Welcome to the 22nd TELUS Health Annual Conference

Mohamed El-Demerdash

Mohamed El-Demerdash brings over 25 years of global healthcare technology leadership to his role as President of TELUS Health. Prior to joining TELUS, he spent 27 years at GE HealthCare, where he held a series of senior leadership positions across technology innovation, commercial operations and global market expansion.

In his current role as President of TELUS Health, Mohamed leads a global team of nearly 7,000 team members who are on a mission to leverage our world-leading technology innovation to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals around the world. His passion for improving global health outcomes – shaped by his diverse international experiences – is what led him to TELUS Health and its holistic approach to primary and preventive health and wellbeing. By integrating advanced healthcare technology with comprehensive employee support services, he is focused on scaling TELUS Health’s innovative digital health platforms that empower healthcare professionals, employers and governments to deliver personalized care efficiently, expanding access for all, and driving innovation that enhances care and wellbeing worldwide.

Prior to this, Mohamed led GE HealthCare’s service business across the U.S. and Canada. Under his leadership, the business delivered sustained profitable growth and introduced transformative operational solutions that improved efficiency and care delivery for large hospital networks.

Earlier in his career, Mohamed served as Chief Technology Officer for GE HealthCare’s MRI business, where he led global R&D teams in launching award-winning innovations. These included the industry-first air coil technology – recognized as Best New Radiology Device – and the first FDA-approved AI-based deep learning reconstruction for MRI. A seasoned international executive, Mohamed has lived and worked across Africa, the Middle East, India, Turkey, Russia and Southeast Asia. He successfully established new operations and go-to-market strategies in multiple regions, managing both direct and indirect commercial channels.

He holds advanced degrees in Engineering Management from Marquette University and is widely recognized for his ability to lead cultural transformation, build high-performance teams, and translate vision into scalable impact.

Anthony Horng

Anthony Horng is a Master of Ceremonies and communication strategist with over 20 years of experience hosting conferences across Canada.

Specializing in leadership, health, technology, and human-centered events, he brings structure, energy, and seamless flow to complex programs. Known for his engaging presence and strategic approach, Anthony helps connect speakers, content, and audiences, ensuring messages resonate and events stay cohesive.

Paula Allen

Paula Allen is the Global Leader & SVP, Research and Client Insights at TELUS Health (formerly LifeWorks). In this role she manages the research agenda for TELUS Health, which includes primary research, exploratory data science, research collaborations and meta-analyses. Her focus is on discovering, defining and communicating industry trends; service development that aligns with emerging market needs; and supporting TELUS Health’s clients with insights and data-driven decision guidance.

Paula is a well-recognized expert in all areas of workplace mental health, learning strategies, disability management and drug plan management. She is a sought-after speaker by media, organizations, and conferences for her knowledge and expertise in current issues and the future direction of health, wellbeing, productivity, and related risk management.

Paula completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Toronto in psychological research and neuropsychological testing and clinical intervention. She has more than 20 years of experience relating to workplace research, product development and operational leadership that spans the range of EFAP, Workplace Learning, Attendance and Disability Management and Health and Benefits Consulting.

Ratcho Batchvarov

Ratcho Batchvarov is a dynamic healthcare technology executive with over 17 years of experience delivering transformative solutions in both the public and private sectors. As Vice-President of Provider Solutions at TELUS Health, he leads the strategic direction and growth of key portfolios, including Electronic Medical Records, Pharmacy Management Solutions, Clinical Information Systems and PrescribeIT.

Throughout his career, Ratcho has held multiple senior leadership roles, consistently driving growth, operational efficiency, and innovation. His strategic insight and hands-on leadership style have resulted in high-performing teams, successful cost-saving initiatives, and sales performances that consistently surpass targets. Under his leadership, TELUS Health has cemented its position as a market leader in healthcare technology through innovative strategies and customer-centric solutions.

Ratcho holds a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering from Laval University and has specialized certifications from the Pragmatic Institute and HL7 Argentina, underscoring his expertise in healthcare data transmission standards. Fluent in French, English, and Bulgarian, his trilingual proficiency adds a unique cultural dimension to his leadership approach.

Justin J. Bates

Justin Bates is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA). Appointed in 2019 after serving as CEO of the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, Justin brings over 23 years of expertise across the financial services and pharmacy sectors. He is a strategic and transformational leader recognized for fostering team-based collaboration and driving sustainable, value-driven solutions for stakeholders.

His career began in advertising and marketing before he pivoted to the health insurance industry, where he served as a consultant and principal for pharmacy benefit managers and third-party administrators. Since 2005, Justin has been a fierce advocate for the pharmacy profession, spending nearly two decades executing strategic initiatives that balance economic sustainability with strong pharmacy sector relationships with all stakeholders.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology, Justin holds a negotiation certificate from the Harvard Negotiation Institute and completed his Institute of Corporate Directors Designation. He was selected as one of the 2019 Leaders in Pharmacy and serves as Chair on the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy Board.

Maryse Bélanger

Maryse Bélanger, a registered nurse by training with a graduate diploma (DESS) in health informatics from the Université de Sherbrooke (2017), is a recognized leader in digital transformation in Quebec. Her more than 35 years of experience have given her in-depth expertise in the deployment of electronic medical records (EMRs) and in the strategic, legal and technological challenges facing the healthcare system.

After leading a number of major digital transformation and change management initiatives at CIM Conseil (2006–2017) and MediSolution, she has served as General Manager, Customer Solutions Delivery at TELUS Health since 2017. An engaging leader focused on operational excellence, she is committed to ensuring the sustainability and optimization of existing clinical solutions. By prioritizing team support and security in every deployment, she ensures that care is delivered efficiently and safely while remaining deeply patient-focused.

Rene Caissie

Rene Caissie is the Co-Founder and CEO of Medeloop, a company developing AI agents for healthcare analytics, clinical trials, and electronic health records. His expertise lies in applying AI to healthcare data to advance both patient care and medical research.

Rene is also an Adjunct Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he teaches entrepreneurship in digital health. He is a faculty affiliate at the Stanford Center for AI in Medicine & Imaging and lectures in Stanford’s Master of Science in Clinical Informatics Management program, mentoring students in practical informatics applications. At UCSF’s

Translational Medicine Program, Rene focuses on addressing real-world challenges in bringing medical technology into clinical use.

Previously, Rene founded several healthcare technology companies, including Medesync EMR, which was acquired by TELUS Health.

Nicolas Caprio

With over three decades of experience in the pharmacy and healthcare sectors, Nicolas Caprio is a results-driven executive who has consistently delivered operational excellence, strategic transformation, and sustained growth across leading organizations.

Past President of Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. and now board member, Nicolas has been at the forefront of driving innovation and enhancing customer experience for one of Canada’s most respected pharmacy chains. In this role, he has overseen strategic initiatives that have strengthened the organization’s market position and operational efficiencies over the past 4+ years.

Before stepping into the presidency at Rexall, Nicolas held pivotal leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer (COO), at Rexall and Senior Vice President (SVP) and Vice President (VP) at Shoppers Drug Mart. In these roles, he led large-scale transformations, optimized national operations, and improved enterprise pharmacy performance.

Nicolas began his career as a pharmacist-owner in downtown Montreal, successfully managing operations and building a thriving practice. This hands-on experience, combined with his entrepreneurial drive, laid the foundation for his leadership roles within the healthcare industry.

Nicolas holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) and a Minor in Chemistry, both earned from the Université de Montréal. His academic foundation in pharmacy and science has been instrumental in shaping his approach to healthcare innovation and patient-focused solutions.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Nicolas is an active contributor to his community through various board and volunteer roles. He has been a dedicated Board Member at Substance (Formerly DFKC) since 2014, a Board Member of TFFF and former Chairman of the Telus GTA Community Board from 2016 to 2022 and serves as a Board Member for the Retail Council of Canada since 2019, Governor of the MS Canada society since 2024. These roles reflect his passion for economic empowerment, health advocacy, and fostering impactful change in both the business and nonprofit sectors.

Throughout his journey, Nicolas has not only focused on professional growth but also prioritized his family, whom he considers the pillars of his success. With unwavering support from his wife, who stood by him during multiple moves between Montreal and Toronto as he led teams at Shoppers Drug Mart, Nicolas has built a life rooted in resilience, gratitude, and love. Recently, he has been blessed with two grandchildren, who bring immense joy and inspiration to his life.

When not driving organizational growth, Nicolas is passionate about fostering talent, mentoring future leaders, and staying ahead of industry trends—all while cherishing the moments that matter most with his family.

Hani Chohan,

Hani Chohan, Vice-president, Growth & Marketing at TELUS Health, brings more than 20 years of experience spanning product and marketing, strategic partnerships, business development and sales execution.

As a key architect of TELUS Health's expansion strategy, Hani plays a leading role in charting the company's global growth trajectory. His strategic vision and execution focus are driving TELUS Health's evolution as a healthcare technology leader on the world stage.

Prior to joining TELUS Health, Most recently, he served as Chief Growth Officer, Services, U.S. & Canada at GE HealthCare, where he accelerated strategic services growth and led teams across commercial execution, strategic deals and product management. He has held progressively senior roles at GE for the past 12 years, including Vice-president, Sales and Marketing for GE Digital, Chief Marketing Officer for GE Healthcare, and Head of Business Planning and Development for GE Life Sciences (now Cytiva). Hani also brings valuable experience from the world's leading technology platforms, having served as Managing Director, Global Healthcare Partner Strategy at Amazon Web Services and led Microsoft's Partner Marketing organization across Africa and the Middle East, driving digital transformation at scale.

Dr Matthew Chow

Dr. Chow architects AI‑enabled care, health systems, and modern workplaces. He lives at the intersection of clinical practice, digital transformation, and executive decision‑making. At TELUS Health he shapes a platform serving 150M+ people and 180,000 clinicians. He aligns engineering, product, and clinical teams around a clinically grounded roadmap. He leads on AI safety and responsible deployment. He advises executives, governments, and organizations on preparing for AI. Dr. Chow practiced clinically in emergency psychiatry, acute psychosis care, and youth mental health. He brings frontline crisis experience to technology design. He serves on nonprofit and academic boards, staying close to community needs and research. A physician‑executive and former President of Doctors of BC, he has led through crisis and managed large‑scale change. Dr. Chow believes that we can bring people and technology together to build more resilient systems and workplaces.

Ashesh Desai

Ashesh Desai is the Head of Group Benefits at Manulife Canada, leading the health benefits business that supports over 27,000 employers 5+ million Canadians from coast to coast. Since joining Manulife in April 2022, Ashesh has been driving a bold transformation to position Manulife as a true health partner, actively helping people stay healthy, get care faster, and achieve better long-term health outcomes.

Under his leadership, Manulife has accelerated the shift toward preventative and personalized care. Ashesh has overseen the rollout of enhanced digital health experiences, including a redesigned mobile app and plan member website, that give Canadians easier access to care, proactive health nudges, and personalized insights that promote healthier daily habits. These innovations are helping plan members better understand their benefits, engage in prevention, and navigate the health system with confidence.

A champion of partnership-led innovation, Ashesh is expanding Manulife’s industry-leading ecosystem of health providers, technology partners, and wellness experts to build more seamless, end-to-end support for employees and their families, and incentivize health-related activities. This includes new integrated solutions that connect mental, physical, and financial wellbeing and help employers improve workforce health, productivity and retention. Prior to Manulife, Ashesh spent over two decades in retail pharmacy, gaining extensive expertise in healthcare and benefits. He holds both an undergraduate degree and a pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto.

Lucie Falcioni

Lucie Falcioni is Vice-President, Payor and Provider Operations at TELUS Health. She is spearheading our National Centre of Operational Excellence, which includes all operational functional support streams, servicing both the private and public Payor sectors, Pharmacy Solutions and our Electronic Medical Records/Collaborative Health Records lines of businesses. Lucie brings years of experience in operational compliance and transformation with a strong focus on business process optimization, functional interlock and enhanced customer experience to achieve organizational objectives, increase customer satisfaction and maintain a market competitive edge. She possesses more than 27+ years of experience within the health benefits and claims management, pharmacy solutions, payer and pharmaceutical engagement industries. Over the course of her career at TELUS Health, Lucie has been instrumental in supporting TELUS Health’s growth across product innovation, program and service delivery, new business development and business acquisition integration, financial and operational performance management capacities.

Marie-Lou Gagnon

Marie-Lou Gagnon is President and Co-Founder of Braver, a fast-growing Quebec-based company transforming how healthcare professionals collaborate.

A trained physiotherapist, she holds a master’s degree in physiotherapy and an MBA from Université Laval. Marie-Lou spent five years on the front lines treating patients with persistent pain and complex conditions. Confronted daily with the limitations of a system that still relied on fax and paper letters to coordinate care, she chose to take action. In 2018, she co-founded Braver with the conviction that technology can—and must—better serve care teams.

Under her leadership, Braver is now deployed in dozens of healthcare institutions across Quebec—including hospitals, seniors’ residences, and virtual care units—and collaborates with major strategic partners across the healthcare ecosystem. Recognized for her deep understanding of clinical realities and her ability to mobilize stakeholders across the network, Marie-Lou represents a new generation of digital health leaders: grounded in frontline experience and driven by innovation.

Christine Hildebrand

Christine Hildebrand has over 30 years of experience in disability management and proudly serves as Vice President, Health & Ability Strategy at Canada Life. After earning her Bachelor of Nursing, she began her career as a community nurse and went on to hold a variety of roles within Canada Life across life, disability, drug, health, and dental operations. Her current portfolio spans strategy, operations, and systems, with leadership oversight of national programs focused on disability claims adjudication and management. As a leader, Christine is deeply committed to fostering a psychologically healthy workplace that supports the well-being and success of both employees and the organization.

Abhi Kalra

Abhinav (Abhi) Kalra is Executive Vice-President of Connected Care at Canada Health Infoway and a recognized leader in healthcare technology and digital transformation. He brings deep experience across both the public and private sectors, with a career spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.

At Infoway, Abhi provides national leadership to advance Connected Care as Canada enters its next phase of digital health transformation. Building on progress made through the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap, his focus is on connecting health data at scale through modern, trusted approaches that reflect the realities of today’s health system. He leads Infoway’s efforts to bring together national standards, a national Connected Care Trust Framework, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence to enable secure and seamless health information exchange across care settings. By strengthening the role of quality health data and innovation, Abhi is helping move Canada’s digital health ecosystem from readiness to real-world impact.

Before joining Infoway, Abhi held leadership roles at organizations including Shoppers Drug Mart, Oracle, and General Electric, where he led large-scale digital transformation initiatives and strategic programs.

Abhi is known for his collaborative leadership and ability to turn strategy into action, working with governments and partners to improve care delivery and strengthen a more connected and sustainable health system.

Laurae Kloschinsky

Laurae, Interim CEO of Health PEI is an experienced senior healthcare executive focused on optimizing care services and quality improvement while establishing processes to ensure overall organizational success. She has extensive experience in project and change management, communication strategies, technology implementation, and innovation to increase system stability and sustainability.

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Laurae holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan. Laurae has worked in various healthcare settings including Government and community and long-term care pharmacy settings across Canada. Most recently, as the Assistant Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Addictions for the Government of PEI’s Department of Health & Wellness, Laurae has worked alongside various health system partners and healthcare providers to optimize opportunities across the healthcare system. Recent files include mental health and addictions, digital health, health innovation and health workforce.

Julie Labbé

Born in Quebec City, Julie Labbé arrived in Lac-Saint-Jean in 1993. She holds a bachelor's degree in industrial relations from Université Laval, professional training in strategic management in the public service for senior executives, as well as training in the strategic planning process in public administration.

With more than 30 years of experience as a manager, she has made a career as an executive in various companies and public institutions in the region. Working in the health and social services network for the past ten years, Ms. Labbé has, among other things, held the positions of Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development at the Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Jonquière, Director of Human Resources and Administrative Services at the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Director of Human Resources, Communications and Legal Affairs of the CIUSSS. Since 2018, Ms. Labbé has been President and CEO of the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.

She is involved in several committees and boards, including being a member of the board of directors of the management bargaining committee of the health and social services sector, Transplant Québec and the McPeak-Sirois Group, which works in clinical research in breast cancer. Since 2022, Ms. Labbé has served as Honorary Colonel of the 25th Canadian Forces Health Services Centre in Bagotville.

Marie-Noelle LaPan

Strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare sector, more than half focused on digital health, product management, and innovation. Director, Product Management, Provider and Payor at TELUS Health, leading large scale AI initiatives and digital platform and ecosystem evolution. Proven track record delivering large scale public sector initiatives as well as high impact B2C solutions. Key driver behind the success of TELUS Health Connect, now the number one health application in Canada. Recognized for delivering AI driven healthcare solutions that create measurable impact in patient engagement, organizational performance, and clinical adoption, while aligning strategic vision, execution excellence, and sustainable value creation.

Chris LeBouthillier

Chris LeBouthillier is Executive Director of the West Carleton Family Health Team, where he leads a large multidisciplinary primary care team in Ottawa. He specializes in advancing connected, team-based care through digital transformation, workflow redesign, and technology-enabled improvements that reduce administrative burden and strengthen provider capacity.

Chris has led multiple large-scale digital health initiatives, including EMR migrations, system integrations, patient portals, automation, and the advising and implementation of AI-enabled tools such as ambient clinical documentation, structured data extraction, and intelligent chart optimization. His work focuses on translating innovation into practical, front-line solutions that reduce cognitive load, increase quality and make technology feel like a true clinical partner rather than an added burden.

As a former Physician Assistant and Course Director within the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, Chris brings both clinical and operational insight to health system change. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Primary Care Council and the Digital Health, Privacy & Information Committee for the Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team, a member of the Ontario Health East Digital Health Advisory Committee, and is a Peer Leader with OntarioMD."

Vicky Lee

As Director of TELUS Health’s Pharmacy Consulting and Professional Services team, Vicky Lee has in-depth understanding of the pharmacy benefits management industry including managed care and health technology assessment. Prior to joining TELUS Health, she worked as Clinical Trials and Systemic Therapy Pharmacist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Pharmacist at Shoppers Drug Mart in Toronto.

Vicky holds a Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Toronto. She also has a Bachelor's Degree in Life Science from Queen's University and a Master's Degree in Management of Innovation from the University of Toronto.

Brita Lerohl

Brita is the Senior Vice President, Strategy and Innovation at McKesson Canada. In this role, Brita is responsible for overseeing McKesson Canada’s corporate strategy across our pharma distribution, specialty and retail portfolios and driving innovation to best support evolving customer and partner needs. She is also the head of Communications for McKesson Canada, responsible for stakeholders' engagement and communications.

Brita joins us with a wealth of experience and an impressive track record in strategic leadership and business transformation. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Commercial Strategy and Marketing for North America at Brink's USA, where she led the reimagining of the North American commercial Go-to-Market strategy, sales operations, and marketing efforts.

Brita holds a Master of Business Administration with Distinction from the University of Western Ontario's Richard Ivey School of Business. She’s a recognized thought leader, known for her innovative mindset, ability to see the big picture, execute focused strategies, and deliver results.

Dr. Daniel Ngui

Dr. Daniel Ngui is a family physician and Medical Director at Fraser Street Medical, an interdisciplinary clinic in Vancouver with 8 family physicians, 4 nurse practitioners, and chronic disease team. He is a Clinical Professor in the UBC Department of Family Medicine and co-chairs the St. Paul’s CME program, which attracts over 1,500 clinicians annually.

He has been involved in the development of clinical practice guidelines such as the BC Guidelines, Canadian Diabetes Association. He contributes to national medical education organizations such as the CPD Network helping to design and present medical education on a local, national and international level.

Dr. Ngui is a Co-editor for Primary Care Today!, a national journal delivering practical, evidence-based updates for family physicians. His interests and publications focus on Artificial Intelligence tools, population health management, and optimizing chronic disease care through EMR dashboards and team-based care.

Dr. Lucie Opatrny

Lucie Opatrny, MD MSc MHCM FRCPC, is the president and executive director of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), a Santé Québec academic health centre affiliated with McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The MUHC oversees a $1.9B budget, six hospitals and one of Canada’s top three research institutes. Dr. Opatrny is also an associate professor at McGill and the president of RUISSS McGill, a coordinating body supporting health care, teaching and research across 63% of Québec.

Dr. Opatrny is helping redefine organizational excellence through innovation, forward-looking strategy, data-informed decision-making and empowered teamwork. She fosters a culture that values recognition, growth and shared success; champions artificial intelligence, emergent technologies, research and collaboration to improve care and outcomes; and works tirelessly to assure the MUHC has robust infrastructure, hits net-zero decarbonization and environmental targets, and integrates performance-elevating practices.

Dr. Opatrny earned her MD from McGill University and Master's degree in Health Care Management from Harvard University. Between 2018 and her 2023 MUHC appointment, she served as assistant deputy minister at the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec. Previously, she practiced in internal medicine and was a director of professional services.

Ken Weisbrod

Ken Weisbrod is a Senior Strategy Consultant to TELUS Health and a visionary, results-oriented healthcare and retail executive with deep expertise in pharmacy operations, healthcare systems, and regulated supply chains. He brings broad experience across retail and healthcare operations, technical innovation, analytics, quality and process management, and the controlled and psychoactive substances supply chain.

Ken previously served as Vice President, Pharmacy Business Development at Shoppers Drug Mart/Loblaws, Canada’s leading pharmacy and grocery retailer, where he led national pharmacy operations and strategic development initiatives.

An internationally recognized speaker and subject-matter expert in pharmacy operations and the wellness sector, Ken has worked extensively across Canada, Europe, and the United States, advising governments, multinational organizations, and industry leaders.

He brings decades of operational leadership in retail and pharmacy across Canada and the U.S., with specialized expertise in narcotic supply chains, regulated drug distribution, digital health transformation, and clinical workflow integration.

Ken is licensed as a pharmacist in both Canada and the United States and has served on the boards of GS1 Canada and the Ontario Pharmacists Association.