management Committee of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Armstrong is a past member of the Board of Governors at Carleton University where she also Chaired its Audit and Finance Committee. Other past directorships include the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health, Volleyball Canada, Health Standards Organization, and Rogers Centre Ottawa.

Leah Anderson is a strategic leader and board director with over 30 years of experience as a regulator, policymaker and economist.

Leah served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) from 2021 to 2025. There, she protected the savings of Canadians and contributed to financial stability by safeguarding over $1 trillion in deposits at more than 80 member institutions and ensured readiness for the resolution of banks in the event they should fail.

Prior to joining CDIC, Leah was Assistant Deputy Minister of Financial Sector Policy at Finance Canada. In this role, Leah advised the Minister of Finance on all matters related to the financial sector and led the development of innovative policy and regulatory frameworks. She also supported and coordinated the cross-government financial system response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a senior Finance Canada executive following the 2008 global financial crisis, Leah led the development of economic and financial sector policies, programs and tools to promote economic growth and financial stability.

Leah is a past member of the Board of Directors of CDIC and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Leah also chaired a number of financial sector advisory committees in Canada and internationally.

Born in Sherbrooke, Que., Leah holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Economics from Queen’s University, and the ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Business.

Anil Arora retired as the Chief Statistician of Canada in 2024 where he led hundreds of Statistics Canada’s programs including the Census, as well as the agency’s most ambitious modernization efforts. He held Senior Assistant Deputy Minister roles at Health Canada and Natural Resources Canada.

Anil has led large and complex organizations in senior strategic, science, policy, program delivery and regulatory roles in drug and food safety, medical devices, and natural health products, as well as in the oil and gas sector, mining, critical minerals, forestry, and nuclear sectors. He has dedicated his professional career to nurturing partnerships, building a culture of innovation, successfully delivering complex and transformational digital solutions, strengthened consumer and citizen trust, and increased organizational relevance and impact.

With significant experience in the private and public sectors, as well as leading influential international forums in the OECD and the United Nations, Anil has helped shape the data and digital landscape domestically and globally. He is an adjunct lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School and a board member of a number of organizations.

Anil has earned numerous accolades, including being named Outstanding Innovator (2023), One of the Top 25 Immigrants in Canada (2022), Policy Maker (2022), as well as receiving several Leadership Awards by the Business Community, the Public Policy Forum, and the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (2009-2025).

Bonnie Butlin, also known around the world as “Canada’s First Lady of Security”, is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Security Partners’ Forum (SPF), a first-of-its-kind agile international network of security and resilience associations, institutes and professionals, bridging all domains and disciplines of security. Under the SPF banner, she created the Women in Security and Resilience Alliance (WISECRA), which engages a growing network of women in security and resilience associations and groups globally.

Since 2013, Bonnie Butlin has received some two-dozen international- and national-level awards, accolades and recognitions related to security, resilience, and leadership. She is a Security Risk Management Certified Professional (SRMCP) (2023), holds Fellow status within the Australian Risk Policy Institute (F.ARPI) (2022), and is a Fellow of ISC2 (2020).

Bonnie holds a Master of Arts (MA) in International Affairs, from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University. In 2018, Bonnie was the recipient of the A.D. Dunton Alumni Award of Distinction – Carleton University’s highest alumni award.

Bonnie holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science, from the University of Calgary. In 2019, she completed the MicroMasters Program in International Legal Studies, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium. Bonnie holds Graduate Certificates for the ISMA-Georgetown Strategic Leadership Program, Washington, D.C. (2017-18), and for the Corporate Security Executive Master Class, Burrill-Green Corporate Security Business School (2014).

Bonnie has also served on a variety of committees, as well as advisory and editorial boards. Bonnie currently serves as an Editorial Board Member for Cyber Security: A Peer-Reviewed Journal (Henry Stuart Publications).

Geneviève Chabot is a Special Legal Counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada, where she advises the Judges on complex legal questions raised in the appeals process to Canada’s apex court. She joined the Supreme Court of Canada in January 2024 after completing a two-year term as a Justice of the High Court of Belize. Appointed in the context of a Rule of Law project led by the Commonwealth Secretariat, she sat in the civil division where she presided over, and rendered decisions in civil and family law matters. She also chaired Belize’s Child Justice Steering Committee.

A human rights law expert, Geneviève was the Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission from 2017 to 2021. From 2016 to 2017, she was the Deputy Chair of the Yukon Human Rights Commission.

Geneviève began her career practicing civil litigation, both in the private and public sector. From 2011 to 2013, she was an associate in the litigation department of a prominent national law firm. From 2013 to 2017, she worked in the Yukon Regional Office of the Department of Justice Canada, where she notably represented the Government of Canada in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Yukon hearings) and the Independent Assessment Process for Former Students of Indian Residential Schools.

Very involved in her community, Geneviève has held a number of leadership positions, including President of the Canadian Bar Association (Yukon Branch), member of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Board of Directors, and member of the boards of directors of Mines Action Canada, the Yukon Legal Services Society, the Yukon Public Legal Education Association, and the Yukon Public Library. In 2018-2019, Geneviève was an Action Canada Fellow, co-authoring a report assessing solutions for food security in Canada’s North.

Fluent in French and English, Geneviève holds a B.A. in Psychology from Laval University, a combined LL.L./J.D. degree from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School. She is called to the Law Society of Ontario, the New York Bar, and was a member of the Law Society of Yukon from 2013-2017. In 2023, she became a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Annie Chartrand is Dean of Education, Collège La Cité, overseeing the School of Administration, Hospitality and Tourism and the Emergency and Judicial Services Institute. Annie has an extensive background in the education sector, beginning her career as a teacher. With a Master’s of Science in Education, she has held progressive leadership roles with several post-secondary institutions including the University of Ottawa and Collège La Cité.

Annie also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Collège La Cité and has been an active member in the community, including supporting many CHEO events along with her family. Annie brings a strong patient and family perspective to CHEO’s Board.

Heidi is a strategic people-oriented leader who partners with companies as a Chief People Officer. She offers executive guidance, consultation, and mentorship to Executive Teams and HR professionals throughout their career trajectories.

With over two decades of experience across diverse industries, such as technology and non-profit sectors, Heidi is committed to revolutionizing the Human Resources (HR) function and showcasing its strategic business significance. Since 2007, she has established an HR consultancy, created HR departments from the ground up for three companies, and served as the inaugural HR Executive for three companies. Heidi's dynamic leadership and unwavering dedication to innovation have earned her numerous awards, including: the 2022 WBN Businesswomen of the Year Award for Community Impact, the 2020 Alumni of the Year Award (Business) from Algonquin College, the inaugural 2018 Leadership Agency Award for Woman of Distinction, a 2017 Top 25 HR Professional recognition, the 2012 Ottawa Business Journal/Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Forty Under 40 Award, and the 2012 CATA Information Technology Strategic HR Leadership Award.

Heidi is a Certified Human Resources Executive, a Chartered Professional in Human Resources, a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional, and a Certified Coach Practitioner. As a devoted volunteer and community advocate, she supports various organizations, including Algonquin College, Code Youth, Hire Immigrants Ottawa, Women in Communications & Technology, Women's Business Network, Women In Leadership Foundation, and CHEO.

Steven is Director, International Policy and Communications at Pfizer where he currently leads engagement and advocacy efforts with the Canadian government, addressing a wide spectrum of policy issues, and overseeing both external and internal communications as well as community engagement initiatives.

Steven plays an active role in enhancing Canada’s life sciences ecosystem, participating in various sectoral committees and associations. He is Vice-Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Life Sciences Council and a member of the C.D. Howe Institute’s Health Policy Council. Additionally, he is a former Chair and current Health Advisory Board member at BIOTECanada, serves as a Board member of the Canadian American Business Council, and is an active member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada (AmCham).

Before joining Pfizer, Steven worked as a senior advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada and as Ministerial Special Assistant in two federal departments. From 2016 to 2023, he served as a guest lecturer in Université de Montréal’s political science graduate program. Francophone born in Shawinigan, Que., and fully bilingual, he studied political science at Laval University and Hunter College in New York and began law studies at McGill University. He also participated in an exchange program in Ecuador (1986–87).

Steven is a certified chartered director (C.Dir.), having completed the corporate governance certification program at Laval University’s College of Corporate Directors in 2020. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Banff Forum. Above all, Steven is a grateful father whose daughter received life-saving care at CHEO. Deeply moved by the exceptional support his family received, he is honoured to serve on CHEO’s board, giving back to an institution that holds special meaning for them.

Seema Nagpal (Ph.D.) is an applied epidemiologist with broad experience as an executive leader of scientific operations. She has expertise in population health, epidemiology, and pharmaceutical sciences with an emphasis on interpretation of science into policy and practice.

Dr. Nagpal joined the Canadian Cardiovascular Society in 2022 as the Chief Science Officer. She leads the team in working towards their mission to advance heart health for all. Previously she was the Vice President, Science and Policy at Diabetes Canada. Seema has worked closely with researchers and clinicians, promoted evidence-based public policy, programs and information development, identified and leveraged partnerships and worked closely with the collaborating teams. She has built her reputation as a strong and effective leader by collaborating with governments, health care professionals, partnering organizations and patients to drive impactful change within the health system.

Seema practiced as a hospital pharmacist, and then earned a M.Sc. Community Health and Epidemiology (Dalhousie University) and a Ph.D. in population health (University of Ottawa). Prior to her work at Diabetes Canada, Seema worked at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology and Health (CADTH) and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

Dr. Nagpal has served on the board of a local youth sports club, volunteer committees for the Canadian Public Health Association and the Canadian Pharmacists Association, and CHEO’s Quality and Safety Committee.

Nancy has held several leadership roles in the Ontario public service, including Deputy Minister, and led major projects in funding, labour relations, infrastructure, information technology and public policy.

Ms. Naylor holds degrees from McMaster University and Carleton University and has served on a number of other boards, including the Public Policy Forum.

As the Chief Development Officer at Ottawa Community Housing (OCH), Cliff Youdale P. Eng., and his staff are responsible for the well-being of OCH’s $4 Billion + in building assets as well as the development of over 2,000 additional homes. As a professional engineer with over 30 years of experience in both the public and private sector construction industry, Cliff brings a pragmatic and action-oriented approach to this position.

He has forged a strategic approach to asset management through creation of innovative strategies and partnerships for new development, in addition to the maintenance and repair of OCH’s ageing stock. These efforts have established Ottawa Community Housing as a recognized leader in Canada in the creation and preservation of affordable housing.

As a member of the CHEO Board of Directors, Benoit Laberge brings years of experience in education and administration. He has been in the field of education for 43 years, as both a special education teacher as well as Director of student services in both Quebec and Ontario. He is presently teaching special education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa.

Benoit has been a board member of the CHEO School Authority since 2014. In this role, he is responsible, along with fellow board members, for supervising the operation of the School Program.

Benoit has worked on provincial programs related to children with special needs, including Programme AVIS, provincial Individual Education Plan (IEP), and a program related to social abilities. He is presently a consultant in the field of education, administration, and special education. Benoit has also developed and coordinated the Community services program for a French School Board.

Derrick Gibbings is the Associate Vice-President, Research Support and Infrastructure at the University of Ottawa with involvement in health research and innovation among other portfolios. He is a Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. His research aims to discover new mechanisms of cellular function which provide insight into the causes of diseases and avenues for their treatment. 

Vera Etches assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer at CHEO on March 3, 2025. With over two decades of leadership in public health, Vera brings a steadfast commitment to enhancing community well-being and improving access to health services for populations facing barriers.

Before joining CHEO, Vera served as Ottawa's Medical Officer of Health since 2018, where she led Ottawa Public Health's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her guidance, Ottawa Public Health was recognized for its innovative approaches and community engagement, particularly in communications across multiple channels in diverse languages. Growing clinical services in neighbourhood health and well-being hubs, and collaborating with organizations providing culturally appropriate settings, help to support populations who have experienced racism in the healthcare system.

Vera holds a Bachelor of Science from Simon Fraser University, a Medical Doctorate from the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Health Science from the University of Toronto, where she also completed a Fellowship in Community Medicine. She began her career at the Sudbury & District Health Unit in 2005, holding various leadership roles, including Associate Medical Officer of Health, Acting Medical Officer of Health, and Director of Clinical Services. In 2009, she joined Ottawa Public Health as Associate Medical Officer of Health, later becoming Deputy Medical Officer of Health in 2014, and Medical Officer of Health in 2018.

An advocate for integrating research into clinical practice, Vera has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented at numerous provincial and national conferences. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa, where she supervises medical residents in Public Health and Preventive Medicine and Family Medicine.

Vera's leadership has been acknowledged through various accolades, including the Key to the City of Ottawa in June 2022 for her exceptional service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As CHEO’s President and CEO, Vera is poised to lead the organization into a new era of pediatric health care, reinforcing its vision of providing the best life for every child and youth.

Since 1998 Lindy has been a staff physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases and a Clinical Investigator at the CHEO Research Institute. She also holds an academic appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine.

Lindy obtained her Medical Degree from McMaster University School of Medicine in Hamilton in 1990. She completed her Pediatrics and Pediatrics Infectious Diseases residencies at CHEO, with further training in Pediatric HIV and Clinical Epidemiology at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto. Moving back to CHEO in 1998, she was the Chief of the Division of infectious Diseases for over 10 years. From April 2016-October 2024, Lindy Samson held the role of CHEO’s Chief of Staff and Chief Medical Officer. As CHEO’s senior physician leader, she was responsible for organizing the activities of the medical staff and for ensuring the quality of clinical care and patient safety She co-chaired an interdisciplinary initiative regarding the future health needs of children and youth in our region, co-chaired the regional hospital’s COVID response and focuses on ways to optimize the dyad leadership model in healthcare. In this role, she worked closely with the CEO and the Executive Team and reported directly to the Board of Trustees.

Her academic and research work focuses on pediatric HIV, the impact of social determinants on the health of children and youth and teaching/evaluating the Health Advocate and Leadership Roles across the continuum of learners.

Tammy started at CHEO in 1995 as a Registered Nurse working on the Inpatient Surgical Unit as well as in the Emergency Department. She has since served in leadership roles across the organization from Inpatient Medicine to Health Records and e-health. For many years, Tammy led the Ambulatory Care portfolio and was a leader of our Electronic Health Record implementation as Chief Nurse Information Officer.

Tammy joined the Executive Team in 2021 in the role of Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive. Her portfolio includes Critical Care and Surgical Services, Inpatient Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Ambulatory Care, Pharmacy and the Emergency Department. She also supports the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program as well as the National Newcomer Navigation Network. As Chief Nurse she is proud to be working with our dynamic and professional nursing team throughout CHEO.

As a graduate of the University of Ottawa School of Nursing and Telfer School of Management, Tammy holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master’s of Health Administration. She also earned her CHE designation through the Canadian College of Health Leaders. She was also appointed to the Ottawa Board of Health in 2019 and currently serves as their Vice-Chair.

More information coming soon.