CATALIS Quebec is a non-profit organization whose governance relies on a Network of public and private partners to carry out its vision and mission of operational improvement and excellence in clinical research in Quebec. The Advisory Committee plays an advisory role by supporting the executive management team in implementing the strategic plan and any priority actions approved by the board of directors.

Board of Directors

Me Jean Groleau

ME

Chairman, Lawyer and co-founder Groleau Gauthier Plante LLP

Marc Rivière

MD

General Partner & CMO, TVM Capital Life Sciences Inc.

Monique Lacroix

B. Pharm., M.Sc.

Vice President, Pharmacist, Clinical Research Professional and Guest Lecturer 

Louise Proulx

PH. D., ICD.D

Corporate Director

Diane Gosselin

PH. D., MBA, ASC

President & CEO
CQDM

Wilson Miller

MD

Co-Director of Clinical Research, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital Director

Guy A. Rouleau

OC, OQ, MD, PH. D., FRCPC, FRSC

Director of The Neuro, Director of the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University

Patrice Roy

PH. D.

Pharmaceutical Medical Affairs Lead

Jefferson Tea

PH. D., MBA

Vice-President, Medical & Scientific Affairs Takeda Canada Inc.

Observer Members

Marco Blouin

CEO, Science and Partnership Direction Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy of Quebec

Julie Couture

Director of Data Quality, Research and Internal Coordination Ministry of Health and Social Services

Nathalie Girard

Strategic Projects Coordinator, Life Sciences Branch Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy of Quebec

Guests

Danika Laberge

President and Chief Executive Officer
CATALIS Québec

François Painchaud

Corporate Secretary
Partner Robic

Paul Lohnes

Treasurer, Director of Finance and Administration and Assistant Corporate Secretary CATALIS Québec

Management Team

Presidency and Executive Management

Danika Laberge

PMP

President and CEO of CATALIS Quebec

Danika Laberge, PMP

Danika Laberge has more than 30 years of professional experience in research in the health and social services network and in the private sector. With her expertise, focus on operational excellence, leadership and mobilization skills, Danika has been able to implement an organizational structure that capitalizes on the diverse expertise of the CATALIS Network members. This structure allows for the ongoing identification of provincial clinical research priorities in order to develop effective collaborative solutions to optimize the clinical research environment in Quebec.

Among her recent major achievements, Danika, with the dedication and commitment of the CATALIS network members and a dedicated internal team, has orchestrated:

  • The implementation of an automated provincial dashboard (PowerBI) to track performance indicators and clinical research activities in Quebec health institutions. These indicators provide a better understanding of the priorities and allow targeted actions to be taken to improve Quebec’s competitiveness in clinical research;
  • The harmonization of the administrative practices of the clinical research sites in Quebec, which has led to the creation of the FAST TRACK Evaluation Service. This service aims to evaluate and approve clinical trials in Quebec in ≤ 8 weeks, a 75% reduction in the standard approval time;
  • The creation of Clinical Trials Quebec (CTQ), an information and services hub for all things clinical research, powered by the CATALIS Network and developed in partnership with the Quebec government. CTQ is an innovative provincial tool that provides high-quality, complete, impartial and accessible information on clinical research, as well as innovative and free services that facilitate access to clinical trials for the Quebec population;
  • The creation of a Personalized Support Service that provides free assistance to patients, caregivers and medical staff in searching for and identifying clinical trials that meet their criteria; and
    • The creation of a new service to facilitate recruitment for complex trials.

Respect, ethics, innovation and efficiency are at the heart of Danika’s priorities. These values guide the identification and implementation of provincial best practices that optimize the clinical research environment for the benefit of Quebec patients.

Board of Directors

Olivier Jérôme

MINTLBUS

Director, Public and Patient Engagement 

Olivier Jérôme, MIntlBus

With over ten years of professional experience in the general and operational management of health organizations, Olivier Jérôme has overseen various mandates that focused on patients and their family caregivers.

A seasoned administrator in the organizational development and operationalization of health programs, he has actively participated in creating, reorganizing, and expanding the units he was responsible for, including those in reproductive medicine, obstetrics, oncology, and rare diseases. Olivier also has a comprehensive understanding of the political environment and governmental affairs in health at the federal and provincial levels. He will use this expertise to benefit patients and family caregivers by facilitating and accelerating access to innovative health treatments.

He joins the CATALIS team with a passion for both research and access to innovation in health care and will undoubtedly contribute to the success of its mission.

Paul Lohnes

CPA

Director Finance and Administration 

Paul Lohnes, CPA

Paul Lohnes is a senior executive with over 40 years of experience in professional services organizations in Canada.

His credentials include: audit and professional practice as a partner with KPMG in Montreal and The Netherlands; senior roles in audit standard-setting and audit regulation and quality control; and chief executive of a not-for-profit organization in the public sector. In addition to financial and audit acumen, he brings to CATALIS expertise in governance and human resources management.

Paul has a keen interest in healthcare research and in contributing to achieving CATALIS’ mission. He is currently a member of the Board and the Audit and Infrastructure Committee of the Montréal West Island Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre, a member of the executive committee of the Interdisciplinary Canadian Collaborative Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Research Network (ICanCME), and a member of the Board of NOVA Hudson.

Dorothy McKelvey

Director of Operations, Central Office 

Dorothy McKelvey

Dorothy started our working as a clinical research coordinator/manager in rheumatology at the for 26 years, Clinical Trial Monitor at Nymox start-up for Phase III studies throughout the US including IRB submissions for all sites, budget negotiations and monitoring the sites for 3 years. She started at the Research Institute of the MUHC in 2011 in the role of auditor and was promoted to Manager, Pediatric/Adult and Regulatory team including submissions and budgets. She acted as interim Associate Director of Operations for 2 years which included many managers, project managers, biostatisticians, data management, quality assurance. Her team was multidisciplinary with research coordinators, nurses, respiratory therapists, kinesiologists, and physiotherapist in all indications not including oncology.

As Director of Operations, Central Office at CATALIS, Dorothy will be responsible for the implementation, supervision, and performance of the FAST TRACK Evaluation Service and will collaborate in the management of other operational activities of CATALIS Quebec.

Me Alexandra Obadia

LL.B., LL.M.

Chief Legal and Data Officer 

Me Alexandra Obadia, LL.B., LL.M.

Me Obadia has more than 30 years of experience as a lawyer and manager in the field of health research and genomics. With a Master’s degree in Law, Biotechnology and Society, her expertise ranges from legal, ethical and operational issues related to research to innovation and governance of health databases and biobanks.

Having led CARTaGENE for 13 years, she is recognized for developing and implementing a governance model that allows access to data and samples for research while ensuring confidentiality and social acceptability.

Her extensive experience in the health research ecosystem has enabled her to develop trusted relationships and strategic partnerships in both the public and private sectors, and to chair and serve on numerous committees and boards.

As Chief Legal and Data Officer at CATALIS, Me Obadia’s mandate is to lead the organization’s legal and ethical affairs, as well as to develop a health data governance expertise service whose role will be to support the healthcare network in developing systems for access to medical-administrative data in line with best practices.

Isabelle Sokolnicka

B. SC. POL., DESS JOUR.

Director of Communications 

Isabelle Sokolnicka, B. Sc. pol., GrDip Jour.

Isabelle began her career as a science journalist, a role that allowed her to cover topics such as neurodevelopmental disorders affecting Canadian children and stem cell transplants for the treatment of cancer.

A quadrilingual communications professional specialized in digital marketing, she is passionate about health and innovation; she was the project manager of the award-winning injury prevention program at the McGill University Health Centre. Isabelle has led national and international marketing communications initiatives in Canada and abroad in areas ranging from healthcare reform to the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality, namely in collaboration with the University of Montreal Hospital Centre.

A brand builder and a seasoned strategist, Isabelle looks forward to joining the CATALIS team to elevate the organization’s profile and promote Quebec’s expertise in clinical research, and ultimately participate in the acceleration of innovative treatments

FAST TRACK Evaluation Service

Cristina Al-Ali

‎‎

Project Lead 

Cristina Al-Ali

Cristina holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) from the University of Montreal and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from abroad. She worked as a Research Coordinator at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), where she collaborated with several researchers in the Department of Transplantation, the Cedars Cancer Centre, and the Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM). Specialised in clinical research for the last 5 years, Cristina has been involved in phase II-IV clinical trials and biobanks, which has allowed her to be in constant contact with patients, to collaborate with several health professionals, and to work with research ethics committees.

Before joining the CATALIS team, Cristina also worked as a Clinical Research Associate for a Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) – a professional experience through which she developed skills in confidentiality agreements, ethical review of multi-centre research projects in the Health and Social Services Network (HSSN), as well as in centralized ethics submission.

As a Project Lead, Cristina will contribute to the development of the FAST TRACK Evaluation Service with the goal of helping patients obtain better access to clinical trials in Quebec.

Mireille Dessureault

M. SC.

Project Lead 

Mireille Dessureault, M. Sc.

Mireille holds two master’s degrees in science, one in molecular biology from the Université de Montréal, and a second in experimental medicine from McGill University. Over the past few years, Mireille has worked as a clinical research coordinator in hospitals, as well as a clinical trials coordinator in pharmaceutical settings.

Having started working in the field of basic research during her studies, she then became interested in the clinical aspect of oncology research. Mireille has worked in the fields of sarcoma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and melanoma, which makes her a versatile project manager who will certainly be useful during the CATALIS FAST TRACK Evaluation Service pilot project.

Mireille has always been a supporter of optimization in all aspects, and it is with great enthusiasm that she has joined the CATALIS team to contribute to the optimization and outreach of clinical research in Quebec.

Yasmine Hadji

M. SC.

Project Lead 

Yasmine Hadji, M. Sc.

Yasmine holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Montreal and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Before joining CATALIS, Yasmine worked in a hospital as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Ethics and Regulatory Affairs department for phase I to III studies. Thanks to this professional experience, she had the opportunity to work with several researchers and acquire various skills, in particular in IRB submission, multi-center research projects, as well as in regulatory start-up processes at research sites in the Health and Social Services Network.

Yasmine has also worked in pediatric allergy, hematology and oncology. These diverse experiences have shaped her versatility and adaptability, soft skills that will serve her well in her new role.

As a Project Lead at CATALIS, Yasmine will be involved in the development of the FAST TRACK Evaluation Service to help Quebec patients obtain rapid access to clinical trials.

Sutton Smith

PH. D.

Project Lead

Sutton Smith, Ph. D.

Sutton holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Concordia University. Over the past few years, as part of her dissertation research, Sutton has led an interdisciplinary neuroimaging research project on preschool age identical twins.
She has also worked with the Centre de recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine on the pediatric neuroimaging project, enhancing her knowledge of good documentation and consent practices.

Sutton’s diverse skills in scientific writing, advanced statistics, ethical protocol management and project submission will serve her well as a Project Lead in the CATALIS FAST TRACK Evaluation Service.

Operations

Xavier Bonhomme

Quality Systems and Training Specialist 

Xavier Bonhomme

Xavier has over 34 years of professional experience in the pharmaceutical industry, in hospital settings and in academic research. He has 12 years of experience in hospital pharmacy manufacturing control in Europe and he decided to pursue his career in Quebec in 2000. Upon arrival, Xavier was introduced to clinical research at a major Montreal Clinical Research Organization (CRO) and spent 17 years working in quality assurance with sponsors and regulatory agencies from around the world.

In 2018, Xavier joined the MUHC Research Institute, where he developed a deeper understanding of the diversity of structures and methods that prevent the research community from achieving the success it deserves. Xavier’s goal is to find effective solutions to counter this phenomenon and to implement tools to facilitate the daily life of teams.

As a Specialist in Quality Systems and Training at CATALIS Quebec, Xavier wants to concretize his ideal of transposing best practices to the world of research, now at a provincial level, while privileging simplicity to the service of human potential. He is convinced that sharing ideas, tools and knowledge will help to promote the many strengths of Quebec’s clinical research ecosystem well beyond the province’s borders.

Alexandra Verreault

B. SC.

Project Manager

Alexandra Verreault, B. Sc.

Alexandra brings close to 10 years of experience in the field of clinical research. During that time, she has led several Phase I to IV clinical trials, both industry and investigator initiated. Having overseen the continuous ethics review for the Office of Responsible Conduct in Research at the Université de Montréal and having been a member of the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Ethics Board, she has built up an expertise in the fields of research ethics and the regulatory environment of clinical research in Quebec. This knowledge was put into use and refined when she coordinated all clinical research, at the macro level, of a hospitalization unit at the CHU Sainte-Justine.

As Project Manager, Alexandra is responsible, in collaboration with the CEO, for the coordination of the various advisory committees of the CATALIS Network and participates in the development of common provincial tools aimed at optimizing the clinical research environment in Quebec.

Public and Patient Engagement

Maryse Patenaude

Patients and Clinicians Support Services Coordinator 

Maryse Patenaude

Maryse Patenaude holds a Master of Genetic Counseling from the Université de Montréal and a Specialized Studies Diploma in Management from HEC Montreal. She has been working in the health field for almost twenty years. Having acquired experience in clinical research with the Breast Cancer Research Group (Groupe de recherche en cancer du sein), Maryse then worked as a genetic counselor for over 10 years. She was able to share her knowledge of medical genetics with many patients and health professionals, mainly in the fields of prenatal genetics, reproduction, and oncology. Maryse then participated in the coordination and management of a research unit in the field of medical data analysis and integration, while ensuring the utmost respect for patient confidentiality, as well as for current standards and regulations.

Having developed an empathetic, patient-oriented approach, and with her vast experience in the Quebec health sector, Maryse is enthusiastically joining the CATALIS team to participate in the development of the personalized clinical trial support service.

Kristina Amja

M. SC.

Patients and Clinicians Services Agent 

Kristina Amja, M. Sc.

Kristina holds a Master of Science in Chronic Pain from McGill University.

Over the past few years, Kristina has been involved in a number of research projects related to patient partnership and patient experience in the healthcare system. Kristina also holds a Yellow Belt in Lean Six Sigma, a skill that will undoubtedly contribute to the development of CATALIS’ Quality Management and Continuous Service Improvement Program. Kristina also applies this knowledge in her volunteer activities with the office of Quality and Continuous Improvement at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, where she helps maintain quality improvement and optimize the quality of life of the users of this institution.

Kristina’s professional goal is to promote a patient-centred approach to care and to improve and facilitate access to clinical trials in Quebec for all medical conditions.

Salomé Cohen

M. SC.

Patients and Clinicians Services Agent

Salomé Cohen, M. Sc.

Salomé holds a BSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Ottawa and a MSc in Public Health from the Université de Montréal. Before joining CATALIS, Salomé worked in public health in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, supervising case-contact tracing and managing outbreaks. Over the past few years, Salomé has also been involved in volunteer work for causes that she is passionate about, such as food security and environmental protection.

Through her experiences, Salomé has developed a real desire to improve overall population health and access to healthcare. It is with a strategic approach and the ambition of contributing to facilitating access to clinical research that Salomé joins the CATALIS team, where she will participate in the development of the Personalized Clinical Trial Support Service.

Communications

Orosca-Maria Houmey

M.A.

Communications Advisor 

Orosca-Maria Houmey, M.A.

Orosca-Maria holds a master’s degree in Public Communication from Laval University and has benefited from qualitative education on both sides of the Atlantic, in Belgium and Canada.

Passionate about her field of expertise, communication, she acquired multiple professional experiences in journalism, writing, digital marketing, and even scientific research when she took part in the project “Pawòl Famn”: Intersectionality and Francophone Journalism in Quebec.

Lately, she developed her leadership skills by being involved in various organizations such as AIESEC. To positively impact the community, she wants to give meaning to her career. Orosca-Maria intends to make every effort to promote CATALIS’s mission in order to achieve strategic objectives and help position Quebec as a leading figure in clinical research.

Simon Lindsay

Communications Advisor

Simon Lindsay

Simon holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Politics from the Université de Montréal and has worked as a communicator for public and private organizations for over 8 years. As such, he has planned and implemented a variety of online and offline outreach activities, organized dozens of events, and developed and maintained lasting strategic partnerships.

As part of the communications team at the Foundation of Greater Montreal, he contributed to the creation and distribution of the 2017 Vital Signs Socioeconomic Report. He also managed online communications (social networks, newsletters), press relations and correspondence with members.
In 2019, Simon joined Adoc Talent Management, where he managed communications for the company’s three offices in Montreal, Paris and Brussels. More specifically, he orchestrated the launch and distribution of the PhDétectives survey, which focuses on the career paths of scientists in Canada.

As a Communications Advisor at CATALIS, Simon will coordinate the promotion, awareness and public engagement activities for CATALIS and the Clinical Trials Quebec brand.

Finances

Line Darbelli

Accounting and Administration Technician 

Line Darbelli

Line has more than 10 years of experience in general accounting. She worked for the Adonis Group Inc. in accounting and was promoted to Accounts Payable Supervisor in 2020. In this role, she demonstrated her management and administrative skills through by supervising a team of 30 accounting clerks. In addition, Line was involved in one of the largest finance projects at Adonis ⁄ Metro: the integration of a new SAP accounting system.

Line also has expertise in payables, receivables, sales, physical inventory counts, bank reconciliation, accrued and prepaid expenses, and amortization.

As an Accounting and Administration Technician, Line will put her skills to work for the CATALIS mission and will contribute to position Quebec as a global leader in clinical research