OICR welcomes Dr. Jennifer Chan, Laurie Harrison and Dr. Nancy Ross to its Board of Directors.

Three leaders in science, medicine and healthcare administration joined OICR’s Board of Directors in recent months. They bring decades of experience that will strengthen OICR’s efforts to tackle the big challenges in cancer and deliver solutions to patients.

Dr. Jennifer Chan, Laurie Harrison and Dr. Nancy Ross were elected to three-year terms that run until Fall 2026.

• Dr. Jennifer Chan is Director of the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Calgary. She is a pathologist-scientist and research leader with over 14 years of experience and serves as Consortium Leader of the Prairie Cancer Research Consortium in the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network.

“Joining OICR’s Board is a great opportunity to contribute to world-class research that is making a difference for people all over the world,” Dr Chan says. “I look forward to helping the OICR community advance new discoveries and bring them to patients who need them.”

• Laurie Harrison recently retired from her role as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of SickKids Hospital. She has 35 years of experience in administrative and operational roles in Ontario academic health science centres, and significant experience in Finance, Treasury, Supply Chain, Operations, Business Development and Risk Management in the not-for-profit sector.

“OICR has an excellent reputation, and I’m glad to contribute to the success of this dynamic organization,” Harrison says. “I hope to bring my expertise to the Board and my support to management with the goal of meeting OICR’s strategic objectives.”

• Dr. Nancy Ross held positions as Professor, Canada Research Chair, and Associate Vice-Principal Research and Innovation at McGill University from 2001-2021 after beginning her research career at Statistics Canada (1997-2001). Dr. Ross currently serves as Vice-Principal Research at Queen’s University. She also holds a faculty position in the University’s Department of Public Health Sciences, where she is a recognized expert in population health.

“I am excited to contribute to an organization that plays an essential role in Ontario’s globally significant research ecosystem,” Dr. Ross says. “I hope to help OICR continue to accelerate and translate discoveries that reduce suffering for people affected by cancer and improve their quality of life.”

Chaired by Dr. Susan Fitzpatrick, OICR’s Board of Directors is comprised of 14 volunteers from different academic and professional backgrounds.

“Our newest Board members will be a tremendous resource to OICR’s Executive team, our staff, and to people affected by cancer in Ontario and around the world.” says Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, President and Scientific Director of OICR. “We’re so grateful that Nancy, Laurie and Jennifer are volunteering their time to our important mission, and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together for cancer patients and their families.”