• Sandy joined the MHCC in February 2010 to lead the national expansion of the Mental Health First Aid Canada program.
• With more than 20 years of management experience, Sandy was the former Director of Innovation with the Alberta Mental Health Board and has also worked in hospital administration, research and strategic planning, project management and policy development at the provincial and municipal levels of government.   She has experience as an adult educator.
• Under Sandy’s leadership, MHFA is now offered in French and the program has grown with more than 47,000 mental health first aiders across Canada and over 550 certified instructors in all provinces and territories in Canada.
• Growing up in a home with a parent with bipolar disorder has instilled in Sandy a passion for decreasing the stigma surrounding mental illness with a focus on public education.
• Holds an Honours B.A. (First Class) in Psychology from Carleton University and a Masters Degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Alberta.
• www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca    780.459.5813

Special Advisor, Mental Health Strategy for Canada
 Howard Chodos, Ph.D.

• Former Director of Research for the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, during the writing of its report on mental health in Canada called Out of the Shadows at Last.
• Brings to the Commission an outstanding knowledge of mental health policies and issues as well as extensive networks among mental health researchers and the broader stakeholder community.
• Extensive knowledge of federal government and legislative functions.
• Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University.

Director, Knowledge Exchange Centre
Lisa Petermann, Ph.D.

• Lisa comes to the Commission with significant experience in both government and not-for-profit organizations at the provincial and national levels with a focus on knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and partnership development.
• Prior to joining the Commission,  Lisa served as a Program Manager for the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer where she was involved in the development and delivery of a knowledge exchange portal for national policies related to cancer and chronic disease risk factors.
• She has also coordinated several national and provincial stakeholder consultations on a broad range of topics ranging from the prevention of childhood obesity to environmental issues to knowledge exchange and population health research, practice and policy priorities.
• Lisa holds a PhD in medical history and has been actively engaged in health-based research for nearly 10 years. 

Director of Communications
Stéphanie Lassonde

• Prior to joining the Commission Stéphanie was the Chief of Communications and Public Affairs at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in Montréal for 8 years.
• There, Stéphanie built from ground up a team of communication experts to raise the profile of the Douglas in Québec and help change the perception of the institution from an asylum to a modern mental health care facility. 
• Stéphanie is recognized for having started the first public education program in a Québec mental health institution and for developing innovative communications strategies using the web and social media to engage with the public about mental health issues.
• Prior to the Douglas, Stéphanie worked for three public relations firms in Montréal.
• A graduate of McGill University, Stéphanie has a B.A. in Psychology and holds a Public Relations Certificate from l’Université de Montréal.
  

Director, Opening Minds
Micheal Pietrus

• Under Micheal’s leadership as Director of Opening Minds, the Commission launched its 10-year anti-stigma / anti-discrimination initiative designed to change the attitudes and behaviours of Canadians towards people living with mental illness.
• Opening Minds is the largest systematic effort to reduce the stigma of mental illness in Canadian history.
• Opening Minds is an important priority for the Commission because many people living with mental health issues say that the stigma associated with mental illness is often worse than the illness itself. It is a significant barrier keeping individuals dealing with mental health issues from seeking help.
• Micheal has also worked with the Alberta Mental Health Board (AMHB), and as an award-winning news director, television producer and journalist with the CBC, CTV and CityTV.

Director, Partnerships
Thérése takacs

• Previous to working at the Commission, Thérèse held senior positions with Athabasca University as the Director, Development and External Relations; at KCI Ketchum Canada as Associate Vice President, Western Division; and at Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Foundation (QEIIF) as Chief Development Officer.
• Prior to 2001, Thérèse served as Director of Annual Programs, Events and Sponsorship for B.C.’s Children’s Hospital Foundation, where she oversaw annual events including the annual Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, Festival of Trees and the Crystal Ball. Thérèse also acted as the Foundation’s Official Liaison with the Children’s Miracle Network - an organization with over 170 hospital and foundation members.
• Thérèse has led several highly successful multi-million campaigns across Canada to include the $42.5 million Working Miracles campaign for the QEII Foundation and the $4 million Embracing Excellence campaign for King’s-Edgehill School in Nova Scotia and an $8 million campaign for St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She developed and implemented campaign plans, provided direction to client staff in the areas of leadership recruitment, volunteer training, and solicitation strategies.
• Over the past nineteen years, Thérèse has overseen projects involving campaign management, annual and major gifts, sponsorship, strategic partnerships, communications and event management.

Advisor, Stakeholder Relations (part-time)
Phil Upshall  

• Phil is the National Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC), a virtual national NGO with a mandate to represent the interests of consumers and families dealing with mood disorders.
• Immediate past National Executive Director of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH).
• Managing Director of Mental Illness Awareness Week in Canada.
• Holds national board positions with the Canada Post Foundation on Mental Illness and Mental Health; Advisory Board to the Canada Research Chair - National Core for Neuroethics at the University of British Columbia.
• Adjunct professor, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University.
• Past member of the Institute Advisory Board of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction; Past member of expert panels for Stats Canada, Health Canada, CIHI and others.
• Phil holds a commerce degree from Dalhousie University and a law degree from the University of Toronto. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1969.