A data scientist and neuroscientist specializing in dementia Dr. Sivananthan consults with senior health experts from around the world, offering the benefits of years of experience in the field. She has worked with multiple health systems nationally and internationally and was appointed by the federal Minister of Health to the Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia. She was the former Chief Research Officer of the Alzheimer Society of Canada and Senior Consultant for the WHO where she co-drafted the WHO Global Dementia Action Plan which received unanimous consensus at the World Health Assembly. She lives and works in Toronto, Ontario.

Alexandra Whate is a research scientist and evaluation expert with over 12 years of experience in hospital, academic, and non-profit settings. Alexandra has a diverse portfolio and a demonstrated ability to lead high quality research, evaluation, and knowledge mobilization work.  She is focused on conducting rigorous and meaningful research and to see the evidence successfully implemented into practice, translating new knowledge into health system change. Alexandra holds an MSc in Biomedical Sciences, and an Honours BA in Psychology both from the University of Guelph

Dr. Chambers is an Emeritus Professor and Director, Research and Scholarship in McMaster University’s Niagara Regional Campus of its Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. With a focus on health charities, and research institutes, Dr. Chambers dedicates his efforts to enhancing strategic thinking and identifying opportunities for organizational change. He is the author of 18 books, 21 book chapters, and over 185 papers. Dr. Chambers maintains appointments with the Bruyère Research Institute, York University, and ICES. He is recognized as a Fellow with he American College of Epidemiology, the Faculty of Public Health of the United Kingdom, and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Jennifer Boger (PhD, PEng) is an international leader in the development of cutting-edge technology for supporting aging, quality of life, and wellbeing. Jennifer has more than 25 years of experience blending state-of-the art knowledge from computer science, engineering, and ethics to create new ways of thinking and doing. Her dual background in academia (Adj. Professor in Systems Engineering, U Waterloo) and industry (Chief Scientific Officer, ESG.AI) enables her to bring innovative ideas to marketable product, with successful projects ranging from SaaS platforms to ambient AI guidance systems. She excels in supporting teams from across sectors and disciplines to collaboratively define, refine, and execute strategies.

Jennifer believes responsible technology development sparks new ways of thinking and doing that can grow market share while avoiding pitfalls. She spearheaded the concept of ‘Ethical by Design’, where her team systematically developed a methodology that enables disparate stakeholders to build subjective aspects such ethics, culture, and citizenship directly into products and systems throughout the product lifecycle. She also co-founded the concept of zero-effort technologies – technologies that operate so intuitively that they require no perceived effort from the people using them.

Jennifer is an Adjunct Professor (Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo) and is a Professional Engineer (Ontario). Jennifer has led over 40 academic research projects, authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, given over 50 talks, and served on several international boards. Jennifer’s degrees are in Biological Engineering (BSc, University of Guelph), Biomedical Engineering (MASc, University of Toronto), and Life and Health Sciences (PhD, Ulster University).

Dr. Rose Joudi brings over 15 years of expertise as an Aging and Ethnic Diversity researcher and consultant. Dr. Joudi collaborates with stakeholders to address the unique needs of older adults in diverse populations. She actively promotes educational strategies and facilitates training sessions including elder abuse awareness, ageism, trauma-informed care and cultural competence and compassion when working with diverse populations. She lives, works and plays in Calgary, Alberta.

Dr. Sarah Main has over 10 years of experience leading participatory initiatives with diverse collaborators, quality improvement, evaluation, and measurement. Her expertise spans literature searches, environmental scans, patient journey mapping, and program development.   By operationalizing evidence-based caring models and improving provider-patient communication, she helps organizations exceed expectations and elevate care delivery. Her skills in dissemination and implementation drive long-term success and tangible results. Sarah completed her PhD in the Faculty of Health at the University of Waterloo.

Katie is a student at Laurentian University, majoring in Equity, Diversity & Human Rights. She minors in Gerontology & has a passionate interest in building strong systems of care for those living with dementia. She is actively building her toolkit for social media engagement.

A veteran of the non-profit communications sector, Bob Neufeld has spent much of the past four decades working with Canadian and international non-governmental agencies that support people in need at home and around the world. His previous work experience includes time with the Government of Canada, World Vision International and the Alzheimer Society of Canada. He joined the Brainwell Institute in 2024 and has worked to raise its profile as a trusted source of information on dementia and brain health for journalists across Canada. As a member of a family that’s been affected by dementia, Bob is grateful for the opportunity to support the Brainwell Institute’s efforts to increase public knowledge about living with dementia and the need for better treatment options and support for caregivers.

Alixe Ménard is a PhD candidate in Population Health at the University of Ottawa, specializing in the impact of dementia-related stigma on hospital care quality. Fluent in both French and English, she integrates person-centered decision-making and healthcare strategies into her research, which is dedicated to enhancing the care experience for people living with dementia across the entire care trajectory. Her academic and professional pursuits are deeply rooted in healthcare delivery, palliative care, aging, and dementia care, reflecting her strong commitment to improving outcomes and quality of life for older adults.

Leo is a new graduate from the University of Waterloo School of Public Health Sciences, where he completed a Master of Science in Public Health Sciences with a focus on health evaluation. For his thesis, Leo investigated the role and responsibilities of care managers who work in home-based healthcare delivery with integrated care management. As a student focused on aging and healthcare delivery, the need to understand issues facing the healthcare system as holistically as possible was apparent, and in his work, Leo strives to utilize multiple-methods research to gain a deeper understanding of issues facing older adults as they receive healthcare.

A student at the University of Victoria, majoring in Biology, Kedron Raju brings an enthusiasm for all things research, and a passion for supporting older adults.  He aspires to a career in medicine, and meanwhile continues to hone his skills as a black belt in Taekwondo.

Shriya is a student at McMaster University in the Honours Life Science Program. She is passionate about research and in her free time, volunteers at the hospital, further deepening her understanding of patient care. With aspirations to pursue a career in healthcare, she also enjoys singing, allowing her to express her creativity.

Fiza Ahmad is a graduate of McMaster University, where she earned her Master of Science in Cognitive Science of Language. Her research explores the intersection of language, memory, and rhythm, with a particular focus on how rhythmic priming influences phonological short-term memory during foreign language learning. Fiza brings to Brainwell a strong foundation in experimental linguistics and cognitive neuroscience, as well as a deep commitment to community-focused and equity-driven research. She’s especially interested in how people from different backgrounds experience language and learning, and how we can better support communication across all stages of life. Outside of work, Fiza enjoys knitting and building intricate LEGO sets, which fuel her love for detail and creativity.

Raymond is an alumnus of University of Toronto’s Life Science program, with majors in Human Biology and Neuroscience. His main passion is understanding all perspectives of healthcare in both primary care and healthcare coordination. He is developing his skills to pursue a career in nursing and public health. Raymond’s interests also include competitive powerlifting, basketball, and movie marathons.