Board of Directors

The mandate of the Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health is to provide funding for research, education and international work in all aspects of women’s health, thereby saving lives and improving the health of women. The Board of Directors is responsible for putting the mandate of the foundation into action. The board establishes the foundation’s goals and policy, ensures adequate financial support for foundation operations, develops and plans long-range initiatives, hires the executive director and promotes the foundation both privately and publicly. Our Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated individuals from a variety of backgrounds.


Dorothy Shaw
Chair

Dorothy Shaw, OC, is a Clinical Professor Emerita in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and an associate member of the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia. One of the early perinatologists in Canada, she co-led the Diagnostic Ambulatory Program at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre. She is recognized academically for her policy and advocacy contributions to the health and rights of women in Canada and globally and known for her leadership and collaboration to facilitate better outcomes.

Between 2000 and 2010, during her decanal appointments at UBC, Dr. Shaw provided comparative gender analyses for the Faculty of Medicine. She served as President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, (1991-1992) and the first woman President of FIGO (2006-2009). As president, she initiated the FIGO programme for the prevention of unsafe abortion and its complications in 46 countries. She also served as the inaugural chair of the FIGO Committee for Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights from 2000 to 2003 and was the founding chair of the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health from 2010 to 2014.

Dr. Shaw has been honoured nationally and internationally by several lifetime achievement awards, most notably being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2016.

After officially retiring as Vice President, Medical Affairs for BC Women’s Hospital in 2018, Dorothy has continued to serve on global committees and boards, including vice-chair of the nomination and governance committee for the Partnership for Maternal Newborn Child Health in Geneva and as a member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Group of the Human Reproduction Program at WHO. Dorothy also leads an active personal life and is a devoted grandmother to four young children.


Robert Reid
Vice-Chair

Robert Reid is a highly acclaimed clinician/researcher whose career has been devoted to enhancing gynecologic care through development of educational programs, lecturing, and mentoring aspiring students.

As Professor and Chair of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Queen’s university he led a highly regarded research course that was offered to trainees in Ob/Gyn across Canada for 25 years. During that time, he established the Contraception Advice Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) fellowship to offer specialized training to future university-based gynecologists from across the country. Dr Reid, as author of over 250 research papers and book chapters, has had the opportunity to lecture extensively at medical conferences and universities throughout North America and Europe.

He is past president of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society as well as the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. He is the recipient of numerous awards including honorary fellowship from the Royal College in the UK, a United Nations World Summit award for the best in e-content and creativity for a women’s health educational website (www.sexualityandu.ca), and lifetime achievement award from SOGC.


David Young
Treasurer


Michel Fortier

Dr. Michel Fortier obtained his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Université Laval in Quebec. Following his graduation, he completed a residency program specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Before joining the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Université Laval, Dr. Fortier pursued a six-month advanced training in colposcopy under the guidance of Dr. Fred Papsin and Dr. Gordon Lickrish in Toronto.

Dr. Fortier served as the Past President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), contributing his expertise to numerous committees within the organization. He was also a Board Member and Treasurer on the Executive Committee of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Quebec (AOGQ). In addition, Dr. Fortier held several leadership roles within the Society of Canadian Colposcopists (SCC), including Scientific Program Director and Secretary-Treasurer.

Dr. Fortier is recognized as one of the Founding Members of the Canadian Menopause Society (CMS), where he also served as a Treasurer on the Executive Committee.

Throughout his career, Dr. Fortier has actively participated in numerous research projects focusing on innovative products in women’s health. He is a co-author of several peer-reviewed scientific articles in this field.

Dr. Fortier is now retired from clinical practice and retired as an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction at Université Laval.


Michael Helewa
Michael E. Helewa MD, FRCSC is a Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar in Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Rady Faculty of Medicine of University of Manitoba (UM). After 4 decades of clinical, academic, and leadership roles at UM and as the Site Lead and Head of the Women’s Health program at St. Boniface Hospital, he retired from clinical and administrative duties in 2022, but remains active in academic and national work in women’s health.

His career included major contributions to innovations in maternity care including the Community Based Antenatal Home Care Program in Winnipeg for which he remains the medical advisor, research as principal investigator/co-investigator/collaborator in local and multicenter trials, guideline development notably on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, prenatal care, obstetrical interventions, environmental impact on pregnancy outcomes, and leadership within departmental, provincial, national, and international organizations. His leadership roles included being elected as President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC, circa 2005-2006), member of Patient Education and Manitoba Chair of District VI of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Associate Head of Research at department, Chair and Medical Advisor for the Maternal-Perinatal Mortality and Morbidity Standards Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM), and acted as a member of the ministerial advisors for Manitoba Health. He has published extensively in peer reviewed medical journals, chaired numerous committees, and received many awards recognizing his teaching, mentorship, leadership, and service.

Despite retirement, he continues being involved in national research networks, national and local maternal mortality review initiatives, and serves on several boards including the Board of Directors and the Quality and Vigilance Committee at St. Boniface Hospital, Preeclampsia Foundation for research grant reviews, Heart-Links a support group for transplant patients, advisor for CPSM, and as a peer reviewer for many medical journals. His philosophy centers on equity, equality, evidence-based practice, ethical care, contribution to research, education and mentorship. He cherishes family life with his wife, two sons and four granddaughters.


Andre Lalonde
Dr. André Lalonde is highly experienced in women’s health, specializing in risk management, collaborative care models, aboriginal health programs, clinical guidelines, consumer education, and strengthening health systems in Canada and low-resource countries. His work includes implementing safe motherhood initiatives, reducing maternal mortality, Dr. Lalonde initiated and rolled out maternal and newborn care risk management programs across Canada (MOREOB, ALARM) and has collaborated with family physicians, nurses, midwives, and other reproductive health stakeholders both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Lalonde is a graduate of the University of Ottawa, and obtained Fellowships from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the American College of Surgery, and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has a Masters Degree in Health Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics.

Dr. Lalonde held appointments as Chief, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, LaSalle General Hospital (1973-1989); President, IHPMI (1991-1993) and President, Board of Directors, LaSalle General Hospital (1978-1987). Dr. Lalonde was the Executive Vice President at the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) for 20 years (1991-2011) and was appointed as Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Ottawa and McGill University,

Dr. Lalonde has been involved with FIGO chairing committees the Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health Committee, development and monitoring of FIGO Save the Mothers programs in 10 countries (2007-2011) and led SOGC’s founding membership of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH).

Dr. Lalonde has received numerous prestigious awards, including the “A. Lalonde Birthing Unit at LaSalle General Hospital”, honorary fellowships of the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (UK), and the College National des Obstétriciens et Gynécologues de France, and several others. He was recognized by the United Nations for his work in Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health.

Dr. Lalonde currently leads the International Childbirth Initiative’s 12 Steps to Safe and Respectful Maternity Care, and consulted on midwifery birthing projects in Northern Quebec for the Cree Nation.

He is a member of the Order of Canada and resides in Ottawa.