DR. MEGHAN AZAD

PH.D., Associate Professor, Pediatrics and Child Health

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA Research Scientist

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MANITOBA

Co-director MANITOBA INTERDISCIPLINARY LACTATION CENTRE, MILC Co-lead MANITOBA CHILD COHORT STUDY

BIO: Dr. Meghan Azad is an international expert in human milk science. She has secured over $13 million in research funding at the University of Manitoba, and holds the Canada Research Chair in Developmental Origins of Chronic Disease. She leads a diverse and dynamic team that studies infant nutrition and the microbiome. Meghan co-founded the Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre, and was recruited by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to direct the new International Milk Composition (IMIC) Consortium.

MOST IMPORTANT CAREER LESSON: It’s not about the final destination. You need to enjoy the journey and not be afraid to change course when opportunities arise. Also - the power of networking. This takes practice and patience but it is so important.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: My team. We are a diverse and dynamic group that support and inspire each other to push the envelope and make a difference.

BIO: Aida Cipolla is the Executive Vice-president and Chief Financial Officer at Toronto Hydro, providing strategic leadership for business planning, financial reporting, treasury, taxation, internal audit and compliance functions. Aida is the first female Chair of the Canadian Electricity Association’s CFO Committee and previously served as Chair of the Accounting and Finance Committee. In 2019, Aida was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. She also helped lead charitable activities for Sunnybrook’s Ross Tilley Burn Centre, United Way and Sickkids.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Being promoted to Executive Vice-president and Chief Financial Officer at Toronto Hydro. Becoming a CFO was a goal set for myself early in my career with the company. The journey to this position was not easy or straightforward, and included difficult decisions and family support. The sense of satisfaction and accomplishing it with an organization and people I value and respect is a highlight of my career.

BIO: Building strong empowered teams, who are passionate about customers and challenging the status quo, drives Janine Barry as a leader. Since joining Manulife Bank, she has played a transformational role in expanding digital capabilities and how teams work together. Janine is responsible for delivering innovative solutions like artificial intelligence insights and chatbots, and modernizing core banking systems, in the quest to improve customer experiences. Janine serves as a Board Trustee for St. Mary’s General Hospital.

MOST IMPORTANT CAREER LESSON: Don’t wait to be asked. If you see something you’d like changed - do it! Empower yourself to take action.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Raising nice, kind, smart, curious kids. The role of a parent comes with no training, no guidebook.

ON WHAT MAKES A LEADER: Empowering others, lifting them up, and seeing more in them than they see in themselves.

BIO: Dr. Fiona Clement joined Ucalgary in 2011 as assistant professor and in 2012 became director of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Unit within the O’brien Institute for Public Health. In 2015, she was selected Canadian Harkness fellow in health care policy and practice and spent a year at the University of California studying the United States’ health-care policy environment. She was named a Ucalgary peak scholar in 2017. Fiona’s focus on educational excellence and faculty support brings better health care to the community.

MOST IMPORTANT CAREER LESSON: Compassion is the greatest tool a leader has.

ON MOTIVATION: My colleagues and team members who work tirelessly to improve the world around them.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: The impact that my team’s work had on the legalization framework for Cannabis.

BIO: Ani Castonguay works to position CDPQ as a leader in constructive capital across all markets. She oversees external and internal communications, business development activities and philanthropic initiatives. A clear and compelling communicator, Ani worked for various large public and private organizations, gaining extensive experience in crisis and change management, before joining this global investment group in 2009. As a leader, she is accessible, supportive and known for her great sense of humour.

MOST IMPORTANT CAREER LESSON: The capacity to step back; it is critical to take in the big picture to make decisions with a clear head.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Putting together a dedicated team of talented and hilarious people, because they make me a better person everyday. I am also very proud of how we raised our internal communications game during the pandemic and made a real difference for our colleagues by finding new ways to stay connected.

BIO: Roopa Davé works with organizations to address significant societal challenges like inequality and climate change. A trained CPA, Roopa identified early the challenges for traditional financial reporting to demonstrate value created, or diminished, through environmental and social performance and consequently pivoted her career to be at the forefront of these discussions. Roopa is especially passionate about supporting her clients on their sustainability journeys, whether they are just beginning or well down the path of embedding sustainability principles in their business models.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: I am most proud of shaping a career that aligns with my values and the deep connections I have made with clients and colleagues along the way.

ON WHAT POWERFUL MEANS: To have a platform in which you can bring people together, collaborate and influence change for the better.