Our Board

Atiqa Mohammad

President and Chair

Atiqa is a public and health systems professional who is committed to driving social change and promoting health equity. She is particularly passionate about patient-centered models of care and advocating for diverse representation in research and data. It’s this very passion that led her to co-found the Research Family Advisory Council at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Currently, Atiqa serves as a manager at Movember, where she is responsible for designing and implementing research and clinical care programs with a primary focus on prostate cancer survivorship. With over 13 years of experience, Atiqa has successfully spearheaded strategic and operational initiatives and her commitment to evidence-based practices has resulted in the effective execution of sustainable national and local programs across diverse communities and causes. 

Atiqa’s educational background includes a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Clinical Practice from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance, a BA in Mathematics from York University, and a post-graduate certificate in Epidemiology.

Alicia Dean

Vice President

Alicia is a licensed Occupational Therapist with more than 11 years of experience in the health care sector.  Her experience includes teaching, health care management, and service delivery across a number of areas such as rehabilitation, complex continuing care and palliative care, as she works with a diverse group of clients and community partners across various geographic regions. She is the founder of AMD Consulting and Occupational Therapy Services.

Alicia has extensive experience in the area of corporate and university governance. She is a Certified Health Executive and a dynamic leader with expertise in curriculum and program development, policy development, project management, stakeholder engagement, planning and process improvement. Alicia is passionate about healthcare as she strives to not only improve the experiences of clients and patients in support of better health outcomes but to advance OT practice.

Alicia has a Master of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and a Master of Health Administration from the University of Toronto and is PMP certified. Alicia is pursuing a doctorate from the University of Western Ontario. Alicia is committed to community involvement and professional development; she is a mentor for the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and serves on several boards.

Jeffrey Wong

Treasurer

Jeffrey is currently a Vice President at RBC Capital Partners where he provides junior capital financing to North American mid-market companies. Prior to this role, he worked at Ernst and Young in Transaction Advisory Services. He has also volunteered as a Pro Bono Consultant in Valencia, Spain with Endeavor Global as part of Ernst & Young’s corporate responsibility initiative. Jeffrey has a Master of Accounting and Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Waterloo.

Leshawn Benedict

Secretary

Leshawn Benedict is a Community Manager for a Global Health Community of Practice focusing on addressing implementation gaps and current issues facing Neglected Tropical Disease programs. He is the Founder of Public Health Insight, a public health organization committed to leading and innovating modern solutions to support evidence-informed public health communication, education, and knowledge translation. Public Health Insight reaches audiences in over 145 countries across over 3500 cities. 

Leshawn received his Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, majoring in Biochemistry and Biology. He completed his Master of Public Health and Master of Science (Global Health Management) degrees at Western University and McMaster University. Leshawn is a dual-certified Project Management and Digital Marketing Professional and a Royal Society for Public Health Fellow.

Mark Vimr

Member at Large

Mark is a registered nurse having worked in healthcare for thirty-five years until retiring from full-time work in 2019.   He held various senior and middle leadership roles in acute, academic, and community healthcare settings, including his most recent role as executive vice president of clinical programs at Scarborough Health Network, as well as senior roles at St. Joseph’s Health Centre (Toronto), Trillium Gift of Life Network and the Cardiac Care Network of Ontario.  He currently serves as a nurse advisor consultant with Spectrum Health Care. Mark holds a Bachelor’s and Master of Science in Nursing and is a lifelong member and Certified Healthcare Executive in the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

Jane Rumleskie

Board Member

Jane has worked in the Ontario Public Service for the past 21 years. She is currently working as a Program Supervisor in the Developmental Services sector for the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Jane is committed to advocacy in the field of criminal justice and spent most of her career as a Probation and Parole Officer. Jane has a B.A. in Criminology from the University of Toronto as well as a diploma in Court and Tribunal Agent (paralegal) studies from Seneca College. Jane has lived in Scarborough for more than a decade with her partner and pets. Jane also volunteers with a local dog rescue organization.

Karthika Yogaratnam

Board Member

Karthika Yogaratnam is a Lead with the OHT Implementation team at Ontario Health. Previously she worked as an OHT System Planner for the North Western Toronto OHT, and in health systems research through SE Health, which sparked her passion for health system reform and innovation to meet the needs of equity-deserving populations. She also led the implementation of COVID-19 vaccine clinics in a rural Northern Ontario community. She has held various leadership roles in academic and community healthcare settings, including her most recent role as a quality improvement committee member for CHATS – Community & Home Assistance to Seniors. Karthika holds a Master of Public Health, specializing in Population Health Sciences, from Simon Fraser University.

Having been raised in Scarborough for most of her life, Karthika looks forward to giving back to the community where she grew up.

Art Jerome Lopez

Board Member

A.J. is a transformational healthcare leader passionate about optimizing our communities’ health.  He believes in continuous quality improvement, equity, collaboration, and innovation.
A.J. is a forward-thinking, strategic planner who constantly strives for excellence.  He has demonstrated success in a number of leadership roles in various academic health sciences centers.   A.J. has a clinical background as a critical care nurse and a Combined Master of Nursing and Master of Health Science.  He is an Adjunct Lecturer with the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. He is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

Cheryl Cheung

Board Member

Is a Scarborough-based lawyer whose practice is focused on advising startup companies and small businesses in the areas of intellectual property, privacy, and commercial law. Cheryl has a LL.M. from George Washington University and a LL.B. from the University of Ottawa. Cheryl also currently volunteers for Pro Bono Ontario’s Free Legal Advice Hotline, providing free summary legal advice and assistance to low-income individuals across the province.

Lauren Della Mora

Board Member

Lauren has worked in the health system for 10 years, holding leadership roles in research, policy development, and system planning. Her work has always been guided by a commitment to bringing together evidence and stakeholder perspectives to create meaningful quality improvement and better population health. In her current role at Ontario Health, she leads a multidisciplinary team that is transforming cancer care to be more person-centered—prioritizing helping patients with their symptoms and improving the experiences of both patients and healthcare providers. 

Lauren earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health degrees at the University of Toronto, specializing in epidemiology. She has remained an active member of the alumni community for the past decade as a student mentor and board member of the Public Health Alumni Association. Her keen interest in understanding what people need to live healthy, productive lives has also led Lauren to volunteer with several Toronto hospitals, her faith community, and local recreation programs. As a new Scarborough resident, Lauren is enjoying getting to know her vibrant community and exploring the waterfront with her husband and toddle

Alexander D’Souza

Board Member

Alexander has a 20-year career in financial services with experience in payments, technology, operations, product management, and leadership. He has a proven track record in managing key external and internal banking relationships and providing substantial value to stakeholders. Alexander holds an MBA in Strategy & Financial Services from the Schulich School of Business and a BA in Management and Economics from the University of Toronto. Complementing his professional pursuits, Alexander has shown a commitment to community service. He served on the Board of Directors of a non-profit organization focused on youth leadership for six years, where he chaired the Governance Committee and is looking to contribute in a meaningful way to the community.

Tristan Simpson

Board Member

Tristan has worked diligently within the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division (EDC) for 13 years. He is passionate about building strong communities by supporting vulnerable populations. He has played a vital role in initiatives within Toronto History Museums including implementing a youth engagement strategy. He is currently in EDC’s Intra-divisional Working Group for the Advancement of Equity & Inclusion. Tristan is passionate about storytelling. He graduated from Ryerson University’s School of Journalism and has written for various publications including The Globe and Mail. He has a heart for the youth and seeks creative and innovative ways to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.