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Description

Global’s Health & Life Sciences group specializes in health-specific public affairs and policy consulting. We serve Canadian and international pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, health associations, non-profit organizations and other health-focused interests. Collectively, our team has decades of experience engaging with key federal, provincial and pan-Canadian health organizations. We work with clients to navigate regulatory, market access and policy challenges for specific medicines and technologies, and apply our expertise in Health & Life Sciences and Cannabis Practice to the expected industry of consumer health products containing cannabis. Our support includes the strategy, development, and tactical execution of issue-based public policy campaigns for life sciences companies and leading associations.


Lead Contact:
Stephen Sampson
Telephone: 613-783-3454
Email: ssampson@globalpublic.com

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Team

Semilore Ajayi

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/ajayi/">Ajayi

Associate Consultant

Telephone: 403-835-0718

Email: sajayi@globalpublic.com

Semilore Ajayi is an Associate Consultant in Global’s Transportation, Infrastructure, and Communities practice group in Alberta. She will be supporting the team with strategic client-government relations through research, coordination, communication, analysis, and monitoring and reporting on legislative, regulatory, and political developments.

Semilore is a previous 1834 public policy fellow, graduating from the program’s inaugural year, where she and a team presented policy recommendations on Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program to Prime Minister Trudeau and other Ministers. She has extensive experience in advocacy and fundraising, working and volunteering as a youth leader and program manager to support black and Indigenous youth in Calgary and across the GTA. She is passionate about exploring the importance of social entrepreneurship, the non-profit, and technology sectors as tools to support underrepresented communities.

Semilore completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Toronto with a double major in Political Science and African Studies.

Colin Brown

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/colin-brown/">Brown

Associate Consultant

Telephone: 403-835-4973

Email: colin.brown@globalpublic.com

Colin Brown is an Associate Consultant with Global’s Health and Life Sciences practice. He supports the team in the execution of public affairs strategies, research, and analysis for a range of clients.

Before joining Global, Colin worked for two years in the Sustainability research practice at The Conference Board of Canada, with a primary focus on the circular economy and stakeholder engagement as part of energy, natural resource, and infrastructure projects. He has also contributed to federal, provincial, and municipal campaigns.

Colin holds a Master of Arts in Political Science from York University as well as a B.Soc.Sc. (Hons.) in Political Science from the University of Ottawa.

 

Julia Chew

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/chew/">Chew

Senior Consultant

Phone: 647-615-0692

Email: jchew@globalpublic.com

Julia Chew is a Senior Consultant with the Health & Life Sciences practice in Global’s Toronto office, providing strategic analysis, research, and project management support to clients.

Prior to joining Global, Julia held a number of roles within the Government of Ontario. She worked as a Policy Advisor to administrative authorities and spent time in a relationship management capacity to facilitate Ontario’s partnership with its private land registry provider. Julia has also worked at a newly formed regulatory authority and provided policy analysis support towards the organization’s growth. Most recently, she was a Consultant for a health-focused public affairs firm in Toronto.

Julia holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a B.A. (Honours) in Political Studies, both from Queen’s University.

Wayne Critchley

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/critchley-wayne-2/">Critchley

Senior Associate

Telephone: 613-783-3449

Email: wcritchley@globalpublic.com

Wayne Critchley is Senior Associate with Global Public Affairs’ Health & Life Sciences practice, providing counsel to leading biopharmaceutical and medical device corporations and associations along with other health policy stakeholders. Wayne has a long track record of success as a senior executive with over twenty years of experience in government departments, boards and agencies dealing primarily with issues that impact the pharmaceutical sector. He served as Executive Director of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board from 1990 to 2005 and as a Vice President of the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health in 2009. From 2007-2009, he was a partner in one of Canada’s leading law firms. Wayne is widely recognized as an expert in pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and market access and is regularly called upon to write and present on Canadian pharmaceutical issues. Wayne served as Chair of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders from 2015-2019 and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. He is also active with the Canadian Club of Ottawa and served as President from 2012-2013.

Ryon Dalir

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/ryon-dalir/">Dalir

Associate Consultant

Telephone: 647-612-9374

Email: rdalir@globalpublic.com

 

Ryon Dalir has joined the Health and Life Sciences team in Toronto as an Associate Consultant. He will be supporting the team in client relations, research and reporting and other communication and strategy-based initiatives.

Ryon has previously worked in the advertising and marketing world developing engaging and effective campaigns for a variety of clients. He has extensive experience in advocacy working with organizations such as the Toronto Youth Cabinet as their Equity & Employment lead and many other not-for-profits and charitable organizations. He also has supported grassroots sports organizations such as PlayOn!Canada (previously the largest street hockey tournament in the world) and Vancouver2030 which aims to bring the Olympic/Paralympic games back to Canada. Ryon completed his Bachelor of Commerce at Ryerson University in 2020 with a specialization in Marketing Management.

Imad Fadil

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/fadil/">Fadil

Associate Consultant

Telephone: 343-575-6853

Email:ifadil@globalpublic.com

Imad Fadil is an Associate Consultant in the Health and Life Sciences practice group in Ottawa where he provides strategic client support through research, coordination, and communication. He also monitors and reports legislative, regulatory, and political developments.

Prior to joining Global, Imad worked as a Junior Policy Analyst at the Public Health Agency of Canada. Imad also interned as an Information Analyst and Translation assistant for the World Food Programme in their Jordan office and volunteered as an administrative assistant for a Member of Parliament.

Imad completed his Master’s of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from King’s College London in the United Kingdom and holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from Carleton University.

Leila Farmer

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/farmer/">Farmer

Director

Phone: 250-634-0017

Email: lfarmer@globalpublic.com

Leila Farmer is a Director in the Victoria Office of Global Public Affairs. She provides government relations, communications support and stakeholder engagement to clients in Health Sciences and several other sectors.

Through her professional experience as a Senior Ministerial Advisor for B.C.’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, a Director in the Premier’s Office and an Issues Manager in Government Communications and Public Engagement, Leila brings an in-depth knowledge of the province’s political landscape to Global Public.

Prior to working for the Government of B.C., she was a Research and Communications Officer with the BC NDP Official Opposition, where she supported multiple MLAs and the Leaders’ Office. She has also worked and volunteered on municipal, provincial and federal election campaigns.

Leila earned an Honours Degree in Political Science from the University of Victoria.

Farid Foroud

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/farid-foroud/">Foroud

Associate Vice President, Western Health and Life Sciences

Telephone: 587-338-0010

Email: fforoud@globalpublic.com

Farid has over a decade of experience both supporting and leading health-focused economic development activities.

Most recently, Farid was the Director of Biopharmaceuticals within Alberta’s Ministry of Economic Development & Trade & Tourism, where he was responsible for partnerships, innovation and overall sector growth for the province’s biopharmaceutical and health sector. In his role with Alberta Government he led the formation of many provincial partnerships between multinational pharmaceutical companies, non-profits and the Government of Alberta. These partnerships brought innovation based investments to the province and allowed for multi-partner collaborations between the industrial expertise of pharma companies and the Alberta’s health innovation expertise  to develop the next generation of health solutions.

Farid has also worked with business accelerator TEC Edmonton, where he supported innovators and companies in business planning, market analysis and technology transfer activities within the health and life sciences area. Additionally, Farid was involved in creation of many health start ups during his time at TEC Edmonton. Prior in joining TEC Edmonton,  Farid worked in Biotechnology and Environmental Science type companies in Alberta both as scientist and as business development professional.

At Global Public Affairs Farid is leading the health and life sciences mandates throughout Western Canada, supporting clients on government relations, market entry/access strategy, and public policy initiatives around life sciences innovation and adoption.

Beatriz Grigsby-Larson

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/grigsby-larson/">Grigsby-Larson

Associate Consultant

Telephone: 250-532-0825

Email: bgrigsbylarson@globalpublic.com

Beatriz Grigsby-Larson is an Associate Consultant for the Victoria office, where she provides support on client relations, research, and communications. She supports clients in the Health and Life Sciences and other practice groups.

Beatriz has experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Prior to working a Global, she worked at a research lab at the University of Victoria that focused on tech infrastructure, innovation, and accessibility. She also worked at an environmental consulting engineering firm dedicated to solid waste management and worked at non-profits that focused on immigration. She has worked with the federal NDP on campaigns and constituency work.

Beatriz graduated from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in political science.

 

 

Eleanor Hubbard

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/hubbard/">Hubbard

Senior Associate

Email: ehubbard@globalpublic.com

Eleanor Hubbard is a Senior Associate based in Halifax, she offers management advisory services to clients in the areas of strategy, innovation, business development, government relations, health system policy, project leadership and interest-based negotiations.

Previously, Eleanor held progressively senior leadership roles in the public sector for over 25 years. As Chief, Partnerships and Physician Services with the Nova Scotia government, Eleanor was responsible for strategic contract management and major negotiations for the Department of Health and Wellness, directed pharmaceutical programs, and was the provincial lead for the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Strategy.

As Senior Advisor to the CEO of Nova Scotia Economic Development, Eleanor also provided strategic policy advice to the CEO/Deputy Minister and played a leadership role in the successful development and implementation of a comprehensive branding program across government and the private sector in Nova Scotia. In the role of Senior Executive at Treasury and Policy Board, she was instrumental in the creation of the Expenditure Management Initiative for the Nova Scotia government.

Prior to joining government, Eleanor worked in the private sector in pharmacy, retail management and private insurance.

Elaine Larsen Wells

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/larsen/">Larsen Wells

Director

Phone: 613-783-6086

Email: elarsen@globalpublic.com

Elaine Larsen has over a decade of experience working with successive federal governments on matters of policy development, political communications, and coalition building. Elaine creates winning strategies which balance public policy, issues management and business imperatives, bringing value to clients and governments alike.

She provides strategic and tactical advice to a diversity of clients, with particular focus on the health and bio-sciences, community health care, health technology and cannabis sectors. For this work she has established relationships in Health Canada and within Health Ministries in several provinces.

Elaine has served as a political aide in two levels of government, and has worked as part of a diplomatic team to advocate for public and corporate interests during the negotiation of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Elaine holds a Master’s in Political Management, and a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from the Arthur Kroeger College at Carleton University.

Active in her community, Elaine sits on the Canadian Chamber of Commerce cannabis working group, the Government Relations Institute of Canada professional development committee, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. She is the Founder and former Chair of the Board of the Empow(her) Network for which she was given the Ontario Leading Women Award in 2016. Elaine regularly contributes to municipal, provincial, and federal political campaigns.

Glenn Monteith

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/monteith/">Monteith

Senior Associate

Phone: 613-783-3444

Email: gmonteith@globalpublic.com

Glenn Monteith is Senior Associate with Global Public Affairs’ Health and Life Sciences practice, providing counsel to leading biopharmaceutical and medical device corporations, associations and other health policy stakeholders. Glenn has an extensive and unique professional background in the Health and Life Sciences field. He has over thirty years of experience working in both the public and private sector, with the majority at the executive level.  From 2004-2007, Glenn was the Executive Director of Alberta Health’s Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences Branch where he played a key role in reforming the provinces drug benefit programs as well as being a leader at the Federal/Provincial/Territorial National Pharmaceutical Strategy table.  From 2007-2013, he was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Workforce, with overall responsibility for health workforce planning, contract negotiations (physicians, pharmacies/pharmacists), Pharmaceutical programs and health support programs.  From 2013-15, Glenn subsequently served as the Chief Delivery Officer for Alberta Heath, where he was the designated acting Deputy Minister with accountability for four divisions (workforce, IT/IM, Seniors and continuing care, primary care).  From 2015, he served in the roles of Vice President of Innovation and Health Sustainability and Executive Advisor to the President at Innovative Medicines Canada, the national association for Canada’s research-based pharmaceutical industry.

 

Thanh Ngo

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/ngo/">Ngo

Senior Consultant

Phone: 587-335-6617

Email: tngo@globalpublic.com

Thanh Ngo is a Senior Consultant and a member of Global Public Affair’s Alberta team, supporting clients in the Health and Life Sciences portfolio. Prior to joining Global Thanh worked as a Sector Lead in Advanced Technologies and Life Sciences for the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation at the Government of Alberta.

In his seven-year tenure with the Government of Alberta, he supported the development of a number of commercialization and innovation hubs across Alberta, as well as the development of collaborative investment opportunities with industry, non-profit, and other government agencies to support the growing life sciences sector.

Thanh holds a Bachelor of Biological Science and a Master of Biomedical Technology from the University of Calgary.

Rick Roth

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/roth/">Roth

Vice President Strategic Communications, Ontario

Phone: 416-597-3473

Email: rroth@globalpublic.com

Rick Roth is the Vice President Strategic Communications, Ontario, at Global Public Affairs, helping clients navigate the new Government in Ontario under Premier Doug Ford.  Rick works with clients seeking opportunities to collaborate with the public sector to achieve their business objectives.

Rick has more than a decade of experience in government, crisis communications and public affairs, holding senior positions in Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.  Most recently he served as the Chief of Staff to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks helping shape Ontario’s Environment Plan; a detailed vision ranging from the protection of air, land and water, addressing litter and waste as well as Ontario’s new approach to Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Previously Rick spent more than two years as the Senior Manager for Issues and Reputation Management at Scotiabank, one of Canada’s largest and most international banks.  There he crafted crisis communications plans for the Bank and their senior executives ranging from issues around cyber security, international trade and commerce as well as in retail and digital banking.  Rick also led the Bank’s external communications strategy during their quarterly earnings as well as numerous mergers and acquisitions.

Rick served within the Government of Canada as the Director of Communications to Canada’s Foreign Minister as well as with Canada’s International Trade Minister; leading the communications team in promoting Canada’s foreign policy and trade priorities around the world, responding to the fluid and unpredictable nature of international relations.  Rick’s term with the federal government concluded with the Minister of International Trade during the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), where Rick led the communications roll-out and stakeholder strategy.

Rick is passionate about international relations, crisis communications and politics, and has built a positive reputation among his colleagues in the media, both in Canada and around the world.

Rick is a graduate of Brock University with a B.A. in Political Science with a Concentration in Public Law.

Michaela Rutherford-Blouin

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/rutherford-blouin/">Rutherford-Blouin

Senior Consultant

Telephone: 343-551-5335

Email: mrutherfordblouin@globalpublic.com

Michaela is a Senior Consultant in the Health and Life Sciences practice group based out of our Ottawa office. In this role, Michaela supports clients through strategic research, analysis and project management.

Prior to joining Global, Michaela spent four years as a political staffer on Parliament Hill where she worked in various roles. Such roles include positions in the Office of the Prime Minister in both the Chief of Staff’s Office and on the Special Projects team, the Office of the Minister of Labour as a Senior Advisor for Ontario and Atlantic Canada, a caucus research bureau, a Member of Parliament’s Constituency Office, and on a national re-election campaign. Most recently, Michaela worked as a Senior Organizer for Nature Canada, a national nonprofit conservation organization.

Michaela graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston, ON with a B.A. (Honours) in Political Studies with a minor in Global Development Studies.

Stephen Sampson

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/sampson-stephen-2/">Sampson

Senior Vice President

Telephone: 613-783-3454

Email: ssampson@globalpublic.com

Stephen Sampson is Senior Vice President in Global Public Affairs’ Ottawa office and a member of Global’s Executive Team. Additionally, Steve is responsible for the management of Global’s national Health & Life Sciences practice group. He offers integrated public affairs strategies to clients in the innovative biopharmaceutical and medical device industries, non-profit trade associations, and other private and public organizations engaged in public policy advocacy on business-critical health policy, regulatory and market access matters. Prior to his arrival at Global, Steve was the Director of the Government Affairs department at Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D, now known as Innovative Medicines Canada), where his responsibilities included strategy and advocacy on a wide range of public policies and regulations impacting the innovative biopharmaceutical sector. His career began in the federal government in Ottawa and included progressive political and legislative staff roles in the offices of a Cabinet Minister and a Member of Parliament. Steve hold a Master’s of Science from the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom and a joint Bachelor’s of Arts degree from University of King’s College and Dalhousie University.

David Skinner

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/skinner-david-2/">Skinner

Senior Associate

Telephone: 613-851-5981

Email: dskinner@globalpublic.com

David Skinner is a Senior Associate with Global’s Life Sciences practice. He provides strategic, tactical and regulatory advice on matters dealing with foods, drugs (including natural health products), devices and cosmetics. Prior to joining Global, David led Consumer Health Products Canada for 34 years as President and was a Board Director for the World Self-Medication Industry for over three decades. He also served as Chairman of the Management Advisory Committee to the Health Product and Food Branch and was a member of a number of Health Canada expert committees including the Food Expert Advisory Committee. David also was a delegate to the United States Pharmacopeial Convention for 20 years. David has a BSc (Hon) in biochemistry from Carleton University with post-graduate studies in business and pharmacology. He is a certified Sommelier and wine writer, a level 3 Certified golf official and avid fly fisher.

Rod Elliot

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/rod-elliot/">Elliot

Senior Vice President

Telephone: 416-597-3474

Email: relliot@globalpublic.com

Rod Elliot is one of Canada’s leading public affairs consulting executives with over 20 years experience in the private sector and public sector.

Since joining Global Public Affairs in 2009 he has been responsible for the launching of the firms Health Reimbursement, Cannabis and Technology & Innovation practices.

Based in Toronto, Rod is currently SVP Cultural Industries and Emerging Issues focused on working with a variety of clients across multiple practices.

Before joining Global, Rod gained significant political experience in a number of roles with the Ontario Government at Queen’s Park. In addition, Rod spent seven years at TD Bank Financial Group executing government relations programs on behalf of the bank.

Rod holds a Certificate in Corporate Community Involvement from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Mass Communications and Political Science from Carleton University.

Andrew Retfalvi

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/andrew-retfalvi-2/">Retfalvi

Vice President, Health and Life Sciences

Telephone: 416-597-3470

Email: aretfalvi@globalpublic.com

Andrew Retfalvi is Vice President, Health and Life Sciences, providing strategic counsel and support to leading pharmaceutical and health innovation clients.

Focused on Ontario and Atlantic Canada, Andrew advises clients in developing integrated public affairs strategies, primarily focused on provincial policy and public reimbursement environments. He also supports stakeholder relations, awareness-building and advocacy activities. He is active in Ontario’s life sciences community, supporting efforts to foster growth in the sector.

Andrew has worked on numerous political campaigns at all levels of government, with involvement ranging from communications and volunteer organization to campaign management. Andrew joined Global in 2014 after having worked for the Federal Court in Ottawa, where he coordinated immigration litigation matters for members of the judiciary.

Andrew holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University, and a postgraduate certificate in Public Relations from Humber College.

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