Dr. Sonia Anand is a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at McMaster University, and a Senior Scientist at the Population Health Research Institute. She is also a vascular medicine specialist at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. Dr. Anand is the Association Chair of Equity & Diversity in the McMaster Department of Medicine. Dr. Anand holds the Canada Research Chair in Ethnic Diversity and Cardiovascular Disease and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario/Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Population Health Research. Her present research focuses upon the environmental and genetic determinants of vascular disease in populations of varying ancestral origin, women and cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Imogen R. Coe was the founding dean of the Faculty of Science from 2012 to 2018. She is currently a professor of Chemistry and Biology at Ryerson University and an affiliate scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, where her research group studies drug transport proteins. She is the President of the Canadian Molecular Biosciences Society and sits on various boards. In addition to her work as a research scientist, Dr. Coe is internationally recognized as a Canadian thought leader in the integration of principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) particularly into science and medicine. She has advised academia, government and industry on best practices and approaches towards inclusive excellence and has contributed to national dialogue about these issues through various platforms.  She is much in demand as a speaker and panelist and has received numerous awards for her advocacy work.

Ms. Melissa Farrell is the President of St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton. Ms. Farrell is a health system leader who is the former Assistant Deputy Minister, Acute and Emergency Health Services, within Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care where she lead the government’s acute care strategy and policy direction for a $20 billion portfolio. In this role, she has been responsible for a number of highly complex change initiatives across every sector in the provincial health system including acute care, community care, primary care and long-term care.  Ms. Farrell is well known and highly regarded for her dynamic and collaborative leadership style and ability to manage and deliver transformational results. Read more about her at this link.